Whether it is called it the Last Supper, Communion, Mass, breaking of the bread or the meal, the Holy Eucharist is still considered one of the most highly regarded of the seven sacred sacraments which also include baptism, confirmation, penance, anointing of the sick, holy orders and matrimony. As a symbolic reenactment of the last act Jesus performed with His disciples before His crucifixion, this sacrament holds great significance for the modern Christian.
The Eucharist is the very heart of the Christian faith and without it there is little point in the Christian beliefs says Father Reginald Demeritte, priest-in-charge of St. Theresa Catholic Parish in George Town, Exuma.
"We believe as Catholics that it is the greatest prayer we can say in our faith," says Fr. Demeritte. "Many people may not take it as seriously as they should, but the Eucharist is not something to take lightly. As a professing Christian you should know what it is and why it's so important. This is why before believers in the Catholic Church partake of the communion they go through years of training and teachings so they understand what they are doing and why they are doing it."
The Holy Eucharist is more than just about communion or fellowship. It is also about reflecting on God and His sacrifice of body and blood that was given to save all mankind. When Christians partake in the Eucharist it should be in a heart of thanksgiving and with a mind of understanding.
The Holy Eucharist is made special because in spite of all the disagreements that different denominations have, it is one of the two sacraments universally acknowledged says Rev. Emmette Weir, interim pastor of Our Savior Lutheran Church in Freeport, Grand Bahama
"The Eucharist is one of the two major sacraments recognized by all Christians. The other is Holy Baptism. It is extremely important for the spiritual growth of Christians because it was the central act of our worship from the early church over 2,000 years ago," says the Lutheran minister. "It is a sacrament because it was established by Christ and it has a symbolic meaning behind its physical actions or representation. The bread is the body of Christ and the wine is the blood of Christ. The act of sharing and partaking in the bread and wine is symbolic of receiving spiritual nourishment from Christ. Just like the body is nourished by the wine and bread physically, what they represent also nourishes the soul."
Rev. Weir says partaking in the sacrament as often as you can is a proclamation of the Gospel because on Calvary the blood of Christ is shed for all mankind.
"St. Paul said to us that as often as you take this bread and drink the blood you are proclaiming Christ and remembering what He did for the world. This sacrament was established by Jesus Christ himself. Versions of this act can be found in First Corinthians 11: 23-34 and in Luke 22: 14-23. This first Eucharist took place in the Upper Room the night before Jesus was crucified. He met the disciples the night of the Jewish passover for the sacramental meal. He took bread and gave it to them and said, 'This is my body broken for you' and having done this He gave them a cup of wine and said, 'This is my blood of the new covenant...' This was the last act He did with His disciples before He died on Good Friday and all people who claim Jesus as Savior and Messiah should perform this act reverently."
Although you should be very serious when it comes to partaking in the Eucharist, Rev. Weir says people should not feel that it is about being worthy. He says many people decide not to take part in this section of the service because they do feel they aren't "worthy" but he says in all honesty, no one is worthy.
"You should come into the sacrament with special feeling and a sense of fellowship. I think there needs to be more teaching on this sacrament so people can understand how you should approach the Eucharist. You don't come because you are worthy -- but because you feel forgiven and want to be a part of the body."
The Holy Eucharist is a time of thanksgiving and praise says Reverend Letha Strachan from St. John the Baptist Anglican Church in Marsh Harbor, Abaco. She says it is not just about receiving the body and blood of Christ symbolically but also about remembering the foundation of the church and being grateful for what Christ sacrificed for all people.
"The word Eucharist was derived from the Greek word eukharistia which means thanksgiving. It is a central part of the mass itself. When we do Eucharist we are thanking God for all he has done," says the Anglican priest. "We remember His birth, life, passion,  crucifixion, death, resurrection and ascension. There is a part in the Eucharist that even reminds us to do this. In remembering Christ we as Christians are performing an anamnesis, which means a memorial or remembering the past and making it present. We give God thanks for all He has done from birth to ascension and remember what it means to us. Had he not come and be resurrected our faith has no meaning."
To ensure that people are in the right mindset when they participate in the Holy Eucharist the Anglican church ensures all believers go through lessons in Sunday school and in special sessions before they are confirmed and allowed to partake in this sacrament.
In the Eucharist the priest says the Eucharistic Prayer as he prepares the elements of bread and wine which are the outward signs of the sacrament. They represent Jesus' body and blood which will nourish and purify the spiritual bodies of the believers. As parishioners partake of the body and blood in fellowship with one another the Anglican priest says they should approach the sacrament filled with solemnity and understanding. They should come with a heart of thanksgiving, penance and be ready to be forgiven.
"The Holy Eucharist is a serious and solemn thing, but it is a happy and joyful occasion as well. All Christians should look at the Eucharist with a humility that embraces God's grace but also they should be filled with joy and gladness for what Christ did and will continue to do for his people," says Reverend Strachan.
 
Over the next five weeks, The Nassau Guardian will engage a number of ministers of religion on the topic of the Seven Sacraments. They will dissect each one and talk about the relevance of the sacraments to twenty-first century society.

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