July 9, 2025

Wednesday Word . . . Holy Food for Holy People

This past Sunday was our first in the BCP series that fills our July calendar.  As you know by now, we are looking at Communion services from the 1789, 1892, 1928, and 1979 prayer books.  As we go through those services, take note of what’s familiar, what has changed, and the overall feel of each service.

As I said earlier, the services are just similar enough that they might throw you for a loop if you rely on your liturgical memory.  I did this right off the bat when I was so preoccupied with the differences that I forgot to light the altar candles and play the opening hymn.  Oops.  That aside, this first service on Sunday went fairly well.

If you either attended in person or watched online, one of the things you no doubt noticed was how very clergy-centric the service was.  I lead all the prayers.  I read all the lessons.  I even read a few things that we normally think of as being said together. 

Even with all of that – with the priest doing most of the work, with the constant reminder that we are miserable sinners, with an east-facing altar, and with any number of other differences – the thing that still bound us together was Holy Communion.  The words of institution have not changed all that much and the words of administration, though a little different, are probably still familiar to people.  In the end, it was holy food given to holy people.

So as we go through the different forms of Communion this month, take time to notice the differences; but also take time to notice the similarities.  As an Episcopalian, I find it reassuring to know that our style of worship has been in place for some 450 years, and is probably even recognizable to the liturgies of the early Church from the 2^nd century. 

You are part of a long chain of holy people partaking of the holy food of God.  No matter what comes your way, hold onto that fact.

Blessings,