How to Have a Biblically Accurate Agape Meal

The idea that the Agape meal was a central liturgical element of the Mass is a mistake that only a secular or Modernist scholar could make. These scholars see tables, bread, wine, and a priest blessing food before a communal meal and their logical conclusion is that this must be an ancient Christian ritual of momentous proportions, one they claim the evil Roman Catholic Church suppressed in favor of a rigid liturgy. In reality, the Agape still exists today in every Traditional Catholic chapel I’ve been to.

It usually takes the form of coffee and donuts or a brunch potluck in the church hall after Mass. The priest blesses the food and everyone eats together, continuing that spirit of fellowship. To make this modern version more "biblically accurate," you could always bring your own wine and get so rowdy that the bishop is forced to write you a letter scolding you, just as Saint Paul had to do with the Corinthians.

St. Paul’s correction in 1 Corinthians 11 actually reinforces the distinction between the two. When he asks the people if they don't have houses to eat and drink in, he is effectively separating the satisfaction of physical hunger from the sacramental sacrifice of the Lord’s Supper. The Church did not suppress a venerable Protestant-style service; she simply protected the Eucharist by ensuring the sacrifice at the altar was never confused with the social gathering in the hall.

The brunch potluck isn't a lost liturgy; it is the natural, non-liturgical expression of community that has followed the Mass for two thousand years without being the Mass itself. If the Modernists are so desperate to resuscitate this venerable meal, by all means, no one is stopping you, just don't mistake it for the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. If you like this idea, just wait until you learn about the Catholic Tradition of Blessed Baskets at Easter.

Image courtesy of Latin Mass Photographer