October 6, 2024: World Communion

World Communion Sunday

World Communion

What a day it is today, as we think of our world as one world! Our world seems so varied with countries, environments, peoples, languages, climate, and politics. Our day-to-day concerns have to do with where we live, where we shop, when we visit our family, and where we work. It is hard to think of our world as one.

I have been privileged to live in four different nations. So was my father, although his travel as a war refugee was more complicated. Through work and vacation I have visited 65 different countries. The people in all these nations share much in common.

We Christians are one people, having one Father as Creator and Sustainer, one Savior and Redeemer, one Holy Spirit to unite and inspire us to do God’s work. Today, World Communion Sunday, we celebrate this unity. There are times and places when there is division. The resulting conflicts bring pain and suffering to the people living there. We pray for healing, recovery, and prosperity where there is conflict. We pray that the people God has created may have life that they enjoy.

There is a unity in the church of Jesus Christ as we celebrate the Holy Communion. We remember that God seeks to unite believers in a special way through Jesus Christ. God brings new life to humans who receive Jesus as their Savior and seek to imitate his life in their living. The Holy Communion is a celebration of the new life we have received from Christ and share with people around the world.

We need to celebrate the essential unity of all people of the world who claim Christ as their Savior. And so we do, on this World Communion Sunday. We tend to think of our needs, the needs of our own church and community. But today we celebrate the wonderful gift of being one with all God’s people as we join in one communion meal for the Lord Jesus.

Gordon Sommers, retired pastor
Nazareth, Pennsylvania