#eucharist covid food distribution

[ladyleona]

Eucharist in the age of COVID

120 days.

It’s been 120 days since I last came to the table and received the gift of Eucharistic, since I felt the intimate presence of my saints with me, since I heard the words “for you”.

And goodness, it’s been hard. It’s been lonely, full of anxiety and impatience, not knowing when next I will sit around the table with my crew, and know the true presence of Christ in my midst.

The bread and wine is, first and foremost, an unearned gift. And it would be arrogant of me to think that I can’t survive without it - 120 days is proof of that. And I obviously know that Christ is present outside of the elements. But there’s nothing quite like the Meal at God’s table, and I’m growing really hungry.

Last week at the Food Bank’s Northeast distribution, I was floored by the amount of food surrounding me. I couldn’t believe between the constant line of cars and amount of food we were handing out that we never ran out. Each family got everything they could ever need for at least of week of food, and it was true nourishment, not stuff full of sugar and preservatives. We were surrounded by true abundance.

It was only on reflection that I realized this table at the distribution might be the Eucharistic table during these unusual times. This food is a gift from the abundant God, food for our journey, and given freely without any limitations. It is handed over from one member of the community to another, without any questions about need or whether they deserve it. This box of dairy will fill their growing children with needed calcium and strength; the frozen meat and produce will give them energy and nutrition. I can’t help but believe Christ is present in this food, at this table.

It’s not how I imagined my first communion back from shutdown to be, but we know our God shows up where there is need and want, in the weird places. No one’s in the sanctuary right now, so God heads to the Northeast parking lot and shares God’s abundance with God’s people.

“This is my body, broken for you. This is my blood, shed for you.”