What do you meditate on?

[Scott Bushey]

During the distribution of the Lord's Supper, after you receive the sacraments, what do you think about?

 

[Peairtach]

I receive the wine - as it were - Christ's blood shed for me, and the bread - as it were - Christ's body broken for me, and meditate on what God in Christ did for me and those with me, and all His true people who have taken or are taking the sacrament in history and around the world, the one body of Christ.

I found Warfield's article on the sacrament as a sacrificial meal very helpful in this aspect of meditation at the Supper.

https://www.monergism.com/thethreshold/articles/onsite/supper.html

 

[MW]

During the distribution of the Lord's Supper, after you receive the sacraments, what do you think about?

This is usually guided by the table address.

 

[Ryan&Amber2013]

I try to focus on the Gospel: my sin and His forgiveness. And also not taking the elements in a worthless manner. Many times I feel distracted though, which is tough, but I always try to take time to repent of my sins. I like the twofold aspect of communion, looking back at what Jesus has done, and what He will do in the future.

 

[StephenG]

I like to associate three names of the Sacrament with three aspects of it:
The Lord's Supper: Remembrance of the Last Supper and Christ's suffering on our behalf.
Holy Communion: Table fellowship (real communion) with Christ and with my brothers and sisters in Him.
The Eucharist: Celebration and thanksgiving (εὐχαριστία) to God for what He has done for us.

 

[Jack K]

I'm usually thinking about whatever the pastor just talked about or what the sermon was about. A good sermon leads into the Supper well. Or if the sermon didn't quite do it that week, I might end up reflecting on whatever gospel themes I'm about to teach to the children after the service. That's happened sometimes.

 

[Scott Bushey]

For those of you who have answered, do you find your mind, unintentionally visualizing the cross and Christ?

 

[Ryan&Amber2013]

I don't think so. Maybe sometimes but I try to guard myself against this. I think all of the Hollywood films and pictures of Jesus I have seen are stuck in my mind so they do resurface from time to time.

 

[MW]

For those of you who have answered, do you find your mind, unintentionally visualizing the cross and Christ?

If there is a tendency to visualise it would be owing to a failure to properly conceptualise the sacrament by means of the Word. In Deut. 4, the voice of God is the only means of appropriately focusing thought on God and His purposes, and it is the ordained method for abolishing images. A table address is very useful in this regard.

 

[Miss Marple]

I usually think about the actual last supper and what it must have been like. I think of being there myself, how it was like a picture of Jesus being with us. So I guess I do think of Jesus being there and I find it a little strange to read through the gospels for example without seeing pictures in our heads as we do when we read any narrative. I "see" the table, the wine, the food, the cushions, the disciples, Jesus, I imagine sort of the mood. I can't believe we are to read and meditate on narrative stories and not have ideas of the people and things mentioned in our minds.