As with all faiths, Christianity has its share of mysteries that can seem incomprehensible to the outsider. For many people, the idea of eating Christ's body and drinking his blood seems more reminiscent of a horror movie than a sacred rite.
Understanding the Christian Belief System
In order to understand the Christian belief system better one needs to be aware of the historical setting, as described in the Old and New Testaments of the Bible, for the roots of this sacred rite go way back to the times of the Tabernacle and the sacrifices made there on the altar.
Why the Jewish People Needed to Make Sacrifices
Since the time when God gave the Ten Commandments to Moses on Mount Sinai, a whole raft of extra laws regarding sacrifices were given to Moses and the priestly tribe. These can be found in the book of Leviticus, which sets out in great detail all of the sacrifices that people were expected to make to Jehovah (God). Sacrifices had to be made for atonement, for thanksgiving, for cleansing after childbirth, and there was one known as the Scapegoat who took the sins of unknown sinners away.
While they were in Egypt, the Jewish people had picked up the unfortunate tendency to worship the Goddess Hathor – a cow headed diety. References to the golden calf idol that Aaron constructed even while Moses was on Mount Sinai collecting the Ten Commandments, show that they easily slipped back into this behavior pattern. One commentator suggests that sacrificing bulls on the temple altar was a way of retraining the Jewish people not to worship the cow goddess.
The Final Plague that Freed the Jewish People from Egypt
The use of blood is pivotal part of the story of the Exodus from Egypt. The Pharaoh had been reluctant to free the Jewish people who had settled in Egypt during a great famine. They were a free source a labor used to make bricks for his building program and the women made good nurses and house slaves.
The final plague - the one that took away the firstborn of each household – was the clincher that persuaded Pharaoh to finally let the Israelites go. The death of the firstborn could only be avoided by taking a spotless lamb and daubing its blood over the lintels and door frames. In this way, the Angel of Death passed over the household. Only the Jewish people knew this.
The Passion of Christ takes Place at Passover
Fast forwarding now to Jerusalem, some 2000 years ago, the practice of sacrifices at the Temple was still in full swing. The burden upon people was enormous, since practically no aspect of life could be accomplished without the shedding of animal blood. The burden of sin never seemed to get any lighter in spite of this.
Imagine that it is the night before the crucifixion. Jesus and the disciples are met in an upper room sharing a last meal together. It is the time when the Jews celebrate the Passover, the constant reminder to the Jews of when the Angel of Death passed over their homes during the Plague of the Firstborn. The passover meal celebrates the lamb that was slain so that its blood could be used on the lintels.
The Last Supper was the First Communion Service
Jesus and his disciples are sat at table eating the Passover meal. He tells them that the next day he will die and invites them to share bread with him saying "This is my body, eat it in remembrance of me". After the meal he takes a goblet of wine and invites the disciples to drink it with him saying "This is my blood, drink it in remembrance of me".
By allowing himself to be crucified he stated that he was a "sin offering" – a perfect spotless lamb (in other words a completely sinless and innocent person) who would, in dying , take on the sins of the world so that no more sacrifices would need to be made. This means, according to Christian belief, that once sinners have repented and asked Jesus into their lives, that all of their former misdemeanours are completely forgiven and forgotten.
The Mass is a Powerful Sacrament that Builds Links with Christ
Christians believe that every time they partake of the Communion or Mass, that they renew their connection with the living God, who died on the crucifix and then rose again three days later. This ceremony also links them back to that first time when Jesus broke the bread and shared the wine with his disciples.
Reference
John Drane, "An Introduction to the Bible", pp 425-429, Lion Press, ISBN 9-780745-919102
