Santa ceia
A Santa Ceia é uma das ordenanças mais sagradas da igreja cristã. Instituída por Jesus na última noite antes da crucificação, ela celebra seu sacrifício e proclama sua morte até que Ele volte.
A instituição por Jesus
Na noite em que foi traído, Jesus tomou o pão e o cálice, deu graças e os compartilhou com os discípulos, dizendo: 'Fazei isto em memória de mim.'
While they were eating, Jesus took some bread and blessed it. Then he broke it and gave pieces to the disciples. "Take and eat this for it is my body," said Jesus. Then he picked up the cup, blessed it, and gave it to them. "Drink from it, all of you," he told them. "For this is my blood of the agreement, poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.
As they were eating, Jesus picked up some bread. He blessed it, and gave it to them. "Take it. This is my body," he told them.
Then he picked up the cup. He blessed it, and gave it to them. They all drank from it. "This is my blood," he told them, "the agreement that’s being poured out for many. I tell you the truth, I won’t drink of the fruit of the vine until the day I drink it fresh in God’s kingdom."
He picked up some bread, and after he had given thanks, he broke it into pieces and gave it to them. "This is my body which is given for you; do this in order to remember me," Jesus told them. In the same way after they had finished supper, he picked up the cup and said, "This cup is the new agreement in my blood which is poured out for you."
O significado espiritual
A Ceia é participação no corpo e no sangue de Cristo. Jesus ensinou que quem come de sua carne e bebe de seu sangue tem a vida eterna.
I am the life-giving bread from heaven, and anyone who eats this bread will live forever. The bread is my flesh that I give so that the world may live."
Jesus told them, "I tell you the truth, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of man and drink his blood, you cannot truly live. Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood have eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day. For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink. Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood remain in me, and I remain in them. Just as the life-giving Father sent me and I live because of the Father, so anyone who feeds on me will live because of me. Now this is the bread that came down from heaven, not the kind your forefathers ate and still died. Anyone who eats this bread will live forever."
After giving thanks, he broke the bread into pieces and said, "This bread is my body, which is given for you. Remember me by doing this." In the same way he took the cup, after the meal, and said, "This cup is the new agreement sealed with my blood. Remember me when you drink it. For every time you eat this bread and drink from this cup you announce the Lord’s death, until he returns."
So anyone who eats the bread or drinks from the Lord’s cup in a dishonorable way will be guilty of doing wrong against the body and blood of the Lord. Let each person examine themselves, and then let them eat the bread and drink from the cup.
For every time you eat this bread and drink from this cup you announce the Lord’s death, until he returns."
A prática da Igreja
Desde os primeiros cristãos, a Ceia do Senhor é parte fundamental da vida comunitária da Igreja, celebrada com reverência e exame de consciência.
They committed themselves to what the apostles had taught them, and to the fellowship of the believers, "breaking bread" and praying together.
Paul was speaking on the first day of the week as we gathered together to break bread. He was planning to leave in the morning, and went on speaking until midnight.
When he sat down to eat with them, he took the bread and gave thanks, broke it, and gave it to them.
So anyone who eats the bread or drinks from the Lord’s cup in a dishonorable way will be guilty of doing wrong against the body and blood of the Lord. Let each person examine themselves, and then let them eat the bread and drink from the cup. Those who eat and drink bring judgment on themselves if they don’t recognize their relationship with the body of the Lord.