Sacrament

We pour out our cups
  solitary and sterile of sickly sweet grape
We each take our piece
  the body we’ve bought – tiny crackers, unbroken

“Do this in remembrance of me.”

What have we become –
  a communion of cowards?
What’s sacred in this –
  a simple scion’s snack?

“Do this in remembrance of me.”

Remember the wine –
  bittersweet broken bliss
  suffering sanguine sweat
Remember the bread –
  bared, battered, bruised, belittled
  silent solitary submission

The act of exchange –
  My life for your loss
  My loss for your love
  My love for your life

Will I choose for my brother, my sister, my friend –
Will I choose for my traitor, my betrayer, my foe –
  the one-on-one, sacred,
  the bidirectional, literal
    sacramental sacrifice?

If I can’t share the wine of your sorrow
  and the bread of your pain, your passion, your person
Then who am I to bear burden the name of the ONE
  for Whom we do THIS in remembrance?

“Do THIS in remembrance of me.”