Here's an awkward moment I had at St. Sophia's Cathedral in Los Angeles:
As I approached for communion, I was asked my name. The priest is accustomed to calling out "The servant of God [name]..." into the microphone very loudly, so everyone can hear everything that goes on up front.
In response to his question, I replied softly, "Justinian."
"WHAT?" he replied rather loudly.
"Justinian," I said a little louder.
"WHAT?" he cried again.
"JUSTINIAN!" I yelled back.
"AH!" he shouted, and proceeded to prepare the communion. I was accustomed to the "drop" method, while he wasn't. After a few seconds pause, he attempted to pour it off the spoon, but his aiming wasn't spot on, and it fell to the floor with a resounding splash. The two of us stared at eachother in horror for what felt like an eternity, until I hurried away back to the pew. A deacon came by after communion was over and (much to me shock) poured lighter fluid on the marble floor where it had landed and lit it on fire.
So don't worry about what happened. Because it can always be worse.
This story had me laughing so hard I was in tears. Of course there is nothing funny about the Eucharist dropping to the ground, but the humor was in the situation itself. The yelling, the waiting, the horror...
