Mystery of the Holy Communion

 

Holy Communion called “Qurban” in Ge'ez means “gift” or “sacrifice.” It is the gift, which Christ being crucifed on cross has given to the human kind to overcome death. This mystery is the base of grace and salivation. Christ is the High Priest for the sacrifice and at the same time He is the Sacrifice “… for this [the sacrifice] He did once, when He offered up Himself.” Heb 7:27. He is the peacemaker who reconciled the human being to Him and His Father. “And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to Himself by Jesus Christ …” (2 cor 5:18)

 

He has abolished the partition between God and Human beings. “For He is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down in middle the wall of pratition between us. Having in His flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in Himself of twain one new man, so making peace.” (Eph.2:14-15)

 

The mystry of the Holy Communion is that crowing service of the church. Through this service, we eat the Blessed Flesh of our Lord, and drink His preciou blood as testified in the Gospel saying … Jesus took bread, and blessed it, and broke it, and gave it to the disciples, and said, “Take, eat this is My body.” And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it, for this is My blood of the New Covenant [testament,] which is shed for many for the remission of sins” Mt.26”26 ¸ 28.

 

Accordingly, the Ethiopian Orthodox Church believes and teaches that the flesh and blood is not simply a memorial or symbdic one but thereal flesh and blood of the Son of God. “As it could be clearly seen from the above-quoted, He emphatically says, this is my boody … this is my blood of the New Testament.”

 

St John in His Gospel also records this statement of the lord. Our Lord says, “… verily verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the Flesh of the Son of Man, and drink His blood, ye have no life in you … for My flesh is meat indeed, and My blood is drink indeed. He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh My blood, dwelleth in Me, and I in him.” Jn.6:53-55.

 

We believe that Holy Communion is the sacrifice which Jesus Christ has given and His disciples have received on Thursday evening. For our salvation, He was crucified This is the Flesh and Blood put on the Cross on Friday, and the sacrifice is being practiced at every corner of the world and it is one and the same. When He says, “He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him,” the Lord is telling us that the Holy Communion is a supereme act of life through which we can hold intimate communion with God and that which makes us one with God. Our Lord also says this; “At that day, ye shall know that I am in My Father, and ye in Me, and I in you.” Ju.14:20 This Sacrament is, therefore, a door of a life and hope.

 

The Holy Communion has a two diamentional purpose in that it not only offers the real Flesh and Blood of Jesus Christ, but also is a memorial service for His suffering.

 

From the title “The Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahido Churh the word “Tewahido” meaning “made one” emphasizes the inseparable unity of the Godhead and Manhood in the Person of Christ. As it is written by St John, “The Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us…” 1:14. The church abides by the cannon “The one Incarnate Nature of God the Word”. After the union, Christ is no longer in two natures. Because the two nature has become united into one nature without separation, without cofusion and without change. Thus, He was at the same time perfect God and perfect man. He is one and the same person both in His eternal pre-existence and also in the salvation in which He performs the redeeming work of God on behalf of man, from the indivisible state of union of Godhead and Manhood.

 

In the same way, in the Communion, we receive the very body and divine united blood of Jesus Christ. When the priest puts the bread on a paten and the wine in a chalice and blesses them with the liturgical prayer, the bread and the wine are changed into the real flesh and blood of the son of God. (Faith of Fathers) ch 28 part 14 verse 22). This pure sacrisfice that the clergy offer is the same sacrifice that was given on the Cross on Calvary. (Sn. Chr. Liturgy 85)

 

2- Memorial

“… And He took bread, and gave thanks, and broke it, and gave unto them, saying' This is My body which is given for you; this do in remembrance of Me.” Lk.22:19 “… do in remenberance” means' do celebrate the sacrament'. The right to celebrate has been given for Apostles when our Lord told them “this do in my remembrance”. And the Apostles gave it to their successors, the bishops. Today, the bishops in their turn authorize the priests. “… For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do show the Lords death till He comes” writes St. paul. 1Cor.11:26.

 

According to this verse, the remembrance focuses on Lord's death. His Atonement that He has suffered, died in the flesh, risen from the dead and ascended to the Father who has sent Him, sat down at the right hand of power and will come in His glory at the end of the world to Judge the living and the dead is remembered through this grandest service of the church.

 

Who Could take the Holy Communion?

 

1- The Ethiopian Orthodox Church grants all baptized persons the right to partake. And as infants are allowed to receive baptism, they should also be allowed to take the Holy Communion.

 

2. “… let a man examine himself, and so let hem eat of the bread, and drink of that cup.” Bared on this verse, the church orders that before taking the Holy Communion Christians must prepare themselves. Taking the Holy Communion without preparation is forbid den because it brings curse. “For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord's body…” 1col.11:29-30

 

The Invisible Grace of Holy communion

 

1. From the visible sign of bread and wine, we partake the flesh and blood of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. As a result of the prayer service, the Holy Ghost descends up on the bread and wine changing it into the body and blood of the Lord. It is a spritiual and elternal food This is as per what is written in the Gospel of John “And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life; He that cometh to Me shall never hunger, and he that believeth in Me shall never thirst for My flesh is meat ineed and My blood is drink indeed” (6:35,55)

 

2. We receive eternal life. “Who so eateth My flesh and drinketh My blood has eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day. He that eateth of this bread shall live for ever” John 6:54,58. “Except ye eat the flesh of the son of man, and drink His blood, ye have no life in you.” (Jhon 6:53,57) .

 

3. We receive remission of sins and it helps us to grow in grace and in the spiritual know- ledge. “And He took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all for it, for this is my blood of the New Testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins” (Matt 26:27,28) In general, the Holy Communion is the ultimate covenant of the New Tesfament bcause Christ's blood makes us sons of God, and we, inherit the kigdom of God. Therefore, to win the Kingdom of God, we have to participate in the New Tesfamental Covenant called Holy Communion. When we partake it, we become sure of the love of God for the Communion is the seal.

 

Bibilio-graphy

Marcos Daoud (1952). The Orthodox Church Sacrament.

Tinsae publishing House (1996) The Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahido Church Faith, Order of worship and Ecumenical Relations.