the more i sit and quietly watch, the more in awe i become of it all. i remember not long ago sitting in the midst of all these people and being either very irritated, or else thinking they were just flat out ridiculous for their silly piety and lack of reason and logic.
now? well now i can hardly take my eyes off of each of their lovely faces. brown eyes, green, blue, and grey. blonde, brunette, and fiery red hair. tall and short, slender and stout. each and every one beautiful in his or her own way. and the most beautiful part of it all? the fact that all of these individual people are able to come together peacefully and share a unified belief in a God of grace, mercy, and love.
every Sunday i watch each person walk forward to take communion. i'm truly struck by the profound nature of this act. not merely the taking of bread and drinking of wine, but by the unity exemplified by this action. i'm not skilled in estimating numbers much of any sort, but i'd guess there are several hundred people who come forth just during one service on a sunday. where else can you find so many different personalities, ideologies, philosophies, and walks of life come together in peaceful harmony? sure, there may be discrepancies over politics and societal issues. of course not everyone agrees on all aspects even of the bible; however, they can all stand and say they believe in a God who saves. a God who grants grace and mercy freely, and a God whose love endures forever. that alone is pretty compelling argument i think.
i know i should sit with my eyes closed and pray during communion, but really, i just tear my eyes away from that beautiful vision. it's similar to walking into a museum and being overcome by the astounding work of a brilliant artist, yet this is far more tangible. it is real. this isn't something fabricated.
maybe one day i'll stop watching, but i hope not. i hope to never grow hardened or apathetic to such a remarkable event. i hope to always find it as overwhelming, awe-inspiring, and all encompassing as i do a deep melodious song or a hauntingly emotional painting.