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To: DouglasKC
Now, the meaning is clear:
ὁσάκις ...

as many times as, as often as

(Lidell-Scott)

One cannot write "as often as you celebrate the New Year, ..." The expression means that the frequency is arbitrary.

The Church allows receiving the Holy Communion once a day ordinarily, second time at a special occasion such as attending a wedding Mass. The restriction has to do, -- I am guessing -- with the concern that someone might eat it to satisfy physical hunger.

Receiving each Sunday or other holidays is obligatory.

36 posted on 05/10/2010 5:18:44 PM PDT by annalex
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To: annalex
Now, the meaning is clear: ὁσάκις ... as many times as, as often as (Lidell-Scott) One cannot write "as often as you celebrate the New Year, ..." The expression means that the frequency is arbitrary.

Most commentators don't agree on that. However the Passover ceremony using the bread and wine can actually be done twice a year which may explain "as often as":

Num 9:2 "Let the children of Israel keep the Passover at its appointed time.
Num 9:3 On the fourteenth day of this month, at twilight, you shall keep it at its appointed time. According to all its rites and ceremonies you shall keep it."
Num 9:4 So Moses told the children of Israel that they should keep the Passover.
Num 9:5 And they kept the Passover on the fourteenth day of the first month, at twilight, in the Wilderness of Sinai; according to all that the LORD commanded Moses, so the children of Israel did.
Num 9:6 Now there were certain men who were defiled by a human corpse, so that they could not keep the Passover on that day; and they came before Moses and Aaron that day.
Num 9:7 And those men said to him, "We became defiled by a human corpse. Why are we kept from presenting the offering of the LORD at its appointed time among the children of Israel?"
Num 9:8 And Moses said to them, "Stand still, that I may hear what the LORD will command concerning you."
Num 9:9 Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying,
Num 9:10 "Speak to the children of Israel, saying: 'If anyone of you or your posterity is unclean because of a corpse, or is far away on a journey, he may still keep the LORD's Passover.
Num 9:11 On the fourteenth day of the second month, at twilight, they may keep it. They shall eat it with unleavened bread and bitter herbs.

God considers his Passover so important that he made sure that everyone has an opportunity to partake. Paul, who knew scripture, no doubt knew that this command he gave would be applicable to either observance.

I think what you're doing is reading scripture through the filter of tradition. In biblical times Christianity was still very close to it's jewish roots. The observance of Passover was once a year. Christ instituted the new covenant ceremony on Passover.

37 posted on 05/10/2010 5:31:38 PM PDT by DouglasKC
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