Readings for Lent 5C
Apr. 1, 2001
The Rev. Karen Siegfriedt
St. Jude the Apostle Church, Cupertino CA,
Most of us know how to take care of our physical needs so that our bodies remain intact. We nourish our physical bodies with food selected from the various groups in the food pyramid. We know how many fruits and vegetables we are supposed to eat each day and how much fat we shouldn't eat. It seems a lot easier however, to exceed the fat requirement than the vegetable requirement!
When it comes to nourishing the soul, people do not seems to be as certain as to how to proceed. Perhaps this is because the soul belongs to the spiritual realm of our existence and we can't see it. Perhaps we do not feel it necessary to make the effort needed to nourish our soul as we do our body. We forget that the body, mind, and soul are interconnected such that if there is a problem in one of these areas, it is bound to affect the other areas. Since the soul is very resilient, it may take years before the effects of spiritual malnutrition show. I think that we as a society are beginning to recognize those signs of malnutrition of the soul. They include but are not limited to: widespread depression, impotent rage, a feeling of emptiness, addiction, narcissism, heart and stomach problems, and broken relationships.
Jesus said: "I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty." (Jn. 6:35) Today I want to talk about the Bread of Life, the Body and Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Holy Communion, the Eucharist, the Great Thanksgiving, the Divine Liturgy, the Mass, the Lord's Supper. These are the many synonyms which describe the legacy that Jesus left us. On the night before he was about to be executed, Jesus asked his disciples to remember him, not through a picture, or a dogma, or a particular text. Instead, Jesus asked to be remembered through the sharing of a simple meal. On that night, in an upper room with his disciples, Jesus ate his last supper. St. Luke tells us in his gospel: "[Jesus] took bread, and when he had given thanks he broke it and gave it to them, saying, "This is my body which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me." And likewise the cup after supper, saying, "This cup which is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood."(Lk. 22)
Since that time, millions of Christians have met each Sunday to pray, to break bread, and to offer thanks to God. In this act of remembrance, Christians believe that Christ is particularly present and as a result, experience grace. Many folks have asked me, "How does Christ make his presence known to us in this service of Holy Communion?" "When does the bread and wine become for believing communicants, his body and blood?" The Anglican tradition refuses to give definitive answers to these speculative questions. Our members are not required to believe any particular theory about Holy Communion except that they are expected to participate in it each Sunday. It is a mystery. However, since most people are uncomfortable with mystery, three general theories regarding Holy Communion have been developed throughout history.
The first theory developed during the Middle Ages and is still held by many Roman Catholics. Known as transubstantiation, this theory arouse out of Aristotelian thought. It claims that by the power of God, the substance of bread and wine actually became Jesus' body and blood during the consecration. Even though the elements still looked like bread and wine to the physical senses, they are in fact, Jesus' blood and flesh. Now out of this understanding, all sorts of notions developed through the years. It was believed that the priest had "magic hands" to effect this change. There was a concern that if people were eating the flesh and drinking the blood, extreme care must be taken to prevent the mishandling of the holy elements. So, only priests were allowed to touch them, process them, or clean them up. In fact, as late as the 1960's, the Roman Catholic Church would place a plate under each person's chin who was receiving communion, just in case the bread slipped out of one's mouth and fell to the floor.
The second theory is one that the Orthodox Church and many Anglicans hold today. It is called Transessentiation, a theory developed from a Platonic philosophy. This theory claims that there is no change in the physical properties of the bread and wine but rather a change in their spiritual reality. By action of the Holy Spirit through the consecration of the elements, the bread and the wine become participating symbols in the body and blood of the risen Christ. Those who receive these symbols obtain knowledge of this much greater spiritual reality.
Finally, there is the theory of Memorialism which is embraced by most Protestant Churches. Christ is present by the power of God when a Christian congregation remembers with solemn intensity, those events which happened in the upper room in Jerusalem. This is a spiritual presence within the congregation which is not attached to the bread and wine in any way. The bread and the wine remain simply symbols of this presence.
Now none of these theories are adequate in describing the enduring mystery of the Holy Eucharist. Christ is present when the church gathers together to "do this remembrance of Him" and to give thanks. The power of this experience does not depend on our being able to explain why or how it happens. It remains a mystery. It is hoped that we are changed in this experience as well as the bread and wine such that we become a holy people dedicated to the path of love.
