The Frequency of the Holy Eucharist

    

If the congregation or denomination that you are a part of does not currently practice either a daily or weekly celebration of The Holy Eucharist in Holy Communion, it may be time to begin to consider why this practice should be adopted.  There are compelling historical, exegetical, theological, and spiritual reasons to do this, and I have summarized a few:

In this article the term The Holy Eucharist refers to the Sacrament; Holy Communion is the reception of the Sacrament, the Service of the Lord's Day, Mass, or Liturgy of the Eucharist- is the Service in which the Sacrament is celebrated, the Lord's Table is reference to both the Sacrament and the reception. 

1.  Holy Communion is a means of grace.

The “means of grace” are the conduit by which God has chosen to communicate divine grace to humanity.  The means of grace are given through the Gospel (the Good News) in Word and Sacrament.  The Holy Spirit works through the means of grace in both Baptism and in the Eucharist (Acts 2:38).  This is the way the message of salvation; forgiveness of sins, faith, and eternal life is born by the Spirit in the lives of those who gather to hear the word proclaimed at worship.  This is also the reason for a close link between Word and Sacrament.  At the service of the Lord’s Day, or Mass, people hear the word proclaimed, receive spiritual encouragement and instruction, the Holy Spirit regenerates faith, and after the word is proclaimed, the Sacraments are given as a seal and pledge.  Holy Communion should not be divorced from the service of the word rather the two should be kept together.   Jesus is present in both the sermon and in the breaking of the bread and through the Holy Spirit offers us grace and calls us to discipleship and obedience.  It is in the mysteries of the sacraments that we are united in Christ to God, and with each other as one body in Christ.  This is a holy mystery, and one that we need to reminded of frequently at the Lord's Table.  

2. Holy Communion is also our grateful response of joy to God's grace.

There are three accounts of Jesus’ instituting Holy Communion recorded by the three gospels (Matt 26:26-29, Mark 14:22-25, and Luke 22:15-20).  Perhaps the earliest written account comes from St. Paul’s letter to the Corinthians (1 Cor 11:23-25).  This ritual was established by Jesus as a sign of the New Covenant established in Jesus’s death and resurrection.  Each passage links the New Covenant with Jesus crucifixion and resurrection.  Jesus was celebrating the Passover with his disciples, a ritual which commemorated God's deliverance of his people from the slavery of Egypt to the liberating freedom in God.  Jesus transformed the Passover meal into a remembrance of his death and resurrection as the Passover lamb that frees us from the slavery to sin.  Christian worship is a celebration of the inauguration of this New Covenant.  This is the culmination of God’s actions in our world in Jesus Christ and we are invited to be participants in the table-fellowship of the New Covenant.  This is the place where we meet the risen Christ and are given the opportunity to respond in grateful joy to this gift.  The word Eucharist comes from the Greek word, which means, “to give thanks”.   Celebrating the Eucharist in Holy Communion is an opportunity to respond to the proclamation of the word with a joyful and grateful prayer of thanksgiving each time the word is proclaimed and heard.  It is from this place of gratitude that our life of discipleship and obedience emerges, grows, and is sustained.  

3.  Holy Communion is essential to our spiritual growth.

Holy Communion is a mystery and there are both seen and unseen aspects to the meal at the Lord's Table.  A Sacrament is a concrete, visible sign of a spiritual reality and a means of grace.  When we participate in Holy Communion we are living the reality of being in union with Jesus Christ through the Holy Spirit.  Believing congregants are part of the Communion Sanctorum, the “Communion of Saints”, united not only with the Christ but with one another and those that have died.  This gives our lives a on new spiritual dimension.  How can we hold on to our feelings of hatred, racism, classism, our dislike towards others, when we are at the same time receiving the love, grace and acceptance of God?  How can we remain divided when we proclaim the unity of the body of Christ?  The work of the Spirit in the Word continues in the mystery of Holy Communion where we meet the risen Christ.  Holy Communion then becomes both a proclamation, a witness, and an aid to our spiritual growth.  The presence of Christ in the fellowship of the meal and the presence of other believers serves as a living witness to what we proclaim in our Christian worship.  One of the reasons that the confession of sin is essential as a part of Christian worship is that our movement from being called to worship, acknowledging our failure, hearing God's Word for us and responding in humility, all function in worship to bring us to a place of receiving God's grace with open palms.     

