sign in sign up
<<
Home , Eucharist, Lamb of God, Unleavened bread

LESSON X6

the : , the

BACKGROUND READING

Our study of the of Initiation Eucharistic . “Do this in remembrance culminates in the Eucharist. Although in of me,” Jesus instructed His Apostles. So many places the of whenever we celebrate , we do so at is received after the first Holy , ’s command, and in His name. As we the teaches clearly that “The holy find recorded in the Scriptures, “For as often Eucharist completes Christian initiation. as you eat this and the , you Those who have been raised to the dignity proclaim the death of the Lord until he comes” of the royal priesthood by and (:26). configured more deeply to Christ by But why would Jesus ask us to do Confirmation participate with the whole something that sounds as strange as eating community in the Lord’s own sacrifice by His Body and drinking His ? When you means of the Eucharist” (CCC 1322). understand Jesus’ Sacrifice on the Cross The Catechism of the Church calls as the culmination of salvation history, the the Eucharist “the Sacrament of sacraments” Eucharist begins to make perfect sense. (CCC 1330) and “the source and summit of the Christian life” (CCC 1324). All the other The Eucharist in Salvation History Sacraments and every ministry of the Church St. Augustine said, “The lies flow from the Eucharist and point us toward it. hidden in the Old and the Old is unveiled in the The reason for the centrality of the Eucharist New.” The Eucharist is a mystery that involves is that the Eucharist is Christ Himself! the entire history of salvation. It is prefigured Jesus instituted the Eucharist at the Last in the , finds its origin in the Supper. In anticipation of His death on the Incarnation, its institution at the , Cross, Jesus gave His Apostles — whom He and its full revelation and significance in made the first — His Body and Blood Christ’s death and Resurrection. Aided by to eat and drink. And because Jesus wanted the , these events comprise the all His people for all time to eat and drink bedrock from which we begin to understand of this heavenly food, He commanded them the Holy Eucharist. to continue to make present and real this

138 © SOPHIA INSTITUTE PRESS The Eucharist has deep and mysterious to the LORD; you will celebrate it as a statute roots in the Old Testament, conveyed by forever” (Exodus 12:14). events, archetypes, and symbols all guided Many centuries later, it was precisely at by the hand of Divine Providence. The most the Passover meal when Jesus instituted a significant of these is the Passover. The New and everlasting and gave His Passover was the principal Jewish feast friends the greatest gift of all — His Body and of the Old Testament. It was instituted to His Blood. commemorate the ’ liberation from Egyptian slavery and the fulfillment of God’s The Last Supper and the promise to Abraham that He would establish Institution of the Eucharist a people uniquely His. By the same covenant, At the end of Jesus’ public ministry, “the day this same people would eventually come of the feast of arrived, the into possession of the Promised Land. God’s day for sacrificing the Passover lamb” (Luke people were commanded to recall this saving 22:7). Jesus gathered the Apostles in the Upper event for all generations and to keep this feast Room for the Last Supper and told them: “I day forever. have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer” (:15). Christ The Passover Lamb prophesied His Passion, revealing that He is To deliver His Chosen People from slavery, the lamb to be sacrificed for our salvation. God sent a series of plagues to . The Jesus took a cup of , and after giving last of these was to kill every firstborn son thanks He said, “Take this and share it among throughout the land. God told the Israelites yourselves” (Luke 22:17). “Then he took the to sacrifice a lamb according to specific bread, said the , broke it, and gave it instructions and to apply its blood to the to them, saying, ‘This is my body, which will doorposts and lintels of their homes as a sign be given for you; do this in memory of me’” for God to pass over their homes and spare (Luke 22:19). Christ instituted the Eucharist their firstborn. “The blood will be a sign for and commanded that we eat His Flesh and you on the houses where you are; and when drink His Blood, signaling His victory over I see the blood, I will pass over you” (Exodus death through His Resurrection. 12:13). God also commanded the Israelites After He broke and shared the bread, in a to eat the lamb: “They will consume its similar way He took the cup of wine and said: meat that same night, eating it roasted with “This cup is the in my blood, unleavened bread and bitter herbs” (Exodus which will be shed for you” (Luke 22:20). Jesus 12:8-9). Finally, God also commanded the instituted the Eucharist at the Last Supper Israelites to remember this great act of His as the new and eternal sacrifice. It initiated salvation by holding a yearly festival known His new and everlasting Blood Covenant with as the Passover: “This day will be a day of God’s people. As the Catechism explains, remembrance for you, which your future “By celebrating the Last Supper with his generations will celebrate with pilgrimage apostles in the course of the Passover meal,

THE SACRAMENTS, ESSAY APPENDIX 139 Jesus gave the Jewish Passover its definitive for the Hebrew word for Passover, St. Paul meaning. Jesus’ passing over to his father by writes: “For our paschal lamb, Christ, has his death and Resurrection, the new Passover, been sacrificed” (1 Corinthians 5:7). The is anticipated in the Supper and celebrated Church transformed the Jewish Passover in the Eucharist, which fulfills the Jewish from a commemoration of God’s freeing the Passover and anticipates the final Passover Israelites from slavery to a celebration of Jesus of the Church in the glory of the kingdom.” Christ’s death and Resurrection, and freeing Thus, Jesus became for us our Passover of humanity from the slavery of and death. Lamb. This gift would win for all mankind God’s promise of redemption is available not the promise of eternal salvation. The Old just to one people, but to the entire world. Testament Passover lamb, whose blood saved In Him there is now one, complete sacrifice God’s people, is replaced by the , memorializing and sustaining our own Jesus; whose Blood is our eternal salvation. deliverance from sinful captivity. Initiated Jesus said, “He who eats my flesh and on the eve of Calvary’s dark desolation, the my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him Eucharist instituted through the Last Supper up at the last day” (John 6:54). is a mystery of joyful light. Jesus has become the Passover Lamb for all . Using the Greek word pascha

