In Remembrance is Redemption

My church took communion today - something we do once a month together as a congregation. Communion has always meant a lot to me - a physical act of remembering the price that Christ paid for me; the pain and the agony that He went through to pay a ransom for me, for my eternal soul. While my church in Colorado doesn't read scripture or lead the congregation in the meaning of communion, they do lead in prayer both before and after each element.

In my mind I recite for the bread, "The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, 'This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me.' "

For the cup, "In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, 'This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.' For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes."

What does it mean to proclaim the Lord's death? What does it mean to remember Christ's death? How are we supposed to remember?

It isn't with sorrow that I remember the price that was paid, but it isn't with joy either. It is a bitter-sweet remembrance. It is a bitter cup that we drink knowing that each sin that we committed was another lash on Christ's back - another thorn on His brow. Our sins were the very nails that held Him to the cross. Sweet to know that in Christ there is freedom, there is peace, there is joy. Every longing we never knew we had is fulfilled in Christ's love and grace for us. The fact that there is no end to His love for us, that He delights with us and grieves with us is so astoundingly amazing.

But what does it mean that we remember these things? What does remembering look like? I think, in part it means to never forget the price that was paid or how it was paid.