As my two sons are now grown, it has been my preference to dress in my Easter finest for sunrise mass at my Catholic parish of St. Hubert in Chanhassen. Minnesota. This past Easter, instead of turning south to attend the sunrise service – a whisper I heard, turned north, and after a three hour drive, I was honored to spend an hour, before Easter service, with Nikki and Sherry in the kitchen of their Lutheran parish serving brunch to their congregation. As both of their husbands were working twelve-hour shifts, and were not able to accompany them to church, I made a Woman of Jerusalem Journey symbolically arriving, with two of my dearest friends, before the men at Jesus’ tomb on Easter morning. Our gathering inspired an inter-faith celebration we treasure and speak of often.
During my eighth grade summer and after turning down religious life for the third time, I thanked God for thankfully celebrating the gift of attending mass and receiving the Eucharist daily during my seventh and eighth grade summers. In my prayers of thanksgiving, I regularly wished my Lutheran friends had the opportunity to partake of the Eucharist each Sunday as I am blessed to receive. This past Easter, in their church, I experienced, and offered thanks, that my prayers had been answered. . .
From a Christian perspective, and similar to St. Perpetua’s passion, will Holy Mother Church have its Hour and will I be persecuted for professing that each day we do not share the Eucharist with all our Christian brothers and sisters in Christ, whose devotions to the Blessed Sacrament are or exceed ours, that we may be delaying Jesus’ return and the building up of His, and our, family on earth?
While I await reply to my comments above from Father Wade Menezes C.P.M. – one of the most charismatic, eloquent and did I say handsome voices on the Catholic EWTN cable network, please share your thoughts and comments as relates to the / or your position on an open or closed Eucharistic table.