As they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed it and brake it, and gave it to the disciples, and said, “Take eat, this is my body.” And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, “Drink ye all of it.”
The true sense is spiritually lost, if the sacrament is confined to the use of bread and wine. The disciples were eating when Jesus prayed, and gave them bread. This would have been improper, in a literal sense; but, in its spiritual signification, it was natural and beautiful. Jesus prayed; that is, he withdrew from the material senses, to refresh his being with brighter views. How truly Dr. Clarke writes, in that little poem called Cana: —
| The social talk, the evening fire, |
| The homely household shrine, |
| Grow bright with angel-visits, when |
| The Lord pours out the wine. |
His followers, silent, self-forgetful, strong, — anticipating the hour of their Master's betrayal, — partook of the heavenly manna, that of old had fed, in the wilderness, the persecuted followers of Truth. Their bread came down from heaven. It was the great Truth of spiritual being, that healed the sick and cast out error. Their Master had explained it all before; and now this bread was feeding and sustaining them. They had borne this bread from house to house, breaking (explaining) it to others; and now it comforted themselves.
For this Truth their Master was about to suffer violence, to drink the cup of sorrow. He must leave them. Wrapped in the great glory of an everlasting victory, he gave thanks, and said, “Drink ye all of it.”
