The Eucharist is not only a sacred meal and a participation in Christ’s once-for-all sacrifice—it is also a foretaste of something still to come. Every time we come to the Lord’s Table, we do not merely look back to the cross or inward to our present communion—we also look forward to the feast that awaits us in the kingdom of God.
The Church has always understood the Eucharist as an eschatological act—an event that anchors us in God’s future, even as it feeds us in the present. In this post, we’ll explore the Eucharist as a sign of the kingdom, a participation in future glory, and a summons to live as citizens of heaven now.
1. The Eucharist Points to the Wedding Feast of the Lamb
Jesus said to his disciples at the Last Supper:
“I tell you I will not drink again of this fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom.”
— Matthew 26:29
With these words, Jesus pointed beyond the upper room to a greater banquet—the messianic feast, often portrayed in Scripture as a great wedding celebration (Isa. 25:6–9; Matt. 22:1–14; Rev. 19:6–9). The Eucharist, then, is not just a memorial of Christ’s death—it is a preview of the kingdom.
In Revelation 19, the final victory of God is pictured as the “marriage supper of the Lamb.” When we eat the bread and drink the cup, we taste in advance the joy of that feast, when sorrow will cease and God will dwell with his people forever.
2. “Be What You See”: Becoming a Kingdom People
St. Augustine famously preached to the newly baptized:
“Be what you see; receive what you are.”
— Sermon 272
In the Eucharist, we receive the body of Christ—and in doing so, we are called to become the body of Christ. The sacrament is not only about personal communion, but ecclesial transformation. It trains us to live as citizens of the kingdom, not just awaiting Christ’s return but bearing witness to his reign now.
To say the Eucharist is eschatological is to say that it draws the future into the present. We are fed with heavenly food so that we can live heavenly lives—lives marked by holiness, justice, peace, and love.
3. The Already and the Not Yet
The Eucharist holds together the tension at the heart of Christian eschatology: the kingdom is already here, but not yet in fullness. Christ reigns, but every tear has not yet been wiped away. We are forgiven, but not yet fully glorified. The table is set, but the feast has not yet begun.
In this way, the Eucharist is an act of hope. It reminds us that history is going somewhere—that the crucified and risen Lord will return to make all things new. And until then, we eat and drink “until he comes” (1 Cor. 11:26), trusting that what we taste now will one day be ours in full.
4. The Eucharist Shapes a Pilgrim People
Because the Eucharist is future-facing, it shapes the Church as a people on the move. Like Israel in the wilderness fed by manna, we are nourished by Christ as we journey toward the Promised Land. The Eucharist sustains us in suffering, strengthens us in mission, and reminds us that this world, as it is, is not our final home.
It also challenges our complacency. If the Eucharist is a sign of the kingdom, then it confronts us with the question: Are we living as kingdom people? Are we bearing witness to the justice, mercy, and reconciliation that the final feast will bring?
Conclusion: A Table Set for Eternity
The Eucharist is not only a sacrament of memory and communion—it is a sacrament of hope. In it, the future breaks into the present. The risen Christ meets us at the table, and gives us a taste of the world to come.
As we receive the bread and cup, we are drawn into a reality larger than ourselves. We are fed by grace, formed into Christ’s body, and sent into the world to live as citizens of a coming kingdom. And with every celebration, we declare with longing hearts:
“Come, Lord Jesus.” (Revelation 22:20)
