What is a sacrament? It’s when we in the church take ordinary things – like water, bread, and juice – and do something holy and sacred with those things. In a Presbyterian church, we have two official sacraments: baptism and communion. I happen to love these two ways of connecting to each other and connecting to God. But what if we expand our understanding of sacrament a bit? What if we think of sacraments as anything that gives us “a glimpse of the almost unbearable preciousness and mystery of life”? (Frederick Buechner’s words to describe the witnessing of sacrament.)
I like this idea of thinking more broadly about sacraments. It got me thinking of things that might feel sacramental to us these days.
- A really good question: When has someone offered a question in conversation that was so lovely, so inviting, and so spacious that it was, to you in that moment, sacramental?
- Friendship: How has this most underrated of relationships sustained you in good times and challenging times? Who are the friends that help you catch glimpse of the preciousness of life?
- Music: What music connects your mind, soul, and body to the deep mystery of all things?
- Nature: What experiences in creation sustain you and remind you of what matters and what lasts?
We will be exploring these bonus sacraments in a September/October preaching series entitled The Sacrament of Everyday Things.
Does anything on this list resonate with you?
What would you add to this list and why?
-Written by Rev. Amy Miracle
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I love this. And let me add to the list, pets. Pets are unconditional love and always offer me a glimpse into the possibilities of loving without restriction.
Great addition to the list, Gretchen! Dogs in particular are so good at sharing unconditional love.
A shared meal (of course communion is one, but I mean more generally). Some of our most meaningful times involve sharing meals with close friends and family–but there is also the feeling of closeness that comes from sharing a meal with those you don’t know well and would not ordinarily be with.
I have always thought study could be a sacrament. BSPC has done some great studies worthy of being a sacrament.