HOLY COMMUNION
"COMMUNION WITH GOD"
An extract from an Address given by Zodiac at the Zodiac Circle on Saturday, 24th October, 1925...
"…So I bring you to that Act of Remembrance, so simply instituted, so divinely thought out. That humility which indicates the Christ Mind to all, that laying aside of the paraphernalia of physical life; that Act of Remembrance has done more for the children of Earth, more than you will be able to grasp until many experiences out of the body have taken place.
" - 'Do this in remembrance of Me'; and that entreaty has gone down the ages. Yet, have you ever thought how Love must have suffered because it was so necessary that He should ask for the remembrance of His children? Have you ever thought how the great Father Heart of God is anguished because so few remember - so few are willing to remember Him in their daily life, even in their hour of need? So unwilling, so incapable of remembering the best Friend of all.
"I want you to get this Act of our Lord and Master in something of its spiritual sense. I want you to go back in your imagination - that memory of Spirit - and to visualise how it came about, the thoughts of those who listened to Him; and to try and get just a glimpse of what was going on in the Mind of the One Who loves you so much.
"Christ never spoke only to this one and that - He spoke to those belonging to the so called past; He spoke to the countless millions who were yet to take on their physical experiences - God, the Creator of all things, asked you and me to remember Him - Yes, to remember Him."...
THE COMMUNION SERVICE (IN JERSEY)
This is the Communion Service used at the Greater World Christian Spiritualist Church in Jersey and is unique to the Jersey Church. Essentially, it is the motive, desire and attitude of both the Officiant and those to whom he or she officiates, which are of importance as far as human involvement is concerned during the Communion Rite.
There is no need for the Officiant to have been "ordained" according to one or another particular religious system. The first Christians met together often and shared Bread and Wine together in the Name of Christ, without there having to be a Priest or Vicar present. In Jersey we do not actually use alcoholic wine itself, but a small amount of fruit juice is used. At present, this Service is performed once a month on the First Sunday of each month (also Easter Sunday and Christmas Day).
There is no need for the physical body of Christ to be present for the Rite of Communion with Christ to be a reality. The Christ manifested in physical and visible form, but the Source of that Manifestation does not alter and remains ever the same; a thing manifested from Spirit does not alter the Source of the manifestation.
The Communion Rite was not given at that last supper in order that it never be used again; rather it was given that it be used always by those wishing to commune more fully with God as Christ. Indeed, it is neither the physical body, nor the soul-covering of Christ Jesus which communicates itself to the Bread and Wine, but rather the Source Itself - the Spiritual Christ. That great Heart beats forever, and permeates all Life. And as the crowd came running to be with Him along the path He travelled into Jerusalem, and followed with Him, so those participating in the Communion Rite are calling on that great Heart for His blessing - at His request - and He and the indwelling spirits of the congregation interactively respond immediately, and the purest emanations come forth from the Christ Sphere, infusing the congregation. This is literally, and with no reason for compromise, the taking of the spiritual Body and the spiritual Blood of the Christ.
The first Act of Remembrance was the taking of His spiritual Body and spiritual Blood, and every time those actions are re-enacted in thought and deed, so the Bread and Wine become His spiritual Body and spiritual Blood yet again. He waits for His children to take, and when they take, He can give. The taking on the part of those in the congregation does not have to be with a verbal assent; all that is necessary is the free-will assent, and the blessing is unfailingly bestowed. This blessing is never forced upon anyone, for Christ responds to the pleas of His loved ones for them to be with Him. The Act of Holy Communion through the taking of the Bread and Wine, is both symbolic and practical - taking in and remembering the Love of Christ, and the extent to which He is willing to go in sacrifice for His children.
This spiritual blessing has different facets of effect. Firstly, there is the deepest satisfaction of love as all those desiring to be with their Master and Friend of friends are instantly granted this blessing. Secondly, the soul-covering of each individual is purified. And thirdly, the overall effect of these first two aspects of Communion is that the spiritual Life-forces of the Christ are communicated further on to the physical bodies of the congregation, and also into other non-physical conditions (darker planes) where the Life-force shall do its work there for the blessing of those not yet cognisant of this sacred Rite, or indeed, of the pure and awesome Love of God.
(See "Life Beyond The Veil" volume 3, Chap. 5, The Sacrament of the Christ for a further understanding of the Rite of Holy Communion).
Furthermore, it should also be mentioned that the Way that Christ Jesus demonstrated and indeed took Himself, is the Bread of Life that the teachers and the preachers should be giving to spiritually hungry people. It is not tenets or metaphysical concepts that Christ taught and represented but rather it was the Way in which He lived His life and all that was involved that He wished us to take and give to others also. When He said to take the Bread in remembrance of Him, He was surely, among other things, asking us to remember Him as He was - the Bread of Life - to take that Bread and pass it on as it was and is.
