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fall 2011 a catalyst and resource for the renewal of the

the : at the center of catholic life The Church in the 21st Century Center serves as a catalyst and a resource for the renewal of the in the United States. about the editor john f. baldovin, s.j., professor of historical and liturgical theology at the aboutBoston theCollege editor School of Theology and from the c21 center director richardMinistry, received lennan his, Ph.D.a in ofreligious the Diocesestudies from of Maitland-Newcastle Yale University in 1982. in Fr. Australia,Baldovin is is a professor member of thesystematic New York Dear Friends: theologyProvince inof the SchoolSociety ofof TheologyJesus. He Boston College is excited to bring you this fall issue of C21 Resources focusing on what all andhas servedMinistry as at advisor Boston to College, the National where heConference also chairs of theCatholic Weston ’ Jesuit Catholics experience as the very center of their faith: the Eucharist. Our spring issue will Department.Committee on He the studied theology and was a continue this theme and explore “Catholics as a people.” atmember the Catholic of the InstituteAdvisory ofCommittee Sydney, theof the University International of Oxford, Commission and the on We are fortunate to have John Baldovin, S.J., professor of historical and liturgical theology at UniversityEnglish in theof Innsbruck, Liturgy. He from was whichpresident the Boston College School of Theology and Ministry, as the distinguished guest editor for both heof theobtained North hisAmerican doctorate. Academy Among of his the fall and spring issues. publishedLiturgy from works 1990 are: to 1991,The of the of KarlSocietas Rahner Liturgica (Oxford from University 1999–2001 Press, and Paralleling this issue we will bring to campus a series of noted scholars who will develop the 1995)of the andInternational Risking the Jungmann Church: The Society many facets of the Eucharist presented in the articles that follow. For those unable to come to Challengesfor Jesuits andof Catholic the Liturgy Faith (2008–2010). (Oxford UniversityFather Baldovin Press, also 2004). serves He onis alsothe Board campus, the date on which a video-streamed version of each program will be available on the aof former Trustees president of the College of the Australianof the Holy C21C website (www.bc.edu/church21) is noted on the schedule you will find at the center of Cross and of Fairfield University. He Catholic Theological Association. this issue. has published and lectured widely. His most recent books are, Reforming the C21 Resources has been a prominent feature of the Church in the 21st Century Center since Liturgy: A Response to the Critics (2008) 2003 and is currently being mailed to more than 160,000 households. All past issues can be and of Life, of : Understanding the (2003). found at www.bc.edu/church21/publications/c21resources.

Let me end by thanking you for your continuing interest in the C21 Center and support of its mission to be a catalyst and resource for the renewal of the Church. advisory board Sincerely, Jonas Barciauskas Ben Birnbaum Thomas H. Groome Robert R. Newton Fr. Robert Imbelli Thomas J. Massaro, S.J. Interim Director, Church in the 21st Century Center Robert Newton Special Assistant to the President Barbara Radtke Jacqueline Regan

C21 Resources, a compilation of the best analyses and essays on key challenges facing the Church today, is published by the Church in the 21st Century Cen- ter at Boston College, in partnership with the publications from which the featured articles have been selected.

To learn more, please contact:

the church in the 21st century center BOSTON COLLEGE 110 COLLEGE ROAD, HEFFERNAN HOUSE Chestnut Hill, MAssachusetts 02467

© 2011 Trustees of Boston College bc.edu/church21

2 the   in the 21  

fall 2011

the eucharist: at the center of catholic life

contents

Eucharist: The Many-Faceted Jewel 2 Remain with Us Lord Mane Nobiscum Domine 22 by John F. Baldovin, S.J. by Blessed John Paul II

Why Go to Mass? 4 Praying the Text: The Eucharistic by John F. Baldovin, S.J. Prayer in the Assembly 23 by Gerard Moore Constitution on the Liturgy 6 A Mother Hands on the Eucharist 26 by Vatican II by Karen Kiefer

The of Real Presence 7 “The Mass on the World” from by Robert Imbelli of the Universe 27 by Pierre Teilhard de Chardin Parents and : “Lifting the ” 9 by Thomas Groome The Sacrament of Charity 28 by Benedict XVI St. Augustine’s 272 11 An Experience of Adoration 29 What Everyone Needs to Know about by Aaron Pidel, S.J. Sacramental Real Presence 12 by Rodica Stoicoiu A Graced Moment: Welcoming the New 30 16 by Cardinal Roger M. Mahony by Blessed John Paul II of St. 32 : The Way to Enter the 18 by Robert J. Daly, S.J. The Shape of the Liturgy 33 by How the Eucharist Proclaims Social Justice 20 by John A. Coleman, S.J. update calendar 14–15

on the cover Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio’s The Supper at Emmaus, unusual for its depiction of without a beard, was commissioned by the Roman nobleman Ciriaco Mattei in 1601 and later purchased by Cardinal Scipione Borghese. It is now a part of the permanent collection at the National Gallery in London.

w w w . b c . e d u / c h u r c h 21 1 Eucharist: The Many-Faceted Jewel john f. baldovin, s.j.

