The Eucharist

The Eucharist is the source and summit of our Christian life. It’s more than just a Sacrament. The Eucharist makes the Church. The Eucharist is the center of the Church. The Eucharist is the Body of Christ and the Body of Christ is the Church; therefore, the Eucharist is the Church.

The Eucharist is a sacrifice. It’s Christ giving of Himself to us. It’s Christ at Calvary. In the Eucharist, we are brought back to the one sacrifice. In “Communion” we are presented the Body of Christ which we proclaim “Amen!” We receive Him and then we are united to Christ’s body. Through partaking of the Eucharist, we are united in one point in history in Christ’s body at Calvary. We are all in Christ and we are all united together “Through Him, With Him and In Him. “

The Eucharist transcends time. All who have ever partaken in the Eucharist, from the Apostles to my great great grandchildren are united together. Everyone on heaven and earth are all brought together. Without the Eucharist, there is no Church. Without the Eucharist, there is no Body of Christ.

Through the Eucharist, we are all saved. Not from anything we’ve done but through our unity with Christ—He sacrifices Himself for us so that we can be saved.

So, this is in essence what 1 Corinthians 10:16-17 is referring to. In v17, Paul tells us that there is one loaf (the Body of Christ) and we, though many, partake of the one loaf. Paul is telling us essentially what I’ve described above. Through the Body and Blood of Christ through the “cup of blessing” and the “bread we break” is a “participation”…a partaking of the one bread. We being “many” become one body through the “one bread.”