Sarah Mitchell
Do this in remembrance of me is a phrase uttered by Jesus during the Last Supper, as he shared bread and wine with his disciples, declaring them to be his body and blood. This event, also known as the Lord's Supper, holds significant meaning for Christians, especially Catholics, as it forms the basis for the sacrament of the Holy Eucharist. The phrase serves as a memorial, prompting believers to perceive and participate in Christ's sacrifice and presence through the liturgical celebration of the Eucharist. The Catholic Church, through its teachings and the Eucharist, perpetuates the memory of Christ's death and resurrection, uniting the faithful in a communal act of remembrance and faith.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Occasion | Last Supper |
| Who | Jesus |
| What | Took bread and wine, declared them to be his Body and Blood, shared them with his disciples |
| Instruction | "Do this in remembrance of me" |
| Bread | "This is my body" |
| Wine | "This cup which is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood" |
| Meaning of "remembrance" | Being prompted to perceive again someone or something you had perceived before, through some likeness or some association |
| Eucharistic celebration | "The source and summit of the Christian life" |
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What You'll Learn
The Eucharist as a sacrificial memorial
The Eucharist is a sacrificial memorial that involves the transformation of bread and wine into the body and blood of Jesus Christ, to be consumed during the Holy Mass. This transformation is known as "transubstantiation", a core belief of the Catholic Church.
At the Last Supper, Jesus took bread, gave thanks, broke it, and shared it with his disciples, saying:
> "This is my body which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me."
Similarly, he took a cup of wine and shared it with his disciples, stating:
> "This cup which is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood."
The Greek word for "remembrance", anamnēsis, refers to perceiving someone or something again through likeness or association. In the context of the Eucharist, it signifies the offering of a priestly sacrifice, specifically a memorial sacrifice, as the prime function of a priest is "to offer gifts and sacrifices".
The Eucharist is a memorial of Christ's sacrifice on the cross, and by participating in it, Catholics are able to partake in Christ's sacrifice and proclaim his death until he comes again. This is reflected in the words of consecration spoken by the priest during Mass:
> "This is my Body, which will be given up for you."
> "This is the cup of my Blood, the Blood of the new and eternal covenant, which will be poured out for you and for many for the forgiveness of sins. Do this in memory of me."
Through the Eucharist, Catholics are able to commemorate Christ's sacrifice and make it present in their lives, until his second coming.
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The Last Supper
The Eucharist, also known as the Lord's Supper or Holy Communion, is a sacrament and a ritual that commemorates Christ's sacrifice on the cross. It involves the consumption of consecrated bread and wine, which Catholics believe to be the true Body and Blood of Christ. This belief is known as transubstantiation, a core tenet of the Catholic faith.
At the Last Supper, Jesus took bread, gave thanks, broke it, and shared it with his disciples, saying, "This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me" (Luke 22:19). He then took a cup of wine and offered it to them, stating, "This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you" (Luke 22:20).
These words, "Do this in remembrance of me," hold a profound meaning for Catholics. The Greek word for "remembrance" is "anamnēsis," which refers to perceiving someone or something again through likeness or association. In this context, it signifies the ongoing presence of Christ in the Eucharist. Catholics believe that through the Eucharist, they participate in Christ's sacrifice and receive his Body and Blood, Soul, and Divinity.
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Transubstantiation and the 'Real Presence' of Christ
Transubstantiation is the Catholic teaching that during the Mass, at the consecration in the Lord’s Supper (Communion), the elements of the Eucharist, bread and wine, are transformed into the actual body and blood of Jesus. The bread and wine retain their appearance but are no longer bread and wine; they are the presence of Christ himself.
The term "Real Presence" refers to Christ's physical presence in the form of the bread and wine that have been transubstantiated into His body and blood. The doctrine of the Real Presence asserts that in the Holy Eucharist, Jesus is literally and wholly present—body and blood, soul and divinity—under the appearances of bread and wine. This doctrine has been a source of debate and controversy, with some Protestants attacking it as "unbiblical". However, the Bible does provide support for this doctrine in passages such as 1 Cor. 10:16–17, 11:23–29, and John 6:32–71.
