Perhaps the most important of the sacraments, The Eucharist is defined within the Church as the body, blood, and spirit of Jesus Christ contained in bread and wine. First established by Jesus at the last supper, the account of the formation and acceptance of the Eucharist by the apostles can be seen in all three synoptic gospels, with its earliest known mention coming from the Apostle Paul in his first epistle to the Corinthians. In receiving this sacrament as a part of the Holy Communion, the believer is following the command of Jesus that is present in the scriptures to carry out this practice in memory of him.
The instruction to take of the Eucharist is given by Jesus several times in scripture. However, John 6:53 tells of this most blessed of sacraments not only with a command, but with a warning as well. It is here we see Jesus tell his disciples that they must eat and drink his flesh as contained in the Eucharist, for if they do not they cannot attain salvation.
The point at which the earthly bread and wine become the blood and flesh of Jesus to be consumed is known as transubstantiation, wherein the appearance of bread and wine that remains does so only as a superficiality of the senses. Though Jesus was the first in church history to make the bread and wine his flesh and blood, this ability was bestowed upon the priests with his utterance of the phrase “do this in remembrance of me”.
Aside from its scriptural support, the Eucharist can be seen to be an integral part of church history. Examples of This can be seen in such writings as those of St. Justin Martyr, an early Christian apologist who around 145 AD wrote of the teachings of the Eucharist being the blood and flesh of Jesus. This has been reaffirmed countless times throughout history, perhaps most notably at the Council of Trent in 1551, which confirmed that the real presence of Jesus is contained in the sacrament of the Eucharist.
Though its teaching can be seen throughout Church history, the doctrine of transubstantiation is sometimes contested, with critics saying that the words of Jesus in regards to the bread and wine are to be taken symbolically, thus lessening the importance of the Eucharist among the other sacraments. The church counters this assertion by appealing to the words of Jesus in the scriptures, which they believe clearly shows that Jesus is speaking in a literal manner.
With the importance of the Eucharist firmly established throughout church history, it is important that the believer who receives this most important of sacraments understands precisely what it means to do so. In receiving the Eucharist, the believer, first and foremost, is establishing a union between himself and god. Present in the Eucharist is a direct connection to God not found in the other sacraments.
This practice can also be seen throughout church history as a sacrifice in memory of the one made by Jesus at the cross. In this sense, the accepting of the Eucharist acts as a method of adoration, in which the believer makes a commitment to always praise God and keep the Lord in their thoughts. In accepting the Eucharist, the believer is engaging in a form of prayer in which he or she thanks god for the gifts given to them, and asks God to bless and protect mankind. In this way, the acceptance of this most holy of sacraments can be seen as a way to communicate with god.
The holy sacrament of the Eucharist is a rite that can be seen practiced throughout church history, and goes back to the time of Jesus himself. In accepting the Eucharist, the believer is following the instruction of Jesus as seen in Holy Scripture. Though there is some debate regarding what Jesus actually meant when he referred to the bread and wine as his body and blood, the Eucharist is one of the sacraments that can be said to hold importance in a wide variety of Christian traditions. By following the instruction of Jesus to eat of the bread and wine, the believer affirms his faith and adoration for God.
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