Blessing Back

My friend, the Rev. Michael Pipkin, shared the above photo taken when Bishop Peter Lee of the Diocese of Virginia made his last visit to St. Anne in Reston, VA and someone captured a really beautiful moment during communion. Dashiel is the blond kid on the left. He always breaks his communion bread in half and gives one half back to the celebrant. His sister, Jocelyn, made Bishop Lee stop so Dashiel could bless him back. "Blessing back" is why he gives half back to the celebrant.

If communion is something shared - something given and received - it's an intriguing completion of the circle to tangibly give back a part of what you have received to the person who blessed it. The photo is by Ruthi David.