Research Paper On The Eucharist

Having very traditional beliefs, the Catholic Church uses numerous different terms and practices that are not familiar with non-Catholics. Inside of the Discourse community, Catholics have set terms that are used widely to discuss different matters. For instances, the term “priest” is used to describe what others would typically call a “pastor.” In addition to the terms used, there are also rituals that are based on their traditional beliefs. The most drastic of them would be the Eucharist. This tradition is referred to by Catholics as “Holy Communion” and is referred to by protestants as “The Lord’s Supper.” Meg Kane described the differences by saying, “Catholics actually believe that the Eucharist is the body and blood of Christ. It has much more meaning behind it than other communion services.” (Kane). Drastically differing from other religions, Catholics believe that their priest was granted the ability by God to turn the bread and wine into the body and blood of Jesus Christ.

Apart from the three principals, the Eucharist sacrament was also elucidated by Luther with reference to consubstantiation. Consubstantiation refers to the assurance that Christ is indeed present in the Eucharist celebration. The belief is also similar to the transubstantiation doctrine. However, in the transubstantiation doctrine, it is believed that wine and bread factually change to the blood and body of Jesus Christ during the

The Eucharist or communion has been celebrated for over 2000 years in the church; however, the frequency of the practice varies greatly across churches. For example, the non-denominational church that I grew up in, celebrated communion every Sunday with consistency and the focal point of each service. (It was so routine I could quote what was going to be said.) Now, I am part of a church that celebrates communion once per month as a conclusion to the sermon. Another major difference between the two churches is who is welcome to participate in communion. For instance, my first church greatly expressed that only those who profess Christ could partake and must not receive communion in an unworthy. Evidently, the church’s view of Atonement (Penal Substitution) influenced a memorial view of communion. Also, the leader’s interpretation of 1 Corinthians 11:29 influenced this approach to communion. As our weekly reading pointed out, “Most who take the Memorial View do not have a place for grace in their theology beyond salvation” (Peterson 3). Therefore, during

Communion, or Eucharist, whereby Jesus is believed to award communion by way of himself *

Salvador Dali’s painting, The Sacrament of the Last Supper (oil on canvas, 65 ¾ x 105 ½ in., c. 1995), has become one of his most iconic paintings from his “late” period. This painting portrays one of the most famous scenes from the Bible, the Last Supper, depicting the twelve disciples eating their final meal with Jesus. This scene has been created many times throughout history by many different artists. However, through Salvador Dali’s use of equal symmetry, the uncommon setting he chose and the interesting perspective and focal points, he was able to recreate a completely unique version of this common biblical scene while adding his twist of surrealism.

Communion scenes and passages are not always set up or established along a biblical or holy basis

One of the main themes of the service was based around the divine liturgy, which is the considered the primary worship of the church. The Devine Liturgy is read by a combination of the priest, bishop, choir, and the church community. It is from the liturgy that the offerings of the bread and wine come from along with other prayers. It teaches that the bread and the wine “truly become the body and blood if Jesus Christ” (Sorensen). The priest, or the deacon is the ones that prepare the Eucharist, also known as the “ritual meal of bread and wine” (“Orthodox Churches" 233) as “the body and blood of Christ” (“Orthodox Churches" 233). They combine both the bread and the wine and bless these gifts to become one. They are then put into a chalice, and fed to the community through a golden spoon. While observing the taking of communion I noticed that a red cloth was held under the gold cup by acolytes, which are “altar boys who assist the adult officiants” (“Orthodox Churches" 231). The community puts their hands behind their back while taking communion so that they do not touch the gift or the priest. It is also during the time of communion that the community honors the “painted or mosaic” (“On Common Ground: World Religions in America” ) saints that are used as icons throughout the church. It was during the honoring of

Christians have been celebrating the Lord’s Supper for almost two thousand years. In this paper I will refer to the Lord’s Supper as an ordinance of the church. “An ordinance is an outward rite prescribed by Christ to be performed by His Church.” There are quite a few varying interpretations among the different churches on how the Lord’s Supper is to be practiced. I Corinthians 11:23-34 provides Christians with the scriptural meaning and reasons for observing the Lord’s Supper, also known as communion. Many consider the Lord’s Supper of little or no value and some consider the ordinance as more of a ritual. In some modern churches, preaching the Word is emphasized the most and communion is only observed once a month or

When each name was said in reverence the Priest would do an invisible cross sign, symbolizing the commemoration for guarding and transmitting the special knowledge to us. There also the reciting of the Gnostic Creed. After the Hymns and the Anthem and the reciting of the Gnostic Creed, the Eucharist was taken out on a plate and and some of the clergy members pulled out a bench with symbols on it, to kneel before the priest and be hand fed the Eucharist, after which the priest said "May the body of the Lord be within you and peace be upon you." In the Holy Eucharist the belief is that the Christ descends into the bread and into the wine and is absorbed into whoever consumes it. I remember questioning why is it fed to them, I thought it must just add to the experience of the Eucharist.

