Holy communion is central to the Christian Religion

Holy Communion is central to the Christian Religion. While it is a central component to Christian religious denominations, the emphasis and meaning of Holy Communion varies among the various Christian denominations. There is big difference in how for example the Roman Catholic Church treats and views communion and how the Baptist Church or the Evangelical churches view the importance and role of Holy Communion in the church. Prior to the arrest of Jesus and his eventual crucifixion , Jesus used a meal as a way to commune with his apostles during the Passover feast. The meal was a traditional Passover meal During this meal he predicted his eventual arrest and even identified his betrayer. The primary theme and act during this meal was the breaking of bread with the 12 Apostles. During the meal he took the unleavened bread as you did not eat leavened bread during Passover. He took the bread and broke it telling the Apostles that this was his body . He then proceeded to take the cup of wine and told the Apostles that this was his blood which had been shed for them. I can only imagine the confused look on all of their faces as Jesus told them they were eating his body and drinking his blood. This meal as it turned out is probably the most famous meal in our entire history. What Jesus meant at the time and what he means for the meal for us today has been discussed and debated for many many years. The meaning and significance of this meal has taken on as many different meanings as there are Christian denominations. The Roman Catholic Church believes in Transubstantiation, meaning that the bread that is consecrated during the Catholic mass actually becomes the flesh and the wine the actual blood of Jesus Christ. As the participants take of the communion elements they are actually receiving Christ into their bodies. When Christ is taken into their bodies, Jesus actually becomes a part of them. We have all heard that “ You are what you eat”. That being said, if you take Jesus into your body he becomes part of you. The Roman Catholic Church allows the distribution of Holy Communion on a daily basis. As a Catholic you can take communion daily at daily mass. When you take a look at the protestant religions, you see that they have a different view of the celebration of the communion rnmeal. The Lutherans are actually pretty close to the Catholics in that they also believe that communion is sacramental and that Christ is present in Communion. They do not believe as Catholics do that the bread and wine actually become the flesh and blood of Christ. The Lutherans believe that Christ is present but not that the elements actually become and are Jesus Christ. The Lutheran church usually takes communion on a weekly basis. Other protestant churches such as the Baptist Church take communion on a monthly basis, not daily or weekly as the Catholics or Lutherans do. They do not believe in the presence of Christ in the communion while they may believe that Christ is present with them as they take communion, they do not believe in the presence of Christ in the communion. When Jesus instructed the Apostles to “Do this in memory of me” they take that to believe that communion is done to remember the Passover meal Jesus celebrated with the Apostles prior to his capture, death and resurrection.