Word for the day by Christian Education Forum

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Holy Communion: Reliving of the Passion
 Rev Mathew Samuel


Farmers Branch MTC, Dallas, Texas.

27 Whoever, therefore, eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be answerable for the body and blood of the Lord. 28 Examine yourselves, and only then eat of the bread and drink of the cup.
 
Holy Communion is the Sacrament of Sacraments. It is the source and summit of Christian Life. As a believer we have an obligation to know where we stand and the best way to do that is to examine our standing before God and in Christ. Without proper self-assessment, we will lose track of where we really stand in our life of faith. My birth into faith is associated with Christ’s life and death; one’s maturity or completion is identified with Christ's coming to mark the end of the age.
 
   In Paul’s view the Lord's supper is the ideal place where proper self-assessment can take place. So to partake in the Lord's supper “worthily” is to participate  knowing that we stand only because of His grace and also knowing just where we stand in our growth towards maturity. This  self-assessment  will ensure that we can take part in the service worthily. Receiving Holy Communion disrespectfully and without faith in Jesus makes a mockery of the sacredness of the sacrament.  

 
      “This is my Body broken…..Do this….”. The Eucharist challenges us to incarnate in ourselves Jesus’ self- emptying, sacrificial and unconditional love. Authentic and meaningful celebration of the Eucharist ought to inspire in us a deep social commitment to enhance abundant life for all. This also means that when we are nourished at the table of the Lord, we are sent out on a mission to love, serve and save the world. Each of us is truly called, together with Jesus, to be broken for the life of this world. Holy Communion is about Christ’s offering Himself on our behalf as well as our offering of ourselves, to Christ, for the world. In this sense Holy Communion enables us to move from a life according to the ‘Flesh’ to a life according to the ‘Spirit’. It creates in us an existential want to move from  just a  ‘living being’ to a ‘life-giving being’.

   Holy Communion becomes meaningful only when we make an effort to grow into the Christ’s image and likeness- radiating God’s love and compassion in our life. The breaking of the bread is not only the symbol of sharing but it is also of crossing boundaries. It is all about moving to the other side. If there is no breaking, there is no Eucharist. Each Holy Communion we partake in, should make us more and more Christ like.

PRAYER

Lord Jesus, we know that you want us to grow in your likeness each time we partake of your precious body and blood. Pardon us at the times when we have failed. Help us to examine ourselves and grow in your likeness each time we participate in the Holy Communion.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:
  Holy Communion creates in us a need to move from a ‘Living Being’ to a ‘Life Giving Being'


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