Origen stressed that the Eucharist benefits only those who receive it with faith and spiritual awareness; without this, it is no different than ordinary food.
The word Eucharist comes from the Greek eucharistia (εὐχαριστία), meaning “thanksgiving” or “gratitude”, formed from eu- (“well”) and kharizesthai (“to show favor, give freely”).
In early Christian use, eucharistia referred both to the act of giving thanks and specifically to the ritual meal commemorating the Last Supper.
The Hebrew root is berekah, which also means “blessing” or “thanksgiving”.