The idea of transubstantiation and the Real Presence is rooted in the Last Supper, where Jesus shared bread and wine with his disciples, saying, "This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me." The phrase "do this in remembrance of me" has been interpreted in different ways, with some seeing it as a memorial sacrifice, similar to the annual Passover sacrifice of the ancient Hebrews.
The Greek word rendered as "remembrance", anamnēsis, means being prompted to perceive again someone or something from the past through some likeness or association. In the context of the Last Supper, it can be understood as perceiving Jesus' presence through the bread and wine, which have become His body and blood through transubstantiation.
The concept of transubstantiation was defined by the Fourth Lateran Council in 1215, and it has been a central belief in Catholic doctrine. The early Church Fathers interpreted the Bible's references to Christ's presence in the Eucharist literally, and their writings provide valuable insight into the early Church's understanding of this doctrine.
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The Passion, Death, and Resurrection of Christ
The Gospel of Mark describes Jesus as prophesying his Passion and Resurrection three times. On his way to Jerusalem, Jesus predicts that he will be delivered to the Pharisees and Sadducees, condemned to death, mocked, scourged, and killed, and rise again within three days. The "cup" is interpreted as a symbol of his death in light of his prayer at Gethsemane: "Let this cup be taken from me!".
The Passion of Christ is not just about his physical suffering but also the infinite love and courage he demonstrated, as well as the redemption and salvation he brought to mankind. St. Augustine reflects on this, stating that "nothing could be as beneficial as contemplating what Jesus endured for our sakes upon the Cross." The Virgin Mary also encouraged St. Faustina to "fix your gaze upon the Passion of My Son, and in this way, you will be victorious."
The phrase "Do this in remembrance of me" is attributed to Jesus during the Last Supper, when he breaks bread and offers it to his disciples, saying, "This is my body, which is given for you." The act of breaking bread and sharing a cup of wine is a ritual that Christians continue to practice in memory of Jesus, as instructed by him during the Last Supper.
The Greek word "anamnēsis," translated as "remembrance," refers to being prompted to perceive someone or something again through likeness or association. In this context, it signifies the act of remembering and commemorating Jesus through the rituals of communion and the Eucharist, which offer believers a way to participate in Christ's sacrifice and to perceive him in the present.
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The Holy Mass
The Greek word rendered "remembrance" is "anamnēsis", which means being prompted to perceive again someone or something previously perceived, through some likeness or association. In the context of the Holy Mass, it is not a memory of the distant past but the real presence of Christ.
The Fathers and the Scholastics were keenly attuned to the importance of the pronouns "this" and "me" in Jesus' words. Aquinas, for example, raises an interesting problem: when Jesus says, "This is my body", the word "this" refers to the bread, which has not yet been transformed into his body. Aquinas resolves this problem by emphasizing that Jesus did not say, "This bread", but rather "This", which in context, must mean, "That which underlies and is hidden here by the appearances which you see and touch".
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Frequently asked questions
The phrase originates from the Last Supper, where Jesus took bread and wine, blessed them, and shared them with his disciples, saying, "Do this in remembrance of me."
For Catholics, the phrase "Do this in remembrance of me" is associated with the Holy Eucharist, which completes Christian initiation. The Eucharist is a memorial of Christ's sacrifice on the cross and is referred to as the "source and summit of the Christian life."
The Greek word for "remembrance" is "anamnēsis," which means being prompted to perceive again. It does not refer to a memory from the distant past but to the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist.
The Last Supper was a ritual meal with a familiar order of events for Jesus and his disciples. During the supper, Jesus took bread and wine, declared them to be his body and blood, and shared them with his disciples, instituting the Eucharistic sacrifice of his body and blood.
The theological term used to describe this transformation is "transubstantiation," which refers to the mysterious process by which Jesus Christ becomes truly present in the Eucharist.
