Eucharist as the Highest Form of Fellowship

This essay is entitled “Eucharist as the Highest Form of Fellowship.” It will, I think, be the last of the essays on the Holy Eucharist, and as such, it will summarize many of the themes presented in previous essays. My aim is to show how God acts in the Holy Eucharist, and this will show why Eucharist is the highest form of fellowship. Before we begin, however, let us pray.

Heavenly Father, we thank you that you come to us in the Holy Eucharist. Pour out upon us your Holy Spirit, that the eyes of our hearts might be opened so that we might perceive the glorious inheritance of the Eucharistic feast.

When these lines were first written, the previous Sunday was Pentecost Sunday, the day we celebrated the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on the disciples. The lessons for that day were Acts 2:1-11, Psalm 104:24-36, First Corinthians 12:4-13, and John 20:19-23. The sermon was based on those lessons.

What can happen on a Sunday such as Pentecost Sunday? What can God do? How will the people respond? Let me suggest some replies to those questions, describing how God meets his people in the Holy Eucharist and enters into fellowship with them. I will describe the worship service, not based upon exactly what happened the previous Sunday, but based in part on many Sundays, recounting the sorts of things that God can do in the Holy Eucharist and how his people might respond.

Prior to the service, the people began to assemble. Under the best of circumstances they are happy to see each other. If the life of God has come to the congregation, this love is apparent as the people fellowship together. The words of Jesus come true, “By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another” (John 13:35).

As the time for the service approaches, the people take their seats and there is a moment of quiet. The priest or pastor greets the people and announces the opening hymn. All stand as they sing a hymn of praise and thanksgiving, one chosen to bring to their minds and hearts the great gift and work of the Holy Spirit. As this hymn to the glory of God is sung, God begins to move in the hearts and minds of the people, opening up their hearts and lifting off of them the darkness of this life.

There may be more than one hymn or song of praise, depending on the custom of the congregation. At some point, as the hymn or praise songs are sung, there is a procession which moves down the center aisle toward the altar which is located at the front. The procession is proceeded by a cross held high, followed by the choir, acolytes who serve at the altar, and finally the clergy. All these are dressed in vestments which add to the sense of holiness, revealing that God has chosen this place and time to make his Name known.

The sight of the cross invokes wonder that the great God would humble himself to die for those he loves. Carried in triumphant procession, the cross also reveals that Christ, by his cross, has conquered the world. As these events unfold, surrounded by the praises of his people, God enters the sanctuary. He is honored that his people have come to meet him, and he takes his place invisibly behind and above the altar. His glory radiates outward as those who process in take their places around the throne, represented by the altar or table covered by a clean linen cloth or beautiful hangings reflecting the beauty of God. Before the throne are the people themselves, the congregation of the Lord.

Since this is Pentecost, the hangings on the altar are red, and the stole the priest wears is red, and these are in contrast to white which was the color of the previous Easter season. These colors remind the people that this day is special, and its color, red, represents the fire of the Spirit. Invisible, yet present, like Yahweh between the cherubim in the holy of holies, the Lord begins his reign.

After the hymn or hymns, or songs of praise and thanksgiving, the people are suddenly silent. Then the opening salutation rings forth, spoken by the priest, “Alleluia. Christ is risen,” and the people respond, “The Lord is risen indeed. Alleluia.” With this triumphant cry, the Lord begins to pierce the hearts of the people, releasing the sorrows and worries they carry in their hearts and giving them a glimpse of his great victory. Some members of the congregation may well perceive the action of God at this moment. Others may remain bowed down by sin and the troubles of life. Even so, God is not deterred; his work has only just begun.

The salutation is followed by the prayer of humble access, asking the Lord to “Cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of your Holy Spirit, that we may perfectly love you, and worthily magnify your holy Name; through Christ our Lord.” As this prayer is said by the priest, members of the congregation become aware of their sin and sadness, and a number of them ask the Lord that he cleanse their hearts that they might worship him in Spirit and in Truth. As they offer themselves to God, God begins to cleanse their hearts so that he might, in his august holiness, come even closer to them as the service unfolds.

The priest then says the summary of the law, commanding the people to love God with all their hearts, souls, and minds, and to love their neighbors as themselves. As the people listen, they begin to realize that they have not loved God fully, and with this realization, God begins to reveal to them their sin that they might be forgiven and see God face to face.

