In this passage, I must be careful not to say too much. There are many things that the Church in her wisdom has passed over in silence. Leaving the tendency to “explain” or provide logical answers to every question that arises, the Church through the centuries only speaks when she must about such deep mysteries.

We must first set aside a common misconception concerning the Church’s position on the Eucharist. A term has been used in the west, and, in particular, by our Catholic brethren, is “Transubstantiation.” This term that attempts to describe the “real presence of Christ” in the Eucharist did not appear until the 12th Century, and its use in the Council of Trent solidified its place in Catholic dogma. However, the Orthodox Church has never put forward a teaching similar to Transubstantiation. Rather, like I mentioned in the beginning, the Church has been careful not to say too much.

At the heart of the change of the gifts into the Body and Blood of Christ is the descent and operation of the Holy Spirit. During the Divine Liturgy, the celebrant (a priest or a bishop) offers up prayers on behalf of and for the people of God. Praying, “Once again we offer to You this spiritual worship without the shedding of blood, and we ask, pray, and entreat You: send down Your Holy Spirit upon us and upon these gifts here presented. And make this bread the precious Body of Your Christ. Amen. And that which is in this cup the precious Blood of Your Christ. Amen. Changing them by Your Holy Spirit. Amen. Amen. Amen.”
The “how” of this mystery remains unexplainable, and as a result, the Church says almost nothing about this event. Rather, a comparison is made in the writings of the Saints and in the Church between the change that occurs to the gifts and the Incarnation of Christ. The Church asks how we can explain the way in which the Lord of the Universe became a small babe swaddled and held by a human mother. Similarly, the Church asks how we can explain the changing of the bread and wine into the Body and Blood of Christ. Both events are beyond the human intellect. Moreover, our reception of the Body and Blood of Christ is also likened to the Lord’s Incarnation. The pre-eternal Logos humbled himself and through his self-emptying act, God became a human. In a like manner, we pray through the words of St. John Chrysostom: “But as from on high, You humbled Yourself and came to us, so now submit to the measure of my lowliness. As You consented to lie in a manger, consent now to come into the manger of my soul and body.”

The Church is aware that such mysteries are a cross to human understanding and so instead of explaining the Eucharist, she invites the faithful to participate by consuming the real Body and Blood of our Lord. The Eucharist is not to be comprehended or understood by the human mind. Consider the fact that the bread and wine are covered for almost the entire service with two exceptions: when we ask for the Holy Spirit to descend and sanctify them, and then again when they are left uncovered in order to be received. The Church has safeguarded the notion that our “perception” of this reality is through one’s physical eyes. Instead, the Church calls this Mystery the Mystical Supper, and she proclaims that our understanding of it comes through one’s spiritual eyes.

Laying aside all earthly cares, we approach the Eucharist of Christ. It is with time that we begin to comprehend that the true miracle is not found in “how” the bread and wine become the Body and Blood of Jesus, but rather it is understood in God’s intercession in our lives. We discover that He is among us and through the Eucharist; what is Christ’s by nature becomes ours by grace. Through the Eucharist we live in a new reality, a world in which the Lord of the Universe, Christ, is not outside of our bodies but mysteriously inside.

The witness supporting the Church’s teaching is, however, overwhelming. First we can look to the scriptures. Both the Gospels and Epistles support the position that the Sacrament of Eucharist is indeed the body and blood of Christ. Looking at the Gospel of Mark chapter 14, we read in verses 22 through 24, “And as they were eating, He took bread, and blessed, and broke it, and gave it to them, and said, ‘Take; this is my body.’ And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he gave it to them, and they all drank of it. And he said to them, ‘This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many.’” There is no ambiguity in this passage; Christ clearly identifies the bread that He has blessed as His body, and the cup He has blessed as His blood. In another part of the Gospels, Jesus speaks about Himself in the following way: “I am the living bread which came down from heaven; if any one eats of this bread, he will live forever; and the bread which I shall give for the life of the world is my flesh. The Jews then disputed among themselves, saying, ‘How can this man give us his flesh to eat?’ So Jesus said to them, ‘Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in you; he who eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. For My flesh is food indeed, and My blood is drink indeed. He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood abides in me, and I in him. Many of His disciples, when they heard it, said, ‘This is a hard saying; who can listen to it?’. . .After this, many of his disciples drew back and no longer went about with him,” (John 6.51-66). It is clear from this passage that even from the time of Christ, the teaching that Eucharist was the actual body and blood of Jesus was difficult to comprehend. In fact, people who had followed Christ turned away after hearing this teaching of his. Today, the same is true; many are not able to bear this truth.