O sacred banquet! Order Commission of the World Council of Churches almost 30 years ago: , Eucharist and Ministry (BEM, in which Christ is received, Lima, 1982). That document lays out a remarkable amount the memory of his Passion is renewed, of agreement achieved by Catholic, Orthodox, Anglican, and Protestant scholars. (The commission included Avery the mind is filled with grace, Dulles, S.J., and Jean-Marie Tillard, O.P. The main architect and a pledge of future glory to us is given. of the document was Professor Geoffrey Wainwright of Duke University, a British Methodist.) As I often say in teaching a course on the theology of the Eucharist, the Eucharist is like a precious jewel. You — Antiphon for the Feast of the Body and of Christ cannot appreciate it by looking at it from only one angle or in only one light. You need to turn it now this way, With these beautiful poetic words the great medieval now that, now in this light and then another to begin to theologian St. summed up the centrality comprehend its true beauty. I would add that in order to of the Eucharist for us . The Eucharist is indeed appreciate it fully you need to celebrate it well, in faith- the center of our lives quite simply because Christ himself filled communities with good pastoral leadership. I would is the center of our lives—not only the Lord who add further that the poetry and art that are included in this lived, taught, healed, was crucified and raised from the dead issue are not afterthoughts but instead very important ways 2,000 years ago, not only the Christ whose saving and self- of appreciating a symbolic reality that cannot be captured in giving sacrifice we are mysteriously attached to every time prose alone but needs to be experienced in all sorts of ways. we celebrate, not only the Christ whose bodily presence BEM deals with the Eucharist under five headings: sustains us week by week (or even day by day), but also the 1. Thanksgiving to the Father Christ who beckons us forth to our ultimate vocation, living 2. Memorial of the Son with him in the glory of the Father and the . 3. Invocation of the Holy Spirit For Catholics, and indeed for a great many Christians, 4. Communion of the Faithful the Eucharist is one of the most important and vital aspects 5. Meal of the Kingdom of the faith. There is a story told of Christians on trial As all of our eucharistic prayers reveal, the main verb in an early third-century persecution of the Church in governing what we do at Mass is “to give thanks.” Gratitude North Africa (at Abitina). The judges clearly thought the for what God has done for us in making us (creation) Christians were out of their minds since they were willing and saving us (redemption) is always at the forefront in to die for what they believed in, but they showed that they our worship. That’s why we can make “Eucharist” even weren’t dying for a set of ideas as much as for the Lord when we celebrate a funeral. Formal has himself when they responded, “But we cannot live without traditionally been directed to the Father, but it is done what we do on the Lord’s Day.” In other words, “we cannot through Christ, because in the Eucharist (as well as all of live without our weekly celebration of the Eucharist.” our liturgical prayer) it is Christ’s living, dying, and rising We clearly need to regain a sense of the importance (the Paschal Mystery) that gives us access to the one he and centrality of the Eucharist today, especially when so called “Abba.” Memorial means that we act out the pattern many Catholics regard the Eucharist as an option of Christ’s person and acting for us as we repeat his actions rather than a matter of life or death. Hence this issue of C21 at the : Resources. It is appearing just to the implementation of Taking — Presentation of the a new translation of the Mass. This is an ideal time for us to — Eucharistic prayer renew our understanding and our sense of the importance Breaking — of the Eucharist and its centrality for us. Giving — Communion The following selections are mainly by Roman Catholics, but I think it’s important to recognize how significant the But the “we” has to be qualified by the fact that we can Eucharist is for so many Christians: Orthodox, Anglican, do nothing of worth without the empowerment of the Holy and Protestant. The ecumenical importance of the Spirit. That is why in all of our eucharistic prayers since Eucharist can be discerned in a very important convergence Vatican II the invocation (or ) of the Holy Spirit (not yet consensus!) document published by the Faith and has been made explicit: “Therefore, O Lord, we humbly

2 b o s t o n c o l l e g e | c 21 r e s o u r c e s | f a l l 2011 implore you: By the same Spirit graciously make holy these sense that God is truly with us, the challenge to participate gifts we have brought to you for , of your Son in his self offering, the growth and true nourishment of our Lord Jesus that they may become the Body and Blood our children, the awesome challenge to make gratitude of your Son our Lord Jesus Christ, at whose command we (thanksgiving, Eucharist) the most significant element in celebrate these mysteries.” And so BEM alerts us to the our lives, the call to act morally and justly in our world, the fact that all three Persons of the Holy are involved invitation to let Christ break down the barriers that divide in our Eucharist. And as the the Church is us and to become what we truly are, as St. Augustine so involved as well. We often forget that the ultimate purpose wonderfully says, the Body of Christ. Each of our authors of the Eucharist is not only the transformation of the bread or selections from official Church documents gives us a and into the true Body and Blood of the Lord but also glimpse of a different aspect of the Eucharist. Thus the our transformation into his one Body, the Church. BEM also Eucharist is like a precious jewel that be viewed from reminds us that the Eucharist is the foretaste of the meal many angles and perspectives in order to be appreciated. If of God’s Kingdom. This generous self-giving and sharing in some small way this issue of C21 Resources helps in that of the Lord with us looks forward to the Kingdom—to the effort, it will have achieved its goal. final realization of God’s plan. And so the Eucharist has — profound ecclesial and ethical implications. Endnotes Perhaps you will be as struck as I have been in putting John F. Baldovin, S.J., is the editor of this issue of C21 Resources. the pieces that follow together by how rich the Eucharist is. It encompasses so many facets of our Christian lives: the

draw us in the spirit’s tether

Draw us in the Spirit’s tether, for when humbly in your name two or three are met together, you are in the midst of them. Alleluia! Alleluia! Touch we now your garment’s hem.

As disciples used to gather in the name of Christ to sup, then with thanks to God the giver break the bread and bless the cup. Alleluia! Alleluia! So now bind our friendship up.

All our meals and all our living make as of you, that by caring, helping, giving, we may be disciples true. Alleluia! Alleluia! We will serve with faith anew.

— (1867–1936) Photo courtesy of BC Office of MarketingCommunications

w w w . b c . e d u / c h u r c h 21 3 Why Go to Mass? john f. baldovin, s.j.

In the of John, Jesus invites his followers to “come have led to some pretty wacky and and see.” Nowhere is that invitation from the Lord clearer even destructive interpretations. We than in the invitation to share in the celebration of the Mass. need to experience the Scriptures both alone and in community. This is what Christians mean by tradition: the way Not every Mass is going to be a look like: human beings who give of we have learned throughout history as great and deeply moving experience, themselves to others in faith, hope, a Church to interpret the Scriptures not for the vast majority of us and love. together. Hearing the Scriptures in anyway. But there is a great deal to 3. Discipline of faith. A third reason community is a way of deepening as be said for simple fidelity to our to bother is the formation of the habit well as safeguarding our experience of worship. St. Ignatius Loyola says in of worshiping and glorifying God. God’s communication with us. the Spiritual Exercises that the person Human beings ordinarily develop by 5. Developing the moral life. If the who is experiencing some desolation forming habits, some good and some basic structure of the Eucharist is (dryness, “downness”) in prayer can bad. These are patterns that shape our taking, blessing, breaking, and giving be helped by remembering times of lives. The discipline of worshipping in imitation of the Lord’s passion, consolation in the past. I think that is God helps us to grow into being death, and resurrection, then the habit true not only of individual prayer but habitual “adorers of God,” even when of weekly (or even more frequent) of communal, liturgical prayer as well. we do not feel like it. celebration of the Mass ought to In any case, the Mass may not always 4. Hearing the Scriptures communally. help us in our development as be a deeply emotional experience, but The is the word of God, moral human beings. If we celebrate it is always an experience of the Lord but let’s face it, individualistic and faithfully, we ought to be conforming giving himself to us in his word and his idiosyncratic readings of the Bible more and more, as individuals and as a sacramental presence and calling forth our self-giving in return. Why bother? Why bother going to Mass at all when we can worship God anywhere? 1. Participation in the salvation of the world. The most important reason for participating in the Eucharist is that God has invited us to share in the experience of the world’s salvation in the death and resurrection of the Lord every time we celebrate. We are invited to participate in God’s redeeming act each time we participate in the Eucharist and thereby commit ourselves to working for God’s reign. 2. Experiencing the glory of God. St. Irenaeus, a second-century Christian theologian and martyr, wrote that the glory of God is the human being fully alive, and that the human being fully alive is the one who is in Christ Jesus. The Mass is where we experience sacramentally our destiny as members incorporated into the body of Christ. This is what God wants the world to Photo courtesy of BC Office of MarketingCommunications

