Separation is Death

It’s just one Sunday. I’ll go to Church next week. Weeks become months. Months become years. The next thing you know, you can’t remember the last time you were in Church. Sound familiar? May as well be true if you just replace attendance with Holy Communion.

The Lord said to his disciples, “Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid. You heard me say to you, ‘I go away, and I will come to you.’ If you loved me, you would have rejoiced, because I go to the Father; for the Father is greater than I. And now I have told you before it takes place, so that when it does take place, you may believe. I will no longer talk much with you, for the ruler of this world is coming. He has no power over me; but I do as the Father has commanded me, so that the world may know that I love the Father. Rise, let us go hence. “I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. Every branch of mine that bears no fruit, he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. You are already made clean by the word which I have spoken to you. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in me, and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. If a man does not abide in me, he is cast forth as a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire and burned. If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you will, and it shall be done for you.”

John 14:27-15:7

I know too many people that attend Church services but do not receive Holy Communion. “It’s just one Sunday. I’ll receive Holy Communion next week.” I hear it more often that I would like. The next thing you know, you’re dead.

Christ makes it clear in today’s reading that we are risking our life by not receiving Holy Communion. There is no other way to abide in God, but to receive Holy Communion. The Holy Apostles understood this when they commanded us to receive Holy Communion every Sunday.

But every Lord’s day gather yourselves together, and break bread, and give thanksgiving after having confessed your transgressions, that your sacrifice may be pure.

Didache – Teachings of the HOly Apostles to the Nations

As we begin to wrap up this Pentecost Season, it is our chance to rededicate ourselves to the life of the ancient Church. They prayed together daily or as often as they could. They served each other. They shared resources with each other. Most importantly, they worshipped together.

At a minimum they gathered every Sunday (some gathered more) to celebrate Divine Liturgy and to receive Holy Communion, to remain alive in Christ. They wanted more than anything to abide in Christ so He would abide in them.

If we want to be alive in Christ, we must follow their example. The alternative is for us to wither away and die, even if we live among great world comforts. It would be ‘bad enough’ if we were cut off from the vine. It is much worse to remove ourselves from the vine.

That is exactly what we do when we choose not to receive Holy Communion. We are choosing to remove ourselves from the vine. What’s one week? One week may be all we have left. Yesterday may be the last Sunday we have before heading to our grave.

Did we waste it, or did we attend Divine Liturgy AND receive Holy Communion? If we were not prepared for Holy Communion, did we make the effort to prepare? Sometimes it is just a matter of separation that kills us. The choice is ours to remain unite and live, or separate and dead.