Coming to terms with communion
I have a close friend who is a Catholic. Together we can discussed many of the similarities and differences between Catholicism and my own Protestant/Anabaptist beliefs. The latest discussion was regarding communion, aka the Eucharist. In my early learning-about-Catholicism days, and in my initial participations in mass, I did receive the Eucharist. Having done a bit more reading etc, I came to quickly realize that I inadvertently committed a sacrilege and at the same time agreed with/to the concept of “transubstantiation”.
So I got myself to thinking over the weekend, if I don’t agree with the concept of transubstantiation (and the sacrament of the Eucharist) but rather of symbolism (and the ordinance of communion) … what does this symbolism symbolize? [Wikipedia contrasts sacrament and ordinance as follows: not a channel of grace but an expression of faith and obedience of the Christian community.]
So I went back to the beginning, or at least a ways back. The Jews were in Egypt as slaves, Moses came around and announced the series of plagues. The last plague was the death of the firstborn son. The Jews could be “exempted” from this plague through the death of a blemish-free goat or lamb and its blood applied to the families doorpost. The angel of death, seeing this blood, would “pass over” the household. Thus, we have the celebration of Passover … a remembrance of how a sacrifice allow someone destined to die to actually live.
Skip forward a few years and we have Jesus and his friends celebrating Passover. Just like previously in his ministry, Jesus starts on what I seem to think is another explanation of Old Testament tradition or teaching. He takes the elements in the Passover meal – the unleavened bread and the wine and explains that while they are still a way to remember the past, they are also about to become a way to remember what is about to happen. When Jesus says the bread and the wine ARE his body and blood, I do not believe the element are or become Christ himself. I believe that it is a metaphor — Jesus saying that the sacrifice of himself, like that of the goat or lamb during the tenth Egyptian plague, would similarly “exempt” those destined to die. He is pointing out another parallel between the old and new covenant.
I also have a difference of opinion considering conference of grace via the Eucharist, i.e. “receiving Christ”, and probably also sanctification. But those are likely better for other discussions.
Please note, the above it simply my current understanding of Eucharist/Communion. I may be way off base. Please feel free to discuss these points.
Outside links:
A Mennonite perspective on Communion
A Catholic review of the Eucharist
The Wikipedia entry on Communion/Eucharist history, theology and other related bits
