Grace and Support

Tonight was a candlelight service in our Emmaus community. Prior to that, the community shared communion. It is part of the tradition of our community to walk down the aisle toward the Lord's table with our hands on the shoulders of the person in front of us.

I'm short. I always worry, and always think about the weight of my hands on the shoulders of the person in front of me. Am I pulling down too hard? Are my hands a burden on the person in front of me, rather than a comfort?

I wonder the same thing about other parts of my life. Are there times when I pull people down rather than comfort them? Are there times when my presence is more of a burden than a grace? Are their instances when I am not support, but am instead a hindrance?

Once we made it to the Lord's table, I turned around to place a hand of support on my friend, standing behind me when I noticed that another friend, standing behind her, was doing the same. The three of us are part of the same reunion group, and support each other often, but it was a gift of grace to me to stand with the two of them, the three of us receiving communion together. I thank God for that moment.