[Friday's Devotional] - "This is my body"

"This is My Body" Communion, the Lord's Supper, Mass… each Christian tradition has its own name and ritual in obedience to Jesus' command. "Then came the day of Unleavened Bread on which he Passover lamb had to be sacrificed"  Luke 22:7 [NIV] And he took bread, gave thanks and broke and gave it to them saying, "This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me." Luke 22:19 [NIV] So Jesus made the white doughy bread a reminder of his own bloodless white flesh on the cross, when his life was sacrificed for our salvation. Whether we believe that the bread in some mystical and miraculous way actually becomes the body of Christ, or whether we see the meal as a symbolic re-enactment of the final meal with the disciples reminding us of the ultimate sacrifice Jesus made for us all, there is no doubt the Breaking of Bread is a powerful and meaningful ritual for all Christians carried out in accordance with Jesus' last wishes. Bread (or whatever staple food is made from the cereal crop or carbohydrate rich plant most prevalent in your part of the world) is part of the daily diet.  Eating it can be a reminder of God's constant presence in our lives and our dependence on him.  Jesus added a new level of significance to a known Jewish food ritual when he broke bread at that final Passover Festival.  By doing this he was effectively saying, " Don't just look back to God's involvement in the history of your people, look forward to the future that you are heir to because you believe in me, Jesus."   It is also a regular and frequent reminder of what Jesus has done for us. Next time you take Communion, remember what a privilege it is to receive this reminder of Jesus' love for you. Feed on him in your hearts by faith and with thanksgiving. [The communion service – Church of England] Mairi Mowbray   Twitter Website Copyright © 2017 St. Matthew & St. Oswald's Church, All rights reserved. You are receiving this email as a subscriber to the Daily Devotionals Our mailing address is: St. Matthew & St. Oswald's Church 1a New Street Rugby, Warwickshire CV22 7BE United Kingdom Add us to your address book Want to change how you receive these emails? You can update your preferences or unsubscribe from this list Want to be added to our mailing list? - sign up here!