day no. 14,711: sour dough

John 13:26-27
Jesus answered, “It is he to whom I will give this morsel of bread when I have dipped it.” So when he had dipped the morsel, he gave it to Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot. 27 Then after he had taken the morsel, Satan entered into him. Jesus said to him, “What you are going to do, do quickly.”

The one who was going to betray Jesus was already betraying Him. He had plans already in place, but partook of the bread of communion anyways. Taking the morsel of bread with a calloused heart made way for Satan to enter him freely. Consuming the symbol of sacrifice while harboring a heart of selfishness is like putting out an open house sign for the devil.

John 13:30
So, after receiving the morsel of bread, he immediately went out. And it was night.

Judas didn't just handle the morsel, he received it, consumed it and immediately bolted. It was night outside in Jerusalem and inside Judas' heart. Darkness prevailed upon the land and this particular man.

1 Corinthians 11:23-30
For I received from the Lord what I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took bread, 24 and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and said, “This is my body, which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” 25 In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.” 26 For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes.

27 Whoever, therefore, eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty concerning the body and blood of the Lord. 28 Let a person examine himself, then, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup. 29 For anyone who eats and drinks without discerning the body eats and drinks judgment on himself. 30 That is why many of you are weak and ill, and some have died.

We can in similar fashion consume communion in an unworthy manner. If we participate in the symbol of salvation with a heart hungry for transgression, we eat and drink judgment upon ourselves. If we have no intention of uniting ourselves to Jesus, the symbol of that union proves to be dangerous rather than nutritious. It is not the table that needs to be protected from us, but us from the table if we have no intention of honoring the Founder of the feast.