In the decades following Christ’s death and resurrection, the Epistle of Paul to the Corinthians deals with the incorrect understanding many Christians developed concerning the Eucharist. In his first letter to the Church in Corinth, St. Paul writes, 10.16, “The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not a communion in the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not a communion in the body of Christ?” St. Paul corrects those Christians who had forgotten what the true meaning of the Eucharist was: an actual communion with the Lord Jesus Christ. Later in this same epistle, he warns the Corinthians that participation in the Eucharist in an unworthy manner can lead to illness even death (1 Corinthians 11.27-30).

In the first century following Christ’s assumption into heaven, the churches that had been established by the Apostles celebrated the Eucharist on Sunday believing it to be the actual body and blood of Christ. The earliest written documents confirm this point. Around the year 150 AD, St. Justin the Philosopher wrote the following to the Roman Emperor defending the practice of Christians: “We do not receive these Gifts as ordinary food or ordinary drink. But as Jesus Christ our Savior was made flesh through the Word of God, and took flesh and blood for our salvation; in the same way the food over which thanksgiving has been offered through the prayer of the Word which we have from Him – the food by which our blood and flesh are nourished through its transformation – is, we are taught, the Flesh and Blood of Jesus Who was made flesh, (Apology I).”
Faithfully, the Orthodox Church has maintained this teaching of Christ for over 2000 years. Our liturgy beseeches our Lord to be present in the elements of bread and wine through the descent and operation of the Holy Spirit. This activity is real, and the bread which we break and the cup which we bless are truly the body and blood of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Of course, the Church accepts that this teaching is not easy to comprehend, as we have seen even Jesus could not convince some of His disciples. Against this, the Church invites you to draw near, to taste, and to see that the Lord is good. In a sense, an invitation has been extended, and our Lord awaits our response. In the end, the Church knows that it is not with physical eyes that we will be able to see and comprehend the miraculous nature of this sacrament. Rather, it is through the illumination of our spiritual vision that we will be able to behold the Risen Lord. This is the true teaching concerning the Eucharist.

Unfortunately, my friend does not accept the teaching of the Church. Rather his own interpretation of the above mentioned scriptures and tradition is contrary to Orthodoxy’s 2000-year witness. In his mind mere bread and wine could never be the true body and blood of Jesus Christ. Of course, we might as well ask how could a poor little babe in a cave in Bethlehem be the actual Lord of the Universe? Truly a human being could never be found to be God, or could He?

For many of us, however, this statement is not enough. Many people want to know why this is so. They question why we do not allow non-Orthodox to participate in Communion. Such a practice appears to be rude, unfair, discriminatory, or even un-Christian. More importantly, many wonder whether or not Christ himself would have held to such a standard.

To begin to understand the Church’s position, we must first set aside the notion that participation in the Holy Eucharist is a means for inter-denominational communion and union. Communion, the Body and Blood of Christ, should not be used as a tool or a method. To use it as such would be a gross misuse and misrepresentation. Rather, Holy Eucharist is the visible and tangible sign of true communion between Lord and we, his servants, as well as between we and our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ. This means that the vehicle for uniting separate groups (denominations) of Christians should never and can never be Eucharist. Eucharist, however, is the symbol that different Christians are united in their belief. For example, a friend of mine who was offended that he was not able to take communion at an Orthodox Church at the same time disagreed and even denied the Orthodox Church’s teaching concerning the Holy Eucharist, namely that it is the real Body and Blood of the Lord! His own understanding of Holy Communion did not match that of the Church and her faithful. Therefore we can say that the Church did not refuse to allow him to receive but rather his own beliefs excluded him from participating in Holy Communion.