4 b o s t o n c o l l e g e | c 21 r e s o u r c e s | f a l l 2011 community, to the image of generosity every time we celebrate, we anticipate and love of the one into whom we were the banquet of God’s kingdom “when baptized. The final test of whether the every tear will be wiped away.” In the vast Mass “works” is: “By their fruits shall other words, the reign of God looks you know them.” like human beings who, recognizing ocean begins 6. Companionship with Christ. If I their sinfulness, know that God’s just outside believe that Christ is the savior of the mercy is far greater. The reign of God world, God incarnate, who has given looks like people who are gathered to our church: his very self for me, then I want to share receive his word gratefully. The reign in the most intimate experience of self- of God looks like people who allow the eucharist giving—holy Communion—and I also God’s Holy Spirit to form them into a want to recognize him in the brothers community that accepts life from God, Something has happened and sisters with whom I am sharing the blesses God with everything that is in to the bread act of self-giving. We have a vital human them, are broken and poured out for and the wine. need for both food and meaning. The others in imitation of the Lord Jesus word “companionship” is derived from who has given us this pattern. The They have been blessed. the cum (with) and panis (bread). reign of God looks like people who We find companionship in sharing food share the most unimaginably precious What now? with others. There is no companionship gifts freely because they know that all is The body leans forward without sharing what our bodies need. in Christ. The reign of God looks There is no companionship with like people who are sent forth to do to receive the gift Christ except by sharing in his body— the works of faith, hope, and love with from the priest’s hand, sacrament and Church. courage. then the . 7. Focusing my needs. From the earliest 10. Pure joy. A final reason for days of , men and women celebrating the Eucharist is that here have brought their deepest needs God invites us to the deepest peace and They are something else now and desires to the table of the Lord, joy that is possible—sharing in his own from what they were confident that they can be joined to divine life. St. Augustine wrote in his before this began. Christ’s great act of intercession before Confessions: “O God, you have made us the Father (Heb 7:25, 10:1-22). This for yourself, and our hearts are restless I want is why we pray for the dead at Mass; until they rest in you.” The Mass is a to see Jesus, we place them before the merciful and foretaste of that perfectly joyful rest. compassionate God in the midst of this The Mass is an obligation to be sure, maybe in the clouds great work of our redemption. I can but it is an obligation that comes not bring my deepest desires to the table so much from the outside as from or on the shore, of the Lord, confident that I will be the nature of what it means to enjoy just walking, heard. Christian fellowship. We are who we beautiful man 8. Praying for the world. Of course, are because of our sharing with our we bring not only our own personal brothers and sisters. And what we share needs but the state of the world to the is Jesus Christ himself. How could that and clearly celebration of the Eucharist. There is not be the cause of pure joy? someone else a kind of cosmic dimension to every In of John, Jesus invites besides. celebration in which the realities of our his followers to “come and see.” world (bread, wine, men, and women) Nowhere is that invitation from the On the hard days are transformed into the body and Lord clearer than in the invitation to I ask myself . The world with all of share in the celebration of the Mass. if I ever will. its needs, joys, and struggles is present — every time we celebrate the Eucharist Endnotes together, and our consciousness of John F. Baldovin, “Why Go to Mass?” Also there are times the world helps to make the Mass America 190 (May 10, 2004). my body whispers to me the experience of Christian life in a Reprinted with permission of America Press Inc. that I have. concentrated way. (2004). All rights reserved. 9. Welcoming the kingdom. If the — Mary Oliver Eucharist is the celebration of how God wants the world to look, then

w w w . b c . e d u / c h u r c h 21 5 Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy Sacrosanctum Concilium vatican ii

The Most Sacred Mystery and full collaboration. They should this way a more representative portion of the Eucharist be instructed by God’s word and be of the holy Scriptures will be read to 14. Mother Church earnestly nourished at the table of the Lord’s the people in the course of a prescribed desires that all the faithful should be body; they should give thanks to God; number of years. led to that fully conscious, and active by offering the Immaculate Victim, not 52. By means of the the participation in liturgical celebrations only through the hands of the priest, mysteries of the faith and the guiding which is demanded by the very nature but also with him, they should learn principles of the Christian life are of the liturgy. Such participation by also to offer themselves; through Christ expounded from the sacred text, the Christian people as “a chosen race, the Mediator,38 they should be drawn during the course of the liturgical a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a day by day into ever more perfect union year; the homily, therefore, is to be redeemed people” (1 Pet. 2:9; cf. 2:4- with God and with each other, so that highly esteemed as part of the liturgy 5), is their right and duty by reason of finally God may be all in all. itself; in fact, at those Masses which their baptism. 49. For this reason the sacred are celebrated with the assistance of In the restoration and promotion of Council, having in mind those the people on Sundays and feasts of the sacred liturgy, this full and active Masses which are celebrated with the obligation, it should not be omitted participation by all the people is the aim assistance of the faithful, especially on except for a serious reason. to be considered before all else; for it is Sundays and feasts of obligation, has 53. Especially on Sundays and feasts the primary and indispensable source made the following decrees in order of obligation there is to be restored, from which the faithful are to derive that the sacrifice of the Mass, even in after the Gospel and the homily, “the the true Christian spirit; and therefore the ritual forms of its celebration, may common prayer” or “the prayer of the of souls must zealously strive to become pastorally efficacious to the faithful.” By this prayer, in which the achieve it, by means of the necessary fullest degree. people are to take part, intercession will instruction, in all their pastoral work. 50. The of the Mass is to be be made for the holy Church, for the 47. At the Last Supper, on the night revised in such a way that the intrinsic civil authorities, for those oppressed by when He was betrayed, our Savior nature and purpose of its several parts, various needs, for all mankind, and for instituted the eucharistic sacrifice of as also the connection between them, the salvation of the entire world.39 His Body and Blood. He did this in may be more clearly manifested, and 54. In Masses which are celebrated order to perpetuate the sacrifice of that devout and active participation with the people, a suitable place may the Cross throughout the centuries by the faithful may be more easily be allotted to their mother tongue. until He should come again, and so achieved. This is to apply in the first place to the to entrust to His beloved spouse, the For this purpose the are to readings and “the common prayer,” but Church, a memorial of His death and be simplified, due care being taken also, as local conditions may warrant, resurrection: a sacrament of love, a sign to preserve their substance; elements to those parts which pertain to the of unity, a bond of charity,36 a paschal which, with the passage of time, came people. Nevertheless, steps should be banquet in which Christ is eaten, the to be duplicated, or were added with taken so that the faithful may also be mind is filled with grace, and a pledge but little advantage, are now to be able to say or to sing together in Latin of future glory is given to us.37 discarded; other elements which have those parts of the of the Mass 48. The Church, therefore, suffered injury through accidents of which pertain to them. earnestly desires that Christ’s faithful, history are now to be restored to the And wherever a more extended use when present at this mystery of faith, vigor which they had in the days of the of the mother tongue within the Mass should not be there as strangers or holy Fathers, as may seem useful or appears desirable, the regulation laid silent spectators; on the contrary, necessary. down in Art. 40 of this Constitution is through a good understanding of the 51. The treasures of the Bible are to be observed. rites and prayers they should take to be opened up more lavishly, so that 55. That more perfect form of part in the sacred action conscious of richer fare may be provided for the participation in the Mass whereby the what they are doing, with devotion faithful at the table of God’s word. In faithful, after the priest’s communion,

