Come On Down!

Who hasn’t seen “The Price is Right?” Do they not have THE most exuberant contestants of all game shows ever? From the moment their name is called to “Come on down!” they cannot contain their excitement. It bursts out in shouts of joy, in waving arms, in feet that run and legs that can’t stop jumping. And that’s just in response to being chosen as a contestant, before they’ve had a chance to see all the marvelous prizes in store for the winner.

I’ve often wondered why we don’t see this kind of response to the invitation to our Lord’s Table. Isn’t the promise of the presence of Christ, forgiveness of sin and everlasting life at least as compelling as a new washer and dryer? Shouldn’t it generate an even greater response than a fabulous Caribbean cruise? We’re talking about Jesus, the real thing here. At least as Lutherans, we say we believe He is truly present in, with and under the bread and wine.

But you would never be able to tell that by watching us. Eyes downcast, feet shuffling, we look more like kids who’ve been sent to the principal’s office. Maybe we are too focused on our sinfulness and don’t feel we deserve Christ’s gift. Even so, you can’t tell any difference after we’ve received it. I guess then it must be because we’re showing our awe and reverence.

I know that in my own case, the instruction received as a 7-yr-old Catholic kid made me fearful of the whole ordeal. First, we stood in a line against the wall outside the confessional, a scary little room where the priest waited for us, one by one. As we waited in anxiety for our turn, we had to go over each of the Ten Commandments in our minds so we could be prepared to tell how many times we had broken each one. We were warned that in order to receive communion, it was important to have a clean soul, lest you further compound the sin by taking communion with unconfessed stuff still tarnishing your record. I never did ask what we were supposed to do about sins that snuck their way in between the confession and communion.

Once absolved and on our way our way up the aisle with our hands tightly folded, we had to be careful not to let our eyes stray in case some other kid made a face at us, breaking our focus and causing us to smile or snicker. Sister made it clear that this was serious business and we had better do it right, because God is always watching.

Thanks be to God, the pain and the negativity of our past can be overcome and transformed. What was once a dreaded part of church is now a much-anticipated event for me. I look forward to it and feel a kind of emptiness if I miss the opportunity for some reason. To me, it is the highlight of the worship service, so if someday you see someone skipping down the aisle, I hope you’ll forgive my irreverence and see that I couldn’t contain my joy any longer.

Do you have doubts that are preventing you from experiencing the unconditional love of Christ through communion? I invite you to trust in God’s words from Isaiah, chapter 43, verse 1

Do not fear, for I have redeemed you;

I have called you by name, you are mine.

“Come on down” and join me at the table, where the Body and Blood of Christ is given for YOU!