what do we proclaim whenever we eat the bread and drink from the cup in communion?

Answer 1

we understand that we are partakers of the covenant that Christ made with us and sacrificed His own body and spilled His own blood to seal ...

Answer 2

We proclaim (not repeat, but make present) the eternal sacrifice of Jesus. His sacrifice is eternal, and in heaven He presents it continually to the Father, as He is the the lamb "slain from the foundation of the world"- Rev. 13:8 -

In the Catholic Church and Ortodox Church (the only ones with valid apostolic succession and holy orders), we enter into that eternal sacrifice when the bread and wine are consecrated.

Other churches celebrating the "Lord´s supper" just eat bread and drink grape juice for two reasons: (a) they do not have valid orders (b) they don´t believe that the bread and wine are substantially transformed into the body and blood of Jesus.

They should look at thenselves pictured in the disciples of Jesus who asked "How can this man give us (his) flesh to eat?"(Jn. 6:52) , and ""This saying is hard; who can accept it?"" (jn. 6:60).

The first Christians believed that the bread and wine were transformed into the body and blood of the Lord, and they called heretics those who did not accept it :

•St. Ignatius ( who was a disciple of John) : "they [heretics] abstain from Eucharist and from prayer, because they do not confess that the Eucharist is the Flesh of our Savior Jesus Christ ..." (Letter to Smyrnaeans 6, 2.[AD 110])

•St. Justin Martyr - "...not as common bread nor common drink do we receive these; but ... as we have been taught, the food which has been made into the Eucharist by the Eucharistic prayer set down by him, and by the change of which our blood and flesh in nourished, is both the Flesh and Blood of that incarnated Jesus."(First Apology 66, 20 (150 AD))

The question is: What would the first Christians think of those who today deny that Christ is present in the Eucharist?

Answer 3

John 6:32, 51-52: "Then Jesus said to them: Amen, amen I say to you; Moses gave you not bread from heaven, but my Father giveth you the true bread from heaven... I am the living bread which came down from heaven. If any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever; and the bread that I will give, is My Flesh, for the life of the world."

Answer 4

It is an “acted out sermon,” remembering our Lord’s death and resurrection, and looking to the future for His return in glory.
For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until He comes

Answer 5

I have no idea what Protestants proclaim.....as a Catholic, we proclaim that Jesus is fully present in the Eucharist....Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity. NO Catholic has ever understood "This IS my body...this IS my blood" to be "this symbolizes" or "this represents" my body/blood. So while Protestants are satisfied with a placebo effect, Catholics are not. Incidentally, even Martin Luther was absolutely outraged about calling the Eucharist a symbol or representation -- and he adamantly called it the work of the devil!

Answer 6

Christians and Catholics take communion to commemorate Christ's death. It's being thankful for what he did.

Answer 7

We proclaim the Lord's death until He comes again.

Pastor Art

Answer 8

Jesus said "this you do in remembrance of me."

It's done in remembering his death, and the blood he shed.

But, its not (the communion) a means to obtain Salvation.

Mystery Babylon

http://wings-of-an-eagle3.com/Mystery_Babylon.doc

Answer 9

Christ's death on the Cross for us...pay attention next time. And if you didin't know that already you shouldn't be participating; it makes very little sense to celebrate something you have no part in.

Answer 10

We proclaim the death of Jesus.

God bless,
Stanbo