Closed Communion?
After a long hiatus here is another post. It's one that has been gestating for a while and probably came out a bit early but given the events in my life, it's something that has demanded my attention and reflection. As it turns out, it's as much a reflection on marriage as it is on the eucharist.
Once again I am asking myself, "Why do we have a "closed" cup at communion?" Or better yet, "In what way do we understand the world 'closed' and how far does the closure go?"
In my thinking about the issue I have come to absolutely detest the world "closed." Here is why. The chalice is not a place of closure in any sense of the word but the site of the most radical openness and nearness of God to man. To even apply the world "closed" to the Orthodox practise of barring from the chalice those who are not Orthodox is simply inappropriate. To me the word closed is inaccurate. I'm having trouble articulating why I think it's inappropiate but I think the example of marriage can be illuminating.
I remember talking to Fr. Lawrence about why communion with Christians who are not Orthodox is not possible. He used the example of marriage as a metaphor; two people are united into one in holy matrimony and so to are we united to Christ by partaking of him in the eucharist. Thus we become one with Christ in his Church which is his Body.
Back to the issue of the word "closed." When two people are married, their love in a certain sense is closed, or rather, particular and devoted. They express their love for one another by remaining faithful and loving to the other in an exclusive manner, that is to say, by not being with another man or woman. However, by remaining absolutely faithful, the marriage is not called "closed," it is committed and united - absolutely and eternally committed and united. To use the word closed to describe this would obscure the beauty and the glory of marriage. All sacraments of the Church are an opening and a manifestation of God's love which is never closed. And if a couple sees their relationship as "closed," I dare say it would start looking pretty ugly in a short time.
Marriage is in fact an opening. It is an opening of two people to God and to each other. The best marriages, in my limited and humble opinion, are those most open - to the image and presence of God in each other and in world around them. In fact, I think that as a married couple more clearly sees God's grace active and alive in each other, thus moving deeply into a profound spiritual union, they will naturally open up to God's presence in the world around them, opening themselves up to show forth the the unity of Christ and his Church in the sacrament of marriage. The point is to underscore the essential openness and yet the particular devotion of one to the other inherent in marriage. In being absolutely devoted, loving and thus open and united to one's husband or wife - to this one particular person - makes the relationship show the universal love of God for everything which he has already united to himself.
Communion is also an opening. It is the primary sacramental point of the openness of God to humanity. It is the over-abundant gift of God's continual presence in his Church. At the chalice, humanity is united to Jesus Christ and in this blessed union, effected by the Holy Spirit, humanity is made one with everything. I am reminded here of a introduction to a book about contemporary Greek elders. These monks, the author explained, leave the world to be truly united to it by first finding their unity in Christ and in him alone. By striving to love God above all, in whom all things are made new and in whom all things are united, the monk becomes a catholic person, he or she understands the unity of all things already brought together in Christ Jesus. It's like the Apostle Paul saying, "I have become all things to all men, that I might by all means save some."
So in the end I say, "closed shmosed." Yes, communion is for only those who are chrismated and baptised Orthodox Christians - we are not permited to be "promiscuous with the cup" to quote a friend a mine - but it is not really only for Orthodox Christians but for "the life of the world."
Perhaps a future post will look more at why the eucharist is reserved for Orthodox Christians and why it is essential that it remains this way.
After a long hiatus here is another post. It's one that has been gestating for a while and probably came out a bit early but given the events in my life, it's something that has demanded my attention and reflection. As it turns out, it's as much a reflection on marriage as it is on the eucharist.
Once again I am asking myself, "Why do we have a "closed" cup at communion?" Or better yet, "In what way do we understand the world 'closed' and how far does the closure go?"
In my thinking about the issue I have come to absolutely detest the world "closed." Here is why. The chalice is not a place of closure in any sense of the word but the site of the most radical openness and nearness of God to man. To even apply the world "closed" to the Orthodox practise of barring from the chalice those who are not Orthodox is simply inappropriate. To me the word closed is inaccurate. I'm having trouble articulating why I think it's inappropiate but I think the example of marriage can be illuminating.
I remember talking to Fr. Lawrence about why communion with Christians who are not Orthodox is not possible. He used the example of marriage as a metaphor; two people are united into one in holy matrimony and so to are we united to Christ by partaking of him in the eucharist. Thus we become one with Christ in his Church which is his Body.
Back to the issue of the word "closed." When two people are married, their love in a certain sense is closed, or rather, particular and devoted. They express their love for one another by remaining faithful and loving to the other in an exclusive manner, that is to say, by not being with another man or woman. However, by remaining absolutely faithful, the marriage is not called "closed," it is committed and united - absolutely and eternally committed and united. To use the word closed to describe this would obscure the beauty and the glory of marriage. All sacraments of the Church are an opening and a manifestation of God's love which is never closed. And if a couple sees their relationship as "closed," I dare say it would start looking pretty ugly in a short time.