4.  It was the practice of the early Christian communities to have Holy Communion weekly if not daily.

Acts 2:42 and Acts 20:7 both attest to the importance and the frequency that early Christian communities placed on the celebration of the Eucharist in Holy Communion.  Justin Martyr in his first Apology provides one of the earliest descriptions of Christian worship practice.  Writing to the Roman emperor Titus (138-168 CE) Justin records that “on the day called Sunday, all who live in cities or in the country gather together in one place…when the prayer is ended, bread and wine, and water are brought, and the president in like manner offers prayers and thanksgivings.”(First Apology)  The Didache, an even earlier document witnesses to the breaking of bread taking place on the “Lord’s Day.”  Through the early Middle Ages the practice continued of weekly communion although not entirely consistent.  It was not until the Middle Ages that the practice began to drop off considerably.  We have to consider not only that the early Christians placed this priority on the Eucharist, but further why they must have done so?  The early Christian congregations were communities that suffered alienation and persecution and were threatened by doctrinal schisms.  Aside from the command of Jesus and the theological implications, the fact that they valued the Eucharist may have given them both a sense of preserving their beliefs as well as a solidarity and spiritual fellowship together.  It must have had a strong part in sustaining them in their most difficult times.  

click here to read Justin's Apology

5.  Influential Christian leaders in the last five hundred years, including the Reformers recognized the importance of weekly celebration of Holy Communion.

John Calvin stated the following regarding the weekly celebration of the Eucharist:

"What we have so far said of the Sacrament abundantly shows that…it was ordained to be frequently used among all Christians in order that they might frequently return in memory to Christ’s Passion, by such remembrance to sustain and strengthen their faith, and urge themselves to sing thanksgiving to God and to proclaim his goodness…. The Lord’s Table should have been spread at least once a week for the assembly of Christians, and the promises declared in it should feed us spiritually…. All, like hungry men, should flock to such a bounteous repast." (Institutes of the Christian Religion John T. McNeill ed Ford Lewis Battles trans Library of Christian Classics (Philadelphia: Westminster, 1960 [1559]) IV.xvii.44, 46

Martin Luther in Germany likewise recommended the frequent practice of Holy Communion (Letter to Lazarus Spengler 1528), and the practice was also encouraged by the Roman Catholic Church in Pope Pius IX, Leo XIII and officially embraced by the Church with Pius X. (Catholic Encyclopedia “Frequent Communion”)

6.  Weekly Holy Communion makes the practice meaningful.

One argument often used for not celebrating the Lord's Table weekly is that frequent communion will somehow lessen its meaning, make it less special.  However, the same thing could be said for any element in Christian worship including the sermon, hymns, music, or even the worship service itself.  Why not offer worship services or a sermon only once a month to keep it special?  The sermon we say must be essential, for it offers encouragement, but that is the point, so does Holy Communion.  Furthermore, the danger that people will not take the Lord's Table seriously extends to every aspect of Christian worship.  The reality is that the meaning of The Lord's Table itself can become lessened whether it is done weekly; monthly, quarterly, or yearly.  Why not re-engage the Sacraments in a more meaningful way, to explore its deep and rich meaning, so that the Lord's Table will be appreciated and better understood.  Everything that happens in the Service of the Lord's Day, our union with God, forgiveness or sins, the gospel, the presence of Christ, the work of the Spirit, are embodied at the Lord's Table.  Once we begin to delve into the rich meaning and mystery of the Sacrament can we begin to connect with how these practices inform our faith, life and belief.