The second thing we must understand with regards to the Church’s position on Holy Communion is the way in which it is received. To my friend, I pointed out that no one should ever simply take Communion; Communion is not a right; it is not something we earn or deserve. Holy Communion is a gift, and because of this fact, it is something that is never taken but always received. It is the Church’s responsibility to pass that gift along. Yet, in doing so, the Church must exercise restraint and discernment. For just as physical food can actually harm and even kill a starving man, the spiritual food of the Eucharist can do the same. St. Paul warns us of this very phenomenon in his first letter to the Corinthians chapter 11 vv.27-30. Here he cautions the Corinthians how the reception of the Eucharist in an unworthy manner has caused physical harm. The Church then has a responsibility to guard against distributing the Body and Blood of Christ to those it would harm. Notice that even Orthodox Christians are at times excluded from receiving the Eucharist. The Church then does not deny anyone the Eucharist, but rather she safeguards it against its improper use and reception.

Finally, we can argue that if one who exists outside the Orthodox Church should desire to receive the Holy Eucharist, then only one thing is needed. Let them examine the Church’s teachings and her witness to Christ. Let them investigate what it is we teach and believe, and if in so doing, they come to proclaim as we do that the Eucharist is the Body and Blood of Christ and that salvation is found through membership in His Church, then let them approach with the fear of God, in faith, and love. Christ gave Himself for the life of the world and His Body and Blood were broken and shed so that through Christ, we might have eternal life. This is an amazing gift, and, at the same time, an awesome treasure; the responsibility of so great a gift falls on each one of us. Thus, with boldness we all must preach the good news and with steadfastness, we must faithfully adhere to the teaching once and for all delivered to all the Saints (Jude 1.3).

Specifically, God has commanded that when Christians assemble for worship, they celebrate and receive His Body and Blood in the Holy Eucharist. Historically, the Church from the time of the apostles until today has gathered on the first day of the week, Sunday, and, in worship, the Church has celebrated the Holy Eucharist. In fact, until 1517 when Martin Luther sowed the seeds of the Protestant Reformation, no one had ever questioned the validity of Holy Communion.

When we look at how various Christians worship today, it is apparent that few still believe the Eucharist to be the central aim and goal of worship. In fact, in a country like the United States, worship styles are constantly being developed, and relevance (what worship style “speaks” to me, makes me “feel” good) is, for many, the primary objective. As a result, the goal of worship when relevance is used as the measuring stick becomes of the self rather than of God. Yet, as we shall see, what can be more relevant when it comes to how we worship than the commands of Christ, located in Holy Scripture?

According to scripture, Christ commanded His followers to “Take, eat; this is my body” and again, “Drink of it, all of you; for this is my blood of the covenant,” (see Matthew 26.27-28, Mark 14.23-24, Luke 22.19-20). The original Greek of this command is even more powerful than the English translation of it. In the original Greek, Christ uses the imperative case; He is giving a command, like “stop!” or “sit!” In other words, He is commanding His disciples to receive, eat, receive, and drink His Body and Blood. More importantly, the imperative case He uses implies the infinitive, meaning He is giving a command that has no end in sight. Like when you tell your child to look both ways before they cross the street – your intention is that they do it every time they cross the street, not just the one time you told them. Therefore, Christ’s command is to be followed even today! Looking at the scriptural witness for Eucharist, one must also take into account the words of Christ found in chapter six of the Gospel of John. Careful study of this chapter must be made with special attention given to the verses following the forty-first. In verse forty-one and following, Christ says, “’I am the living bread which came down from heaven; if any one eats of this bread, he will live for ever; and the bread which I shall give for the life of the world is my flesh.’ The Jews then disputed among themselves, saying, ‘How can this man give us his flesh to eat?’ So Jesus said to them, ‘Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of man and drink his blood, you have no life in you; he who eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. For my flesh is food indeed, and my blood is drink indeed. He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me, and I in him,’” (John 6.51-56).