6 b o s t o n c o l l e g e | c 21 r e s o u r c e s | f a l l 2011 receive the Lord’s body from the same form but one single act of worship. Endnotes sacrifice, is strongly commended. Accordingly, this sacred Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy, Sacrosanctum 56. The two parts which, in a strongly urges pastors of souls that, Concilium. Paul VI, December 4, 1963. certain sense, go to make up the Mass, when instructing the faithful, they Full text and references can be accessed at the namely, the liturgy of the word and insistently teach them to take their Vatican website at http://www.vatican.va/ the eucharistic liturgy, are so closely part in the entire Mass, especially on connected with each other that they Sundays and feasts of obligation.

The Sacrament of Real Presence robert imbelli

At a time when so many experience an absence of meaning and hope in their lives, Christians, nourished by the Eucharist, are sent forth to be heralds and stewards of Christ’s healing presence.

William Butler Yeat’s “The ” contains “We proclaim your death.” The Eucharist celebrates, what are, perhaps, the most-quoted lines of 20th-century remembers, re-presents the once and for all sacrifice of poetry. “Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold; Mere Christ on Calvary. Christ descended into the abyss of anarchy is loosed upon the world.” Written in 1920, the death, the void of absence. He attained new and everlasting poem not only summed up the horror of the still young life not despite death, but by transforming death. Thus century, it seemed prescient of horrors yet to come. Christ’s followers are schooled, in the Eucharist, not to Postmodernity may be, to some degree, a pretentious deny death in its many forms, such as disappointment, academic fad. But its soil is undoubtedly the collapse hardship, failure; but, in company with Christ, to transform of an authoritative, life-giving center and the ensuing the power of death. fragmentation experienced daily in culture, politics, and For “we profess your resurrection.” The Christ present individual lives. in the Eucharist is the living Jesus and the disciples live One result is the emergence of the “protean self,” through him and with him and in him. He is not a dim imaginatively portrayed in Woody Allen’s filmZelig . Here is the self without a center, blending effortlessly into the most disparate situations and bound by no ultimate and lasting commitments—but also quite capable of murderous rage. Brooding over the 21st century is no longer the specter of Marx, but that of Nietzsche. The “death of God” leads to an abyss of nothingness. While many strive to fill the emptiness with the ever-changing trinkets of consumerism or the endless titillations of the media, a few do so by indulging an unfettered will to power. And absence, not presence, seems to reign. Faced with this cultural situation (one that Pope John Paul II called a “culture of death”), where is the Christian believer to find, in the words of another poet, T.S. Eliot, “the still point of the turning world”? Ultimately, in the Eucharist, the flaming center of the world, the sacrament of real Presence. At the central point of the celebration of the Eucharist, the priest announces to the congregation: “.” And the congregation exclaims: “We proclaim your death, O Lord, and profess your resurrection until you come again.” In doing so, we trace the temporal coordinates of the new world of faith. Photo courtesy of BC Office of MarketingCommunications

w w w . b c . e d u / c h u r c h 21 7 figure of the past to be studied at a distance, but the living centered self, free to give generously as he or she has so one encountered in the today of faith. He declares: “I am generously received. the first and the last, the living One. I died, and behold I am What better name for this self emerging from the alive for evermore, and I hold the keys of death’s dominion” encounter with Christ in the Eucharist than a “eucharistic (Revelation 1:17 and 18). In the Eucharist we do not learn self,” one whose native language is thanksgiving? For as about Christ, but from him. Paul writes to the Colossians: “Whatever you do, in word Still his presence remains hidden under sacramental or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving signs. It is a real Presence that is not yet fully manifest. And thanks to through Him” (3:17). so faith confesses: “Christ will come again” to sum up all The deeds that flow from such a eucharistic self are things in himself, to “judge the living and the dead.” Only deeds of service, in solidarity with the most needy members then will he complete the work of creation and redemption; of Christ’s body. The participants in the Eucharist are sent and “God will be all in all” (1 Cor 15:28). forth to undertake works of justice and peace that help The Eucharist opens to faith a new world of persons provide the human conditions for genuine thanksgiving. in relation whose form and substance is the person of The eminently practical of James warns: “If a Jesus Christ. And it also calls forth the new personhood or sister is ill-clad and in lack of daily food, and one of the participants, their transformation into living of you says to them, ‘Go in peace, be warmed and filled,’ members of Christ’s body. “Here there cannot be Greek and without giving them the things needed for the body, what Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, does it profit?” (2:15 and 16). The Eucharist both nourishes slave, free, but Christ is all and in all” (Col 3:11). a eucharistic self and promotes a eucharistic ethic. The whole thrust of the Eucharist is to nurture a As is well known, the account of the Last Supper in the movement from fragmentation to integration: The broken does not contain a narrative of the institution bread becomes the salvific means for the gathering in of the of the Eucharist, as the other do. In its place we find, many, the blood outpoured achieves the at-one-ment of the instead, Jesus washing the feet of his disciples and instructing world. What is de-centered finds its center in Eucharist. them: “I have given you an example: as I have done to Those who despair of meaning can find here God’s meaning you, you also must do” (13:15). Therefore, the injunction and purpose. of Christ, “do this in memory of me,” repeated at every The Eucharist, then, is pure gift, grace. God so loves the celebration of the Eucharist, embraces both the breaking world that he gives his only Son. And the Son so loves us of the bread and the ongoing service of others. Both these that he continues to give himself for the world’s salvation, eucharistic actions are performed for the life of the world, nowhere more tangibly than in the Eucharist. for the fuller realization of Christ’s Presence in all. But the Eucharist is also imperative, task. It calls — believers to allow the presence of Christ to transform Endnotes both themselves and their world. In place of the protean, Rev. Robert P. Imbelli, a priest of the Archdiocese of New York, is rootless self of postmodernity, the Eucharist fosters a an associate professor of theology at Boston College.

