The second is participation. Jesus did more than just take and break the bread and take and pour the wine. He gave these things to the disciples to eat, thus he was involving them in the last supper. So today the Last supper is more than just a commemoration, where we remember a past event, it is a communion in which we participate in the remembrance and share in its benefits.
The apostle Paul wrote: ‘is not the cup of thanksgiving for which we give thanks a participation in the blood of Christ? And is not the bread that we break a participation in the body of Christ?’ (1 Corinthians 10:16)
This show that in Holy Communion we are meant to participate and share in Christ’s body and blood which he sacrificed to save us from our sin.
The third is fellowship. Jesus gave to mankind freedom from sin. We are all benefiting from this and so we must all celebrate together. This harmony with God, Jesus and each other is the Communion.
The forth meaning is thanksgiving. Eucharist means thanksgiving. We at Holy Communion give thanks for God’s sacrifice of his son and Jesus’ sacrifice of his body and blood to free man from sin.
Various Christians interpret The Last Supper differently. The Roman Catholic, Anglican and Orthodox Churches believe that the Eucharist becomes a special medium for the presence of Christ, and that by eating and drinking it they can draw closer to God. This is done through the elements: bread and wine. The bread is called the host (Latin for ‘victim’) as this symbolizes Jesus. These Churches have more decorated Holy Communion services than other Christians. The Priests have special robes (albs and chasubles), there are special ornamental containers for the bread and wine (patens and chalices) and there are decorative cloths on the altar as well.
Once the priest has prayed over the bread and wine (this is called consecration) and asked the Holy Spirit to come to them, he will raise up the bread so that everyone can see it and bells may be rung. These Churches have altar instead of tables, as they believe that they are offering a sacrifice when they consecrate the bread. They believe that it is an offering of the sacrifice that Jesus made on his own life on the cross, re-offered in the form of the elements. They believe that they are representing the sacrifice that Jesus made over 2000 years ago to day. (i.e. Bringing the sacrifice of Jesus out of the past and into the present).
To these Churches Holy Communion is a sacrament. This means that it is a physical act with a spiritual meaning. So they believe that by taking part in the Holy Communion they are bringing themselves closer to God.
Roman Catholics believe in transubstantiation. This means that they believe that all things are made up of accidents and substance. Accidents are the physical appearance of the thing whereas substance is the underlying, invisible essence that makes the object what it really is. So therefore the Roman Catholics believe that this is relevant to the bread and wine as well. So they think that when the Priest consecrates the bread and wine, their substance changes transforming the bread into the body of Jesus and the wine into His blood, but their accidents remain the same.
Many Anglicans and Orthodox Christians tend to regard this explanation as rather unlikely and believe in real presence. Real presence signifies Holy Communion as a symbol, but does not define it any further. These Christians believe that Holy Communion commemorates the last supper and crucifixion, but Jesus is present both in the heart of the worshipers and in an undefined way, the bread and wine become special spiritual symbols of that presence. So in essence they believe that the bread and wine are spiritually changed, but they do not say how.
Some modern Roman Catholic theologians are not happy with the doctrine of transubstantiation as it stands and argue that the significance of the elements changes once it has been consecrated and that the bread and the wine take on a special focus for the presence of Jesus Christ in the minds of the worshipers. This view is called transignification. This is similar to the way that coloured inks on paper take on a special meaning when a five-pound note is printed. Other Roman Catholics argue do not agree and say that Christ must be present in the wine regardless of the worshipers, i.e. His presence does not depend on their belief.
The Free Churches do not regard the Eucharist in the same way. They believe that a sacrament is a special symbol that Jesus told people to use to worship. It does not focus on God’s presence and believes that the elements are a strong reminder of what Jesus once did and how he lives within the worshipers now. It is not a re-offering of his sacrifice, and therefore is put on a plain table as opposed to an altar.
Methodist and the United Reformed Churches do stress that Jesus is present in a special way during the whole Eucharist, in the prayers, blessing of the elements and the sharing of the elements. They believe that He is not particularly present in the elements. This backed by the statement said by Jesus: ‘Where there are two or three gathered in my name, I am there amongst them.’
Different Churches celebrate the Eucharist in many different ways. It starts with the fact that different denominations of Christianity refer to the Eucharist in different ways. The term ‘Mass’ is often used by Roman Catholic Christians. Holy (or Sacred) Liturgy is a popular title amongst Orthodox Christians. In the Church of England the service of Holy Communion is referred to as the Eucharist. Nonconformists use two other titles for Holy Communion: The Breaking of the Bread and the Lord’s Supper. These terms have different meanings. Eucharist means thanksgiving or praise. Communion means being close to God. Liturgy stands for public service. Lord’s Supper means a meal to which Jesus invites his followers. Breaking of the bread stands for the sharing of the meal in fellowship.
There are differences in the way the Eucharist is celebrated among the Churches, but almost all celebrations have a similar pattern:
The ministry of the Word – This is the first part of the service, containing prayers, Bible readings, hymns, acts of confession and sometimes a sermon.
The second part of the service is the Eucharist, this contains the following acts: The taking of the bread and the wine – this reminds the worshippers of the origin of the Eucharist and the bread and wine are put on the altar or table. The Thanksgiving (the Eucharist Prayer).
The breaking of the bread: The priest consecrates the bread and wine. In some Churches the bible passage of the Last Supper is read out. The following practices are associated with the reading: bowing, putting incense around the altar, lifting up the bread and wine, ringing the bells. In some churches members of the congregation greet each other with the ‘sign of peace’. This represents unity.
The sharing of the bread and wine: In Orthodox Churches Holy Communion is distributed to the congregation b dipping a piece of bread in the wine and then giving it to the worshiper with a long spoon. In Baptist and United Reformed Churches, church leaders distribute the wine in separate glasses. People drink from separate cups together. In the Church of England the congregation receives the bread knelling at the altar. In some Protestant Churches the worshippers stand around the altar or table in small groups.
After the sharing of the bread and wine there is a dismissal, which may include prayers, hymns and a blessing.
In the Anglican Church unleavened wafer bread is used and the leader of the worship must be a bishop or priest, children must wait until being confirmed to receive Holy Communion. In the Catholic Church unleavened wafer bread is used and the leader of the worship is a bishop or priest. Children receive Holy Communion from the age of seven. In the Methodist Church ordinary bread is used. A minister leads Communion. At Anglican, Orthodox and Catholic Eucharists alcoholic wine is used. Among Methodists, Baptists and others, some of whose members do not drink on principle, unfermented grape juice is used.
In Roman Catholic, Anglican and Orthodox Churches the services are elaborate. The priests wear special robes (albs and chasubles) and there are special containers for the bread and wine (patens – a shallow dish, and chalices – a special wine cup). There are decorative cloths over the altar.
Non-Conformist Churches have simple services with a table instead of an altar and there are no special robes or containers for the elements.
Methodist Churches tend to hold Communion once or twice a month. Catholic Churches hold Communion once a week. Anglican churches celebrate Holy Communion once a week.
Jesus’ action in the Last Supper and on the Cross reveals a truth. Any truth about God is eternal. Therefore what Jesus did on the Cross (and at the Last Supper) is something that is always true of God: He sacrifices Himself for His creation. So through the Eucharist, the sacrifice of Jesus is made present to the worshiper, in other words the worshiper is present at the eternal sacrifice of Jesus. This is called Anamnesis.