The reaction to the words of Jesus was disbelief, as is stated in the following: “After this many of his disciples drew back and no longer went about with him. Jesus said to the twelve, ‘Do you also wish to go away?’ Simon Peter answered him, ‘Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life; and we have believed, and have come to know, that you are the Holy One of God,’” (John 6.66-58). Today, many still find these words of Christ difficult to believe.

(This concludes part I of this series, next month this series will conclude with some additional texts from the New Testament that further The Case for Communion).

(The following article is part II in a two part series entitled, The Case for Communion. The series addresses how we worship and why).

After Jesus was raised from the dead, we know that He appeared to His disciples and strengthened them in their faith. One such appearance occurred on the road that goes from Jerusalem to Emmaus. Two disciples were walking towards Emmaus when the Lord joined them on their way; the account is given to us in Luke 24.13 – 35. At first the two disciples do not recognize that it is Jesus who has joined them and as they walk, they share with Him the events and news that surrounded Jesus’ passion, crucifixion, and resurrection. The Risen Lord then upbraids them because they failed to recognize that the Christ was to suffer and die and then enter His glory, and so Jesus goes on to open and interpret all the scriptures as they pertain to the Himself. When the three of them reached Emmaus, the two disciples, who still do not recognize their traveling companion as the Lord, ask Him, “’Stay with us, for it is toward evening and the day is now far spent.’ So he went in to stay with them. When he was at table with them, he took the bread and blessed, and broke it, and gave it to them. And their eyes were opened and they recognized him; and he vanished out of their sight,” (Luke 24.29-31). The two immediately returned to Jerusalem to share what had happened to them with the other disciples, saying, “. . .They told what had happened on the road, and how he was known to them in the breaking of the bread,” (Luke 24.35)

What does this passage tell us about communion? How are we, the faithful, to know the Lord after His passion, crucifixion, and third-day resurrection? How will we recognize Him? It is clear that Holy Scripture tells us that Jesus is recognized in the breaking of the bread, a technical phrase that indicates Holy Eucharist (it should be noted that this event occurred on the first day of the week, Sunday).

Now, after Jesus’ ascension into the heavens (Luke 24.51, Acts 1.9), we know that the Apostles continued the celebration of the Eucharist on the first day of the week, as their Lord had commanded them, which is shown in the following scriptural passage: “And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and fellowship (in Greek koinonia, the direct translation is communion), to the breaking of bread and the prayers” (Acts 2.42).

Of course, the great Apostle Paul wrote about the celebration of Eucharist in his epistle to the Corinthians, and from the Book of Acts, we know that he too devoted himself to Eucharist every Sunday (Acts 20.7). This was how St. Paul worshiped; he celebrated the Lord’s body and blood and received it, as the Lord commanded. In the decades following Christ’s death and resurrection, the Epistle of Paul to the Corinthians dealt with the incorrect understanding many Christians developed concerning the Eucharist. In his first letter to the Church in Corinth, St. Paul writes, 10.16, “The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not a communion in the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not a communion in the body of Christ?” St. Paul corrects those Christians who had forgotten what the true meaning of the Eucharist was: an actual communion with the Lord Jesus Christ. Later in this same epistle, he warned the Corinthians that the participation in the Eucharist in an unworthy manner could lead to illness and even death (1 Corinthians 11.27-30).

The Church has never forgotten the command of Christ, and in humility, She accepts the Lord’s words as they stand, “Take, eat, this is my body.” For 2,000 years now, she has faithfully gathered and worshiped by celebrating the Eucharist. The question remains for every Christian, how shall I worship? Shall I worship in a way that has been ordained by God, Holy Eucharist?

In the end, the Christian must not ask himself what type of worship they find relevant, or the type of worship they like. Rather, they must ask themselves is the way in which I worship according to the words of the Lord.

“O taste and see that the LORD is good!” Psalm 34.3