Introduction
Holy Communion, also known as the Eucharist or the Lord’s Supper, is a sacred ritual in Christianity acknowledged by almost every denomination. It involves sharing bread and wine to remember Christ’s sacrifice and mercy to all people. Holy communion is arguably the most significant Christian ritual, dating back to the Last Supper of Jesus Christ with his disciples before the crucifixion. This paper briefly describes the purposes and origins of the Eucharist based on the Bible and Christian literature.
History of Holy Communion
The first Holy Communion was performed by the Lord Jesus Christ, as described in the New Testament. During the celebration of the Jewish holiday of Passover, before the Last Supper, Jesus broke bread and asked the disciples to share it with Him. Jesus said, “This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me” (New International Version Bible, n.d., Luke 22:19).
After the Last Supper, Jesus took a cup of wine and asked the disciples in the same manner to share the wine with Him saying “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you” (Luke 22:20). The disciples continued the ritual after resurrection of Christ, which is mentioned in the book of Acts, as the Eucharist became an essential part of worship to Christ. Acts 2:42 says, “They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and prayer.” Therefore, the importance of the Holy Communion for Christianity is unquestionable.
The purpose of the Holy Communion differs among denominations of Christianity. However, according to Laurance (2012), the central aim of the ritual is to unite the members of the church community and strengthen the ties among the members by sharing the blood and body of Christ. However, in some denominations, the ritual is believed to be a sacrament, which implies that it is a way for God to communicate with people (Laurence, 2012). At the same time, Holy Communion is sometimes believed to relieve people from their sins (Laurence, 2012).
Conclusion
In summary, Holy Communion is a sacred ritual during which members of a church share bread and wine in remembrance of Jesus Christ. The first ritual was started by Jesus Himself during the Last Supper and continued by His disciples. While the purpose of Holy Communion may differ among denominations, it bonds the church community together through a sacred act.
References
Laurance, J. D. (2012). The Sacrament of the Eucharist. United States: Liturgical Press.
New International Version Bible. (n.d.). Bible Gateway.