“Vindicate me, my God, and plead my cause against an unfaithful nation. Rescue me from those who are deceitful and wicked. You are God my stronghold. Why have you rejected me? Why must I go about mourning, oppressed by the enemy? Send me your light and your faithful care, let them lead me; let them bring me to your holy mountain, to the place where you dwell. Then I will go to the altar of God, to God, my joy and my delight. I will praise you with the lyre, O God, my God. Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God.” Psalm 43

The Psalm prayer for this Psalm brings us the mention of “our joyful participation at your altar” — or as I interpret this, our participation at the table with Holy Communion. This is one of the deepest hurts for me that comes out of this time of “sheltering in place”. As per our “right practice” as Lutherans, we cannot consecrate the communion elements in isolation from the physical gathering of the community of believers — it is part of our understanding of Jesus coming t0 be a part of the bread and wine. And so, during Lent, we have been fasting from Holy Communion for several weeks — and will be for many weeks more.

Yes we are to put our hope in Christ, but agreeing with the Psalmist here, we also trust that “the Lord directs his love” — and there are no barriers that can come between that love — whether it is through prayer, through worship, through mindfulness, or Holy Communion. But in the end, I believe we trip all over ourselves walking over and around the road bumps of “right practice”. Perhaps we will be able to find a way to once again gather as a community, whether virtually or within no more than six feet of one another, to joyfully participate at the altar of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

PRAYER

Almighty Father, source of everlasting light, send forth your truth into our hearts and pour over us the brightness of your light to bring us, through our joyful participation at your altar, to your eternal dwelling on high, where you live and reign now and forever.

Amen.