Hey, if you guys think Jesus felt it was necessary to institute one more ritual to judge us on performing in an approved manner, you go right ahead and perfect your performances to try and make yourselves more worthy.
I happen to think He wanted me to remember that His sacrifice was for those people around me, and to remember that He constantly called them His Body for a reason. And, I do not think His call to "examine yourself" was meant to take a look at how pious a frame of mind we suddenly assume as we stare at that wafer in our hands, thinking of the bloody man the Catholics hang on their walls at church and in their homes.
"Remember me." I have no idea what that has come to mean to each of you. But if a friend dies in my arms at a bank robbery where he took a crook's bullet meant for me, and he asks me to remember him................ Although I will remember the sacrifice and brave act, that will not be my primary memory of Him. I will remember his life and what he stood for.... AND I will be quite mindful of him hoping one of my main focuses in life, from then on, would to be to be attentive of, and to care for, his children that he left behind.
I just cannot fathom the Jesus I adore declaring that I will be in a world of deep hurt if I fail to properly perform a ritual.... OR that I have to become worthy enough to be allowed to perform that ritual, or else He will kill me.
You guys can consider me a freak and a heretic, but I just cannot finally recover from previously thinking God was a blood thirsty OT madman and dictator, bent on destroying as many people as He could.......... and now turn right around and attempt to claim Jesus is the same kind of vindictive monster.
I am thrilled that however you understand Communion gives you the relationship with Jesus you feel you need. And I hope it always does. But I just can no longer view my Savior that way.