The Last Supper (found in gospels Matthew, Mark and Luke) is the final meal that jesus shared with his disciples before his crucifixion. The Last supper was presented like a passover meal, traditional hymns were sung, and traditional prayers were spoken as Jesus passed around the matzot (passover bread). Among these Jewish traditions Jesus added the words while breaking the bread “This is my Body, which will be given up for you” and while passing around the wine Jesus said “This is my blood, which will be poured out for you”. From these words and actions, stems the creation of the Eucharist that we know today. In the view of the passover, Jesus became the sacrificial lamb, his blood covered the wood of his crucifix just as the sacrificial

After learning these mysteria, members were considered reborn or “born again.” Christianity in fact began along these lines of practice. Its most important ceremony, the Mass or Eucharist, in which the body and blood of Christ were symbolically eaten in the forms of bread and wine, was forbidden to all but a select few who had completed three levels of initiation. Most early Christians, whether of Jewish or Gentile origin, would have been familiar the concept of mysteria. Throughout the Mediterranean world, religious communities based on this idea of secret teachings thrived.

Receiving the Eucharist is one of the most important things we can do as a catholic. Holy Communion is the most important of all the sacraments. It completes the Sacraments of Initiation. The bread and wine we receive at communion is the body and blood of Jesus. It becomes the bread and body of Jesus through Transubstantiation. Transubstantiation is the conversion of the substance of the Eucharistic elements into the body and blood of Christ at consecration, only the appearances of bread and wine still remain. We participate in the sacrament of communion to commemorate all that Jesus did for us and getting nailed to a cross so we can be free from sin and have eternal life in heaven.

Two practices important to Christian worship usually take place in churches. These practices are (1) baptism and (2) the Eucharist, also called Holy Communion or the Lord's Supper. The ceremony of baptism celebrates an individual's entrance into Christianity. The Eucharist represents the Last Supper, the final meal that Jesus shared with His disciples. Worshipers share bread and wine in the Eucharist as a sign of their unity with each other and with Jesus.

The Communion Christians have always regarded the Holy Communion as being one very important element towards achieving discipleship since the very beginning. However, the question in every Christian’s mind is “what are we doing?” it is, therefore, important to discuss what the holy communion means about theology. The Holy Communion has several names given to it. Among them are: the Eucharist, the Lord’s Supper, Divine Liturgy, and the Mass. Inside the New Testament, there are also varying details given there concerning what entails the Holy Communion on accounts given by Christ himself.[1] The Holy Communion does not compare to Baptism which is another sacrament that is non-repeatable. It is repeatable to some certain degrees as it can be done on a daily basis such as those performed by the Catholic Church. In other instances, it can be conducted on a much infrequent celebration such as the ones that happen in Reformed Churches. Referring to Baptism, there are differences in the practice and its significance, and sometimes the understanding of what it means to be baptized. This has gone ahead to become e a hindrance to churches having a common celebration, but at the same time, there is some spiritual benefit that accrues to the people that partake in it. In the same way, the Eucharist possess the same characteristics. Nature of the Union of Christ and Church The Holy Communion is not just a matter of people ingathering in unity. The purpose of having the communion is so

God sacrificed his son, Jesus, for the good of all people and so that they too would depart from the slavery and the submission to sins and wrongdoings, in order to enter into a pure state of forgiveness and freedom. This is the key reason why Christians, of all branches, hold a great importance to Holy Communion, which remembers Christ’s sacrifice to them, which frees them of their sins up till this day. Even though, most, if not all Christian denominations agree about the origins of such a ritual, they now have different opinions about how the service is conducted. The Roman Catholic Church believes in the idea of transubstantiation, which is the belief that the bread and wine that they consume at the Eucharist meal, has over the years, mystically transformed into Jesus’ real body and blood.