Thursday, April 14, 2022
The Meaning of Holy Communion
An excerpt from 1 Corinthians 11:23-26 (NRSV)
This is my body that is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.
Reflection from The Rev. Adam Spencer,
the Church of St. Elisabeth
We Episcopalians are heir to the centuries old church-y arguments about what “happens” in Holy Communion. We’ve seemed to come down between the old school Catholic and Protestant arguments about transubstantiation etc. by committing to a less specific understanding of “the Real Presence.”Jesus is Really Present in the bread and the wine. God is Really Present. But what does that mean for you and me?The sacraments, the Book of Common Prayer tells us, are “are outward and visible signs of inward and spiritual grace, given by Christ as sure and certain means by which we receive that grace.” Sure and certain means. Really Present. To think: God is actually with us, deeply, truly, sure and certain, in this bread, this cup. I don’t know about you but, in the words of the old hymn, “sometimes it causes me to tremble...”
For further study and prayer, the readings assigned for today are:
Exodus 12:1-4, (5-10), 11-14; Psalm 116:1-2, 12-19; 1 Corinthians 11:23-26; John 13:1-17, 31b-35
MUSIC
“Ave Verum”
by G. Faure,
sung by Viki Rill and Kathryn Duncan
Translation: Hail, true body, born of the Virgin Mary, having truly suffered. Sacrified on the cross for mankind, from whose pierced side water and blood flowed: Be for us a foretaste of the Heavenly Banquet in the trial of death.
Tags: Holy Week 2022