THE RITE OF HOLY COMMUNION
**The Service opens with the Communion Hymn:
Spirit Divine! Attend our prayer,
And make our hearts Thy home;
Descend with all Thy gracious power,
Come, Holy Spirit, come!Come as the light to waiting minds
That long the truth to know;
Reveal the narrow path of right,
The way of duty show.Come as the fire; enkindle now
The sacrificial flame,
Till our whole souls an offering be
In Love's redeeming Name.Come as the wind; sweep clean away
What dead within us lies,
And search and freshen all our souls
With living energies.THE LORD'S PRAYER
OUR Father, Who art in heaven, Hallowed be Thy Name. Thy Kingdom come. Thy Will be done on earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. When in temptation Thy love sustains us, and deliver us from evil. For Thine is the Kingdom, the Power, and the Glory; For ever and ever. Amen.
THE COLLECT
HEAVENLY FATHER, unto Whom all hearts are open, all desires known, and from Whom no secrets are hidden: Cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of Thy Holy Spirit, that we may perfectly love Thee, and worthily magnify Thy Holy Name; through Christ our Lord. Amen.
THE COMMANDMENT
Jesus said: "A new Commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another. Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength. This is the first Commandment. And the second is like unto it, namely this: Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other Commandment greater than these. On these two Commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets."
THE BELIEF AND PLEDGE
I
believe in one God, Who is Love, the Father Almighty, Maker of Heaven and Earth; and of all things visible and invisible. And I accept the Leadership of our Lord Jesus Christ, Who for us and for our salvation came down from Heaven and was made man; and Who was crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate, and Who suffered and was buried, and Who reappeared on the third day after death in accordance with the Scriptures.
And I believe that God manifests through the illimitable Power of the Holy Spirit; and I believe in the survival of the human soul and its individuality after physical death.
I believe in the Communion with God, with His angelic ministers, and with souls functioning in conditions other than the Earth life; and that all forms of life created by God intermingle, are interdependent, and evolve until perfection is attained.
I believe in the perfect justice of the Divine Laws governing all life, and that sins committed can only be rectified by the sinner through the redemptive power of Jesus the Christ by repentance and service to others.
I will at all times endeavour to be guided in my thoughts, words and deeds by the teaching and example of Jesus Christ. Amen.
**Officiant
Ye that do truly and earnestly repent of your sins, and are in love and charity with your neighbours, and intend to lead a new life, following the Commandments of God, and walking from henceforth in His holy ways; draw near with faith, and take this Holy Sacrament to your comfort; and make your humble confession to Almighty God.
THE GENERAL CONFESSION
ALMIGHTY GOD, we acknowledge and confess our manifold sins and wickedness, which we, from time to time, most grievously have committed, by thought, word and deed against Thee. We do earnestly repent, and are heartily sorry for these our misdoings; the remembrance of them is grievous unto us. Most merciful Father, because of Thy unbounded and unending Love, forgiveness of the past ceases to have meaning because where Divine Love is, forgiveness and unforgiveness cease to exist; and for this we offer our deepest and most heartfelt gratitude, and we humbly entreat Thee so to help us that we shall not sin against Thee or violate Thy Holy Laws again. Grant that we may ever hereafter serve and please Thee in newness of life, to the honour and glory of Thy Name; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
THE DIVINE PROMISE
**Officiant
ALMIGHTY GOD, our Heavenly Father, Who of His great Mercy gives unending Love to all sinners alike, implores us to turn unto Him with hearty repentance and true faith. He has mercy upon us and pardons and delivers us from all our sins, and confirms and strengthens us in all goodness; and brings us to everlasting life through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Hear what comforting words our Saviour Christ saith unto all that truly turn to Him:
"Come unto Me all that are heavy laden, and I will refresh you." (Matthew 11: 28).
"I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly." (John 10: 10).
THE PRAYER OF CONSECRATION
OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST, in the same night that He was betrayed, took Bread; (here the Officiant may take the paten of Bread into his/her hands); and when He had given thanks He brake it; (here he/she may brake or lay his/her hands upon the Bread) and gave it to His disciples, saying: "Take, eat, this is My Body which is given for you; do this in remembrance of Me."
Likewise after supper He took the Cup; (here he/she may take the Cup into his/her hands) and when He had given thanks, He gave it to them, saying: "Drink ye all, of this; for this is My Blood of the New Testament, which is shed for you and for many for the remission of sins. Do this, as oft as ye shall drink it, in remembrance of Me." Amen.
Take and eat this in remembrance that Christ died for thee, and feed on Him in thy heart by faith with thanksgiving.
Drink this in remembrance that Christ's Blood was shed for thee, and be thankful.
A PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING
ALMIGHTY FATHER, we most heartily thank Thee, for that Thou dost vouchsafe to feed us with the spiritual food of the Life-giving love of Thy Son, our Saviour Jesus Christ; and dost assure us thereby of Thy love and goodness towards us. We humbly beseech Thee, O Heavenly Father, so to assist us with Thy grace, that we may continue in this holy fellowship, and do all such good works as Thou hast prepared for us to walk in; through Jesus Christ our Lord, to Whom with Thee and the Holy Spirit, be all honour and glory, world without end. Amen.
THE BLESSING
The peace of God, which passeth all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in the knowledge and love of God, and of His Son Jesus Christ our Lord; and the blessing of God Almighty be amongst you and remain with you always. Amen.
