Post by foxjj on Oct 4, 2022 6:59:27 GMT
Communion
Communion, or The Lords Supper has been observed, or as many would say celebrated, with varying disciplines from the time of the early Church. Over my life I have experienced numerous different forms of Communion. My earliest memories are as a young person back in the 1950’s. My family attended a Catholic Church in rural Ireland where there were strict rules concerning the receiving of communion. For a Catholic the receiving of communion is to receive the body and blood of Jesus. The belief is that the wafers used in communion are changed during the mass when the priest says the prayers of consecration over them which is the doctrine of trancsupstaniation. This is their understanding of the words of Jesus at the last supper when He said “this is my body” and “this is my blood.”
Back then one was firstly required to attend confession, preferably the day before, second one must fast from midnight until after the mass in which one received communion. You can imagine the shame for any young person who, out of habit had something to eat after getting up in the morning. They would be the only one who stayed in their seat when everyone else went up for communion. Anyone receiving communion had to approach the altar and kneel at the altar rail where the priest would place the communion wafer on your tongue. (This was not a nice experience if the priest was a smoker.) The 1960’s saw the Vatican Council from which the rules were relaxed. Now the wafer is placed in your open hand and you place the wafer in your own mouth. At the same time Catholics also now receive juice.
Since becoming a born again Christian I have attended Pentecostal, Baptist and other Evangelical churches. The Evangelical concept of communion is so different. Instead of having communion during every service as Catholics do, whereby it can simply become a habit losing its relevance, generally speaking, we have communion once a month. For the Evangelical, the communion service is a time of remembrance when we celebrate with thanksgiving the sacrifice of our Savior, whereby our sins were atoned and we were forgiven. The Pastor will read Paul’s instructions: “For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, “This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me.” In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.” For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.” (1 Corinthians 11:23-26.) Amen, thank you Lord Jesus.
Today, let us remember with thanksgiving, The Lords Sacrifice.
John Joseph Fox.
Communion, or The Lords Supper has been observed, or as many would say celebrated, with varying disciplines from the time of the early Church. Over my life I have experienced numerous different forms of Communion. My earliest memories are as a young person back in the 1950’s. My family attended a Catholic Church in rural Ireland where there were strict rules concerning the receiving of communion. For a Catholic the receiving of communion is to receive the body and blood of Jesus. The belief is that the wafers used in communion are changed during the mass when the priest says the prayers of consecration over them which is the doctrine of trancsupstaniation. This is their understanding of the words of Jesus at the last supper when He said “this is my body” and “this is my blood.”
Back then one was firstly required to attend confession, preferably the day before, second one must fast from midnight until after the mass in which one received communion. You can imagine the shame for any young person who, out of habit had something to eat after getting up in the morning. They would be the only one who stayed in their seat when everyone else went up for communion. Anyone receiving communion had to approach the altar and kneel at the altar rail where the priest would place the communion wafer on your tongue. (This was not a nice experience if the priest was a smoker.) The 1960’s saw the Vatican Council from which the rules were relaxed. Now the wafer is placed in your open hand and you place the wafer in your own mouth. At the same time Catholics also now receive juice.
Since becoming a born again Christian I have attended Pentecostal, Baptist and other Evangelical churches. The Evangelical concept of communion is so different. Instead of having communion during every service as Catholics do, whereby it can simply become a habit losing its relevance, generally speaking, we have communion once a month. For the Evangelical, the communion service is a time of remembrance when we celebrate with thanksgiving the sacrifice of our Savior, whereby our sins were atoned and we were forgiven. The Pastor will read Paul’s instructions: “For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, “This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me.” In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.” For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.” (1 Corinthians 11:23-26.) Amen, thank you Lord Jesus.
Today, let us remember with thanksgiving, The Lords Sacrifice.
John Joseph Fox.