what does taking communion mean? In other words, when we take communion, what is the reason?
474730
Jesus commanded that whenever we gather in His name (like at church), we do it. It is the reminder that it was He who died for our sins, and it was His blood that washed our sin away - a way to honor His actions. There is also the promise of His return, to drink the new wine with us.
775754
Seriously, I had a friend who was in seminary school, and one day he was visiting with me and our buddies when we ordered out for some Pizza and beer.  It started as a joke, but being all Catholics at the time, we simulated Communion using the Pizza as the host and the beer as the blood.  Just as we started out, a weird feeling came over us all, and the joke stopped and we performed the communion together taking it very seriously.  \n\nI will ring your doorbell and run away!!!
964614
At the Last Supper, Jesus said, “Take this bread. It is my body.” The he said, “Take this and drink. This is my blood. Do this in memory of me.” \n\nCatholics believe this was the First Eucharist, that through some miracle the bread and wine actually became the body and blood of Jesus Christ.\n\nCatholics reenact the Last Supper during every Mass, where the priest, acting in place of Christ, changes the bread and wine into the body and blood of Jesus Christ.\n\nThis is a great sacrament of thanksgiving and unity of Catholics.\n\nAnyone who does not believe in the actual presence of Christ and is not united with the Catholic faith is asked, out of respect, not to receive the Eucharist.\n\nCatholics, out of respect for other Christian faiths, do not receive Communion in non-Catholic churches.\n\nWe pray that one day Christian unity will succeed and we will all be called to the same table.\n\nWith love in Christ.
262132
The Catholic church sees the bread and wine as the Actual Physical Body and blood of Christ-- also the Catholic Church Church endows the EUCHARIST with greater significance and takes it every week
884029
It refers to what the Christian Church calls "the Communion of Saints", which is one of the doctrinal truths mentioned in the Apostles' Creed. The endless interaction between the saints on Earth and the saints in heaven.
1110766
becuase most religions say they believe the bible and follow it, but then they act on things contrary to its teachings. eating of blood can also be read is takin it in, and intraveniously is taking blood in. blood is considered sacred and in God's eyes, shouldnt be given out to anyone. And whwen Jesus said eat my blood, he was holding wine and meant it symbolically, not literally.
87598
As if it were a Passover meal.  Jesus was crucified during Passover afterall and he and his disciples were observing Passover when Jesus gave his "This (bread) is my body.  This (wine) is my blood.  Take of these and eat and drink of them in memory of me" speech.
185759
Because the Bible isn't always as clear as it could be, so differences arise.  For example, at the last supper Jesus says "This is my body"  In very Bill Clintonesque style, Christians have been arguing over what the definition of "is" is in that sentence.  Did Jesus mean that the bread was literally his body, or was it just symbolic.  Christians disagree and each side forms a denomination.  That's a very simple example, but that's basically what happens.
1117212
Anglicans believe it is merely symbolic where as Roman Catholics believe they are actually consuming the body and blood of Christ. Go ahead and compare!\n\nRoman Catholic: \nhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eucharist_%28Catholic_Church%29\nhttp://catholic-resources.org/ChurchDocs/Mass.htm\n\nAnglican: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anglican_Eucharistic_theology
876494
Isolation. I don't know what to believe, so this isolates me. People are telling me left and right that I need to believe in something, and that I don't have much time to choose. 'Choosing.' It's such a strange term for such a thing as spirituality. They make it seem like you're at a fast-food drive-thru. Like you're picking an item off of a menu.\n\nThis is something I take seriously, just to let you know. One shouldn't 'choose' religion in haste. A person should make an educated decision based on where s/he is in life. Does this decision make you comfortable? Will you be more isolated? Rejected? Hated? Will you be satisfied with your decision later on in life on your deathbed? Will you regret everything you know?\n\nIt hurts. You don't know what path you should go down. You never know if you can travel back, or if the path will be covered by leaves, or if there's a big gaping hole where there was once your path. It's up to a person to responsibly walk down whatever path they 'choose.' Choose wisely. Or be your own person. That would be better...