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8 b o s t o n c o l l e g e | c 21 r e s o u r c e s | f a l l 2011 Parents and Communion: “Lifting the Veil” thomas groome

A deep conviction within the tradition of Celtic spirituality grand celebration with family and friends. But would all this is that there is only a thin veil between the transcendent bring him to a deep spirituality of Eucharist, to where the veil and immanent, between the sacred and secular, between is gossamer thin, if there at all. the Creator and creation, between God and ourselves. Of The commission to parents in the ritual of the baptism course, this is a common sentiment throughout the Bible and should have been ringing in my ears: “You will be the first . For the Psalmist, all of creation proclaims teachers of your child in the ways of faith”—and by “first” the greatness of God (e.g., Ps 148); Paul was convinced that I think the Church means most influential. Also, I should God is “never far from any one of us” (Acts 17:27); and Ignatius have remembered Vatican II telling me that we, the parents, of Loyola insisted that with a little discernment and the eyes of are “the first and foremost educators” of our children in the faith, we can “come to see God in all things.” faith (“Declaration on Christian Education,” #3). Well, those The old Celts were also convinced that there are special directives may have been at work in my subconscious, but what moments when the veil is lifted or becomes gossamer thin, really moved me to action was the memory of what my mother when our encounter with God becomes palpable, immediate, said to me as I prepared for my own First Holy Communion. more than mediated. Again, the mystics of Christian tradition Though now almost 60 years ago, that conversation is still have said as much. The Christian Celts insisted, however, with me and shapes how I celebrate and receive Eucharist to that the veil is at its thinnest, if not entirely lifted, when we this very day. celebrate and receive Eucharist. They saw Eucharist as the Mom sat me down and said something like, “Tom, when you most mystical of moments—this side of eternity. receive Jesus, know for sure that he is really present with you, As a parent, I so wanted our little boy Teddy to come to right there in your body. So you can talk to him, heart to heart. this mystical appreciation of Eucharist. I wished that he could First, thank him a thousand times for coming to you, and then have a sense of awe, of reverence, of wonder at it all. I wanted talk about whatever you like. You can chat with him like your him to be deeply convinced that here he encounters the real very best friend.” After a pause, she asked, “So what are you presence of his Friend Jesus, who himself was God among us going to talk about to Jesus?” I remember asking, somewhat as one of ourselves. I hoped that Eucharist could become a skeptical, “Mom, can I really tell him about Dusty?”—my spiritual anchor to his life, tethering him, in the imagery of dog that was sick at the time. She said, “Absolutely! Dusty the poet Yeats, to a “center that holds” even when “things is exactly what you two should talk about.” After a pause, she fall apart.” I wanted it to be a center point to which he could added, “Before you finish your chat, try to figure out what come to celebrate the happiest of moments and have his Jesus wants you to do because you’re his good friend.” I took joy heightened, come at the worst of moments and have his my mother at her word. Years later, I’ve dressed up her advice burdens lightened. In that Eucharist can be a climatic moment along the lines below. Teachers and catechists can follow it, of that gathers up and symbolizes all of Christian faith—akin to course, but most effective of all will be parents. good lovemaking in a happy —I wanted Teddy to experience “holy communion” with God in this moment and The Spiritual as Integrating Life and Faith renew his commitment to the greatest commandment, to love The said that the “split” that God, neighbor, and himself. But how? Christians manage to maintain between the faith we profess and our daily lives “deserves to be counted among the more Our Responsibility serious errors of our age” (“Constitution on Church in Modern I knew Teddy would be well prepared for First Holy World,” #43). This is a rather amazing statement. Speaking Communion at his , and in the in 1965, you’d think the Council would name communism, program in which we enrolled him. And sure enough, when or materialism, or secularism, and so on; but no, the worst of we’d inquire, he could tell us that this was the real presence errors is the gap we Christians maintain between the lives we of Jesus, the very body of Christ. We followed many of the live and the faith we profess. good suggestions from our parish program for parents to help Conversely, to integrate our lives and faith into lived prepare their children for . We modeled Christian faith is surely the clue to our religion becoming a family commitment to Sunday Mass, no matter what. a spirituality. Parenthetically and especially in Catholic We baked bread together and talked about how this echoes tradition, spirituality is about putting faith to work in the Eucharist; we made sure he knew the traditional prayers; we everyday of life. To this end, Eucharist can be the touchstone practiced the ritual of receiving; we made arrangements for a of a “practical mysticism” (a favorite phrase of the mystical

