The Collect for this Trinity Sunday goes like this, “Almighty and everlasting God, you have given to us your servants grace, by the confession of a true faith, to acknowledge the glory of the eternal Trinity, and in the power of your divine Majesty to worship the Unity: Keep us steadfast in this faith and worship, and bring us at last to see you in your one and eternal glory, O Father; who with the Son and Holy Spirit live and reign, one God, for ever and ever.” Amen.
The operative word in this collect is Unity!
After months of being separated physically and liturgically we are now taking baby steps to return to that one thing that binds us together as the body of Christ, Holy Eucharist in both kinds! This Sunday at all services both the bread and wine will be offered through intinction by the priest. The process will go this way: Before the service the priest will have done a thorough handwashing. Before the distribution the priest will apply hand sanitizer. At the distribution the priest will dip the edge of the wafer into the wine and then place the wafer into the recipient’s hands with these words, slightly modified from the Book of Common Prayer, “The Body and Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ keep you in everlasting life. [Amen.] If a Lay Eucharistic Minister is needed for distribution, the same process applies.
For those of you not familiar with intinction it is a practice, common in the Greek Orthodox faith, which actually drops the bread into the cup, dips it out with a spoon and places it directly into the communicant’s mouth. We are not quite as elaborate as our Orthodox friends, but the Book of Common Prayer allows for intinction as follows (pages 407-408): “Opportunity is always to be given to every communicant to receive the consecrated Bread and Wine separately. But the Sacrament may be received in both kinds simultaneously, in a manner approved by the bishop. (i.e., the chalice bearer and not the communicant does the intinction.)”
I am so looking forward to serving you all this Sunday – I am grateful for that opportunity. Always keep in mind that the word Eucharist means Thanksgiving. We have much to be thankful for, especially that although we have been separated, we have remained unified through the gift of the body and blood of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Peace,
