Jesus Munchables. . .

So apparently someone I know went to an LCMS church and ended up with a hermetically sealed cracker crumb and something that did not quite seem like wine but appeared to be more like strong grape juice and they called it Holy Communion.  Quite apart from the theology of it all, there is the question of what befits the very flesh and blood of Christ.  As much as some complain about plastic individual cups, this is even worse.  It is a discardable version of the coffee creamer style sealed cups only with a bit of something that appears to be bread with something else that is either wine or Welch's -- who knows.

It may not be a big deal for us -- we are good with paper plates at Thanksgiving and disposable silverware at the wedding and plastic wine and champagne glasses to welcome in the New Year.  We are humble people.  We are casual.  But the somber reality is that God is not so casual nor is God humble.  God is God -- even when He is the incarnate Son of the Father or the God who gives Himself in bread which is His body and wine which is His blood.  We may not be so fussy but God is not so casual as we think we are and the Lord deserves and rightly expects something more from us.

I am not saying that God will only fulfill His sacramental promise if the ciborium is sterling silver or the chalice is adored with gold and jewels.  What I am saying is that if we have the ability, why would we not offer the Lord our best for His glory?  And if we do offer the Lord anything less than our best, what does that say about us and our faith?

I am not at all suggesting that the Lord's presence is conditioned by the precious nature of their containers but I am suggesting that there is something wrong with us when we are content to seal things in inexpensive plastic and call it good before the Lord.  Quite apart from anything else, we should not be content to offer the Lord such things as these and presume that these are worthy containers for the Body and Blood of Christ.  Faith compels us to offer our best for His glory.  It needed to be said.