w w w . b c . e d u / c h u r c h 21 9 writer Evelyn Underhill) that helps to catalyze the everyday integration of life and faith. That requires, however, that we remove all traces of a “wall of separation” between Eucharist and daily life. Instead of isolation apart from life in some sacred realm, we must approach the celebration and reception of Eucharist as a “thin veil” moment in the midst of the ordinary and everyday. We are most likely to embrace the spiritual and mystical potential of Eucharist when it functions for us as the tip of the iceberg that is the sacramentality of life in the world. That is what my mom was trying to achieve in having me talk to Jesus about whatever was going on in my life and to decide how to live as a friend of Jesus. Though Mom didn’t quote from his “last discourse” in John’s Gospel, at least four times there Jesus repeats, “If you love me, keep my commandments.” So, Eucharist must arise from and return to life, with the commitment to live as disciples. Surely, that is what Vatican II meant when it said that the liturgy should be the “summit and source” of Christian faith (“Constitution on Liturgy,” #10). “Holy Communion” © P Deliss / GODONG/Godong/Corbis friend, how will you be numbered among the best friends– Life to Eucharist to Life disciples–of Jesus? Many older Catholics grew up with the spiritual practices At the time of my First Holy Communion, I learned of making a “preparation” and a “thanksgiving” around a pattern to follow in making a thanksgiving. It’s a little receiving Eucharist. We seem to have downplayed these of mnemonic that prompts the sentiments I might express to late. The emphasis now is on singing together as a community Jesus. Amazingly, for almost 60 years now I’ve followed it every throughout the reception of Communion. But surely we don’t time I receive Eucharist. I don’t think it was my mom who all need to be singing all the time (and music ministers might taught me, so it must have been Miss Geraghty, my second well choose something more meditative as the communion grade teacher. It is easy to remember—around the word hymn). Meanwhile, I think there is much wisdom in . So, as a thanksgiving after receiving communion, and those traditional practices that we can well share with our with a view to their own lives, you might encourage your child children, and encourage them to craft their preparation and to express these sentiments. thanksgiving in ways that bring their lives to the Eucharist and Adoration: Pause to be in awe and amazement at this the Eucharist to their lives. moment of divine/human encounter; welcome Jesus and The preparation can be any pause or prayer (if only in the thank him for coming to you in the Eucharist; communion line) to ready our hearts to welcome Jesus. Here Love: Tell Jesus you love him and ask him to kindle the same I add the spin, much as my mom did, that you might ask your spark of love in your heart that is so aflame in his for us all; child in preparation, “Have you figured out what you’re going Talk: Talk to Jesus about your life, about what you’re “up to talk about to Jesus?” This is another way of inviting, “What to” and whatever is “going on” there; is going on in your life that you need to bring to the Eucharist?” Ask: Recognize the help and blessings you need in your life Also, reassure them often that they can bring all their joys and at this time and ask for them; sorrows, hopes and fears, questions and concerns to Jesus and Repent/Resolve: Ask forgiveness as needed and make chat with him in their hearts. resolutions about how you will try to live as a of For many traditional Catholics like myself, the thanksgiving Jesus, placing your life in his hands. after receiving Eucharist can approximate a weekly mystical There is no simple formula to foster in children the moment. This thin veil time should bring us to all the spirituality of Eucharist, to enable them to experience its foundational sentiments of prayer: adoration, thanksgiving, celebration and reception as a mystical moment. But we repentance, petition, and resolve. Again, we can well can well share with them the old practices of preparation encourage our children in this good practice, with an emphasis and thanksgiving, with the spin that they bring their lives to on bringing Eucharist back to their lives. Eucharist and Eucharist to their lives. For Catholic Christians This means encouraging them to figure out how they especially, Eucharist is our most ready-at-hand encounter with should live now that they’ve celebrated and received Eucharist. Emmanuel, God-with-us (Matthew 1:23). Let it be a mystical Here, raising good questions may be more effective than moment, and for our children as well. giving directives. So, consider asking, where and how is Jesus — inviting you? How are you to reach out with love and care for Endnotes others, to share your Eucharist with the world? What might Thomas Groome is a professor of theology and religious education at Boston College’s School of Theology and Ministry, where he also chairs you try to do or change in your life? While Jesus is your best the Department of Religious Education and Pastoral Ministry.

10 b o s t o n c o l l e g e | c 21 r e s o u r c e s | f a l l 2011 St. Augustine’s Sermon 272

What you behold now on the altar of God you saw there the preparation of the bread which you see, many grains last night as well. But you have not yet heard what it is, were moistened into a unity, as if there were taking place what it means, and of how great a reality is the sacrament. what Holy Scripture says about the faithful, “They had one What you see, then, is bread and a cup. This is what your mind, one heart toward God” (Act 4:32), so also in the case eyes report to you. But your faith has need to be taught that of the wine. Brothers, recall whence wine comes. Many the bread is the body of Christ, the cup the blood of Christ. hang in the cluster, but the liquid of the grapes is Perhaps this rather brief statement might be sufficient for mixed in unity. So also did Christ the Lord portray us. He belief, but belief requires instruction, for the Prophet says: willed that we belong to Him. He consecrated the mystery “Unless you believe, you will not understand” (Is 7:9). So of our peace and unity upon His table. He who receives now you can say to me: “You have taught us to believe. the mystery of unity and does not hold fast to the bond Explain, so we may understand.” of peace, receives not a mystery for himself, but testimony For the following thought may arise in anyone’s mind. against himself. “We know whence our Lord Jesus Christ took flesh, from Turned toward the Lord God, the Almighty Father, the Mary. As an infant He was nursed. He was with a , let us render great and true thanks to brought up. He grew. He attained manhood. He suffered Him, as much as our incapacity can. With all our soul, let persecution from the Jews. He has hanged on the wood, He us beg His singular gentleness that He may deign to hear was killed on the wood, He was taken down from the wood. our prayers with favor, that He may also drive the enemy He was buried. He rose on the third day. When He willed, from our actions and thoughts by His power, that He may He ascended into heaven; to there He lifted up His body. increase our faith, guide our minds, grant us a spiritual way Thence will he come to judge the living and dead. Now He of thinking, and bring us to His blessedness, through Jesus is there, enthroned at the right hand of the Father. How is Christ His Son. Amen. the bread His body? And the cup, or what is in the cup, how is that His blood?” These things, my brothers, are called sacraments for the reason that in them one thing is seen, but another is love bade me welcome understood. That which is seen has physical appearance, that which is understood has spiritual fruit. If, then, you Love bade me welcome, yet my soul drew back, wish to understand the body of Christ, listen to the Apostle Guilty of dust and sin. as he says to the faithful “You are the body of Christ, and But quick-ey’d Love, observing me grow slack His members” (1 Cor 12:27). If, therefore, you are the From my first entrance in, body of Christ and His members, your mystery has been Drew nearer to me, sweetly questioning placed on the Lord’s table, you receive your mystery. You reply “Amen” to that which you are, and by replying you If I lack’d anything. consent. For you hear “The Body of Christ,” and you reply “Amen.” Be a member of the body of Christ so that your “A guest,” I answer’d, “worthy to be here”; “Amen” may be true. Love said, “You shall be he.” But why in bread? I provide nothing of my own at this “I, the unkind, the ungrateful? Ah my dear, point, rather let us listen together to the Apostle who said, I cannot look on thee.” when he was speaking about this sacrament, “We, though Love took my hand and smiling did reply, many, are one bread, one body” (1 Cor 10:17). Understand “Who made the eyes but I?” and rejoice. Unity! Verity! Piety! Charity! “One bread.” What is this one bread? “Many… one body.” Remember “Truth, Lord, but I have marr’d them; let my shame that bread is not made from one grain, but from many. Go where it doth deserve.” When you were exorcised you were, after a fashion, milled. “And know you not,” says Love, “who bore the blame?” When you were baptized you were moistened. When you “My dear, then I will serve.” received the fire of the Holy Spirit you were baked. Be what you see, and receive what you are. “You must sit down,” says Love, “and taste my meat.” That is what the Apostle said about the bread, and he So I did sit and eat. has already indicated quite well what we are to understand —George Herbert of the cup, even though he did not say it. For just as in

w w w . b c . e d u / c h u r c h 21 11 What Everyone Needs to Know about Sacramental Real Presence rodica stoicoiu

