[Cronos]

that link you gave is nice. Thanks. It seems like a well-balanced, not spiteful area. Perhaps you should visit?

What is interesting is the point on CCC 1345 As early as the second century we have the witness of St. Justin Martyr for the basic lines of the order of the Eucharistic celebration. They have stayed the same until our own day for all the great liturgical families. St. Justin wrote to the pagan emperor Antoninus Pius (138-161) around the year 155, explaining what Christians did:

On the day we call the day of the sun, all who dwell in the city or country gather in the same place. The memoirs of the apostles and the writings of the prophets are read, as much as time permits.

When the reader has finished, he who presides over those gathered admonishes and challenges them to imitate these beautiful things.

Then we all rise together and offer prayers* for ourselves . . .and for all others, wherever they may be, so that we may be found righteous by our life and actions, and faithful to the commandments, so as to obtain eternal salvation.

When the prayers are concluded we exchange the kiss.

Then someone brings bread and a cup of water and wine mixed together to him who presides over the brethren.

He takes them and offers praise and glory to the Father of the universe, through the name of the Son and of the Holy Spirit and for a considerable time he gives thanks (in Greek: eucharistian) that we have been judged worthy of these gifts.

When he has concluded the prayers and thanksgivings, all present give voice to an acclamation by saying: 'Amen.'

When he who presides has given thanks and the people have responded, those whom we call deacons give to those present the "eucharisted" bread, wine and water and take them to those who are absent.171

The liturgy of the Eucharist unfolds according to a fundamental structure which has been preserved throughout the centuries down to our own day. It displays two great parts that form a fundamental unity:
- the gathering, the liturgy of the Word, with readings, homily and general intercessions;
- the liturgy of the Eucharist, with the presentation of the bread and wine, the consecratory thanksgiving, and communion.

/thanks again for the nice link.

[boatbums]

Yes, I agree, thank you Rnmomof7 for the post regarding the early church's meeting style. I think it is pretty neat that most "Protestant" services I have been to also follow this very same pattern in their worship service.

One particular part was very interesting, especially in light of one of my posts that never got any response how that Jesus, when speaking to the Samaritan woman at the well. In this event Jesus told the woman that he was the "living water":

John 4:13-14 Jesus answered, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”

Interestingly, the Lord God Almighty also referred to himself as the "spring of living water" in Jeremiah 2:13; 17:13 and Zechariah 14:8. Jesus also spoke of him being the living water in John 7:38 and in Revelation 7:17, we are told: For the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd; ‘he will lead them to springs of living water.’ ‘And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.’

I think it is pretty neat that the early Christians mixed water with the wine in their observances of the Lord's Supper. In my years of Catholicism, I don't remember Communion services where anything but the cracker "host" was distributed. Does the Catholic priest mix water into the wine in his chalice that only the priest(s) drink?