Eucharist is declaring the grace that Lord has given. Jesus Christ, on the same night when he was betrayed decided to celebrate the Pessaha along with his disciples. The Lord’s Supper is also called Eucharist. The word Eucharist has come from the Greek word Eucharisteo. It is explained in the following way also, Eu means well / good, charis means gift/grace. Eucharist is declaring the grace that God has given. On the night when Jesus was betrayed he has decided to observe the Pessaha. Jesus sent Peter and John to prepare for passover feast during the feast of the unleavened bread when the Pessaha lamb is being slaughtered. The feast was arranged in a decorated upper room. The meal that Jesus had on that day has been later on observed as a sacrament by the church. Pessaha is the most important festival of the three, observed by the Jews. This is called Pessah in Hebrew and Passkha in Greek. This word means ‘passing over’. Though this feast is called, passover and the feast of the unleavened bread, they both are not one. To differentiate both, the sacrifice of the Pessaha and the festival of the unleavened bread the later is called the feast of the unleavened bread (Lev. 23:5; Ex. 12:21, 48; 2 Chro. 30:15). Pessaha has got the meaning of passover meal also (Matt. 26:18, 19; Mk. 14:16; Lk. 22:8,13). The Pessaha meal is observed on the evening of the 14^th of the month of Nisan (April). Following this a feast of unleavened bread is observed for seven days (Lev. 23:5, 6). Pessaha indicates the death of Jesus Christ on the cross and the redemption that is received through his death. St. Paul explains that Jesus is our paschal lamb (1 Cor. 5:7). Therefore, Jesus asked the Jewish disciples to remember Him as they observe Pessaha hereafter. “Do this in remembrance of me (Lk. 22:19). The reason is the long observed Pessaha is fulfilled in Jesus Christ, “… the lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world” (Jn. 1:29).

 Except the Jewish people no one should observe this (Ex. 12:42 -49). But Jesus told them to observe this ‘in remembrance of him’ because he himself was the ultimate sacrifice prepared by God. Among the evangelists, Luke only has recorded this verse. Some Biblical scholars are of the opinion that the reason for not mentioning this verse by others is because the non Jewish people were not allowed to observe it or it is unimportant to them. They are of the opinion that this has become a sacrament in the non-Jewish Church only after AD 300. The reference to the ‘breaking of the bread’ in the Acts of Apostles is a reference to the breaking of the bread in Luke chapter 24 and that is only a common meal eaten together in the society (Lk. 24:30; Acts 2:12,16).  The reference in 1 Cor. 11:17-34 is also understood as a common meal. The following references also clear the same point “… therefore brethren when you come together for meal, wait for one another…” (1 Cor. 11: 33, 34), “… while eating, each one …” (1 Cor. 11:21). It is undoubtedly proved that the sacraments in the ancient church have paved the way for the strength and the growth of the church. Therefore, with devotion, repentance and self examination we parttake the bread and the wine. Today, as the Christian Church is observing the Lord’s Supper some important things happens.

1.    Passover feast and the institution of Eucharist (Ex. 12:1-7).

The beginning of the passover feast is the fellowship of a people who were under the sufferings of slavery for about 430 years. Pessaha is observed to remember the deliverance from the Egyptian bondage and the 10^th plague (the death of the first born) in which the people of Israel were protected and the first born of all the Egyptians were dead (Ex. 12:1-28). Following this deliverance from Egypt, Jehovah accepted the people of Israel as his own. Thus Pessaha laid the foundation for a new life style and fellowship (Hos. 2:15; Ex. 6:6,7).

2. Remember Jesus the Paschal lamb (Mk. 14:17-25)

Jesus has given the call to remember him whenever the Jewish people observed the Pessaha. Jesus is the broken bread. Jesus declared on the day of the passover feast, ‘This is the body broken for you’, the blood that is shed for the remission of sin for many’ (Matt. 26:26, 27). ‘Christ our Pessaha lamb has been sacrificed’ (1 Cor. 5:7). None of the bones of the pass over lamp should be broken (Ex. 12:44; Num. 9:12). John reports that this prophecy has been fulfilled at the death of Jesus. The soldiers have broken the legs of the thieves who were crucified along with Jesus. But as they have found that Jesus is already dead his legs were not broken (Jn. 19:32-37). Jesus has instituted the Lord’s Table on a Pessaha day (1 Cor. 11:23). That night was the last occasion the Pessaha was observed and the first time the Lord’s Supper was eaten. Pessaha points backward to the night in which the first born of Egyptians died and forward to the death of Jesus on the cross. Therefore, there is no need for the observance of the Pessaha after the death of Jesus. The Lord’s Table views backward to the cross and forward to the eschatological coming of Christ. So there need not be the observance of the Lord’s Table after the second coming of Jesus. With this concept it is said ‘do this in remembrance of me till I come’. Along with Pessaha the unleavened nature starts. That is to say when a person becomes ‘in Christ’ from that day on words he starts a Holy life (Ex. 12:15, 13:7; 1 Cor. 5:6-8, 2 Cor. 7:1).      

3.  Examine One’s Self   (1 Cor. 11:23-34)

Today, as we partake in the Lord’s Supper we remember Christ. Pessaha Points to the death of Jesus on the cross and the redemption that humanity has received through that. Paul explains the meaning of Pessaha as follows: “Get rid of the old yeast that you may be a new batch without yeast – as you really are. For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed” (1 Cor. 5:7). Thus, whenever the bread is eaten and the cup is shared, till the coming of Christ, we declare his death (1 Cor. 11:26). We remember the vicarious sufferings that Jesus underwent for the world and his death on the cross and thank God for the plan of salvation that God has given for humanity.