Session 5 of Lenten “Instructed Eucharist” 2024
Review Parts of eucharistic prayer 1, Rite 1
Recalling of the acts of God in Jesus, anamnesis (p.334 and latter part of paragraph 2 on p. 334)
The institution narrative (bottom of p. 334-top of p.335) is drawn almost word for word from Luke 22:19-20
“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 in 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.”
and Paul’s 1st Letter to the Corinthians 11:23-25
“For I received from the Lord what I also handed on to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night he was betrayed took a loaf of bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, “This is my body that is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.”
Jesus follows the pattern for the Jewish sacrifice, and it was the experience of early Jewish Christians at sacred meals
Take the offering, bless it, break it, and share it
Oblation/the offering to God (p.335, 1st part of 2nd whole paragraph) offering of the congregation together
Calling down of the Holy Spirit to transform the bread and wine into Jesus’ body and blood, epiclesis/consecration (p. 335, 3rd whole paragraph)
RC—transubstantiation—the bread and wine is physically changed into the body and blood
Lutherans—consubstantiation—the bread and wine co-exists with the body and blood
Memorialism —the bread and wine represents the body and blood, but is not changed
Receptionism—it becomes the body and blood when received by a believer
Supplications (bottom of p. 335)
Self-oblation (top of p. 336) more personal offering
More supplications (p. 336, 2nd full paragraph)
Doxology, trinitarian conclusion to the prayer and the Great Amen. High point of the service. Christ’s elevated body and blood about to be received.
The Lord’s Prayer
About 400 a.d. the Lord’s prayer started to be included in the Eucharist as a devotion preparatory to receiving the Sacrament after the breaking of the bread. Even today when we take communion to the sick in their homes or the hospital, the only preparation required for accepting communion is praying the Lord’s Prayer.
Matthew 6:9-13
“Pray then in this way:
Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name.
Your kingdom come.
Your will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors.
And do not bring us to the time of trial,
but rescue us from the evil one.”
Luke 11:2-4
He said to them, ‘When you pray, say:
Father, hallowed be your name.
Your kingdom come.
Give us each day our daily bread.
And forgive us our sins,
for we ourselves forgive everyone indebted to us.
And do not bring us to the time of trial.’
The Breaking of the Bread
Christ’s body is broken, what happened on the cross
Silence in response
Fraction Anthem
Origin of lifting the body and blood—cathedrals
Wafers are a practical way to distribute communion, but not ideal
It was originally a bit of one loaf
From the 1552 revision of the Prayer Book, “Christ our Paschal Lamb is offered up for us, once for all, when he bare our sins on his body upon the cross, for he is the very Lamb of God that taketh away the sins of the world: wherefore let us keep a joyful and holy feast with the Lord.”
Reservation of the remains, to be taken to the sick, not to be disposed of lightly
In the late 19th c, wafers developed to be dipped into the wine, it was not practical to dip real bread into wine
Just as there is one body, there is to be one cup, the common cup of Christ’s blood, from which all partake; consecrating small cups is not sufficient
Prayer of Humble Access
P. 337
Communion in both kinds
Receiving communion
Who can receive—adult Christians and children who are old enough to understand and have been adequately prepared
Blessing
Dismissal
Double alleluia’s