On this particular Sunday the Gloria is sung, a song of praise honoring God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. This hymn, sung in faithfulness and thanksgiving for God’s mighty acts, brings joy to God’s heart that his people would honor him with this beautiful song of praise.

After the hymn, hearts are more open and the following prayer, the collect for Pentecost, is said by the priest.

O God, who on this day taught the hearts of your faithful people by sending to them the light of your Holy Spirit: Grant us by the same Spirit to have a right judgment in all things, and evermore to rejoice in his holy comfort; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

The people then sit down, ready to hear the lessons. The first lesson, Acts 2:1-11, describes how the Holy Spirit fell upon the disciples on the day of Pentecost. As this is read, the Holy Spirit takes the words of the lesson and uses them to speak to the people in varying ways. Some are thankful to be hearing the word of God, and thankful that God has poured out upon them his Holy Spirit. Others wonder if this could happen to them, and still others, weakened by sin and the work of the devil, scarcely perceive the promise of God’s Spirit as a present possibility. Some, without being fully aware of it, have God speak to them, promising them the Spirit, and a few, and it may at times be many, know that God is speaking to them as the lesson is read. Some hardly hear the lesson at all, preoccupied by other things. The words of Jesus ring true, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear" (Luke14:35). The first reading is followed by portions of Psalm 24, and then by First Corinthians 12:4-13. As these are read, the Holy Spirit continues to work in the hearts of those present, revealing the glory of God, setting forth their sin, empowering them to repent, and enabling them to live holy lives according to the biblical words.

The people then stand to sing a hymn prior to the reading of the gospel. The hymn gives praise to the living God, and the Lord rejoices in the praises of his people. At times, when hearts are open, this joy overflows and the people are caught up into heaven where they sense the wonder and grandeur of God. After the hymn, the people remain standing. The reading of the gospel is introduced by the reader with these words, “The Holy Gospel of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ according to John,” and the people respond, “Glory be to you, Lord Christ.” This introduction to the gospel honors the Lord Jesus whose gospel words are the words of eternal life. The gospel, John 20:19-23, is now read -- the words of life, the incarnation of God, and the hope of the world. As the words are read, Christ becomes present, made present by the words of John’s gospel and the work of the Holy Spirit. These words have a solemn and momentous quality, and some members of the congregation sense this. As the words are read, the Spirit administers the various phrases of the reading according to the needs of the people and the will of God. The passage contains the words of Jesus, “Peace be with you,” and some present receive his peace. “As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you,” speaks to others, giving them a sense of purpose. Others hear the words on forgiveness and know they are forgiven, and the Spirit will remind others of those they need to forgive. Some listeners, by the power of the Spirit, hear the words and are given life. Others, as in the parable of the sower (Luke 8:4-15), hear the words with their ears, but it scarcely penetrates their hearts. In congregations where hearts are open, the words may have many powerful and diverse effects. In other congregations, where hearts are closed, the words may find no resting place on the stony ground. They allow the Lord to pass by and pay him no heed.

The sermon is now preached. This is important and will be discussed in other essays. At this time, however, two points can be made, corresponding to Word and Spirit. According to the Word, the sermon must accurately reflect the biblical message, and further, be directed to the people where they live. On Pentecost, the sermon was simple: Jesus baptizes with the Holy Spirit and thereby empowers the congregation to set forth his words and do his deeds. In this way, the very life of Christ, the life he lived in the flesh and the resurrected glory he now conveys, becomes a living reality here and now. Further, the whole congregation reflects the ministry of Christ as each person uses their gifts for the good of the whole (First Corinthians 12:4-13). This sermon, directed to the people, encourages them to believe, to lay hold of God’s promises, and to seek to receive the full authority of the Spirit to do what God intends for the congregation. As the sermon goes forward, God works in a powerful way, revealing his sovereign will, encouraging them to receive his Spirit, assuring them that his goal is peace, and that none are too insignificant to have a vital place in his Kingdom.