Made you look! A short column like this tradition their own. “For I receive charity, and in every exercise of the gifts this one possibly won’t carry out the from the Lord what I also handed on of the Spirit. The ultimate symbolic entire promise of this title, but it can to you” (1 Cor 11:23). He is asking expression of ecclesial being…is the go a long way toward providing some them through repeated celebrations reality of the body of the Lord around basic concepts helpful in understanding of the Eucharist to appropriate its the ” (Power 2008, sacramental real presence. I will meaning and to make this meaning a 326). do so by looking at four areas: the part of their own lives, “For anyone Second, the sacramental real understanding of the Eucharist in who eats and without discerning presence of Christ is communicated to the earliest writings, the body, eats and drinks judgment on us through symbols. You can think of how symbols are to be approached himself” (1 Cor 11:29). He is asking symbols as the language that conveys as the language of sacrament, the them to live what they celebrate, a sacrament. Always keep in mind place of mystery in this expression life focused on caring for the poor that our eucharistic celebrations are of Christ’s presence, and the role of and the needy, a life of inclusivity and part of a symbolic order, rooted in a in the explanation radical egalitarianism (Mitchell 1998, culture of specific symbols and rituals of sacramental real presence. And why 74). Paul does not make a distinction that sacramentally express the real go to all this trouble? Well, remember between event (action) and object; it is presence of Christ. As is noted in the that the celebration of the Eucharist is all Eucharist, and Christ is present in Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy, there the most radical act we as Catholics can it. That Christ was present was a given are four modes of the presence of do. It is the symbol of our unity with for Paul; how Christ was present is a Christ in the eucharistic celebration: God and one another. It is the fullest question that would not have occurred in the community celebrating, in expression of our identity, born in the to him (Mitchell 1998, 75). His concern the word proclaimed, in the priest waters of baptism and most wholly was on the Eucharist as an action of presiding, and in a special way in the expressed around the table. Through it the community, one that forms it into bread and the wine (7). All four of we make known that we are the Body the Body of Christ through constant these modes communicate Christ’s of Christ, a communion of persons— repetition. His focus was to make sure presence symbolically. But not radically, socially, in the image of God. they celebrated well if it was truly to everyone understands symbols the And through all of this we claim that form and transform them into the same way. Many are suspicious of Christ is truly, fully, really present. But Church, the ecclesial body. From this symbols. They see them as something what do we mean by this presence? we can say that there is a relation for superficial, holding little to no This question is important on many Paul between the celebration of the meaning. You’ve probably heard the levels—for , for the faith of sacrament of the Eucharist, the real expression, “It’s not real, it’s just a all who celebrate the eucharistic liturgy, presence of Christ in the Eucharist, and symbol.” The implication here is that for ecumenical dialogue, just to name the presence of Christ in the ecclesial symbols are the opposite of reality. a few. Hence it would seem a credible body, the Church (Mitchell 1998, 77). This is not true. Since the reforms of project to more deeply understand the Paul’s concerns are also our concerns. Vatican II, we have been retrieving an meaning behind this presence. It is only in repeating the celebration of understanding of symbol as that which First, the place to begin is, of the Eucharist over and over again that is complex and multivocal, that is, course, the New Testament. The we come to inculcate its meaning into with many levels of meaning. Symbols earliest account of the Eucharist is that our lives. It is only through repeated mediate and interpret our reality. They of Paul in First Corinthians. In this encounters with the Eucharist that we, invite us to participate and enter into a text he describes a eucharistic liturgy too, make the connections between deeper reality. They call us to become and gives a theology that challenges his celebration, presence, and the Church. involved emotionally, intellectually, community to live as Christ lived. Paul As David Power notes, “It is significant and morally. Symbols point us to the notes that he is passing on a tradition and needs to be signified that Jesus is “other” encountered in the celebration that he himself received and he is asking present to his community in every of the sacraments (Mitchell 1998, 99). the community at Corinth to make action of word, prayer, and mutual They are multivalent, ambiguous,

