A new experience! COCONUT COMMUNION!

Born and raised in Samoa with a limited knowledge on how to perceive things differently, makes it more complicated for me to try and accept this kind of practice. Communion is considered highly sacred in my community and coconut on the other side is found anywhere in the community. It is used for different purposes, such as cooking, healing, consuming, drinking etc.. 

The list of coconut use in my community never involved Communion which is why I did not accept the flesh of the coconut as a symbol of Jesus Body and a coconut juice as a symbol of Jesus blood being shed on the cross. I questioned myself, why used coconut? 

While sitting in the Chapel, I said a silent prayer "Le Atua, faamolemole ia e alofa ma faamagalo mai a'u i lo'u le taliaina o le aano male sua ole niu e fai mai faailoaga o lou tino ma lou toto, ae faamolemole sei e fesoasoani mai ia te a'u,  ina ia ou taliaina i lo'u loto se a'oa'oga oi lumanai e faailoa mai ai le taua olea foi ituaiga sauniga e pei ona iai le sauniga o lenei taeao. Amene"

 (Dear Lord, please have mercy and forgive me for not accepting the coconut flesh and coconut juice as symbol of your Son Jesus Christ's body and blood shed on the cross but please help me and let me accept it in my heart a future lesson that will show the importance of this type of communion service. Amen)

The service ended and I thought to myself, ohhhhhhhh yes! I did the right choice!

I am not blaming myself for thinking differently, in fact I believed in what I was taught because that belief brought me here. (please also remember that I do not have any knowledge on different types of theology 😊 a newbie is the best word to describe)

However, there is a lot to learn and share with different people from different perspectives!!!

Looking forward to this topic during teaching weeks.



Comments

  1. CWMTIM2023July 7, 2023 at 5:33 AM

    great reflection susana - it is challenging to encounter these new ways and it is important to take time and be thoughtful about how we respond and not just accept things when there are choices to be made that must take into account our different contexts (including background). Good work

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