Acts Of Receiving (Biblical)
Fraction
Fraction is the liturgical term for the breaking of the bread by the officiant during the celebration of the Eucharist. The fraction may occur during the singing of the Agnus Dei or other hymn; in many churches, however, especially Protestant communities, the fraction occurs during the words of institution, at that point where the text mentions Jesus' breaking of the bread (Matt. 26:26; 1 Cor. 11:24). The Lord's Supper is a dramatic re-presentation of Jesus' last meal with his disciples. The fraction is perhaps the most vivid and original action in this reenactment; it gives visible—and even auditory, if a wafer or crisp bread is used—expression to the remembrance of the broken body of the Lord. The visual impact of the fraction is greatest when the congregation is served from a single loaf, broken apart for distribution; such a practice preserves the symbolism of the unity of the church, as articulated by Paul: "Because there is one loaf, we, who are many, are one body, for we all partake of the one loaf" (1 Cor. 10:17)."Lamb of God" (Agnus Dei)
In historic Christian liturgies the hymn or prayer known as the "Lamb of God" or Agnus Dei is sung during the breaking of the bread and the final preparation of the elements for distribution to the people. The text of this hymn, as it occurs in contemporary liturgies, is the following: Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world: Have mercy on us. Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world: Have mercy on us. Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world: Grant us peace. Amen.The New Testament symbolism of the lamb, as applied to Jesus Christ, is based on the sacrificial rites of Israelite worship, in which unblemished animals were offered in atonement for sin to maintain the covenant and restore communion between the Lord and his worshipers (Lev. 1–6). In addition, a lamb was eaten in the Passover meal, which celebrated the events of Israel's deliverance from Egypt; the blood of a lamb, applied to the doors of their homes, protected the Israelites from the wrath of the Lord visited upon their enemies (Exod. 12).
The writings of the apostle John especially refer to Jesus as the Lamb. The Agnus Dei is a quotation from the words of John the Baptist, as recorded in the fourth Gospel (John 1:29, 36); in the Revelation to John, the victorious Christ is often simply called "the Lamb" in both the dramatic narrative and its accompanying hymnody (Rev. 5:12; 7:9–10; 12:11; 13:8; 17:14; 21:22–23; 22:1–3). Peter also compares Christ to the sacrificial lamb: "For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your forefathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect" (1 Pet. 1:18–19). Paul alludes to the lamb of Passover in declaring, "For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed. Therefore let us keep the Festival" (1 Cor 5:7–8). The title "Lamb of God" recognizes the centrality of Jesus' sacrificial death in bringing about the reconciliation of God and his people, the restoration of the relationship violated by sin. Thus the Agnus Dei, or "Lamb of God," appropriately accompanies the distribution of the Lord's Supper in traditional worship. The Supper is a memorial of the death of Christ, through which God's forgiveness has been made available to repentant humanity and continues to be applied to the faithful who confess their sins (James 5:15; 1 John 1:9); the hymn therefore petitions the Lamb, "Have mercy on us." The Lord's Supper is also the Christian Passover, the covenant meal; since "peace," or wholeness of life, is the content of the covenant, in this hymn the worshipers petition the Lamb of God, "Grant us peace."Christ Our Passover
In some liturgical traditions the words of Paul in 1 Corinthians 5:7–8 may be spoken or sung responsively at the distribution of the Eucharist: Alleluia, Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us; Therefore let us keep the feast. Alleluia.This acclamation is not part of any specific teaching about the Lord's Supper but is found in the context of Paul's admonition to the Corinthian church to purify itself of immorality. In the New Testament, leaven, or yeast, is a symbol of false teaching and corruption (Matt. 16:6; Mark 8:15; Luke 13:21; Gal. 5:7–9). Just as the Passover bread must be free from any contamination of leaven, so the body of Christ must be free from moral permissiveness and the teaching that encourages it: "Therefore let us keep the Festival, not with the old yeast, the yeast of malice and wickedness, but with bread without yeast, the bread of sincerity and truth" (1 Cor. 5:8). In Paul's exhortation, the common life of the Christian community is analogous to the keeping of the feasts prescribed in the Mosaic Law, in particular the Feast of Passover. It is this analogy to the theme of festival, rather than the note of purification, that forges the link between Paul's words and the observance of the Lord's Supper. The church's life together, including its worship centering in the Lord's Table, is a feast to be celebrated with great joy.
Prayer of Thanksgiving
In the early church, the congregation was dismissed by a deacon immediately following the distribution of the Lord's Supper. By the fifth century, however, an additional prayer of thanksgiving had been added before the dismissal, a practice retained in many liturgies today. The prayer of thanksgiving returns to, and sums up, the eucharistic motif with which the great thanksgiving begins, as the congregation reflects on the benefits mediated through participation in the Lord's Supper. This example is from a Lutheran service:We give you thanks, almighty God, that you have refreshed us through the healing power of this gift of life; and we pray that in your mercy you would strengthen us through this gift, in faith toward you and in fervent love toward one another; for the sake of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.