The Importance Of The Eucharist

The Eucharist can be seen as making or breaking the Church.

While examining the importance of the Eucharist, and how significant it is for the Christian faith it is always important to look back at the very beginning of the story. Within this essay I will go into great detail about the story of the Eucharist, the meaning behind it and the reasons why is has such an immense role to play in the life of a Catholic person. The role of the Eucharist in the eyes of the Church and society has not always been has it is today, I will try to delve deep through the history of the sacrament and find out why it has such an important role to play. The title of this essay is ‘the Eucharist can be seen as making or breaking the Church’, so this is a key factor

I will be examining the biblical references, Church teaching and theological discussion to try and convey if the Eucharist if for a select few or for all people of good faith and if this notion brings the community of the Church together or is slowly breaking it apart. The Eucharistic celebration is one of many Christian rites but only a sacrament in most churches. Through this celebration Christians remember Jesus and his sacrifice on the cross. Many different denominations of Christianity classify the Eucharist as a sacrament although some Protestant churches define it more as an ordinance; they see it as an expression of one’s faith and not a channel of grace from God to humanity. Many Christian churches have difference stances on the presence of Christ within the Eucharist. Catholicism follows the idea that the bread and wine are completely changed into the body and blood of Christ, its appearance stays the same but it is a mysterious change that we cannot fully put words too, this change that we will never accurately understand has been called Transubstantiation, this name describes it best but as I said, we can never truly and fully put

It begins with Jesus Christ, the heart and root of Christianity begins with him and his message, a message that has travelled through the ages. One of the key beliefs in Christianity is that Jesus was crucified, died and was resurrected three days later. To the early Christians this reaffirmed their faith in him and pushed forward to prove that he was the messiah and the son of God. The Eucharist comes into context within this story. Right before Jesus was arrested he gathers all of his disciples together for a ‘Last supper’ together. The words said during this meal together echoed throughout the ages and are still spoken during the celebration of faith within him. Jesus looked to his friends “then he took a cup; and after giving thanks he said, takes this and divide it among yourselves; for I tell you that from now on I will not drink of the fruit of the cup until the kingdom of God comes. Then he took a loaf of 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 is remembrance of me. And he did the same with the cup after supper saying, this cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood” (Luke 22:17-20 NRSV) these sacred words are the reason that this meal is remembered and celebrated still to this day. Jesus gave up his life for the sins of the world, he