327207
Worship, is to love God with your whole heart mind and body. To worship in spirit and in truth. It is seeing the evidence of God and Jesus in every aspect of life, giving Him glory and honor and thanking Him in times that are good, as well as,times that are bad, it is acknowleging the need for Him in everything.
877136
Sacraments ARE signs from Jesus that bring grace. (Did you mean to say "feel" instead of "fill?" "Feel" or "see" are more correct than "fill.")\n\n"Sacraments are outward signs of inward grace, instituted by Christ for our sanctification (Catechismus concil. Trident., n.4, ex S. Aug. "De Catechizandis"\n\nhttp://www.newadvent.org/cathen/13295a.htm
1178426
There are times during the Mass when I intensely feel God's presence.  Sometimes it is during the homily.  Sometimes it is at consecration.  Sometimes it is a crying child.  Sometimes I see it in someone receiving communion.  The whole Mass is a prayer.  God reveals himself in every instant and in every person.  The most common time, for me however, would be during the consecration, especially when the priest says, "this is my body GIVEN UP FOR YOU" and "do this in memory of ME".  The command to celebrate in Christ's memory seems like such a human thing for God to desire.
291156
prep_girl_nessa  what you know about pagans wouldn't cover the tip of a rats wiener!..Where did you hear that pagans engage in cannibalism or drinking blood?.. You been watching too many HollyWIERD movies...lol\n \n  You guys are talking about communion..It is Figurative, symbolic! There is no flesh eating or blood drinking.. not by Christians OR Pagans.. yikes.. the ignorance and stupidity that goes on out here.. sheeees
807249
Christ did die once for all.  But he sits on the right hand of the father, continually offering that same perfect sacrifice (and Eucharist is our corporate participation in that same sacrifice - where he suffered death upon the Cross for our redemption; who made there (by his one oblation of himself once offered) a full, perfect, and sufficient sacrifice, oblation, and satisfaction, for the sins of the whole world; and did institute, and in his holy Gospel command us to continue, a perpetual memory of that his precious the death and sacrifice, until his coming again: For in the night in which he was betrayed, (a) he took Bread; and when he had given thanks, (b) he brake it, and gave it to his disciples, saying, Take, eat, (c) this is my Body, which is given for you; Do this in remembrance of me. Likewise, after supper, (d) he took the Cup; and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of this; for (e) this is my Blood of the New Testament, which is shed for you, and for many, for the remission of sins; Do this, as oft as ye shall drink it, in remembrance of me.\n\nThis prayer from the Holy Eucharist - Book of Common Prayer - says it pretty succinctly:\n\n"AND we earnestly desire thy fatherly goodness, mercifully to accept this our sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving; most humbly beseeching thee to grant that, by the merits and death of thy Son Jesus Christ, and through faith in his blood, we, and all thy whole Church, may obtain remission of our sins, and all other benefits of his passion. And here we offer and present unto thee, O Lord, our selves, our souls and bodies, to be a reasonable, holy, and living sacrifice unto thee; humbly beseeching thee, that we, and all others who shall be partakers of this Holy Communion, may worthily receive the most precious Body and Blood of thy Son Jesus Christ, be filled with thy grace and heavenly benediction, and made one body with him, that he may dwell in us, and we in him."\n\nEucharist MEANS "thanksgiving"....that's what offering the sacrifice of the Eucharist means....our sacrifice....joined with Jesus' on the Cross....
376569
im a Catholic..i dont know if we are thinking abt the same thing.  Communion day for Catholics is when we start going to the Sunday Mass and accept the body and blood of Christ.  We usually start having communion at the age of 7 or 8..as far as i can remember.  Well, kids can go to the Mass but do not receive this Holy Communion.  I dont know how it works in some people.  And also, sorry i cant translate to Chinese...im half Chinese but never had the chance to learn it.  Hope this helped u answer ur question.
99437
It is a bread wafer that the priest holds up, says some magic words and it becomes the body of Christ. They also have wine which becomes the blood of Christ. The process is called transubstantiation. Then it is passed out and everyone who has gone through the first communion eats and drinks it. Whacky stuff.