Quintessence of Religious Doctrines - Malankarasyriac Voice

30On the Holy Eucharist 59 60Quintessence of Religious Doctrinesmade of fire fear to look at it or that Adam could not taste ofit in the Paradise. Therefore the Fathers of the S.O.C. exhortevery faithful to receive the Eucharist with the greatestholiness and utmost preparations like confession andpenitence. The antiquarian prelates of the S.O.C. who knewthe working of the human psyche do not make this particularobligation on those, who are very sick. Therefore, theyprescribe only very simple and pure mental preparation forthem.11. As the bread that Christ used on the last supper was theleavened one, so the same kind must be used in the celebrationof the Holy Eucharist (In the Syriac language the term used forbread is ‘Lahmo’ which means leavened bread. This term isnot used for unleavened bread.)Ref: (a) Mk. 14:22. While they were eating Jesus took a pieceof bread... “It is my body.” (G.N.B.)(b) 1Cor. 5:8. Let us celebrate our passover then notwith the bread having the old yeast of sin andwickedness, but with the bread that has the yeast ofpurity and truth. (V.G.)CommentThe S.O.C. insists on making Eucharistic bread with theleavened one unlike what some Western Churches do. TheSyrian Church has a deep theology in support of Her stance.In short it is the theology of perpetuity.12. It is revealed thus: Jesus is the living leaven that enlivens all theworlds.Ref: Mt. 13:33. Jesus told them another parable. “Thekingdom of heaven is like this. A woman takes someyeast and mixes it with forty litres of flour until thewhole batch of dough rises.” (G.N.B.)CommentThe theological teachings using the leavened bread aremainly the following. Firstly Jesus Himself used the leavenedbread and not the unleavened one as used in the JewishPassover ceremony. What the Master established, thedisciples ought to follow fully and completely, withoutamending or emending an iota from the instructions. Secondlyleavened bread brings in continuity with the very first one.The dynamics is as follows. As the new batch of bread isprepared it is mixed with a small portion of previous leavenedbread. So every piece of leavened bread used in theEucharistic celebration can be traced back to the bread thatJesus Himself used. As commixing is effected in the fractionceremony wine is there already in the bread; therefore thequestion of mixing the old wine with the new wine issuperfluous. This leavened bread, with of course the wine init, is verily a symbol of the crucified but living Christ.