These humble gestures
Are simple, sacred, holy
Now my heart is full

Many years ago a good friend taught me about the difference between big “E’s” and little “e’s”. Big E as in Eucharist. The sharing in the Body and Blood of Christ, of Sacrament and Sacrifice. When a group shares this together they are bound closer to Christ as ” koinonia”, a fellowship, a community of believers. In my faith tradition there is an opportunity to receive not only weekly Eucharist but daily.

Sometimes, because we are distracted by life, or become too lax in our routines, we can miss the significance of these moments, or not be as present to them as we should. Sometimes the availability and familiarity with the Sacrament can breed complacency, or just taking its Presence for granted.

This friend went on to explain to me that “little e’s” were those beautiful moments of grace and gift we can sometimes experience with family and friends. Just as Jesus took something as simple as a bit of bread and a cup of wine, and made it holy telling people “do this in remembrance of me,” so something as simple as sharing a cup of coffee, a spot of tea, a beer, a simple meal, etc can become a sacred moment, a sort of “eucharist with a little e….”when we pour out our lives with one another, are vulnerable…..these moments may be sacred.

They can happen through these gifted times of conversation, or as musicians come together, or as one becomes enthralled with a piece of art or nature. Athletes and others experience these in their own way. Young parents and a new baby know a sense of communion, of oneness that others cannot fathom. These moments are not limited by Creed.

These are not everyday occurrences. OR perhaps they are and we just miss the opportunity to see them most of the time. Personally, I think they are moments that are rich enough and rare enough that they can touch us….when we reconnect after a long time with someone, or when we don’t realize how much we needed that until after it is over. They can break through a void, snap us back into good humour, or give us the courage to face whatever happens next. These are the moments of the little e. They are sacred. They are gift. And they can bring me to my knees in glad thanksgiving. Eucharist and eucharist . I need them both in my life.