Blessed, Broken and Scared: Becoming a Eucharistic People
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Blessed, Broken and Scared …odd title isn’t it? It is both the title for the retreats that I provide for churches around the country as well as the title for my upcoming new book. I plan to have it published before the end of this year. My hope is that as people read this book, they will likely discover that they are living life blessed, broken and scared. This is not what God desires for any of us. I will then put forth a plan for change. I invite you to read more……
During the Last Supper, Jesus TOOK the bread, BLESSED it, BROKE it, and SHARED it with His friends. Throughout my book I will explore the implications of how the Last Supper challenges us to live our lives in such a way, whereby we actually become the sacred food of Jesus Christ for the lost and broken people of the world who are starving to receive Him.
Writing this book has taken me a year. Learning what to write in the book has taken a lifetime. This book draws from my life’s experiences and from my journey from living life scared to living life shared. My sincere hope is that as people read it, they will discover a few things that can help them to more clearly see and understand God’s calling in their own life.
In addition to making the point that true Christian community is an essential part of God’s plan for each of us, I will show that as long as we remain broken and scared people we will fall short of becoming the Eucharistic people God intends us to be.
If we are to become a Eucharistic people then we need to understand the meaning of Eucharist. The word Eucharist comes to us from the Greek word eucharistia, which means thanksgiving. I will attempt to explain throughout my book what it means to “be” a people of thanksgiving.
To be clear, I am writing this book for all Christians. The word Eucharist is primarily used by Catholics. I hope this word won’t scare other Christians away. The Eucharistic meal is also commonly referred to as “The Lord’s Supper” and as “Communion.” I will be using all of these terms interchangeably throughout the book.
The underlying premise of my book is this: in much the same way as Catholics believe that the bread and wine are converted in to our Lord’s body and blood, all Christians, regardless of their denominations, are called to their own conversion. Through our conversion we are challenged to “be” Christ to others. The Jews ate manna and died. We are called to bring Christ to others, so that as a Eucharistic meal for them, they can come to believe in God’s Son Jesus, and thus, be granted everlasting life.
In Matthew 26:26 it states: “While they were eating, Jesus took bread, said the blessing, broke it, and giving it to his disciples said, “Take and eat; this is my body.” In this verse we see that the bread was taken, blessed, broken and shared.
The book is built upon the importance of those four terms. I hope that as people read what I have written, they will learn that they too are taken by God, blessed by God, broken and wounded in a sinful world, and yet, notwithstanding their brokenness, designed by God to be shared. When we fall short of this, we cease to be the Eucharistic people God calls us to be.
Understanding and coming to grips with our own brokenness is a very important part of our Christian journey. If however, we never progress beyond this self-awareness, our introspection is nothing short of a useless navel gazing exercise. If we never progress beyond our own introspection we will not become a Eucharistic people. Instead, we will remain BLESSED, BROKEN and SCARED. Blessed, broken and scared is not Eucharist. Remaining scared does not help us, and it denies others the opportunity to help us by being Christ for us.
I chose to name the book BLESSED, BROKEN AND SCARED because sadly, this is where many of us are stuck. If we are to become communion for others then we must go through a conversion to become a Blessed, Broken and SHARED people.
My excitement is building as I draw closer to finishing the book. I hope that through this brief introduction, each of you will be as excited to read it as I am to write it. Together, we are called to bring others to Christ. Through God’s grace, perhaps this book will help us to do precisely that.
Heavenly Father, it is easy to become preoccupied by our short comings and by the wounds inflicted upon us in this world. Grant us each day the nourishing and life sustaining food of your Son Jesus, so that we can share His good news with everyone we meet, amen.
As always, I love to read your comments below as well as hear from you personally by clicking here.
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Hi Brian,
I am so excited for you putting your story into a book. Can’t wait for the release date. I will be praying the Holy Spirit carries you through to the end.
DeAnne
Great to hear from you. I appreciate your prayers. I certainly depend on the Holy Spirit to see me through to the book’s completion.
Brian
I am also so very excited that you are writing this book! My husband and I throughly enjoy your 4th Day Letters. Blessings upon your writings, please keep up the awesome work!!!
Libby
Thanks for your post. It is encouragement like yours that will keep me motivated to get it finished soon. God bless you.
Brian
We (The Holy Spirit) will get you back on Sirius satellite radio Catholic Channel 129 ?
Libby
That would be great! Thanks again for the last time. After being on the Gus Lloyd show a prison chaplain who heard the show invited me to the prison two years in a row to put on a retreat for the prisoners. It was a real blessing.
Thanks
Brian
Keeping you in prayers while you finish your book project….cannot imagine the week without your letter, Brian!
Bill
Thank you for your prayers, they will truly help.
Brian
Thanks for taking the time and making the effort to write the book. I am definitely looking forward to reading it. Jim
Jim
Thanks for posting. All of this encouragement will help to inspire me through to the completion.
Brian
I look forward to reading your book! Meditating on God meeting us where we are and lovingly helping us and forgiving us and never ceasing to invite us back into friendship with Him when we fall helps me often get through periods where I feel completely inadequate and undeserving of His love.
I used to pray that God would just take away my imperfections, but over the past year with great direction and advice I feel compelled now to strive to offer myself as I am but always striving to make better choices and better control my will. Seeing brokenness as a gift, it now seems that being able to offer myself broken and all but choosing Him over myself is a greater gift than the sort of spiritual lobotomy I used to hope for. And it’s hard, and sometimes feels impossible. But God never fails to help me, most often especially through others. There’s never reason to hold onto fear with so many gifts.
One of my favorite books as a child was Frank Herbert’s Dune, and your point on falling into being and remaining scared reminds me of a part of the book where Paul Atreides is being tested by the Bene Gesserits, and repeats a phrase in his mind while being tested “I must not fear. Fear is the mind killer. Fear is the little death that brings total obliteration”.
John
Thank you for your heart felt sharing. I love your reference to the book. Fear is not our friend. May God’s blessings be with you!
Brian
Thank you for voicing what I feel and can not put down on paper. You are my voice. Bless you and your family. F
Felicia
I will give credit to the Holy Spirit. I only write what I feel He puts on my heart. God bless!
Brian
Wonderful Brian, can’t wait for the book! God bless you for all your work!
Evette
Evette
Thank you!
You have a very “heartsy” way of writing, Brian. And that is what I am drawn to. Can’t wait to read your book and to share it with others. Thank you for sharing your giftedness with us
Brian. I am trying to do the same. De Colores!! Patty McConnell, Burlington.
De Colores Patty
Thank you for your post and for your kind words. May God always be near to you on your life’s journey.
Brian