Sisters, brothers
One life but we're not the same
We get to carry each other, carry each other
One" -Some Irish Dudes who have a rock band
This past Wednesday I attended an admitted M.Div. students' day at Yale Divinity School/Berkeley Divinity School. I had been really excited about making the trip, and even more excited that my wife Katherine was joining me. "We get to go to church three times in one day!" I told her. She didn't look as excited as me about that, but she cam along anyway.
We left Newport at 5am in order to be to the Berkeley Center for 7:30 Morning Prayer. It was a beautiful service in my native tongue (The Book of Common Prayer) where I felt very much at peace and at home. There was even beautiful organ and piano music accompanying the traditional chants and hymns.
I felt a bit cautious about going to the ecumenical service at Marquand Chapel at 10. I've been before, and I was less at home with the more evangelical style of worship. To my great joy and surprise there was again beautiful organ music accompanying the hymns that I recognized along with a moving sermon about Noah given by one of the world's foremost Hebrew Scripture scholars.
Then the fun time came. Every Wednesday night the Episcopalians at the divinity school put on a Community Eucharist for the wider YDS community. This week they were incredibly excited to be joined by Dylan Breuer the creator of something called the U2charist. Now, I know who U2 are, and I've been to many a Eucharist in my day, but never have these two things met me jointly. Let me begin by pointing out the good: The musicians were incredible, the chapel was expertly laid out, every detail was given close attention, and the entire event was lovingly, expertly, and faithfully executed. Now the bad: I hated it. Katherine kept staring at me sending me silent messages as only a spouse can do. The poor guy standing next to her looked so uncomfortable that I honestly felt bad for him. I know I title this blog the "Unorthodox Christian", but I was looking for something a bit more orthodox in my worship. I stood there feeling awkward, not wanting to dance, not wanting to sing along as the band played U2 songs all the way through. To make matters worse, I was sitting in the second row in full view of the band. I didn't want to insult them by looking uninterested, or worse, judgmental.
Then came time for communion. We said Eucharistic prayers familiar-ish to me. The same bread and wine we always share was broken and poured. As I walked down to receive the body and blood of Christ I looked into the eyes of my friend Sarah, a student at Berkeley/Yale, who placed the bread in my hands and recited the familiar yet still moving words, "The Body of Christ, the Bread of Heaven". As I ate the bread and drank the wine I felt overcome with a sense of peace, love, and community. Even in the midst of something that made me uncomfortable, Jesus was present. Even in the midst of something I found awkward, the Holy Spirit was present. Even in the midst of something I found unsettling, God was present.
My parish priest, Mother Anita Schell, often tells me that when I feel uncomfortable or frustrated I should ask what God is trying to teach me. At the U2charist God taught me that his love and presence can be found ANYWHERE. I actually found myself bopping along to the music and singing out a bit more after receiving communion. Don't get me wrong, I don't think I'll ever enjoy the U2charist, but I do believe that the love of God was abundant in that room. I left uplifted and humbled, and for that, I give thanks to God.
"For where two or three are gathered in my name, I am there among them.”--Matthew 18:20 (NRSV)
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