Reverence & The Real Presence

Rev. Dr. Matthew Richard’s Podcast · Apr 3, 2026 · 14m

In 1542, when communion wine was accidentally spilled at St. Mary’s in Wittenberg, Martin Luther and Rev. Bugenhagen rushed forward, wept, cried out, “O God help,” and even licked up the spilled wine from the rail.

To many modern Christians, that sounds extreme. But perhaps that reaction reveals something uncomfortable. Maybe the problem is not Luther. Maybe the problem is us.

If this account strikes us as excessive, does it reveal that we no longer truly understand—or perhaps no longer truly believe—the real presence of Christ in the Holy Supper?

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Sermon for Holy Thursday: April 2…