The Eucharist reminds us forcibly of God’s great love for people (John 3:16, 1 John 3:1) It helps us to see people (including ourselves) ‘not through the dirty lens of our own muddled feelings and not through the smudgy window of another’s carping criticism, but in terms of God’s word.’ (Eugene Peterson, ‘Five Smooth Stones For Pastoral Work’, P 64-65) Our sense of inadequacy and lack of self-worth are corrected as we reflect again on the fact that God loved the world enough to send His Son to die for us. Our sense of arrogance and self-sufficiency are challenged by the reminder that we are unable to save ourselves and need God’s active particiipation to be saved.
Participating in Holy Communion reminds us of the historical reality of our faith and points us to the power of God, for the cross is now empty. The resurrection means God’s daily presence is with us to help and to guide. We have hope, no matter how grim our daily reality may be. Moreover, Holy Communion instils in us a strong sense of expectation, for we do this only ‘until He comes.’ (1 Cor 11:26) We have hope that looks beyond this present darkness and beyond our mortality. This weekly act of remembrance becomes a pointer to the future and a reminder that God’s story is not over yet. Jesus is coming back; God is sovereign over all history.