Fokke Wouda

CHAPTER 6: TEMPORARY SOLUTION FOR A PERMANENT PROBLEM 179 We say summary in English, but it's more than a summary, it's like the condensation, uh? of our entire faith is in the Eucharist, really. When you realize that, when you realize... why the Eucharist is such a great celebration... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... This, this of course applies to the whole idea of intercommunion, or, receiving Communion, because... if you have this will to seek unity... no?... to seek reconciliation, you're doing something that the Eucharist is about. No? {laughs}. If you receive the Eucharist without any wish for unity, {laughs} it would be a kind of contradiction almost, no...?416 Both BE and TC place the desire for unity at the center of celebrating the Eucharist. Without this desire, something crucial is missing. Interestingly, this also takes the debate on Eucharistic sharing to ‘regular’, homogenous, intradenominational Eucharistic sharing. The experiences of Taizé and Bose do not only touch upon the meaning of sharing or not-sharing the Eucharist in ecumenical contexts, but they also pose questions relevant for any other occasion in which the Eucharist is celebrated. It is not only the case that a Eucharist shared in contexts of unresolved Christian division can be deficient. Celebrations fully in line with canonical requirements can also be deficient if they lack the intention to restore the unity of the churches. Eucharistic hospitality and avoiding ‘scandal’ Nevertheless, the monastics mention occasions and episodes in the histories of the communities in which sharing the Eucharist was avoided in order not to ‘cause scandal.’ Brother TB points to one occasion in which former Anglican archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams, celebrated Mass in Taizé. Reflecting on this event, TB says: The Catholics, they didn't go and receive Communion, but that the others did... Because it's a sort of question of loyalty maybe, to say... ... when we receive Holy Communion together if we can good, thanks to that common celebration in the... Catholic, by a Catholic priest or bishop. And in that very exceptional case... uh... there was a hesitation, to… because then, it's again the question of... of... how do people understand~ I think it's not so much a personal thing, of the brothers, but more... ... what happens now in Taizé, what kinds of celebrations are there, and that's why, this whole thing was a bit a unhappy moment, maybe, partly good and partly not. And this is, this 416 TC-1,28b.

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