5 What is the spiritual benefit of Holy Communion? I love You above all things, You may serve communion at the front of a church, serve it with individual plates and cups, or serve it in your living room as the spiritual leader of a household. It is convenient to stay home and have their own worship service. It is common to hear that they have a problem with churches or they are too tired to go to church. They do not know the issues that the members of that church experience and they never have to struggle with their own unloving response to the person sitting next to them. Do you not have houses in which to eat and drink? May I never forget the enormous price that was paid on my behalf. 3 reasons we observe the Lords Supper (Session 9 Matthew 26:17-30), What does the priest say when giving Communion? Thank Him for His body, broken for you, and for His blood, shed for you. ***end of rant***. What to Say When Giving or Leading Communion When leading communion, there are many options for what to say and do. When the priest is finished talking, say "Amen" and wait to receive the blood. communion!) When you approach the priest or Extraordinary Minister, he/she will proclaim "the Body of Christ,". I wanted to. The Bible tells us that we need to take a good, long look at what is going on in our hearts when we partake in the Lord's Supper. Scripture does reveal that the early church celebrated communion together as a group and not individually. 2a capitalized : a Christian sacrament in which consecrated bread and wine are consumed as memorials of Christs death or as symbols for the realization of a spiritual union between Christ and communicant or as the body and blood of Christ. Truly God works in mysterious ways. Just clear tips and lifehacks for every day. Thank You for Your extravagant love and unmerited favor. As I leave this place, help me to hold this fresh remembrance and the story that never grows old close to my heart. If you wish to have the host handed to you, hold out your hands, left on top of right. Small individual glasses have been part of the communion service in most United Methodist churches for a long time. 23For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you: that the Lord Jesus on 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 isbroken for you; do this in remembrance of Me. 25In the same manner He also took the cup after supper, saying, This cup is the new covenant in My blood. Think about what the bread means to you. Catholics believe that Holy Communion (or, the Holy Eucharist) is the actual body and blood of Jesus Christ. Acts 2:42 states that the purpose for the early church gathering together was to listen to the teaching of the apostles, to fellowship together, participate in communion, prayer and worship. All. You love me like a perfect parent. Do not take the host from the priest, but rather allow them to place it in your hand. let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near. For in the holy Eucharist, the Catechism of . I just shared above that if I cant focus in prayer this is what I do. Besides being born again in Christ, Holy Communion is Gods ordained channel of healing and wholeness. Thank You, Jesus. Is it wrong to have no desire to go to church on Sundays? He said, Do this in remembrance of Me. The English word do is in the plural in the Greek. Throughout the New Testament, believers are referred to as the body of Christ. I need to caution you here, remember that communion is about Remembering Him so please do not turn it into a prayer about you. In the Catholic faith, Communion is the central part of the Mass. Whenever you come together to do this in the future, remember Me. Communion is a symbolic act and not an efficacious act. And when He had taken a cup and given thanks, He gave it to them, saying, Drink from it, all of you; for this is My blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for forgiveness of sins. 21For in eating, each one takes his own supper ahead of others; and one is hungry and another is drunk. 9. Its not acceptable for you to be using peanuts and sweat tea when you can go buy the proper elements. I embrace You as if You were already there We teach our children three things about Communion, taken from 1 Corinthians 11:24-26 NLT: And when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, "This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me.". Your original seat. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other. When we take Holy Communion, we're reminded not only of Christ's human suffering but also of the love He had for us. Under these circumstances we show love to others and it is okay to take communion at home. 3. To find out if you qualify to take communion, keep reading. A wide range of reasons exist as to why they cannot or do not want to attend. 57 Just as the living Father sent me and I live because of the Father, so the one who feeds on me will live because of me. The kind of bread, whether leavened or unleavened, is not specified. Sophia holds a BA in English from Colorado State University. May I never forget that I have been bought with a price, the precious blood of the Lord Jesus Christ. The eating of the bread and drinking of the wine that led to what we call communion is still a regular part of celebrating Passover that Jewish people and some Christians celebrate each year. Sharing in the death and burial of the Son of God is a foundational part of salvation ( Romans 6:3-5 ), and that death is symbolized in the ordinance of communion. He said, "Eat. I pray that I become a better person and be kinder to my neighbours. The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional". Help me Lord, to approach this communion table with reverence and godly fear, as we share together in the bread and the cup. 3) Be inspiring (as possible in a few minutes). You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. Im sure many Christians didnt even know this. Thank You that Your death gave me lifeabundant life now, and eternal life forever. We believe that Jesus did this just before the third Passover cup. [7] 2 Approach the altar. If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. Care should be taken with any fragments remaining on the corporal or in the sacred vessels. Hope this helps, Thank you so much for this. Of all the things that I believe breaks the Lords heart its when we dont understand the holiness of taking communion and we dont take it seriously. This is a serious thing. Prayer to Receive the Lord. This article has been viewed 583,204 times. All Communion pieces have been constructed with the following goals in mind. