One Bread, One Body So why in bread? Let’s not bring anything of our own to bear here, let’s go on listening to the apostle himself, who said, when speaking of this sacrament: “One bread, one body, we being many are” (1 Corinthians 10:17). Understand and rejoice. Unity, truth, piety, love. “One bread”; what is this one bread? The one body which we, being many, are. Remember that bread is not made from one grain, but from many. When you were being exorcised, it’s as though you were being ground. When you are baptized, it’s as though you are mixed into dough. When you received the fire of the Holy Spirit, it’s as though you are baked. Be what you can see, and receive what you are. That’s what the apostle said about the bread. He has already shown clearly enough what we should understand about the cup, even if it wasn’t said. After all, just as many grains are mixed into one loaf in order to produce the visible appearance of bread, as though what holy Scripture says about the faithful were happening: “You had one soul and one heart in God” (Acts 4:32); so too with the wine. Brothers and sisters, just remind yourselves what wine is made from; many grapes hanging as a bunch, but the juice of the grapes is poured together in one vessel. That too is how the Lord Christ signified us, how he wished us to belong to him, how he consecrated the sacrament of our peace and unity on his table. Any who receive the sacrament of unity, and do not hold the bond of peace, do not receive the sacrament for their benefit, but a testimony against themselves. Turning to the Lord, God the Father Almighty, with pure hearts let us give him sincere and abundant thanks, as much as we can in our littleness; beseeching him in his singular kindness with our whole soul, graciously to hearken to our prayers in his good pleasure; also by his power to drive out the enemy from our actions and thoughts, to increase our faith, to guide our minds, to grant us spiritual thoughts, and to lead us finally to his bliss; through Jesus Christ his Son. Amen.
Posted on: Fri, 19 Sep 2014 11:40:32 +0000