Marriage is in fact an opening. It is an opening of two people to God and to each other. The best marriages, in my limited and humble opinion, are those most open - to the image and presence of God in each other and in world around them. In fact, I think that as a married couple more clearly sees God's grace active and alive in each other, thus moving deeply into a profound spiritual union, they will naturally open up to God's presence in the world around them, opening themselves up to show forth the the unity of Christ and his Church in the sacrament of marriage. The point is to underscore the essential openness and yet the particular devotion of one to the other inherent in marriage. In being absolutely devoted, loving and thus open and united to one's husband or wife - to this one particular person - makes the relationship show the universal love of God for everything which he has already united to himself.
Communion is also an opening. It is the primary sacramental point of the openness of God to humanity. It is the over-abundant gift of God's continual presence in his Church. At the chalice, humanity is united to Jesus Christ and in this blessed union, effected by the Holy Spirit, humanity is made one with everything. I am reminded here of a introduction to a book about contemporary Greek elders. These monks, the author explained, leave the world to be truly united to it by first finding their unity in Christ and in him alone. By striving to love God above all, in whom all things are made new and in whom all things are united, the monk becomes a catholic person, he or she understands the unity of all things already brought together in Christ Jesus. It's like the Apostle Paul saying, "I have become all things to all men, that I might by all means save some."
So in the end I say, "closed shmosed." Yes, communion is for only those who are chrismated and baptised Orthodox Christians - we are not permited to be "promiscuous with the cup" to quote a friend a mine - but it is not really only for Orthodox Christians but for "the life of the world."
Perhaps a future post will look more at why the eucharist is reserved for Orthodox Christians and why it is essential that it remains this way.
posted by Enthymemosis at 8:10 p.m.
4 Comments:
You know, Matthew, I really want to thank you for this post. I read it the other day and have been thinking about it ever since. It rings so true. I hear the words of St. John Chrysostom's Paschal sermon ringing in my ears, "Come!" The invitation is truly universal... there is nothing "closed" about it.
My wife Krista wrote a brief essay a while back after we'd been to a friend's Church community a while back. This particular group was either a 'plant' or a 'split' off a well-known Evangelical congregation (we weren't quite sure which was the case). And we went because our friend had been coming to St. Herman's here in Edmonton a fair bit, and we wanted to express our personal care by going and visiting this community's evening service, which clearly meant a lot to them. The service was nothing 'special' or outlandish. Some singing, several testimonies, Scripture readings. There was no sermon, which was perhaps unusual. And then they said the Nicene Creed (with the filioque) which seemed somehow out of place. The people seemed warm and friendly, but somehow anxious from their separation from their former congregation.
We left afterwards feeling 'heavy' with the weight of the brokenness. And so Krista wanted to gather her thoughts and wrote this paper on the analogy of divorce and schism, which is, of course the other side to your reflections on marriage and Eucharist. Eucharist is the medicine of immortality, but to those unprepared to receive it, I think it would be akin to an 'overdose,' on God's mercy, if such a thing were possible. In their authentic forms, both marriage and the Church as Communion are characterized by outgoing, life-giving hospitality. Thanks for reminding me of that!
May God help us all to realize that more and more in our homes and parishes.
hmmm, it seems to me you are caught up in semantics about the word closed. i think there is a very real closed sense to both marriage and to the eucharist in this age. it seems to me that the whole notion of 'communion' is exclusive to those not in the communion. that's just the way it is with being in communion in with the church or in a marriage. i liken it to being pregnant: you either are or are not pregnant. similarly, you are either in communion or are not. this doesn't mean that we won't admit anyone to become part of our communion in the church...if they will come willingly. but until they have willed it to be so, they are not in the communion. we might say the door to entering communion is not locked, or is only locked from the outside; but that's another matter.
this is where the analogy between marriage and the church communion breaks down. for the door to a healthy marriage is forever closed; there is never another member who can enter the intimacy of married couple. whereas the church can always remain in this age with an open invitation for anyone willing to enter the communion.
respectfully, thomasw
Well said, Thomas.
Greetings friend!
Thank you for posting a comment on my blog, for only today have I posted since and received an email as to that effect, and now know where you are to read your thoughts - beautiful!
I enjoyed this post, mainly for how in you humility and honesty you did not provide a definitive answer.
What I love best of God, brother, is that while I at times am refused a cup from his Church, He is always willing to share His cup with me in the most profane of places...
peace and love
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