Scholarly Reflections
LaVerdiere, Eugene. "Chapter Two: Telling What Happened: The Genesis of a Liturgical Narrative." The Eucharist in the New Testament and the Early Church. Collegeville, Minnesota: The Liturgical Press (Pueblo), 1996, 12-28.
LaVerdiere evaluates eucharist as a "liturgical narrative." In this part of the liturgy, we tell the story of what Jesus said and did on the night he was betrayed (LaVerdiere 1996, 12). In the use of a particular narrative, we treat the eucharist differently from other Christian practices. There is no expected narrative to accompany baptism, for instance (LaVerdiere 1996, 13.
It isn't clear when the Christians began retelling the institution at the eucharist. LaVerdiere says it was not immediate, though he gives no evidence. However, by the time Paul wrote 1 Corinthians 11:23-25, they did so, and had done it long enough to pass it on to Paul (LaVerdiere 1996, 14). It seems then that over time, the institution narrative was surrounded by other prayers. LaVerdiere observes in his Roman tradition the prayers are in the second person but the institution, in the middle, is third person (LaVerdiere 1996, 16).
Liturgy differs from literature in that there is less desire to create artistic cohesion and more desire to remember and consider something. This is what happens in the eucharist and its prayers. LaVerdiere sees the remembering as a route to thanksgiving. What remains an issue to him is why the eucharist specifically remember the institution in the same way each time (LaVerdiere 1996, 17).
To explore the liturgical use of the re-telling of the institution, LaVerdiere distinguishes between a literary and a liturgical narrative. The liturgy is expected by all to be accompanied by prayer, as well as to draw attention to elements of the Christian life which should not be passed over (LaVerdiere 1996, 20). The liturgical purpose of the narrative is intended to recall Jesus' betrayal, his passion and resurrection, and its purpose, that of bringing life (LaVerdiere 1996, 21-22).
LaVerdiere distringuishes between the historic Last Supper of Jesus with his disciples and what we know as the Lord's Supper, the eucharist. In his opinion, early Christian tradition (re)created the Last Supper accounts with their eucharistic practice in mind (LaVerdiere 1996, 23). He therefore narrates the Lord's Supper as an action in liturgical context (LaVerdiere 1996, 23-24). The LaVerdiere continues by evaluating the Last Supper as a construction of early Christians based on early fellowship meals. LaVerdiere has no explanation for why the Last Supper narrative owuld be considered part of the liturgical setting for the eucharist (LaVerdiere 1996, 25).