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); With fervent desire I have desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer; for I say to you, I will no longer eat of it, until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God.. This RCIA Process is the way in which you are prepared to be formally received by the Church; this is necessary before you can take Communion. What is the spiritual benefit of Holy Communion? Show me anything that is not pleasing to You. wikiHow marks an article as reader-approved once it receives enough positive feedback. Therefore, we cannot use these verses to support taking communion at home. a) After you have your communion elements Focus on Jesus. Through the act of transubstantiation, the bread and wine. Lord, we remember how on the same night that You were betrayed You took a piece of bread, and blessed it and broke it, and gave it to Your disciples and said. The communion service occurred during a meal known as the Passover. In this I will not praise you. May Your presence in me make me a better person and do whatever is only on Your will. Therefore, we conclude that communion can occur at home. So before I take communion today, I'm asking You to truly search my heart and reveal hidden things for which to ask Your forgiveness. As I take the bread representing Your life that was broken for me, I remember and celebrate Your faithfulness to me and to all who will receive You. Therefore, all blockades to your prayers being answered are removed. But sin hurts both my heart and Yours. Decide what works best for your group or family. What do you say when taking Communion? As You instructed Your disciples, I, too, receive this bread in remembrance of You. Make sure there is no unconfessed sin or un-repented-of sin in your heart. Thank you so much for sharing Ibrahim. It treats the tithe as holy, and ensures your heart is right before God. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics". What! They are also good if you travel to someones house to minister to them, you have the communion with you. In Jesus' name I pray. Jesus used wine to symbolize His blood. 5. Dear, MOP. After singing a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives. Instead of eating before they got there they came hungry and basically ate everything even what shouldve been saved for communion. There could be a pandemic that requires isolation or physical infirmities that prevent transportation. Fill me today with Your powerful Spirit. The answer is a resounding YES! Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors. It can last between 30-45 . Near the end of the Passover meal, Matthew 26:26 tells us that Jesus took some bread and distributed it to the disciples. Like baptism, communion is a spiritual symbol and reminder of what Jesus has done. When Catholics receive Communion, they believe that Christ is actually within them, so they observe certain practices of reverence. Yet You took that pain for me. Someone who is a new Christian will focus primarily on what Christ did in saving them. Next, the first step in taking communion or taking the Lords Supper is to distribute pieces of bread to the believers in the home. Thank You that I can commune with You Lord, as I come before You in prayer and the reading of Your Word. 2012 17 May. You should approach this with Reverence, Holiness and Awe of God. The bread symbolizes His body broken for us upon the cross. Drink From It, All of You The second step in taking communion at home is to distribute grape juice, wine or just some water, if nothing else is available. If so, how can I take communion at home? I have only gone thru communion once at the Church before they closed for the pandemic and am not sure what or how to do this at home. Thank You for loving me so much, You gave up heaven for me. Can I worship and take communion at home by myself? Blessings. As a rule of thumb, we encourage people to receive communion anytime it will be memorable. However, you may visit "Cookie Settings" to provide a controlled consent. All Rights Reserved. (specific), the ones I committed not knowing and at the time I failed to do the right thing before you not knowing. You will take Communion during Mass. The cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. Yet, those who stay home for convenience or to enjoy a day home violate the clear command of Hebrews 10:23-25 where God rebukes Christians who did not gather together with other Christians. If you have been saved for a long time you will focus on this too but then you move into appropriating the finished work on the cross into the area of your life that needs it. We share this cup of blessing in His name, remembering how He Himself took the cup in the upper room, as the hour of His crucifixion drew near and said, "this is My blood which is shed for many do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.". We are disrespecting Christ Himself and what He did on the cross for us! Given what is going on in the world now the Lord brought you in at the right time. Therefore when you meet together, it is not to eat the Lords Supper . For example, in 1 Corinthians 11:20-22 the apostle Paul states the early church gathered together for the Lords Supper or communion. However, the passage also reveals that those who celebrated the time of remembrance had serious spiritual issues. If one is left-handed this is reversed. That wasn't holy communion the 5000 received, it was a "meal" to sustain their body, communion is for sustaining one's soul. What the Bible says about taking communion? Yes, it is. So picture it like this, they came together to commune with other believers and take communion. 1) Can you take communion at home? How to Do Communion at Home Prepare your elements You will need some type of unleavened bread element and juice, wine, or water element. The clear assumption is that they met together and interacted with each other. This will depend on where and how many people are gathering. 