Corresponding to Spirit, the sermon needs to be given in love and humility. The preacher cannot stand over his people. Let him gather with them at the foot of the cross. Let them know that he loves them, and let him daily forgive them of any wrongs, praying earnestly day by day to love them, asking that the love and tenderness of God shine forth in his words, his gestures, his facial expressions, in every aspect of his being. The Word of God takes incarnate form, in flesh and blood, mind and spirit. Animated by the Spirit of love, joy, and peace, the preacher speaks tenderly to the people, and at times, confronts them with compassion, never excusing them for their reluctance to receive the Spirit and minister in the name of Christ, but convicting them of their sins, their need for repentance, and the never-ending love and compassion of God who forgives them from the cross.

The preacher ends the sermon with a time of prayer and silence, praying for and asking the people to pray in their hearts, that all receive the full measure of the Holy Spirit. The pastor offers to personally pray, once the service is over, with any of those present who feel they may need help in receiving the Holy Spirit, noting that Peter and John, according to Acts 8:14-17, imparted the Spirit by the laying-on-of-hands.

As this sermon comes to an ends, God is glorified, his heart is pleased that his people have heard his Word, and he looks forward to the moment when the confession is made at which time he will gladly forgive them of their sins and lift them into his glorious presence.

After the sermon, as a response to having heard the Word of God, the people recite the Nicene Creed. If they have been educated as to the meaning and context of the Nicene Creed, they will be aware of the great history of the church, her eternal truths, her saints, martyrs, and innumerable humble believers, and God, reigning from on high across the years, will be glimpsed in his eternal glory.

The celebrant now introduces the confession, calling upon the members to confess their sins. They are asked if they are in love and charity with their neighbors, and if they intend to lead a new life. Some of those present are not in love and charity with their neighbors. They do, however, hope and intend to lead a new life. They need the forgiveness of God and empowerment of this Spirit in order to love their neighbors. They are welcome to draw near to God with faith and to make their confession. They are also welcome to receive the body and blood of Christ as empowerment to love.

The confession is said, the words of absolution are proclaimed, and the words of assurance are spoken. The Spirit delivers the people, placing upon Jesus their sins, their troubles, and their afflictions. Delivered, set free, and made clean by the sacrifice of Christ, the people are ready to enter into the very presence of God. Physically, they remain kneeling, or seated, but spiritually, in terms of the effects of God’s presence, they draw even closer to the Lord. He pours out upon them his grace. They call him Abba, Father, and he is graciously ready to hear their requests. Forgiven and clean, gathered before his throne, the people pour out their hearts to God. By this time it is often the case that the hearts of the congregation have been so stirred that they offer to God in prayer their hopes, fears, sorrows, and joys, beseeching his mercy and thanking him for their many blessings. The forms used are classical, reaching back into the ancient life of the church, the prayers of the people of God through the centuries. This outpouring of love and requests is important to God and to the whole company of heaven who invisibly surround the throne to praise his blessed name. All pray, rejoice, and give thanks together.

As the prayers come to an end, the priest stands and proclaims the peace: “The peace of the Lord be always with you,” and the people respond, “And with your spirit.” The word “spirit” in biblical usage is the whole self, animated with purpose and life, and as they exchange the peace, cleansed and made new, they manifest the love that characterizes all true Christian communities. Depending upon custom, the peace is usually celebrated by a handshake, a light kiss, or a hug, and the words, “peace be with you,” as the people greet each other. Like the Holy Eucharist, the early church kept the peace holy by making sure that those who passed the peace were reconciled and truly at peace with one another. At this time, it is especially appropriate that peace be extended to those who are new to the community, or not well known, welcoming them into the household of God. This peace, given by God through the forgiveness of sins, comes to its close and the people prepare themselves to ascend the mountain of transfiguration as did Peter, James, and John with the Lord Jesus, or to ascend Mount Sinai to meet God face to face as did Moses, Aaron, Nadab, Abihu, and the seventy elders.

They begin by taking up an offering to support the work of the church, and this offering is given to God by placing it upon the altar. This portion of their sustenance represents the fact that the people are now offering themselves fully to God, not simply their money, but their time, their strength, their talents, resources, everything to God who, at that very moment, is preparing to feed them with the body and blood of the one who gave up all for those he loves.

