What do the Christian Communion and ANZAC Day have in common?
Author: Phillip P Fusco
COMMUNION
Communion reminds us of the ultimate act of love – Sacrifice.
So, what is the essence of Communion, a sacred ritual rooted in The Bible. Through partaking in the bread and wine, symbolic of Jesus’ body and blood, we remember His selfless offering for our salvation.
When Jesus said, do this in remembrance of Me, He was inviting us to make a point of stopping, reflect on who He is and what He has done; think about who we are now and our place in God’s plans; remember to renew our faith and mission in His name; and know that the Holy Spirit has come to help us.
Communion invites us to deepen our connection with God. It acts as a catalyst to remind believers of the arc of history, Jesus’s destiny and our purposes as joint heirs… who we are, the meaning of life, and most importantly that we are not alone. There is hope, there is meaning and there is salvation.
By commemorating the magnitude and might of this love together as a people it also brings unity and helps foster a sense of community and belonging among fellow believers. For we are not alone, and we are not powerless.
Colossians says, Having disarmed the powers and authorities, Jesus made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them on the cross.
Communion is not just about remembering the ultimate sacrifice, but also remembering the greatest triumph. All things are now possible for those that love and follow Christ, according to His will and purposes.
This timeless tradition is a profound reminder of Jesus’ eternal love and the transformative power of His sacrifice. Lest we forget.
ANZAC DAY
No greater love has no man than to give up his life for another.
ANZAC Day is the time Australia stops as a nation and commemorates the sacrifice of our fellow countrymen and women, our neighbours, who gave their lives during times of war for our country.
This solemn tradition commenced after World War One. A war that represented a tipping point in world affairs. Sacrificing human lives on an industrial scale never witnessed before, due to new advancements in weaponry and outdated military tactics. During the eight months of the Gallipoli campaign alone, the Australians sustained 26,000 casualties of whom 8,000 died.
Today, and for all time, many people throughout the world will remember the sacrifice of over 102,000 Australian military personnel who died, most of them with the symbol of the Christian cross on their graves. Which represents their hope and salvation due to Jesus’s greatest sacrifice 2000 years earlier. Colossians 2:15 reminds us of all is not lost, for in death there is life:
Having disarmed the powers and authorities, Jesus made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them on the cross.
So what do the Christian Communion and ANZAC Day have in common? Communion and ANZAC day are not just about remembering the ultimate sacrifices in the name of real love by remarkable people, but it is also about remembering the greatest triumphs that followed – for humanities salvation and world peace. Thank you, Jesus. And thank you, all who served.
Lest we forget.
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