Page:Medicine and the church; being a series of studies on the relationship between the practice of medicine and the church's ministry to the sick (IA medicinechurchbe00rhodiala).pdf/269

 as a bearing towards the Church and the world. The original institution had for its background the slaying of the lambs and the pouring out of the blood of the Passover sacrifices. This, said our Lord, is My way of celebrating the redemption, not merely of a nation, but of a world. 'This is My Blood of the Covenant, which is shed for many.' And accordingly whenever we solemnly repeat His words and His acts, we do it in a Consecration Prayer addressed not to man but to God. It has been thus that from the beginning the Church has made the 'perpetual memory,' setting forth the finished sacrifice of the Cross as the one and only ground and hope of man's salvation. It is thus that we draw nigh by the 'new and living way which He has prepared for us' until we find ourselves amid all the company of heaven, nay more, suppliants before the very throne of God, humbly but confidently asking for the grace to help us in our earthly need. The prayer is freely granted. The very offerings we present are blessed and returned for our enrichment.

And so, finally, the Eucharist is a. The Altar becomes a Table, and the Sacrifice ends in a Feast. We are bidden, not only to 'do this,' but to 'eat' and 'drink' the Body and Blood. Here it is that we reach