Paul, in his letter to the Corinthians, assumes that the community gathers regularly to drink of the cup of blessing. Otherwise, there is no reason to ask the question. Paul asked the question in the context of admonishing his fellow Christians to avoid the worship of idols. He reminded them that the cup they drink is not the same as a toast to an idol, to a god who is no god at all. He reminded them that what they drink is nothing less than the very presence of God, poured out for them in the blood of Christ. Paul reminded them that this is no ordinary cup of wine, no ordinary after dinner toast. This is “the cup of blessing,” “a sharing in the blood of Christ.” They ought not take it for granted.

Those of us who drink of the cup of blessing can do it so often that we, too, take it for granted. We can forget just how precious a gift this cup of blessing truly is. We can drink it without thinking, without remembering just how wondrous it is that our God is sharing God’s very self with us. Sometimes, like the people of Corinth, we need to be reminded that the cup that we bless is indeed “a sharing in the blood of Christ,” and in that sharing, we become the blessing cup, for we hold within ourselves the very blood of Christ.