Magyar Egyház, 1961 (40. évfolyam, 1-10. szám)
1961-02-01 / 2. szám
12 MAGYAR EGYHÁZ additional fasts. He defended them from the strict senseless practice of fasting. He refrained to prescribe to them forms and days. John the Baptist gave his disciples a particular training and set the dates for fasting and settled the fixed hours of prayer. But according to our Lord we must learn not to place too much importance upon outward and indifferent matters but rather we should restrain ourselves by moderation, that we may not dictate restrictions upon others. IN THE EARLY CHURCH Jesus did not sanctify fast, nor did He abolish it with definite words, but referred it to such practices which shall be solved by the spreading of the Gospel and the establishment of the kingdom of God. Paul refers to fasting, when he speaks about the workers of God, how the ministers should give no offence in anything. Later on, when he enumerates the sufferings and imprisonments he bore for Jesus’ sake, he mentions his frequent fastings. (II Cor. 6:5, 11-27). When the first Christians in Antioch sent Paul and Barnabas out on a mission journey, we read that “when they had fasted prayed and laid their hands on them, they sent them away.” (Acts 13:3). The days of fasts were kept later on in the Christian Church and more and more significance was attributed to them. The Protestant Churches pointed again to the Bible and declared that there is no specially established day of fast by our Lord Jesus Christ, but every season of the year and various opportunities in life may bring the days of fasts close to our hearts. Let, therefore, every Christian remember that Jesus Christ fasted, the apostles and early Christians practiced fasting and we too should follow their example. Let this Lenten Season be more than just a “matter of tradition”, let our brethren practice fasting in secrecy, sincerity and simplicity. Let us observe this Lenten Season with a humble heart, dedicating our talents, time and treasure on the altar of service. D. A.-----------o----------Italian Protestants Free to Criticize Roman Catholic Church (L’Aquila) — An Italian Court of Appeal has ruled that Protestant denominations are free to criticize the Roman Catholic Church publicly as long as the criticism is not insulting. The L’Aquila Court of Appeal ruled last week to acquit Donate Cretarolo, an elder of the Baptist Evangelical Church, of charges of offending the state religion. Its action reversed the decision of a lower court which had sentenced Mr. Cretarolo to 15 days in jail for distributing leaflets criticizing the Roman Catholic Church. All religions in Italy are “equally free before the law” but article 402 of the State’s penal code makes it illegal for anyone to “publicly insult” the state religion, Roman Catholicism. The Court ruled that article 402 does not apply to mere public criticism, but only to actual insults. EPS, Geneva THE LORD S SUPPER Beside Holy Baptism, the Lord’s Supper is the other sacrament of the Christian Church. In this article we shall examine this sacrament as to the circumstances of its institution and as a visible ceremony. In another article we shall see the spiritual blessings God bestows upon us through the instrumentality of the Lord’s Supper. According to the records of the four gospels and the First Corinthian letter of the Apostle Paul, our Lord Jesus Christ had instituted the sacrament of the Lord’s Supper the night before his death on the cross when He came together with his disciples to eat the traditional Passover meal of the Jews in memory of their deliverance from Egypt. After they finished their supper, Jesus took bread, He prayed over it, consecrated it and distributed it among the disciples in small broken pieces. At the same time He told them that this bread was His body broken for the forgiveness of their sins. After He gave them bread, He took the cup of wine, consecrated it by his prayer, and told the disciples to drink of it, all of them, because this wine was His blood, which was shed for the forgiveness of their sins. Also, Jesus gave the definite commandment that this ceremony must be repeated by them and all believers of all ages in His remembrance until He will return at the end of time. As the letters of the Apostle Paul clearly show, the believing Christians obey the commandment of Jesus and they observe the sacrament of the Lord’s Supper regularly ever since the Last Supper of Jesus Christ. As to the correct administration of the Lord’s Supper today, we have to do it the same way as Jesus did. The minister of the church, first, should preach the Word of God; that is, explain the meaning of the sacrament. Then, according to the example of Jesus, he should take bread, ask God to consecrate that bread. He should repeat the words of Jesus over the bread and give it to the believers. Also, following the example of Jesus, he should pray over the cup of wine and repeat the words of Jesus and give it to all persons who came to partake in the Lord’s Super. Furthermore, itis clear from the letter of the Apostle Paul that each person must be prepared in mind and soul before he comes to the sacrament. “Whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of profaning the body and blood of the Lord. Let a man examine himself, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup” (I Cor. 11:27-28). Outwardly, the Lord’s Supper is a very simple ceremony. But its spiritual significance is great and mysterious. Therefore, it is very necessary to know the meaning of this simple ceremony, because that knowledge will help us to be worthy guests at the Lord’s Supper. Next time we shall study the meaning of this sacrament. Stephen Kovács * * * ROME. — Pope John XXIII has indicated that the Holy See will take part in the 1964 New York World’s Fair “as a gesture of brotherhood”. The Roman Catholic Church was represented by a large pavilion at the Brussels World’s Fair in 1958.
