HOLY EUCHARIST
WHAT IS "EUCHARIST?"
The word Eucharist comes from a Greek word for Thanksgiving. The Holy Eucharist is also called the Lord's Supper, and Holy Communion; it is also known as the Divine Liturgy, the Mass, and the Great Offering. It is the sacrament commanded by Christ for the continual remembrance of his life, death, and resurrection, until his coming again. (In the Bible, you can find this at Mark 14:22‑25; Matthew 26:26‑29; Luke 22:13‑20; and I Corinthians 11:23‑25.)
It is also the Church's sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving (Leviticus 7:12‑13; 22:29), is Christ's gift to us. It is how he, through his Body (the Church), makes his sacrifice present in every generation. In it, he unites believers to his one offering of himself. Consuming his Body and Blood with faith makes us more and more like him in every way. We are united with him, not only in his physical victory over death, but in his mission and ministry (healing, casting out evil spirits, cleansing the unclean, raising the dead, proclaiming the Good news of salvation, forgiving). In the Eucharist we share, with him, a foretaste of the heavenly banquet that is our nourishment in eternal life.
Jesus Christ is present with us today in his body (the Church), in Word (the Bible), and in the Sacraments, especially the Eucharist (Holy Communion). We also encounter Christ in our neighbor (a word that means “whoever is nearby” at the moment, regardless of where they live or whether we know or even like them). In Holy Communion we find Jesus closest to us in the consecrated bread and wine.
None of these forms of Christ’s presence is independent of any others: Christ is not divisible. Sacraments are interwoven with membership (in the sense of being integrated, like a limb or bodily organ) in Christ’s Body. The Church and the Sacraments are inseparable from each other and from the Bible. And how we interact with whoever is nearby at any moment cannot be inconsistent with Word, Sacrament, or the corporate Body of Christ. Saint John Chrysostom is paraphrased as having preached, "If you cannot find Christ in the beggar at the church door, you will not find Him in the chalice" (Homily 50.4, on Matthew).
This holistic unity means that the Sacrament of Holy Communion cannot be reduced to hospitality or generosity. It is not the same kind of event as, for example, the feeding of the multitudes in the Gospel, or the meals Jesus shared with Pharisees or sinners. Because we do not exist as isolated individuals, doctrinal, moral, and liturgical unity are necessary for his disciples to receive him. To the extent we are, the Eucharist is the the source, the means, and the fruit of grace: life in God, lived in and with the Church, according to the Word of God as curated and interpreted by the Church. This includes secondary teachings that preserve and safeguard the core of faith, and also ways of life that reflect, incarnate, inspire, and reinforce those teachings by nurturing, within our communities, a culture that flourishes as the manifestation of the living Christ on earth.
Therefore, Baptism, which incorporates us into Christ through water and by solemn, irreversible vows and commitments, is the first prerequisite to participation in the Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist. (Confirmation is not a requirement.) If you are not baptized, please come forward at Communion time for a blessing prayer. If you would like to be baptized, please speak with the priest after Mass.
WHO MAY RECEIVE COMMUNION?
In the Episcopal Church, all baptized Christians, of any age and any denomination, are welcome to receive the Sacrament of Holy Communion.
Proper spiritual preparation and disposition are essential before receiving the Sacrament of Holy Communion. We examine, in the light of the Bible, the Word of God that judges us, our thoughts and ideas; our words; and deeds, as well as the convictions, values, and priorities we apply. We review prayerfully how we live our lives. We repent of our sins. We actively work at being in love and charity with all. The Exhortation on page 316 of the Book of Common Prayer 1979, and the material on page 409, offer specific guidance. Ordinarily, Confession and the Absolution pronounced at Mass suffice. Preparation also includes fulfillment of Baptismal promises; a life lived following the Commandments of God; reconciliation (forgiving and being forgiven by the Church and others); and sincere adherence to the faith handed down from the Apostles and entrusted to the Church for interpretation and application. Participation in the Liturgy of the Word at Mass is also ordinarily part of receiving Communion, and key to receiving the full benefits.
If for any other reason will not receive Communion today, please come forward at Communion time for a blessing prayer. If you would like to be baptized, please speak with the priest after Mass.
HOW IS HOLY COMMUNION ADMINISTERED?
Out of respect for those who have difficulty negotiating stairs, we administer Holy Communion at the Crossing.
If mobility is an issue, the minister will come to you at your seat. Gluten-free hosts are available; please inform the minister.
You are welcome to receive the host alone; or to sip from the cup; or to intinct (dip) the host in the consecrated wine.
The church has consistently and unanimously taught since antiquity that all graces and benefits of the Sacrament are received in either form (consecrated bread or consecrated wine) alone, when received in faith with proper preparation and disposition. The Sacrament must be consumed upon reception. It is not to be taken home or stored.
It is customary among us to receive the consecrated host on the flat of one’s outstretched palm, and not to take grasp it with the fingers. The Minister pronounces words of administration, whereupon the communicant replies “Amen.”
If you intinct (dip) the host, please moisten only the edge, and do not let your fingers contact the liquid or the cup.
