Eucharist

Eucharist, also called Holy Communion or Lord’s Supper, in Christianity, ritual commemoration of Jesus’ Last Supper with his disciples. The Eucharist (from the Greek eucharistia for “thanksgiving”) is the central act of Christian worship and is practised by most Christian churches in some form.

Origin in Scripture

The story of the institution of the Eucharist by Jesus on the night before his Crucifixion is reported in the Synoptic Gospels (Matthew 26:26–28; Mark 14:22–24; and Luke 22:17–20) and in the First Letter of Paul to the Corinthians (I Corinthians 11:23–25). According to the Gospel accounts, Jesus established the practice at the Last Supper, a traditional Passover Seder, when he blessed the bread, which he said, was his body, and shared it with his disciples. He then shared a cup of wine with his disciples and told them that “this is the blood of my covenant, which is poured out for many.” According to St. Luke, Jesus called on his followers to repeat the ceremony in his memory, and the letters of the Apostle Paul and the Acts of the Apostles in the New Testament demonstrate that early Christians believed that they were to continue the celebration as anticipation in this life of the joys of the banquet that was to come in the kingdom of God.

The Liturgy of the Eucharist

The Liturgy of the Eucharist begins with the preparation of the gifts and the altar. As the ministers prepare the altar, representatives of the people bring forward the bread and wine that will become the Body and Blood of Christ. The celebrant blesses and praises God for these gifts and places them on the altar, the place of the Eucharistic sacrifice. In addition to the bread and wine, monetary gifts for the support of the Church and the care of the poor may be brought forward. The Prayer over the Offerings concludes this preparation and disposes of all for the Eucharistic Prayer.

By his Real Presence in the Eucharist Christ fulfils his promise to be with us "always, until the end of the age" (Mt 28:20). As St. Thomas Aquinas wrote, "It is the law of friendship that friends should live together. Christ has not left us without his bodily presence in this our pilgrimage, but he joins us to himself in this sacrament in the reality of his body and blood". With this gift of Christ's presence in our midst, the Church is truly blessed. As Jesus told his disciples, referring to his presence among them, "Amen, I say to you, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it" (Mt 13:17). In the Eucharist the Church both receives the gift of Jesus Christ and gives grateful thanks to God for such a blessing. This thanksgiving is the only proper response, for through this gift of himself in the celebration of the Eucharist under the appearances of bread and wine Christ gives us the gift of eternal life.

Therefore, The Eucharist is essentially the sacrament of the gift that God make to us in Christ through the power of the Holy Spirit. Every Christian receives this gift of salvation through communion in the body and blood of Christ. In the Eucharistic meal, in the eating and drinking of the bread and wine, Christ grants communion with himself. God himself acts, giving life to the body of Christ and renewing each member. In accordance with Christ’s promise, each baptized member of the body of Christ receives in the Eucharist the assurance of the forgiveness of Sins (Mat. 26:28) and the pledge of eternal life (John 6:51-58).

The discussion regarding Eucharist is a never-ending process, but I would like to end by urging all the readers that though we might have a various understanding regarding it, we should never forget one of its exquisite aspects, and that is its welcoming nature that unites individuals from all section of the society, to have communion means to get-together and share from one table and as such belonging to the member of that community/table we have to have an open space for all individual in our life be it rich, poor, black, white so on and so forth. Therefore, it is time for the member of the Lord’s Table to bring about such unity in our society and nation.

Article by Artimon Lepcha