Communion Meaning: The Sacred Sacrament
Have you ever participated in Communion and wondered about its deeper significance? This ancient ritual - bread broken, wine poured - connects billions of Christians across centuries to the last meal Jesus shared with his disciples. Beyond memorial, Communion offers spiritual nourishment, mystical union, and participation in divine reality. Understanding its layers transforms routine observance into profound encounter.
Quick Answer
Holy Communion (Eucharist, Lord's Supper, Mass) is the Christian sacrament in which believers receive bread and wine representing Christ's body and blood. Instituted by Jesus at the Last Supper, it commemorates his sacrifice, provides spiritual nourishment, and creates communion with Christ and fellow believers. Different traditions understand the presence of Christ in the elements differently, but all affirm its central importance to Christian life. 100% of every purchase from our Esoteric Christianity collection funds ongoing consciousness research.
Biblical Foundation
All four Gospels and Paul's letters describe the Last Supper. On the night before his crucifixion, Jesus gathered with his disciples in an upper room. During the Passover meal, he took bread, blessed it, broke it, and gave it to them saying: "This is my body, given for you. Do this in remembrance of me."
Then he took the cup of wine: "This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you for the forgiveness of sins. Drink from it, all of you."
These words - "This is my body... This is my blood" - have been central to Christian worship and theology ever since. Jesus took ordinary elements and filled them with extraordinary significance.
The connection to Passover is deliberate. As the Passover lamb's blood protected Israel from death in Egypt, Christ's blood protects believers from spiritual death. The old covenant in animal sacrifice gives way to the new covenant in Christ's self-offering.
Wisdom Integration
Ancient wisdom traditions recognized the deeper significance of these practices. What appears on the surface as technique often contains layers of meaning that reveal themselves through sincere practice. The path of understanding unfolds not through mere intellectual study but through direct experience and contemplation.
Theological Perspectives
Transubstantiation (Catholic) - The bread and wine actually become the body and blood of Christ while retaining outward appearances. This change occurs through the priest's consecration. The Real Presence is literal and physical.
Consubstantiation (Lutheran) - Christ is truly present "in, with, and under" the bread and wine. The elements remain bread and wine but Christ's body and blood are also truly present.
Real Presence (Reformed/Anglican) - Christ is spiritually present in a real but not physical way. Believers receive Christ through faith when they receive the elements.
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Memorial (Baptist/many Evangelicals) - The Lord's Supper is primarily a remembrance of Christ's sacrifice. The elements are symbolic, not vehicles of grace themselves. The focus is on what the believer does in remembering.
Rudolf Steiner spoke of the Eucharist as a real spiritual event in which cosmic forces are present. The bread and wine become vehicles for Christ's etheric body and astral body, nourishing corresponding dimensions of human constitution. This is neither mere symbol nor material transformation but spiritual reality.
Spiritual Dimensions
Beyond theological debates, Communion carries profound spiritual significance:
Participation in sacrifice - We do not merely remember but participate in Christ's self-offering. His death is made present; we enter into it. The past event becomes present reality.
Spiritual nourishment - "Unless you eat my flesh and drink my blood, you have no life in you" (John 6:53). Communion provides sustenance for the spiritual life that physical food cannot.
Union with Christ - "Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in them" (John 6:56). Communion creates or deepens the mystical union between Christ and believer.
Communion with the body - The horizontal dimension: we commune not only with Christ but with each other. Sharing one bread, we become one body. Communion creates and expresses church unity.
Anticipation of the Kingdom - Jesus said he would not drink wine again until drinking it new in his Father's kingdom. Each Communion anticipates the heavenly banquet, the fullness of divine-human communion.
Worthy Participation
Paul warned that "whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord" (1 Corinthians 11:27). Communion requires preparation:
Self-examination - Honest assessment of one's spiritual state, confession of sins, reconciliation with God and others.
Faith - Belief in Christ's sacrifice and what Communion represents. Without faith, the elements are just bread and wine.
Right intention - Approaching not from habit or social pressure but genuine desire for communion with Christ.
Reconciled relationships - Being at peace with fellow believers. "First be reconciled to your brother" before offering your gift.
Contemplation
Before your next Communion, spend time in preparation. Examine your heart: What separates you from God? From others? Confess what needs confessing; release what needs releasing. When you receive the bread, imagine Christ's life entering you, strengthening you. When you receive the wine, imagine his sacrifice washing you clean. Let the moment expand beyond routine into genuine encounter. "Do this in remembrance of me" - not mere mental recall but making present, participation, reception. What does Christ wish to give you today?
Practice: Daily Integration
Set aside 5 to 10 minutes each day for this practice. Find a quiet space where you will not be disturbed. Begin with three deep breaths to center yourself. Allow your attention to rest gently on the present moment. Notice thoughts without judgment and return to awareness. With consistent practice, you will notice subtle shifts in your daily experience.
FAQ: Common Questions About Communion
What is Holy Communion?
Holy Communion (Eucharist, Lord's Supper) is the Christian sacrament in which believers receive bread and wine representing Christ's body and blood. Instituted at the Last Supper, it commemorates his sacrifice and provides spiritual nourishment.
What does the bread and wine symbolize?
The bread represents Christ's body, broken for humanity. The wine represents his blood, shed for forgiveness. Traditions differ on whether this is symbolic or literal, but all affirm it connects believers to Christ's sacrifice.
Why did Jesus institute Communion?
Jesus established a way for believers to participate in his sacrifice, receive spiritual nourishment, and maintain communion with him and each other. "Do this in remembrance of me" creates ongoing connection to his redemptive work.
How often should Christians take Communion?
Practices vary: Catholics and Orthodox celebrate frequently (daily/weekly); many Protestants monthly or quarterly. Scripture says "as often as you do this" without specifying. Spiritual preparation matters more than frequency.
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Our Esoteric Christianity collection explores the deeper dimensions of Christian faith. 100% of every purchase funds consciousness research.
Explore CollectionFurther Reading
- Rudolf Steiner - The Gospel of St. John
- Alexander Schmemann - For the Life of the World
- Scott Hahn - The Lamb's Supper
- Esoteric Christianity Collection