April 21, 2026
So he set off and went to his father. But while he was still far off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion; he ran and put his arms around him and kissed him.
Matthew 15:20
(the loving father/prodigal son)
“Here, have some.” Over 15 years ago, I was receiving communion in a Sunday worship service, early in my first call as a pastor. A staff member who never served communion (but instructed our elders how to do it) had to step in and take someone’s place at the last minute. As a result, she’d entirely forgotten which phrasing she was supposed to use, got flustered, and between giggles, offered me the bread and said, “Here, have some.”
Years before, in seminary, I attended a small church that met in a school gym. They served communion by placing bread and cup on tables in the back of the room, playing music, and inviting folks to go back as they were ready, either as groups or individually. No words were spoken at all, and that troubled me. Then I interned in a Methodist church. They emphasized the “receiving” language over the “taking communion” language I still so often hear in Presbyterian circles. I still talk about how we receive communion from God, receiving it as God’s gift through elders and one another as we serve and pass the elements.
The way we extend invitation really does matter. It’s easy to feel unworthy or to feel overly deserving when we enter God’s house and approach the table and font. We either keep ourselves or others at a distance, disrupting God’s love and invitation to commune with one another in God’s presence. I was reminded of this again this week. I held a brand new baby I had just baptized and began to walk down the aisle into the congregation to introduce the newest member of our faith family.
Several children from different families broke free from their parents and raced down parallel pews to smile and wave and shout joyful greetings to her. That. That is how we should be welcomed to the feast at the table, the pews of our worship, the doors of our buildings. The words often matter less. But the joyful, sincere welcome matters a great deal. When we run toward God’s newcomers, extend food, smile, wave, giggle, and offer what we have, everyone wants to be here… and have some.
Prayer
Lord, help me to run toward welcome, to share what I have, and to invite with eager waves and laughter. Amen.
Rev. Brian Daoust
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