Word of the Week: Eucharist

This past Sunday we celebrated the Lord’s Supper. This celebration is also known as communion. Maybe you’ve heard it called by another name–eucharist (pronounced yoo-kuh-rist). This is a word brought into English from Greek. The word eucharisteo means “I give thanks.”

Before Jesus gave the bread and cup to His disciples, He gave thanks. Then He did in real life what the bread and cup symbolized. His body was broken on the cross and His blood was poured out for us. Now it is we who give thanks. As we sit down this week with family or friends to celebrate the American Thanksgiving, I hope we will also take time to remember the thanksgiving of our abiding city – the New Jerusalem coming down from heaven.

For some this Thursday will be a meal and reunion with loved ones, but for others it may be the first meal celebrated since the departure of a loved one. The night that Jesus instituted the eucharist was both a night of celebration and sadness. He is ultimately the one who gives meaning to all our laughter and tears shared at the Thanksgiving table.

Wherever you find yourself this Thursday, we pray that you give thanks to God for His creation, preservation, and all the blessings of this life. One written prayer I’ve been using in my personal time lately calls on God to make our hearts “unfeignedly thankful.” This is also my prayer for you, that as you think of things with which you have been blessed your heart will be authentically thankful without pretending because your heavenly Father has lavished His grace on you in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Happy Thanksgiving!