In Christianity, why don't we serve communion (a.k.a. Eucharist) on Good Friday?

Question

I am a Roman-Catholic, and I am curious as to why they don't serve communion service (also called The Eucharist) on Good Friday's mass?

Answer 1

Jesus' human soul, and his divinity, was separated from his body at death.

At that moment, the Holy Spirit also departed from the Temple in Jerusalem, never to return.

While his body remained in the tomb, the world suffered from a true spiritual vacuum, as the spirit of God was then nowhere to be found on earth, and except for the Virgin Mary, neither was his grace ... right up until the moment of Jesus' glorious resurrection.

The symbolic state of spiritual deprivation that we Catholics observe between Good Friday and the Easter Sunday vigil Mass, allows those of us who understand, to personally experience this rare, and little known aspect of Christ's perfect and atoning sacrifice for sin.

Answer 2

You make a good point. Communion represents a transformation of the Passover feast into a New Covenant meal inaugurated at the Last Supper. I think the main reason churches do not celebrate communion on Good Friday is that they do not meet on that day. Thus, they wait till Sunday. Any other reason given is, I suspect, a rationalization.

Answer 3

Protestants do for the most part serve communion on Good Friday as we believe it to be a symbolic and not a literal taking of Christ's blood and Body. The Bible says that any time we take communion we should do it "In remembrance of Me". Jesus said Whenever you do this remember me. It is a good time to remember the sacrifice made on the cross for our sins. Hope this helps

Answer 4

After the Holy Thursday service the Eucharist is taken from the Tabernacle and reserved somewhere else because on Good Friday and Holy Saturday we are just concentrating on the crucifixion and death of Our Lord. His Passion and suffering for us. The sacrament is available though for those who need Viaticum. I always chuckle when I see people walk into the Church on Friday or Saturday and still genuflect to the Tabernacle out of habit. There is no need to because Jesus is not present then. But, you get so used to it. I remember one time when we had a very active Church week, then, I went to the movies and actually genuflected before I started to go into my seat row. Boy! was I embarrassed. It was pretty funny though.

Answer 5

Communion is served at the Good Friday Liturgy.
HOwever, since there is no consecration, it is not a Mass. No Masses on Good Friday.

Answer 6

Communion is commanded to be served only on the first day of the week.

And upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached unto them, ready to depart on the morrow, and continued his speech until midnight. (Acts 20:7, KJ21)

Eutychus Revived at Troas
On the first day of the week, (A) [a] we [b] assembled to break bread. (B) Paul spoke to them, and since he was about to depart the next day, he extended his message until midnight. (Acts 20:7, HCSB)

Footnotes:

[a] Acts 20:7 Lit On one between the Sabbaths; that is, Sunday
[b] Acts 20:7 Other mss read the disciples

Cross references:

(A) Acts 20:7 : 1Co 16:2; Rv 1:10;
(B) Acts 20:7 : Ac 2:42; 1Co 10:16;

BTW, I am not Catholic, and I am Christian [church of Christ] by only.

Answer 7

I'm not sure.Here's a shot: Jesus was Cruc. on Good Friday and Communion was served at Passover on Maundy Thursday.

Answer 8

That would be considered celebrating on the day Jesus died. It's the same reason you're not supposed to clap at the end of a Stations of the Cross performance. Politeness

Answer 9

Just a quick question:

Don't you find it somewhat macabre to have blood sacrifices as a religious practice?

Answer 10

apparently its in bad taste to serve the body of christ when we're commemorating the day of his death.

*shrug*