140 © SOPHIA INSTITUTE PRESS LESSON X7

the eucharist and the holy mass

BACKGROUND READING

Have you ever wondered: What do people who have died and gone to Heaven do all The change of the bread and wine into day? The answer is simple: they worship God, the Body and Blood of Jesus is called singing endless of praise. To someone transubstantiation. The entire substances of unfamiliar with the Catholic worship service, the bread and wine change, although they called Holy Mass, it might sound odd to think appear the same as they did before the change. that Heaven is one perpetual celebration of “By the the transubstantiation worship. But someone who understands what of the bread and wine into the Body and Mass is would have to ask, “Why would you is brought about. Under the want to do anything else?” The Mass is truly consecrated species of bread and wine Christ and literally Heaven on earth, the wonderful himself, living and glorious, is present in a gift Jesus has given us so that we may be with true, real, and substantial manner: his Body Him in the flesh. and his Blood, with his soul and his divinity” Since Christ first commanded the Apostles (CCC 1413). (the first priests) to celebrate Mass for all The Eucharist is the Body and Blood of Christians at the Last Supper, ordained priests Jesus Christ. The Baltimore Catechism explains have invoked the Holy Spirit and pronounced one of the ways we know this: “Christ could the words of consecration, transforming not have used clearer, more explicit words bread and wine into the Body and Blood of than ‘This is My body.’ He did not say, ‘This is a Jesus Christ. sign of My body’ or ‘This represents My body,’ The Mass is celebrated in two main parts: but, ‘This is My body.’ Catholics take Christ the Liturgy of the Word and the Liturgy of at His word because He is the omnipotent the Eucharist. More information on these God. On His word they know that the Holy two parts of the Mass are in your children’s Eucharist is the body and blood of Christ.” activity books.

THE SACRAMENTS, ESSAYlesson APPENDIX 7 141 What Are the Fruits of dress in appropriate attire for Mass as a sign Holy Communion? of respect. One can receive the Eucharist on the When we receive Holy Communion, we tongue (the way), a traditional are united with Jesus Christ. Our souls are sign of our humility before God and an strengthened: we need the Eucharist in acknowledgment that it is Christ who feeds the same way our bodies need food. The us. It is also possible to receive Communion Eucharist helps us avoid sin and strengthens in one’s hands (the optional way). If you do so, our charity. The Eucharist separates us from you should make sure your hands are clean sin: it forgives venial sin and helps us avoid and empty, placing your left hand flat over in the future. The Eucharist also your right. Be sure to put the host in your helps us see the face of Jesus in the poor. mouth right away: do not wait until you return The Catechism explains, “Participation in the to your pew. Holy Sacrifice identifies us with Jesus’ Heart, sustains our strength along the pilgrimage of this life, makes us long for eternal life, and Who Can Receive the Eucharist? unites us even now to the Church in heaven, Catholics in a state of grace can and should the Blessed Virgin Mary, and all the ” receive the Eucharist. Non-Catholics and (CCC 1419). Catholics who are in a state of mortal sin Receiving the Eucharist also unites us with may not receive Communion. Some question other Christians. The very , the this decision because they believe it excludes Eucharist, strengthens and nourishes the people and causes division among Christians. Body of Christ — the Church — whose members And the fact is that it does exclude people. are gathered in that Eucharistic celebration: But the truth is that when we receive Jesus the living on earth (the Church Militant), Christ into our souls, our souls should as well as the saints in Heaven (the Church be ready to give Him a good, pure home. Triumphant) and the souls in Purgatory (the Our souls be in the state of grace to Church Suffering). receive Him worthily. If we are in the state of mortal sin and receive the Eucharist, we How Do We Receive commit sacrilege, treating a object the Body of Christ? unworthily, as if we don’t care. The Sacrament of restores grace to the soul and Anytime you touch something extremely purifies the soul for the Eucharist. (We will valuable, you do so with great care. When learn more about this Sacrament later this we receive Communion, we are receiving the year.) For non-Catholics and others who do Body and Blood of God Himself! Therefore, not believe that the Eucharist is the Lord, we must receive this precious gift in a way to take the Eucharist would be a lie. The that treats the worthily. Catechism and law provide for very For this reason, the Church requires us to limited circumstances in which, in case of fast for at least one hour before receiving “grave necessity,” such as the danger of death, Communion, except for water and medicine. Sacraments may be administered to those We should also encourage our children to

142 © SOPHIA INSTITUTE PRESS who ask, “provided they manifest the Catholic Eucharist, our souls receive the nourishment faith and are properly disposed” (CIC 844 § 4). they need to maintain strength. Frequent reception of the Eucharist, Why Should We Receive explains the Catechism, increases charity in Communion Often? our daily life and that charity allows us to root ourselves in Christ (CCC 1394). This means Catholics are required to receive Communion that we see things in a more loving, positive, once a year, but the Church warmly invites and hopeful way — a way that leads us to be us to receive it much more often: every week, Christ in the world, as all Christians are called even every day! Just as we need to eat and to do. Charity helps us practice the values drink to maintain our physical strength, so of the Kingdom of God and to steer clear of we also need to receive the Eucharist for choices that modern lifestyles of materialism our spiritual strength. When we eat food, promote. Frequent reception of the Eucharist our bodies receive the nourishment they helps us to avoid what leads us to sin. need to maintain strength. When we eat the

THE SACRAMENTS, ESSAY APPENDIX 143