Brian HofmannMrs.
AshmenReligion 2 Period 7810 December 2017The Sacrament of CommunionThe sacrament of the Eucharist is one of the deepest biblically based on all the sacraments. Derived from one of the most famous Bible stories, the Eucharist is the center of the Catholic religion.This sacrament began with one of Jesus’ final actions before his crucifixion. Communion reminds us of Jesus’ presence, and the ultimate sacrifice He made on the cross. The Eucharist is one of our most important connections to Jesus.
We consume the Eucharist in worship as a sign that Jesus is fully present in the bread and wine, and in memory of Him, as he wished for us, as his disciples, to do at The Last Supper. In this, we are truly consuming the body and blood of Jesus, making communion a holy rite. The biblical roots of the Eucharist are the most important part of the sacrament. Stemming from an iconic bible story, it is directly related to the Last Supper. The Last Supper was the last time Jesus ate with his disciples before he was crucified. At the Last Supper, Jesus took bread and wine, blessed them, and gave them to his disciples.
He proclaimed “”This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me” (Luke 22:19), also thanking God for the bread. Through this action, Jesus immortalized the Eucharist and showed us that He is fully present in it. He also showed that he was still thankful for what God had given him, even considering the dire circumstances. This was Jesus’ way of teaching the disciples and all of his followers to come that He is constantly present and that we must continue to worship him and keep him in the center of our lives.
Along with having a direct basis in the Bible, this sacrament has not changed much in its development into what it is today. At the Last Supper, Jesus introduced a ritual to the disciples to carry on throughout his ministry, even after he passed. The ritual, which entails consumption of blessed bread and wine, is the same as it always has been. The simplicity and symbolism of this ritual have allowed it to go hundreds of years unchanged. Over time, the meaning of the Eucharist not only became more known but actually became more important. Catholics began to recognize just how important Communion was, and how it is one of our closest connections to the Father. People began to believe that in the sacrament of receiving Eucharist, the bread and wine were fully transformed into Christ’s body and blood. Many philosophers and reformers such as Thomas Aquinas backed this idea.
Every time we receive communion, we are reminded of Christ’s sacrifice and are renewing our faith in his return. Although it is symbolic, the Eucharist reaches beyond being just a symbol and strengthens our faith by bringing us to Jesus. When bread and wine are blessed, it is consecrated.
At that point, it becomes Eucharist, Jesus’ true body, and blood. We receive in memory of Him, and we show that we are faithful to Him by receiving his body and blood. The importance of the Eucharist is also shown through the conditions under which we must receive. When receiving, we are supposed to be in our holiest state, free from sin, so we can fully receive the presence of the Lord.
Jesus’ body and blood cleanse our sins and strengthen us in our faith. We live this sacrament out every day not only through receiving Communion but by living our lives and the Lord wants us to.Without the Eucharist, the death of Jesus would not be nearly as remembered and celebrated as it is now. Our Catholic faith revolves around this incredibly deep, holy, and meaningful sacrament.
We become united as brothers and sisters and children of God when we celebrate this sacrament as a whole. By receiving and celebrating, we are giving thanks to Jesus in the greatest way possible. We are celebrating and acknowledging the ultimate sacrifice Jesus made. He died on the cross for our sins and gave us His body and blood to remember him. The gift of this sacrament is never-ending, and will always be the way to consume Jesus’ grace and love and to bring him closer to our hearts.