1 Corinthians 11:20 (NASB). Prayer Before Communion. This article received 12 testimonials and 89% of readers who voted found it helpful, earning it our reader-approved status. 32But when we are judged, we are chastened by the Lord, that we may not be condemned with the world. This was the last supper that Jesus had with His disciples before He was crucified. It is commonly believed Acts 2:42, 46-47 teaches the early believers would take communion together at the temple and in their homes. Will I drink the blood of Christ for the first time at my Confirmation? Thank You for allowing Your body to be broken so that mine might be whole. What does Jesus mean by This is the blood of my covenant. 17Now in giving these instructions I do not praise you, since you come together not for the better but for the worse. Your left hand should be over the right when you choose to receive it in your hands. I can't begin to fathom the agonizing suffering of Your crucifixion. Bring your best. 26For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lords death till He comes. A prayer of adoration and meditation on Christ's sacrifice.) . Anytime you feel you need it. It is accompanied by partaking of a small piece of bread and sip of wine (or grape juice). You'll never disown me or leave me. Because of Your blood shed for me, and Your body broken for me, I can be free from the power and penalty of sin. It is wrong to have no desire to attend church. . Before joining wikiHow, Sophia worked as a technical editor and was published in six International Energy Agency (IEA) Wind Annual Reports. While they were eating, Jesus took some bread, and after a blessing, He broke it and gave it to the disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is My body. Matthew 26:26 (NASB). wikiHow is where trusted research and expert knowledge come together. They make the people line up at the end of the service and give them the communion as they are walking out the door. This is My body." Prepare yourself mentally during the Consecration of the Eucharist (when the host is changed into the body and blood of Christ) to participate in Communion. I have sensed an urging in my spirit of late to take communion at home alone once a week and I have started.. Is there anything wrong with this? This is my prayer at the time for Communion. Jesus teaches us how to take communion. Now may the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, equip you with everything good for doing his will, and may he work in us what is pleasing to him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. The prayer should be one that at least thanks God the Father for Christ dying on the cross so that we can have our sins forgiven. Thank you MOP for your obedience to the Lord. Dont make this about you. Am Pst. What to say during communion? Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me, and I in him.". Prayer to Receive the Lord. Matthew 26:26-30 is a good example. Reveal any secret pride, any unconfessed sin, any. So, it is my opinion that there can be certain circumstances where it is proper to take communion at home. Answer: YES! When we drink from the cup, we are declaring that we are forgiven and have been made righteous. May Your presence in me make me a better person and do whatever is only on Your will. Blessings to you. A minister of Holy Communion is simply a baptized Catholic who lawfully takes the Eucharist to other Catholics. Resurrection Accounts Resurrection of Christ, Thus says the LORD, Let not a wise man boast of his wisdom, and let not the mighty man boast of his might, let not a rich man boast of his riches; but let him who boasts boast of this, that he understands and knows Me . ", know if I was doing something wrong or not. And in doing so, didnt even look out for their brothers and sisters so, some were not able to partake. O for a closer walk with You Lord Jesus, so that I may draw ever closer into Your arms of grace day by day. Do you take communion at a Catholic wedding? To find out if you qualify to take communion, keep reading. The process of communion allows the individual to depict union and solidarity with Christ as the Savior through eating and drinking. We take communion because He said we should do this in remembrance of Him. . Lord Jesus, what a privilege to be able to come before Your throne of grace and partake of the precious sacraments of bread and wine, in remembrance of Your atoning sacrifice on the cross of Calvary. To indicate and to promote the communion of believers with Christ. After that, take a sip of grape juice. Your ancestors ate manna and died, but whoever feeds on this bread will live forever.. If you dont repent youre calling Gods judgement upon yourself. Liz, that is amazing! How you take communion shows the world how YOU remember God. If you dont have a relationship with Jesus Christ, you should not be taking communion and can learn more about receiving Christ as your Savior here. Required fields are marked *. We are called to unity in Ephesians 4:1-6. Lord Jesus, I bow before you in humility and ask You to examine my heart today. 1 John 4:21 (NASB). Paul clearly assumed that all the believers would gather together. Thank you for sharing this beautiful teaching,it clarifies many aspects surrounding holy communion. With what is happening in our world today, I would highly recommend you get the elements because youre probably going to need it. If you accidentally drop the host (the Body of Christ) while receiving it, the appropriate thing to do is to pick it up and consume it. I dont think the bible said there was any kind of prayer posture, per se when they were taking communion. What do you say when distributing communion? No, you can receive the blood of Christ as soon as you make your first Communion. In church when we talk and text while the pastor is preaching we are disrespecting the pastor, but when we take communion flippantly? Take this and divide it among yourselves; I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.. But it holds power not only as a symbol, it also reminds us to invite the Holy Spirit to examine our lives and to continue to do His work of washing us by the grace of Jesus. How you honor, value and respect what the Lord did for you. Is there anything else you do in communion that wasnt mentioned in this post? It is not appropriate to reach out with the fingers and take the host from the person distributing. : That they should: 1) Take less than 5 minutes to present! 