Friday, April 14, 2023

God in Hand



Communion


Lying in my palm,
the coming of a holy Presence
to fill my life with love,
lying in my palm
to save me from myself,
the feeding of a hungry soul:
lying in my palm.


 By Ed Pacht


Receiving the consecration wafer in one's right hand is a very old custom. Ephrem the Syrian invites the Christian communicant to feel awe at what is received in his or her hand, since even the Seraph did not take the divine coal with his hand, nor did the prophet Isaiah eat it (Isa 6:6). The divine coal is a common image of the Eucharist in Syrian theology.


No comments: