Did Jesus feed his disciples?
Mar 26, 2008
EDITOR—Religious practice, when allowed to get out of hand, can get to ridiculous levels! Take the example of the Holy Communion. This week, a Mr. Paul Kokoski wrote advocating that lay people should not be allowed to touch the bread with their hands because it is the priest who is the intermediar
EDITOR—Religious practice, when allowed to get out of hand, can get to ridiculous levels! Take the example of the Holy Communion. This week, a Mr. Paul Kokoski wrote advocating that lay people should not be allowed to touch the bread with their hands because it is the priest who is the intermediary between man and God! Ridiculous! The priest is just another human being like his congregation. His touching the bread does not make him any holier.
The Communion is a remembrance of the last supper that Jesus had with His disciples and also a commemoration of his sacrifice for us on the cross. Jesus, who is far greater than any priest, did not put the bread directly into the mouths of His disciples.
And we do not know if each of them polished off all the bread that was given to him or left a crumb or two on his plate. Given that the importance is in our attitudes towards God and fellow man as we fellowship with one another, and not so much in the bread or wine, why are we wasting people’s time talking (literally) about crumbs under the pew?
Paget Kintu
Kampala
EDITOR—Your reader, Paul Kokoski, says Archbishop Albert malcolm should be condemned for suggesting that Catholics should abandon the practice of receiving Holy Communion in the hand. Is it because Pope John Paul II has said only priests should touch the sacred host?
I know some catholic and Anglican priests whose priesthood does not go beyond wearing cassoks and collars! I am hard pressed to see how such people can be intermediaries between God and man! I believe both priests and laity are sinful and miserable supplicants before a merciful God. The priestly posturing cannot be God’s idea—it is man-made! Did Jesus feed his disciples at the last supper?
Name withheld
The Communion is a remembrance of the last supper that Jesus had with His disciples and also a commemoration of his sacrifice for us on the cross. Jesus, who is far greater than any priest, did not put the bread directly into the mouths of His disciples.
And we do not know if each of them polished off all the bread that was given to him or left a crumb or two on his plate. Given that the importance is in our attitudes towards God and fellow man as we fellowship with one another, and not so much in the bread or wine, why are we wasting people’s time talking (literally) about crumbs under the pew?
Paget Kintu
Kampala
EDITOR—Your reader, Paul Kokoski, says Archbishop Albert malcolm should be condemned for suggesting that Catholics should abandon the practice of receiving Holy Communion in the hand. Is it because Pope John Paul II has said only priests should touch the sacred host?
I know some catholic and Anglican priests whose priesthood does not go beyond wearing cassoks and collars! I am hard pressed to see how such people can be intermediaries between God and man! I believe both priests and laity are sinful and miserable supplicants before a merciful God. The priestly posturing cannot be God’s idea—it is man-made! Did Jesus feed his disciples at the last supper?
Name withheld