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The Holy Eucharist FAQs
Q. What is the Holy Eucharist?
A. The Holy
Eucharist is the sacrament given by Christ for the continual
remembrance of his life, death, and resurrection. It is the
clearest, strongest, and best sign the church has of God’s
presence, love, grace, and forgiveness in ourselves, the
gathered community, and the world.
Q. What is a sacrament?
A. A sacrament
is an outward and visible sign of an inward and spiritual grace,
given by Christ as a sure and certain way by which we receive
that grace.
Q. What is grace?
A. Grace is
God’s favor towards us, unearned and undeserved; by grace God
forgives our sins, enlightens our minds, stirs our hearts, and
strengthens our wills.
Q. What is the outward and visible sign
in the Eucharist?
A. The outward
and visible sign in the Eucharist is bread and wine, given and
received according to Christ’s command.
Q. What is the inward and spiritual
grace given in the Eucharist?
A. The inward
and spiritual grace in the Holy Communion is the Body and Blood
of Christ given to his people, and received by faith.
Q. What does the word “Eucharist” mean?
A.
The word comes
from the Greek eucharistia which means “thanksgiving.” It
refers to the thanksgiving-blessing-grace used by Jesus at the
Last Supper. This thanksgiving echoes the characteristic
prayer-pattern used by Jews before eating or drinking anything
in which they blessed or thanked God. The term has been used
since the beginning of the second century.
Q. Why is the Eucharist called a
sacrifice?
A. Because the
Eucharist, the Church’s sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving, is
the way by which the sacrifice of Christ is made present, and in
which he unites us to his one offering of himself.
Q. By what other names is this service
known?
A. The Holy
Eucharist is called the Lord’s Supper, and Holy Communion; it is
also known as the Divine Liturgy, the Mass, and the Great
Offering.
Q. What are the benefits which we
receive in the Lord’s Supper?
A. The
benefits we receive are the forgiveness of our sins, the
strengthening of our union with Christ and one another, and the
foretaste of the heavenly banquet which is our nourishment in
eternal life.
Q. What is required of us when we come
to the Eucharist?
A. It is
required that we should examine our lives, repent of our sins,
and be in love and charity with all people.
Q. Who may receive the bread and
wine?|
A. At St. Margaret's all are welcome to recieve the bread and
wine. Students are asked to get clarification from their
parents as to the family custom of receiving the Holy
Eucharist. Some families may wish to reserve this practice for
the church setting. Even if you choose not to receive the
bread and wine, you are invited to come forward to receive
God's blessing. Indicate this by folding your arms across your
chest and place your hands near your shoulders.
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