Transcript Slide 1
THE HOLY EUCHARIST
SERVANT’S PREPARATION COURSE
11.24.2013
What is Eucharist?
EUCHARIST
• Derived from the Greek noun εὐχαριστία, in
English known as "eucharistia", which means
thanksgiving.
Representation of the Eucharist in the Old
Testament: MELCHIZEDEK
•
Gen 14:18: "Melchizedek king of
Salem brought out bread and
wine; he was priest of God Most
High…” to bless Abram.
•
Melchizedek - pre-figured Christ.
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The event prefigured the bread
and wine consecrated by a priest
at Mass.
SYMBOLS
• Heb 7:2
"[Melchizedek] is first, by translation of his name,
king of righteousness, and then he is also king of
Salem [shalom], that is, king of peace. He is
without father or mother or genealogy, and has
neither beginning nor end of life, but resembling
the Son of God he continues a priest forever."
Representation of the Eucharist in the Old
Testament: MOSES
SYMBOLS
• Moses, threw the blood of sacrificed oxen on the
people, saying Ex 24:8, "Behold the blood of the
covenant which the Lord has made with you."
• Jesus said at the Last Supper, Mt 26:28, "This is my
blood of the covenant.”
Representation of the Eucharist in the Old
Testament: TABLE OF PRESENCE
SYMBOLS
• Abimelech the priest gave David
the sacred bread from the Table of
Presence. 1 Sam 21:6
• Jesus referenced 1 Sam 21:6 and
taught us that it was for all His
disciples. Mt 12:1
Representation of the Eucharist in the Old
Testament: PASSOVER
Ex: 12: SMITING of THE FIRST-BORN IN EGYPT
SYMBOLS
• God commanded, "They shall eat the flesh that night”
(foreshadowing the partaking of Christ’s flesh – the bread)
•
God told Moses to sprinkle blood on the door post of all Hebrews
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He promised in Ex 12:13: "The blood shall be a sign for
you…when I see the blood, I will pass over you.”
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Pharaoh commanded the death of every Hebrew male
infant in Egypt in Ex 1:22 but death passed over Moses.
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Ex 2:5-10: twelve centuries later, before Herod
commanded the death of every Hebrew male infant in
Bethlehem
•
Mt 2:13: death passed also over Jesus.
Evidence of the Eucharist in the New
Testament: PASSOVER
EVIDENCE
• Christ said in many different ways that He is the Bread
of Life in John 6:22-70
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Matt 26:26: "This is My Body."
Mt 26:27: "This is My Blood…”
Mk 14:22: "This is My Body..."
Mk 14:24: "This is My Blood…"
Lk 22:19: "This is My Body..."
Lk 22:20: "This is the New Covenant in My Blood…”
Evidence of the Eucharist in the New
Testament
• The apostles celebrated the Sacrament of Holy Eucharist.
EVIDENCE
•
Acts 2:46: "Day by day, attending the Temple together and breaking
bread in their homes…”
•
On the Adriatic Sea, at dawn, St. Paul celebrated Liturgy for 276
people. Acts 27:35: "...he took bread, and giving thanks to God in the
presence of all he broke it and began to eat. Then they all were
encouraged and ate some food themselves.”
•
1 Cor 10:16: "The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not a
participation in the Blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it
not a participation in the Body of Christ?"
•
1 Cor 11:27: St. Paul continued in "Whoever, therefore, eats the
bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be
guilty of profaning the Body and Blood of the Lord.”
•
1 Cor 11:29: St. Paul added, "For anyone who eats and drinks
without discerning the Body eats and drinks judgment upon
himself."
Orthodox Beliefs
BELIEFS
• Change that takes place during the sacrament of Holy Communion
(Eucharist).
• This change involves the substances of bread and wine being
turned mysteriously into the substance of Christ himself.
• The underlying essence of these elements is changed, and
they retain only the appearance, taste, and texture of bread
and wine.
• Every particle or drop thus changed is wholly identical in
substance with the divinity, body, and blood of the Savior.
Evidence that Eucharist is the actual body and
blood of Christ in the New Testament
•
1 Cor 10:15-16: The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the
communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not
the communion of the body of Christ?
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Mt 26:26-28: And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, blessed and
broke it, and gave it to the disciples and said, “Take, eat; this is My body.”
Then He took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying,
“Drink from it, all of you. For this is My blood of the new covenant,
which is shed for many for the remission of sins.
•
1 Cor 11:27-29: Therefore whoever eats this bread or drinks this cup of
the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of the body and blood of
the Lord. But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of the bread
and drink of the cup. For he who eats and drinks in an unworthy manner
eats and drinks judgment to himself, not discerning the Lord’s body.
Spiritual Benefits of the Eucharist
•
Abiding in Christ according to His precious promise: “He who eats
My Flesh, and drinks My Blood abides in Me, and I in him” (John
6:56).
•
By receiving this Sacrament we become members of His Body, of
His Flesh and of His Bones (Ephesians 5:30), and we also become
partakers of the Divine Nature, (2 Peter 1:4).
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It gives us the promise of eternal life : “Whoever eats My Flesh and
drinks My Blood has eternal life and I will raise him up at the last
day. He who eats this Bread will live forever” (John 6:54,58).
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It provides growth in the Spirit and spiritual perfection and life in
Jesus Christ, for He said: “For My Flesh is food indeed and My
Blood is drink indeed.... As the living Father sent Me, and I live
because of the Father, so he who feeds on Me will live because of
Me” (John 6:55,57).
Spiritual Benefits of the Eucharist
• As food develops the body and keeps it healthy, so too the spiritual
food, which is the Holy Body and Blood of Christ, strengthens the
soul so that it may grow continually in grace.
• It provides remedy to the soul, body and spirit, as we say in the
Offertory Mystery : “That they (Holy Body and Precious Blood) may
become to us all for participation and healing and salvation for our
souls, bodies and our spirits”.
• Also Communion received worthily and with preparation results in
health, and strength for our bodies and souls. Our holy church
fathers called Communion ‘the remedy for the death of sin’.
• Communion results in our salvation and remission of sins; as
mentioned in the final ‘Confession’ in the liturgy : “Given for our
salvation, remission of sins and eternal life to those who partake of
Him”.
Spiritual Benefits of the Eucharist
• In Communion we are granted remission of sins that we are
unaware of, including the sins of lust that we are not conscious of.
Communion is the washing and cleaning of the repentant’s heart
from all sins.
• Communion gives a person immunity against sin. Likewise,
partaking of the Holy Body and Blood of Christ gives the spirit
immunity and inaccessibility against the viruses of sins, Satanic
warfare and bodily lusts, so the person lives in victory in his
spiritual struggle.
Priest Must Offer Communion
• Acts 20:7,11 and Acts 2:42 demonstrate how St. Paul, whom the Lord
appointed as an apostle, is the one who broke the bread Now on the first
day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul,
ready to depart the next day, spoke to them and continued his message
until midnight. […]Now when he had come up, had broken bread and
eaten, and talked a long while, even till daybreak, he departed. […]And
they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, in the
breaking of bread, and in prayers.
• 1 Corinthians 4:1: Let a man so consider us, as servants of Christ and
stewards of the mysteries of God.
• The priest who serves the Mass and sanctifies the sacrifice is completely
responsible for it before God, just like the Cherubim that God appointed at
the East of the garden of Eden, holding a sword of fire to guard the way to
the tree of life (Genesis 3:24). The sword in the priest’s hand is the
authority of priesthood given to him by God, to give the Communion to
the worthy repentant and forbid it from those who are unworthy.
QUESTIONS?