From a post-biblical collection of Jewish teaching and practice, we know something about the liturgy used at Jewish meals during Jesus' time. Many elements of our celebration of Holy Communion are influenced by those Jewish table prayers. Jesus and his disciples would have used such prayers as they ate. The early Christian Church continued this tradition of prayer as they gathered together around a table in a home and ate a simple meal together. They added to these Jewish prayers, the words Jesus spoke at the Last Supper. As time went on and Christianity became legalized, Christians grew in number. There were too many of them to meet in a house and so they built churches. It was no longer possible to fit all the people around one table so an altar was placed in the midst of the congregation. Then the meal became ritualized and was reduced to only bread and wine. As a religious institution, it was no longer the "host" of the house who led the prayers, but a person of the Church who was ordained for that function. By the Middle Ages, the lay people had become passive during the Eucharist and the celebration of the mass became the domain of the priest.
Today, our Prayer book has tried to return to the spirit of the Early Church's understanding of breaking bread together and has corrected the misguided practices of the Middle Ages. All of us consecrate the bread and the wine through our prayers and presence. All of us partake in the Holy Communion.
If you turn to page 361 of the BCP, you will find one of the eight Eucharistic Prayers that are authorized in this prayer book. Remember, the word Eucharist means thanksgiving. From time to time, we use Eucharistic Prayers from other supplemental texts. In the early church, the priest or bishop would create a different Eucharistic prayer each Sunday.
The Holy Communion begins with an Offertory sentence followed by the offertory. What are we offering? We are offering the bread and wine to be consecrated, which means it will be set aside as sacred food. We offer our money as a love offering of our labor. And most important, we offer ourselves, our souls, and bodies to God to use as instruments of love. We begin our thanksgiving by opening our hearts. Note the dialogue between priest and congregation (i.e. the Sursum Corda). This is followed by a preface which differs from season to season. The congregation then breaks out in praise of God who is full of glory by saying the Sanctus (Holy, Holy, Holy) - the most important song of praise in the entire service.
We then remember the saving acts of God, especially through the passion and sacrifice of Jesus. Prayer A (p. 361) focuses on the fallen condition of humanity. Prayer B (p. 367) gives thanks for the goodness and love which God has made known in creation. Prayer C (p. 369) which some people call the "star wars" prayer, is more of a dialogue prayer that speaks about the created order and points out our tendency to turn away from God. Prayer D (p.372) is the longest prayer which incorporates much of the theology of the other Eucharistic Prayers. It is an ecumenical compilation written by Catholics, Anglicans, and Protestants. Back to the bottom of page 362, note the words of institution which were said at the Last Supper. For Roman Catholics, it is at this point when the bread and wine are transformed into the body and blood of Christ. The Epiclesis (p. 363), is the calling upon the Holy Spirit to sanctify the bread and wine. At this point, the priest usually places her hands over the elements or makes the sign of the cross to focus the congregation's attention. For the Orthodox Church, this is the point at which Christ becomes present in the bread and wine.
Next, we ask the Holy Spirit to sanctify us also. At this point, I bless myself with the sign of the cross to focus my attention on this very holy request. The Eucharistic prayer culminates with the recitation of the Lord's prayer followed by the breaking of the bread and the invitation to come eat and drink. Sometimes, I say, "You are the bread on the altar. Behold what you are!" Why do I say this? Christ is present in the bread. Christ is present in you. Through our prayers, the bread becomes the body of Christ. Through your prayers, you become the body of Christ. This holy bread symbolizes your holiness. See what you have become! The service of Holy Communion concludes with a prayer sending us out into the world to serve God. It is followed by a blessing and dismissal.
The Sr. Warden asked me to share with you, what I personally believe about Holy Communion. Here is what I believe: Jesus said: "I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty." (Jn. 6:35) I believe this with all my heart and soul. And so each Sunday I join with you, to hear the Scriptures, to ask God to convert my heart, to confess my sins, to open my heart in praise, to remember God's saving acts in history and to repeat the words of Jesus at the Last Supper. With you, I consecrate the Eucharistic elements and I consecrate my life to God. As we break bread together and share this sacred food, I experience the power of Christ in my heart and in the midst of this congregation. This act of remembrance and thanksgiving fills me with grace and nourishes my soul. It is a holy meal, a holy moment. Almighty God, "sanctify us so that we may faithfully receive this holy Sacrament, and serve you in unity, constancy, and peace."
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