Religion

Coffsharbouranglicanchurch defines sacrament as, “An outward and visible sign of an inward and spiritual grace,” Sacraments usually consist of rituals filled to the brim with symbolism. The 7 Sacraments are Baptism, Confirmation, the Eucharist, Reconciliation, the Anointing of the Sick, Holy Orders, and the Matrimony. The Eucharist is very significant to Catholicism as it celebrates the memorial for the death and resurrection of Jesus. Bbc.co states that “The Eucharist is a re-enactment of the Last Supper, the final meal that Jesus Christ shared with his disciples before his arrest, and eventual crucifixion,” The Eucharist uses different foundations, that being the historical and the scriptural. The historical foundation of the Eucharist is found in the Last Supper with Jesus and his Disciples, where Jesus then sacrifices himself for our sins. Another foundation is the scriptural component of the Eucharist. This includes the many passages of the bible anticipating the events of the Last Supper. Matthew 26:26-28 states “Now as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed, and broke it, and gave it to the disciples and said, “Take, eat; this is my body.” And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he gave it to them, saying, “Drink of it, all of you; for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins,” (BibleGateway, 2023). This scripture highlights the events of the Last Supper, of which is celebrated during the communion part of the Eucharist. Similar to John 6:35 “Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; he who comes to me shall not hunger, and he who believes in me shall never thirst,”” (BibleGateway, 2023). This scripture uses the symbolism of the Eucharist to highlight the importance of belief in Jesus. These examples of scripture highlight the symbolism used in the Eucharist. As Flame of Faith states, “Grapes are grown and crushed, transformed by human work to make wine. Wine symbolises joy and celebration,” This reveals the importance to celebrate Jesus’ death, and with it invokes a sense of joy. Flame of Faith also states that bread and wine symbolize, “the Creator who gives life, the one who nourishes us. At the Last Supper Jesus gave himself in the form of bread and wine,” This highlights the death of Jesus, that he gave everyone himself by dying for their sins. The sense of joy and celebration over the death of Jesus commits people to Christs mission, which is as Vanderbilt University states, “people might "come" to the Father,” Inviting people to celebrate the willing sacrifice of their God instils a sense of joy that converts people to Catholicism and Christianity, which therefore carries out the mission of Jesus. The Eucharist is important to an adherent because it links the sense of community to spirituality. This is because the Eucharist brings people together to celebrate the ultimate sacrifice of God.