CHAPTER 6: TEMPORARY SOLUTION FOR A PERMANENT PROBLEM 183 Note that the word ‘scandal’ refers to the fact that the monastics were separated during the Eucharist. In comparison, his use of the word in the context of possible public controversy following an act of sharing Communion sounds rather dutiful, almost insincere. He speaks of such occasions as compromising the goals of ecumenism, something that can only be considered as a secondary option, a bypass on the route towards these goals. Brother TC expresses a similar line of thought when he concludes: This, this of course applies to the whole idea of intercommunion, or, receiving Communion, because... if you have this will to seek unity... no?... to seek reconciliation, you're doing something that the Eucharist is about. No? {laughs}.424 (…) what seemed normal, almost, was to be separate. That was the norm, no? And it was bizarre to look for unity, no? {laughs} And you are, are you, where are you, if you're looking for unity? And uh... ... ... whereas the scandal is not that people are looking for unity, the scandal is division, no? {laughs} The scandal is not that people are searching, maybe... awkwardly, no? In imperfect ways, for ways of being together and unity, but the scandal is division. And immobility in the face of division.425 In clear-cut terms, TC expresses the rationale of the practice of Eucharistic hospitality. It may be imperfect, but the alternative of being separated at the table is far worse. That is the real scandal. BF adds that the reality of churches prohibiting other Christians to receive Communion in their Eucharistic liturgies acts like a stumbling block for people. As such, he considers it incompatible with the Gospel.426 He concludes: “we make the experience of the division, uh… through a sacrament that is the sacrament of unity, this is a scandal.”427 He learned this especially in his time in Switzerland with Brother Daniel when he lived in close contact with the Catholic and Protestant pastors of the region.428 Speaking from their own experience, the monastics indicate that they regard the inability of churches to share the Eucharist as the biggest problem or scandal. Facing the alternative of remaining divided at the altar, they 424 TC-1,28b. 425 TC-1,28c. 426 BF-2,4. 427 BF-2,14. 428 BF-1,2e.
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