Communion

Comments

• Holmes

  March 2007

  [coptic]+ Iryny nem `hmot>[/coptic]
  
  The Communion is the very True and Holy Body and Blood of Christ, as we reiterate throughout the Divine Liturgy.  The partaking of the Holy Communion is a Sacrament and a requirement in order to obtain salvation and enter Heaven.  Take a look at what our Lord says in the Gospel of John:
  
  "I am the living bread which came down form heaven.  If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever; and the bread that I shall give is My flesh, which I shall give for the life of the world... Most assuredly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in you.  Whoever 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; 53-56).
  
  Christ is quite explicit that when we commune, we are indeed eating His flesh and drinking His blood.  At no point does He say, 'This bread is a symbol of My body".  He is clear, the bread is His body, the wine is His blood. (see Matthew 26:26-29).
  
  Thus, in order to abide in Christ, and for Him to abide in you, you must take communion.  How can you be one with Christ if you do not eat His body and drink His blood?  The question is now whether not taking communion will send you to hell, the question is, how can not partaking of Christ get you into heaven.
  
  Please pray for me.
• Meena_Ameen

  March 2007

  wow, thanks lol. Even though ive read that verse before i just completely forgot about it. Thanks a lot for that post
• janaegy

  March 2007

  [quote author=Meena_Ameen link=topic=5137.msg69021#msg69021 date=1174770982]
  I know the coptic church is seriouse about taking the body and blood of Jesus Christ. Our communion is most sacred and our entire mass basically focuses on The bread and wines conversion to actual body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ. I was having a conversation with other christians who are not coptic orthodox and they dont believe the actual conversion takes place. They say we only do it because Jesus said do this in remembrance of me. Which is true. So why do the coptics believe that the body and blood really do convert. And is it true that if you have never taken communion you go to hell?
  
  
  That is one of the differences between other christian sects and the true sect, coptic orthodox. The Seruphium and cherubiem and the angels gather in the hekal/ alter (literally) for the converting of the bread and wine to body and blood. You can think of it as a party in the alter in celebration that the people of the church will get communion. Its the best part of church and that is why u should respect and understand everything going on. our liturgy or mass is the most amazing experience hence the literal translation of the body and blood of christ.
  
  rbna ma3akom
• mmatt95

  March 2007

  There's a lot to say on this subject, but i think Cefas covered the most explicit biblical proof that the bread and wine indeed are the Body and Blood of Christ.
  
  Another very explicit clear biblical proof is the following:
  
  (1Cor 11:23-32)

  For I have received from the Lord that which also I delivered unto you: that the Lord Jesus, the same night in which He was betrayed, took bread;
        24and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, "Take, eat; this is My body which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of Me."
    25In the same manner also He took the cup when He had supped, saying, "This cup is the new testament in My blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of Me."
    26For as often as ye eat this bread and drink this cup, ye do show the Lord's death until He come.
    27Therefore whosoever shall eat this bread and drink this cup of the Lord unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord.
    28But let a man examine himself, and then let him eat of that bread and drink of that cup.   
    29For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord's body.   
    30For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep.   
    31For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged.   
    32But when we are judged, we are chastened by the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world.

  Note that St Paul explicitly says that whoever eats of the bread and drinks from the cup should examine himself, so that he does not cause damnation to himself and become guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. If communion was a mere symbol, then why go through all this trouble? Furthermore, St Paul says that some have become sick or even died by taking communion unworthily!!!
  
  Note also the beginning of this quote:

  For I have received from the Lord that which also I delivered unto you

  Doesnt that sound like orthodoxy to you? ;)
  
  One last point, check out this link and search for the sermon "Is the Eucharist the REAL Body and Blood of Christ?" It should cover your question more elaborately!
  
  http://www.orthodoxsermons.org/index.php?option=com_docman&task=cat_view&gid=132&Itemid=26
• Anglican

  April 2007

  Dear Meena,
  
  What Hos Erof and Κηφᾶς write is spot on. Coptic Orthodox show due humility to the great mystery of the Eucharist. We do not claim to know the 'how' of it, just that the elements of the Eucharist are, indeed, the body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ.
  
  Let us remember what the great St. Cyril wrote in his commentary upon the Gospel of St. John:

  Let them then, who of their folly have not yet admitted the faith in Christ, hear, Except ye eat the Flesh of the Son of Man and drink His Blood, ye have no life in you. For wholly destitute of all share and taste of that life which is in sanctification and bliss, do they abide who do not through the mystical Blessing receive Jesus. For He is Life by Nature, inasmuch as He was begotten of a Living Father: no less quickening is His Holy Body also, being in a manner gathered and ineffably united with the all-quickening Word. Wherefore It is accounted His, and is conceived of as One with Him. For, since the Incarnation, it is inseparable; except as regards the knowledge that the Word Which came from God the Father, and the temple from the Virgin, are not indeed the same in nature (for the Body is not consubstantial with the Word from God), yet are they One by that coming-together and ineffable concurrence. And since the Flesh of the Saviour hath become life-giving (as being united to That which is by Nature Life, the Word from God), when we taste It, then have we life in ourselves, we too united to It, as It to the indwelling Word.

  In Christ,
  
  John