Firstly, we believe that this Sacrament is of Supreme importance
because it was instituted by Our Blessed Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ
and by Him commanded to be observed and celebrated by His Church until
His coming again. The writers of the first three Gospels give us
substantially identical accounts of what our Lord said and did in the
same night that he was betrayed. St. Mark, whose narrative is probably
the oldest, tells us that on the first day of unleavened bread when
they sacrificed the Passover, in the evening Jesus and the twelve kept
this distinctive feast of the Old Testament dispensation according to
the accustomed manner.
"And as they were eating, he took bread, and when he had blessed, he
brake it, and gave to them and said, Take ye; this is my body. And he
took a cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave to them and they all
drank of it. And he said unto them: This is my blood of the Covenant
which is shed for many." (St. Mark XIV. 22-24 R.V.) St. Matthew's
account and that of St. Luke are practically identical.
St. John, whose gospel was written at a much later date than those of
the synoptists, does not record the institution of the Holy Communion,
but does preserve for us Our Blessed Lord's wonderful teaching
regarding Himself as the Bread of Life, which has such an important
bearing upon a clear understanding of the true and proper place of this
Sacrament in the Spiritual life of Christians. (V. St. John VI.).
St. Paul, in the eleventh chapter of the first epistle to the
Corinthians, writes: "For I received of the Lord that which also I
delivered unto you how that the Lord Jesus in the night in which he was
betrayed took bread; and when he had given thanks, he brake it and
said, This is my body which is for you; this do in remembrance of me.
In like manner also the cup after supper, saying, This cup is the New
Covenant in my blood; this do as oft as ye drink it in remembrance of
me." The only other occasions upon which St. Paul uses similar
language to "For I received of the Lord that which also I delivered
unto you," is with reference to the Resurrection of Our Blessed Lord (1
Cor. XV. 3) and to the essence of the Gospel Message taught him by the
revelation of Jesus Christ, (Galatians 1. 12). We may believe
therefore that St. Paul in emphasizing the sacred importance of the
Holy Communion knew himself to be under the special guidance of Christ
Himself.