A 19th century visitor to...
Illustration
A 19th century visitor to a Highland Kirk in Scotland on communion Sunday would mark how only about half of the congregation actively participated in the sacrament. Indeed some Highlanders postponed joining the church until their advanced years. For them, their lips were unworthy to partake at such a Divine feast. And their instinct was right. The other extreme is to saunter into church gossiping (harmlessly) and talking about colds in the head, unaware that they are about to share in a Divine mystery -- the mystery how the Risen Lord is present at the gathering for communion.
Yet perhaps these good Highlanders were also failing to note one significant fact about the life of Jesus, "I came to call not the righteous but sinners to repentance."
At one such Highlander communion, the minister noted on the front pew a lady too overcome with the solemnity of the occasion to allow her worldly lips to touch the chalice, with a sob, she passed the cup untouched. But the minister watching closely, came down to her and retrieving the cup, he said, "Nay! nay lass! Take it! It was meant for sinners like you and me."
-- Docherty
Yet perhaps these good Highlanders were also failing to note one significant fact about the life of Jesus, "I came to call not the righteous but sinners to repentance."
At one such Highlander communion, the minister noted on the front pew a lady too overcome with the solemnity of the occasion to allow her worldly lips to touch the chalice, with a sob, she passed the cup untouched. But the minister watching closely, came down to her and retrieving the cup, he said, "Nay! nay lass! Take it! It was meant for sinners like you and me."
-- Docherty
