 |
| Photo courtesy of youtube.com |
I have really enjoyed delving into Eucharist theology of late (if you've missed my previous posts about this topic, feel free to check them out here and here.) One of the most surprising things that I have learned in my reading about the Eucharist is not so much the doctrine of the "True Presence" (which I feel is largely an issue of faith, to be settled in your spirit before God) but what the entire point of the Eucharist (or Lord's Supper/Communion) was established to be by our Lord.
You see, in my upbringing in the faith, I was always taught that it was a remembrance issue. We partake of the Lord's Supper to remember Christ's sacrifice of His body and blood on the cross for our sins.
Oh, but how delighted I am to learn that it is sooooo much more!! In fact, it is more of a looking ahead, a pointing forward to the Marriage Supper of the Lamb that we will enjoy at the end of the ages!
Instead of a meal to be partaken of...it is a meal to participate in!
Let me back up a bit...
To truly understand the Lord's Supper, one must understand covenant theology. Now, in a nutshell, what I mean by this is that throughout the Scriptures, God related to man through the means of covenant.
"Covenant" simply means agreement, pledge, promise, oath, commitment. It is a very ancient and rich term in Jewish history and tradition and one that they were very familiar with. Covenant involved making a very serious commitment or pledge to another person (or party) and had blessings and curses associated with it--blessings for keeping it, and curses for breaking it--and it was sealed between two people (or parties) through rituals involving animal sacrifices, exchanging clothing and weaponry, sharing a meal, etc.
The first covenant in Scriptures we see is the one God made with Abraham* (Abram at that time) in which God promises Abram to make him into a great nation and give him land. Later, there would be the Noahaic Covenant (Noah), the Mosaic Covenant (Moses), the Davidic Covenant (David)...and the Eucharist.
If we were to ask our first and second century Christian brothers and sisters about what they thought they were doing when they celebrated the Eucharist, they would say that they were sealing the covenant. You see, the Last Supper shared between Christ and the Twelve in the Upper Room occurred at a very specific, and very meaningful, time of year for the Jewish people. This was the same time as Passover--an annual meal celebrated by the Jews as they ate the bitter herbs of the seder meal and looked back at how God brought them safely out of slavery in Egypt. You see, the disciples were prepared to celebrate this Passover meal with Jesus under His leadership. However, to their surprise I am sure, Jesus changed the words as He broke the bread and presented the wine, thereby completely changing the context and meaning of this sacred meal by speaking about His imminent death on the cross (which would happen the very next day!).
But we see this meal again within the pages of Revelation (Rev 19:1-10) at the end of the ages when the Lamb, looking "as though we was slain" (Rev 5:6), will celebrate the Marriage Supper with His Bride, the Church. A meal that we are told will be celebrated in the Heavens in the company of elders and angels!
Do you see it, dear friend? The Eucharist we celebrate in our local churches is not just a meal to commemorate Christ's death. Oh it is SO much more! It is a re-presentation of the Marriage Feast in the future! It is a drama unfolding before our very eyes, as we sing "Holy Holy Holy" like the Heavenly Hosts and as we give credence to "the Lamb of God who taketh away the sins of the world." And like in Revelation, we are in great company with the elders and the angels--elders in the church ("presbyters" from where we get Presbyterian teaching elders (i.e. pastors) and "priests") and angels, whom Scriptures say surround us, even though we might be unaware (see Gen 18:2, and 2 Kings 6:17, Heb 13:2; in fact, at my local parish we are reminded of this by angel statues which are bowing at the alter). As true believers, we ought not solemnly partake of the Eucharist meal and merely look back in time at a death (as salvific as it was)--we ought also to fully participate and rejoice in the Future, at our eternal marriage to the Lamb, our Creator and Heavenly Father!
So next time you share in the meal at your local church...would you pause and reflect on the past, confessing your sins and looking back to the sacrifice of our Lord on the cross....but would you also take the time to rejoice and look ahead at the Marriage Supper given to you through the covenant cut by our Lord Jesus Christ? Let us, you and I, experience the fullness and richness of this meal in ALL its glory!!
*note: some sources site Adam as the first Covenant--the Covenant of Life
Recommended reads:
The Covenant: a study of God's extraordinary love for you --James L. Garlow
Our Covenant God --Kay Arthur
The Mystery of Faith: An Introduction to Catholicism --Michael J. Himes
The Marriage Supper of the Lamb: The Mass as Heaven on Earth --Scott Hahn
No comments