As the offering is collected, the choir sings a hymn, and normally the congregation is in a reflective mood, a mood which changes as the offering is brought forward. The priest or deacon has prepared the table, and it is beautifully and simply arranged as befits a God who manifests himself in the beauty of his holiness. The Eucharistic liturgy begins,

Celebrant: The Lord be with you.
People: And with your spirit.
Celebrant: Lift up your hearts.
People: We lift them up unto the Lord.
Celebrant: Let us give thanks unto our Lord God.
People: It is meet and right so to do.

These words announce the coming of the Lord, visibly and audibly present as described In Remembrance of Me. The opening words proclaim the essential point, “the Lord be with you,” and the people’s response indicate their willingness to receive his august presence. Their hearts are lifted up to the Lord, and on the day of Pentecost, a reason is given for their joy as described in the preface,

Through Jesus Christ our Lord; according to whose true promise the Holy Spirit came down on this day from heaven, lighting upon the disciples, to teach them and to lead them into all truth; uniting peoples of many tongues in the confession of one faith, and giving to your Church the power to serve you as a royal priesthood, and to preach the gospel to all nations.

The preface proclaims that the Holy Spirit came down “on this day,” meaning that the Holy Spirit descends again to empower the people as they come before God. After the preface, revealing the present power of God to renew his people in the Spirit, the congregation joins with all congregations everywhere, with angels, archangels, and the whole company of heaven to praise the transcendent and ever-living God,

Celebrant: Therefore with Angels and Archangels, and with all the company of heaven, we laud and magnify Your glorious Name; evermore praising thee, and saying,
Celebrant and People: Holy, holy, holy, Lord God of Hosts: Heaven and earth are full of Your glory. Glory be to thee, O Lord Most High. Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest.

As this ancient hymn is said or sung, preferably sung, the congregation joins with “all the company of heaven,” and like Isaiah in the temple, the Lord, the living God, high and exalted, makes himself visible to those who stand before him. This vision of the divine glory is given by the power of the Spirit, and although the degree and nature of this unveiling varies with the purposes of God Sunday by Sunday, God does reveal himself as he did to Isaiah, and this is especially true for those who have been instructed in such matters and await his appearing with eagerness and purity of heart.

Having seen the Lord, invisible to the eyes of the flesh but visible to the eyes of the heart, the Lord now speaks as the celebrant sets forth the great mystery of the Christian faith, the sacrifice of Christ upon the cross. At once the people are taken there, and the glory of the exalted Lord is mingled with the awful darkness of the upper room, the terrible yet sublime words of Christ, the trial, the crucifixion, and God himself, giving away his very life to those who kneel before him. As the liturgy proclaims these great mysteries, the Lord himself comes their way, meeting them according to the words, and then, at the end, in obedience to his command, they pray, speaking to the Father in the words their Lord taught them, the Lord’s Prayer.

Our Father, in heaven, hallowed be your Name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For yours is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen.

After the prayer, the bread is broken, followed by a moment of silence. In this intense silence many things can happen, but at its deepest, the awful nature of ultimate reality becomes apparent -- that God must die at human hands. Then, in an instant, the congregation is lifted up by God himself, giving life through death,

Celebrant: Alleluia. Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us;
People: Therefore let us keep the feast. Alleluia.

A short hymn may be sung, and the people come forward, entering into the very presence of God, receiving from God’s hands the body and blood of Jesus, offering themselves in thanksgiving that the great, true, and living God would humble himself to feed them with his very life.

After the communion, a prayer of thanksgiving is said, and then the blessing. God blesses his people, raining down upon them his living strength, preparing them for the life that lies ahead. At peace with God and each other, strengthened by his very life, surrendered to his will and kindness, the congregation rejoices as they sing the final hymn and the procession returns from the altar down the pathway between the people, carrying once more the symbols of their everlasting victory. God himself leads them, passing through their midst and leading them forth to establish his Kingdom in all the world, beginning with them that very day.

And then, the final words,

Celebrant or deacon: Let us go forth into the world, rejoicing in the power of the Spirit.
People: Thanks be to God.

The service concludes. God has been honored, his people blessed and fortified for life. Hearts and minds return by degrees to their daily affairs, but all is not the same. They have met God, have entered into his Kingdom, and have seen his face and heard his words. They are Christians, sons and daughters of the King, and although their witness may not always be strong, and although their worship may at times be feeble, and though they may not always be aware of his presence, he was there, and to “all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God” (John 1:12).

The Rev. Robert J. Sanders, Ph.D.