MORE
If you want to know more, see Father Tom.
The word Eucharist comes from a Greek word for Thanksgiving. The Holy Eucharist is also called the Lord's Supper, and Holy Communion; it is also known as the Divine Liturgy, the Mass, and the Great Offering. It is the sacrament commanded by Christ for the continual remembrance of his life, death, and resurrection, until his coming again. (In the Bible, you can find this at Mark 14:22‑25; Matthew 26:26‑29; Luke 22:13‑20; and I Corinthians 11:23‑25.)
It is also the Church's sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving (Leviticus 7:12‑13; 22:29), is Christ's gift to us. It is how he, through his Body (the Church), makes his sacrifice present in every generation. In it, he unites believers to his one offering of himself. Consuming his Body and Blood with faith makes us more and more like him in every way. We are united with him, not only in his physical victory over death, but in his mission and ministry (healing, casting out evil spirits, cleansing the unclean, raising the dead, proclaiming the Good news of salvation, forgiving). In the Eucharist we share, with him, a foretaste of the heavenly banquet that is our nourishment in eternal life.
Jesus Christ is present with us today in his body (the Church), in Word (the Bible), and in the Sacraments, especially the Eucharist (Holy Communion). We also encounter Christ in our neighbor (a word that means “whoever is nearby” at the moment, regardless of where they live or whether we know or even like them). In Holy Communion we find Jesus closest to us in the consecrated bread and wine.
None of these forms of Christ’s presence is independent of any others: Christ is not divisible. Sacraments are interwoven with membership (in the sense of being integrated, like a limb or bodily organ) in Christ’s Body. The Church and the Sacraments are inseparable from each other and from the Bible. And how we interact with whoever is nearby at any moment cannot be inconsistent with Word, Sacrament, or the corporate Body of Christ. Saint John Chrysostom is paraphrased as having preached, "If you cannot find Christ in the beggar at the church door, you will not find Him in the chalice" (Homily 50.4, on Matthew).
This holistic unity means that the Sacrament of Holy Communion cannot be reduced to hospitality or generosity. It is not the same kind of event as, for example, the feeding of the multitudes in the Gospel, or the meals Jesus shared with Pharisees or sinners. Because we do not exist as isolated individuals, doctrinal, moral, and liturgical unity are necessary for his disciples to receive him. To the extent we are, the Eucharist is the the source, the means, and the fruit of grace: life in God, lived in and with the Church, according to the Word of God as curated and interpreted by the Church. This includes secondary teachings that preserve and safeguard the core of faith, and also ways of life that reflect, incarnate, inspire, and reinforce those teachings by nurturing, within our communities, a culture that flourishes as the manifestation of the living Christ on earth.
Therefore, Baptism, which incorporates us into Christ through water and by solemn, irreversible vows and commitments, is the first prerequisite to participation in the Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist. (Confirmation is not a requirement.) If you are not baptized, please come forward at Communion time for a blessing prayer. If you would like to be baptized, please speak with the priest after Mass.
WHO MAY RECEIVE COMMUNION?
In the Episcopal Church, all baptized Christians, of any age and any denomination, are welcome to receive the Sacrament of Holy Communion.
Proper spiritual preparation and disposition are essential before receiving the Sacrament of Holy Communion. We examine, in the light of the Bible, the Word of God that judges us, our thoughts and ideas; our words; and deeds, as well as the convictions, values, and priorities we apply. We review prayerfully how we live our lives. We repent of our sins. We actively work at being in love and charity with all. The Exhortation on page 316 of the Book of Common Prayer 1979, and the material on page 409, offer specific guidance. Ordinarily, Confession and the Absolution pronounced at Mass suffice. Preparation also includes fulfillment of Baptismal promises; a life lived following the Commandments of God; reconciliation (forgiving and being forgiven by the Church and others); and sincere adherence to the faith handed down from the Apostles and entrusted to the Church for interpretation and application. Participation in the Liturgy of the Word at Mass is also ordinarily part of receiving Communion, and key to receiving the full benefits.
If for any other reason will not receive Communion today, please come forward at Communion time for a blessing prayer. If you would like to be baptized, please speak with the priest after Mass.
HOW IS HOLY COMMUNION ADMINISTERED?
Out of respect for those who have difficulty negotiating stairs, we administer Holy Communion at the Crossing.
If mobility is an issue, the minister will come to you at your seat. Gluten-free hosts are available; please inform the minister.
You are welcome to receive the host alone; or to sip from the cup; or to intinct (dip) the host in the consecrated wine.
The church has consistently and unanimously taught since antiquity that all graces and benefits of the Sacrament are received in either form (consecrated bread or consecrated wine) alone, when received in faith with proper preparation and disposition. The Sacrament must be consumed upon reception. It is not to be taken home or stored.
It is customary among us to receive the consecrated host on the flat of one’s outstretched palm, and not to take grasp it with the fingers. The Minister pronounces words of administration, whereupon the communicant replies “Amen.”
If you intinct (dip) the host, please moisten only the edge, and do not let your fingers contact the liquid or the cup.
MORE
If you want to know more, see Father Tom.