by Rev Tan-Yeo Lay Suan

Every first Sunday of the week, Pastor has the privilege of being the first one to smell the freshly baked bread. To ensure that the bread breaks nicely, I knife the bread beforehand. As the loaf represents the body of Christ, I have always instructed the communion stewards to give away all the bread, everyone to have their share in it. Here is why Pastor felt the baked loaf is a better symbol and reflection of the Body of Christ.

The portion of the bread represents your participation in the body of Christ. Sometimes, you have a small portion, other times you have to take a bigger portion. Other times, I don’t get to eat the soft parts of the bread, I get the crust. Remember the words of the Apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians 12? He says,

21 The eye cannot say to the hand, “I don’t need you!” And the head cannot say to the feet, “I don’t need you!” 22 On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, 23 and the parts that we think are less honorable we treat with special honor. And the parts that are unpresentable are treated with special modesty, 24 while our presentable parts need no special treatment. But God has put the body together, giving greater honor to the parts that lacked it, 25 so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. 26 If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it.

27 Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.

I am not too sure what other Holy Communion stewards do, but I do look at the recipient. To young children (the indispensable yet weaker among us), I give the softer parts of the bread. Most of us like the softer parts, but what do we do with the crust? It is part of the loaf. There will be some of us who will have to eat the crust (parts should have equal concern for each other). Taking turns to eat the crust is part of showing that concern for each other. Then again, there are those who felt the portion given was a little too big unlike the equal sized wavers. We need to acknowledge that the body of Christ cannot be broken into equal parts. The eye and the hand are different not only in size but in function as well. That’s one important reason to use the baked loaf for the differentiation created by the breaking of the loaf better reflects the fact that we are different yet belong to each other.

Thankfully we grow in the Lord. We are never the same size forever. From weakness, we become strong and then God assigns to us a larger portion of responsibility in His church. Perhaps, God even assigns us the portion that is particularly difficult to chew (the crust). Do we refuse Him? So to me, one of the important spiritual formative experiences is this coming forward to receive the bread.

i. Don’t think “chewing the bread (esp when it’s big) it’s going to be embarrassing.”
ii. Don’t think “I prefer the soft parts, aiya today I get the crust.”
iii. Don’t even think “I will spew it out later on when I go back to the pew.”

Don’t allow the flesh (your taste buds and other physical senses) to decide your participation in the Holy Communion.

27 So then, whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord. 28 Everyone ought to examine themselves before they eat of the bread and drink from the cup. 29 For those who eat and drink without discerning the body of Christ eat and drink judgment on themselves.

Eat and drink at the Lord’s table in a worthy manner (think community not self)! Discern your place in the community that the Lord has called you to.

The Nomination Committee meets soon with tasks assigned to different committee members to speak to those who have been nominated. They will be inviting some to shoulder the responsibilities in our household, some easy, some difficult and unpopular. Make the Holy Communion a special time of dedication to Jesus and His household. I hope you will allow yourself time to reflect each month as you come to the table about your part and place in the Body of Christ.