28But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of the bread and drink of the cup. They were eating the communion like it was a meal. Thanksgiving after Communion is a spiritual practice among Christians who believe in the Real Presence of Jesus Christ in the Communion bread, maintaining themselves in prayer for some time to thank God and especially listening in their hearts for guidance from their Divine guest. John 6:35. you also bow as a way of showing your respect and faith. ", on a regular basis. It's true; you don't. You can take the Lord's Supper either way-at home with the Lord, or at your church. "I attended RCIA (Right of Christian Initiation for Adults), but the steps for what to do when receiving communion, "It has been many years since I attended a regular mass. When we confess our faith in Jesus, we are joined with all other Christians across the globe in a particular way, as we "break the bread" at the Lord's Table. In this article, we'll go over the Lord's supper and the remembrance of Jesus through communion. The Host must not be left on the ground to be trampled. TAKE A MOMENT. The most famous story of communion in the Bible is the story of The Last Supper. Thank you Jesus for loving me this much. It is meant to be taken by disciples of Christ. To partake, hold the bread in your hand and say: Dear Lord Jesus, I come to You, and remember all that You have done for me on the cross. 18For first of all, when you come together as a church, I hear that there are divisions among you, and in part I believe it. It is important to realize that Scripture does not condemn believers for staying home from church for serious or legitimate reasons. They do not participate in the life of a church. At Communion, you may receive the Body and the Blood of Christ. Is not the cup of blessing which we bless a sharing in the blood of Christ? Some folks may not realize that you don't have to wait for a priest or a pastor to administer communion to you. But the phrase breaking of bread just refers to having a meal together. How can one claim to love their brethren if they have no desire to fellowship together? A non-profit, 501(c)3 corporation. All over the world, ministry leaders often preside over the partaking of communion during their gatherings. The Last Supper. I want to direct you to a discipleship site online https://glorytogloryschool.com God bless you. And this commandment we have from Him, that the one who loves God should love his brother also. Be assured, my hearts wholeness is for you, Help me be obedient to the end and follow a long in your foot steps of righteousness serving you faithfully as we wait for your glorious manifestation, in your name sake I pray , Amen. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads. This is serious. Christians should not do anything that displeases the Lord. Dear father in the heavens Jehovah God, in the name of your son Jesus Christ, I come before you with my heart full of gratitude for the love youve shown me through the sacrifice of your dear son. The important thing to remember is that this is a time . But Paul urges us to examine yourself before eating the bread and drinking the cup (1 Corinthians 11:28 NLT), so that we are going to communion with a humble heart and not just pretending to be right with God. What should you use as communion elements? 1 Corinthians 10:1617 (NASB). 4) Keep to the point (i.e. When you're handed the chalice, take a small sip and then walk back to your seat and kneel. Use it to try out great new products and services nationwide without paying full pricewine, food delivery, clothing and more. Michael and for the last four years MOP have been of great encouragement to me. If its water and a piece of crackers, or a leaf! Holy Communion is a bond to the community, as it is a union with Christ. 51. 1 John 4:21 is an indictment to every person claiming to be a Christian who stays at home when they are physically able to attend. If you can afford it, Amazon sells communion wafers with juice in individual cups. You could celebrate communion after a meal together as often modeled by the early church (Matthew 26:26-29; Acts 2:42-46; 1 Corinthians 11:20-26). I believe that You are present in the Most Holy Sacrament. For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you. You could make this the centerpiece of your time together or you could partake in it before or after you complete a study and discussion time. And as we partake of these hallowed symbols at this holy communion table, we humbly take this bread and bless it and break it, and eat it in remembrance of you, for Your own dear body was broken for us. The gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke record the event. Here are some great communion prayers for elders to inspire you. You know, growing up going to the Catholic Church it seems like the only person holy enough to do it was the priest. There are people who do it everyday. Canon 910 distinguishes between an ordinary minister of Holy Communion and an extraordinary minister of Holy Communion. Communion is not an obligation, but a celebration. ***Rant Alert**** Ive been to churches and seen communion administered where there is no explanation as to what it is and why it is being done. Then take one piece of bread or cracker and eat it. Repentance is a must before taking communion. (A prayer to say as a blessing over the communion cup. 6 What does the Bible say about communion? These messages have been designed for simplicity. That is beautiful. Amen. Please dont miss that some of them didnt repent prior to taking the communion and called judgement upon themselves, the curse of sickness and in some cases death. I think its because most people who were saved never got discipled and are missing core components to live a successful Christian life. Finally, both Matthew and Mark tell us that they sang a song afterwards. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me..