The Eucharist
“the source and summit of the Christian life”[1]
February 13, 2007
Dev Thakur
What is the Eucharist?
1. Eucharist (eucharistein) means “thanksgiving.” In celebrating the Eucharist we give praise and thanks to God for his work of creation, redemption and sanctification.[2]
2. The Eucharist is the Lord’s supper, instituted by Christ at the last supper.[3] It is a true meal; for my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink.[4]
3. The Eucharist is celebrated in an assembly. The Eucharistic assembly or synaxis is the coming together of the faithful, the Body of Christ.
4. The Eucharist is a memorial. Do this in remembrance of me.[5] For as often as you eat this bread and
drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.[6]
5. The Eucharist is a sacrifice, because it completes all sacrifices of the Old Covenant and re-presents Christ’s totally sufficient work of redemption on the Cross. For from the rising of the sun to its setting my name will be great among the nations, and in every place incense will be offered to my name, and a pure offering. For my name will be great among the nations, says the LORD of hosts.[7] Through him then let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that acknowledge his name.[8]
6. The Eucharist is offered in a liturgy, which is the work of the people offered to God. It is also a sacrament (the sacrament).[9] All of the Church’s liturgies and sacramental celebrations point to this “Sacrament of sacraments.” The Eucharistic liturgy is also called the Mass (Missa) because it concludes with the missio: the sending forth of the faithful.[10]
7. The Eucharist is Holy Communion. By this sacrament we unite ourselves to
Christ. Whoever feeds on my flesh and
drinks my blood abides in me, and I in him.[11]
The signs: bread and wine
1. Jesus used the traditional elements of the Passover meal. Jesus took bread . . . and he took a cup.[12]
2. Wine and bread represent the goodness of God’s creation. You cause the grass to grow for the livestock and plants for man to cultivate, that he may bring forth food from the earth and wine to gladden the heart of man, oil to make his face shine and bread to strengthen man's heart.[13]
3. The mysterious Melchizedek used bread and
wine. And Melchizedek king of
4. God fed his people manna while they were in the
desert. And he rained down on them
manna to eat and gave them the grain of heaven.[17] The true bread is Jesus: Truly, truly, I
say to you, it was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven, but my Father
gives you the true bread from heaven.
For the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to
the world.[18]
5. The Eucharistic bread is prefigured in the miracle of the multiplication of the fish and loaves. Then he ordered the crowds to sit down on the grass, and taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven and said a blessing. Then he broke the loaves and gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds. And they all ate and were satisfied.[19] This description is very similar to the institution narrative . . . and note that Our Lord gives the bread to the crowd through the apostles. The Eucharist is tied to the ministry of the Bishop (or his designate, the priest). Holy orders is a sacrament at the service of the Eucharist.
6. The Eucharistic wine is prefigured in the miracle
at
7. There are many other meanings attached to bread
and wine in the Jewish tradition and culture.
Do Catholics really believe the Eucharist is the Body of
Christ?
Yes!
1. Walk through the sixth chapter of John’s
Gospel. What is the plain meaning of
Jesus’ words? What does Jesus do to
explain his discourse? The Jews then
disputed among themselves, saying, "How can this man give us his flesh to
eat?" So Jesus said to them,
"Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man
and drink his blood, you have no life in you.[21] When many of his disciples heard it, they
said, "This is a hard saying; who can listen to it?" But Jesus . . .
said to them, "Do you take offense at this? . . . But there are some of
you who do not believe." . . . After this many of his disciples turned
back and no longer walked with him. So Jesus said to the Twelve, "Do you
want to go away as well?" [22] Compare this chapter to other instances
where Jesus is misunderstood, e.g. speaking to Nicodemus (John 3:2-5), responding
to Peter who is scandalized by the cross (Matthew
2. Vatican II teaches that Christ is present in many ways, but “he is present . . . most especially in the Eucharistic species.”[23]
3.
4. The faithful are encouraged to pray before the Eucharist.
5. St. Cyril says: “Do not doubt whether this is true, but rather receive the words of the Savior in faith, for since he is the truth, he cannot lie.”[25]
6.
Seeing, touching, tasting are in thee deceived;
How says trusty hearing? that shall be believed;
What God’s Son has told me, take for truth I do;
Truth himself speaks truly or there’s nothing true.[26]
He also says:
Loving Father,
as on my earthly pilgrimage
I now receive your beloved Son
under the veil of a sacrament,
may I one day see him face to face in glory,
who lives and reigns with you for ever. Amen.
The fruits of Holy Communion
1. Holy Communion unites us with Christ. Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me, and I in him.[27]
2. Holy Communion nourishes the spirit, just as other foods nourish the body. By it, we receive His Life: whoever feeds on me, he also will live because of me. [28]
3. Holy Communion separates us from sin. “If, as often as his blood is poured out, it
is poured out for the forgiveness of sins, I should always receive it, so that
it may always forgive my sins. Because I
always sin, I should always have a remedy.”[29]
For anyone who eats and drinks without discerning the body eats and drinks judgment on himself.[31])
4. Through unity in Christ, Holy Communion unites us
with each other. The cup of
blessing that we bless, is it not a participation in the blood of Christ? The
bread that we break, is it not a participation in the body of Christ? Because there is one bread, we who are many
are one body, for we all partake of the one bread.[32]
5. Holy Communion commits us to the poor.[33] “You have tasted the Blood of the Lord, yet
you do not recognize your brother, . . . . You dishonor this table when you do
not judge worthy of sharing your food someone judged worthy to take part in
this meal. . . . God freed you from all your sins and invited you here, but you
have not become more merciful.”[34]
6. Holy Communion is a foretaste of Heaven. How fitting that Our Lord literally allows us
to taste it. Oh, taste and see
that the LORD is good![35]
And the master said to the servant, 'Go out to the highways and hedges and
compel people to come in, that my house may be filled. For I tell you, none of those men who were
invited shall taste my banquet.'" [36]
The Resurrection of the Body (Christopher Derrick)
He’s a terror that
one:
Turns water into wine,
Wine into blood –
I wonder what He turns blood into?
[1] Sacrosanctum Concilium 47
[2]
[3] Matthew 26:26-28, Mark
[4] John 6:55
[5] Luke 22:19
[6] 1 Corinthians 11:26
[7] Malachi 1:11
[8] Hebrews 13:15
[9]
[10]
[11] John 6:56
[12] Matthew 26:26-27
[13] Psalm 104:14-15
[14] Genesis 14:18
[15] Psalm 110:4
[16] Hebrews 6:20
[17] Psalm 78:24
[18] John 6:32
[19] Matthew 14:19-20
[20] John 2:7-9
[21] John 6:52-53
[22] John 6:60-67
[23]
[24] Council of
[25] St. Cyril of
[26] translated by Gerard Manley Hopkins
[27] John 6:56
[28] John 6:57
[29] St. Ambrose, De Sacr. 4, 6, 28: PL 16, 446
[30] Council of
[31] 1 Corinthians 11:27-29
[32] 1 Corinthians 10:16-17
[33]
[34]
[35] Psalm 34:8