12 b o s t o n c o l l e g e | c 21 r e s o u r c e s | f a l l 2011 and very real. It is through repeated 1998, 99). Sacramental real presence is in consecrated bread and wine is not exposure to them that we come to a truly mystery because it points to that something but someone. In the Eucharist deeper experience of Christ’s presence. which is both truly present but also Christ is present not as an object to be Our third concept is mystery. truly absent, the divine mystery, the admired but as a real person” (Mitchell Indeed, the term sacrament triune God. 2006, 176). To speak of sacramental (sacramentum) translates the Greek Fourth, we need to know where real presence is to encompass the full word mysterion, mystery, at the heart of transubstantiation fits into the picture. mystery of sacrament as event through which is the basic symbol of Christian There was a time in our history when word, action, and object. Ultimately, life, the touchstone from which all we emphasized an overly physical sacramental real presence must be other symbols are to be interpreted: understanding of real presence. understood as a totality of all of those. the life, death, and resurrection of This happens when the relational, From the early Church to today we Christ and our lives therein, the multivalent power of symbol is lost can understand that “the presence of paschal mystery. Mystery and symbol and replaced by allegory. When this Christ is given to the Church through are intimately connected. The ability occurs we move from “ambiguity the medium of narrative, blessing, of symbols to open us to the “other” to clarity…from revelation to bread and wine, eating and drinking, allows us to enter into the mystery explanation” (Mitchell 1982, 148). within a community of service” (Power of sacramental real presence. This In so doing, we rob the symbol of its 1992, 319). Sacramental real presence is possible because there is both a ability to communicate mystery. But encompasses word, event, and object. in these encounters we know that we are dealing not with It is fundamentally relational, an event but also a divine absence. We come to the physical flesh of Christ “eaten that draws us more and more fully into experience the mystery at the heart of the mystery of God. “The body of sacrament through symbols because Christ is not only on the table but at the Sacramental real pres- they point to, yet cannot contain, the table” (Mitchell 2006, 176). In the end realities they communicate. There ence encompasses word, we will be the ones who are changed is always something absent in the event, and object. It is through this sacramental encounter. indications symbols provide. This is fundamentally relational, We will, in the words of St. Augustine, their power. Nathan Mitchell argues “become what we see, receive what that “the Catholic tradition has thus an event that draws us we are.” What are we? The Body of maintained (for nearly two millennia) more and more fully into Christ, the Spirit-filled . that ‘sacrament’ both comforts us the mystery of God. — with presence and confronts us with Endnotes an absence, an irreducible ‘otherness,’ Rodica Stoicoiu, Ph.D., is a professor in a mystery” (1998, 99). Hence our by Christians, broken by the priest’s the theology department at Mount St. Mary’s eucharistic symbols (word, action, hands,” but with the sacramental real University in Emmitsburg, Maryland. event, object) are invitations into an presence of Christ (Mitchell 1982, Mitchell, Nathan. Cult and Controversy: The experience of the transcendent. And 148). Transubstantiation is understood Worship of the Eucharist Outside of Mass. New there is a deeply relational dimension as a change in the substance of bread York: Pueblo Publishing Company, 1982. to this experience. Power presents this and wine, a change in the “definitive Mitchell, Nathan. Real Presence: The Work relational element as follows: “When reality of what is present and presented of Eucharist. Chicago, IL: Liturgy Training Christ is present to his people through in the sacrament” and this happens as a Publications, 1998. the sacramental gift of his body and “result of the liturgical or sacramental Mitchell, Nathan. Meeting Mystery: Liturgy, blood, the sacramental representation action” (Power 1992, 256). The Worship, Sacraments. Maryknoll, NY: Orbis Press, of this gift is the offer to a community, bread and wine act within a symbolic 2006. and includes the response to invitation, construct, revealing a deeper reality. Power, David. The Eucharistic Mystery: Revitalizing which is the communal eating and Does the concept of transubstantiation the Tradition. New York: Crossroad, 1992. drinking at the one table, of the one loaf go far enough in explaining sacramental and the one cup” (2008, 302). In the real presence today? It is one possible Power, David. Mission, Ministry, Order: Reading experience of sacramental real presence explanation that certainly counters the the Tradition in the Present Context. New York: Continuum, 2008. the community moves in relationship intensely physical realism of an earlier into the presence of Christ through the age but it is limited. As Mitchell has Reprinted with permission of New Theology Spirit. Through the experience of the stated, “Eucharistic real presence is Review (2009) All rights reserved. eating and the drinking we are drawn not transubstantiation” (1998, 114). into the mystery of Christ, which Transubstantiation specifically focuses itself as mystery can “redefine matter on the objects of bread and wine. “The and reconfigure perception” (Mitchell body of Christ offered to Christians

w w w . b c . e d u / c h u r c h 21 13 the   in the 21   update fall 2011 the eucharist: at the center of catholic life s e p t e m b e r thursday, october 20, 2011 lecture The Eucharist in the Early Church Presenter: Daniel Harrington, monday, september 12, 2011 lecture S.J., professor, School of Theology and Ministry Location/Time: How Is the Eucharist the Center of Catholic Life? Presenter: School of Theology and Ministry, 9 Lake Street, Room 100, 5:30 Thomas Groome, professor, School of Theology and Ministry p.m. Sponsors: The C21 Center and School of Theology and Location/Time: Gasson Hall, Room 100, 5:30 p.m. Sponsors: Ministry Webcast Available: November 3, 2011 The C21 Center, School of Theology and Ministry, BC Alumni tuesday, october 25, 2011 episcopal visitor Association Webcast Available: September 26, 2011 The Eucharist: The Center of Catholic Life Presenter: Cardinal thursday, september 22, 2011 lecture Sean Patrick O’Malley, O.F.M Cap. Location/Time: Murray Cultural Identity and Interreligious Dialogue Presenter: Peter Function Room, Yawkey Center, Lower Campus, 4:30 p.m. Phan, Ellacuria Chair of Catholic Social Thought, Georgetown Sponsors: The C21 Center, BC Theology Department, School University Location/Time: Heights Room, Corcoran of Theology and Ministry, BC Alumni Association Commons, 5:00 p.m. Sponsors: The C21 Center, BC Theology Webcast Available: November 8, 2011 Department, School of Theology and Ministry Webcast Available: October 6, 2011 n o v e m b e r tuesday, september 27, 2011 lecture tuesday, november 1, 2011 lecture The Eucharist from the Last Supper to Benedict XVI: How It Has Catechesis on the Eucharist: New Testament Models Presenter: Changed Yet Remained Unchanged Presenter: John Baldovin, Margaret Nutting Ralph, Ph.D., Lexington Theological Seminary S.J., professor, School of Theology and Ministry Location/Time: Location/Time: Heights Room, Corcoran Commons, 5:30 p.m. Gasson Hall, Room 100, 5:30 p.m. Sponsors: The C21 Center Sponsors: The C21 Center, BC Theology Department, School of and School of Theology and Ministry Webcast Available: October Theology and Ministry Webcast Available: November 15, 2011 11, 2011 wednesday, november 2, 2011 symposium wednesday, september 28, 2011 lecture American Catholics: Persisting and Changing moderator: Will There Be Faith? Presenter: Thomas Groome, professor, Tom Roberts, editor-at-large, National Catholic Reporter School of Theology and Ministry Location/Time: Heights presenters: William V. D’Antonio, The Catholic University of Room, Corcoran Commons, 5:30 p.m. Sponsors: The C21 America; Rev. Anthony J. Pogorelc, S.S., M.Div., The Catholic Center and School of Theology and Ministry Webcast Available: University of America; Michele Dillon, professor, University of New October 12, 2011 Hampshire; and others. Location/Time: Gasson Hall, Room 100, 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Sponsors: The C21 Center and the BC o c t o b e r Theology Department Webcast Available: November 16, 2011 thursday, october 6, 2011 lecture thursday, november 10, 2011 interview The Eucharist and Social Justice Presenters: Thomas Massaro, Revitalizing the Catholic Intellectual Tradition on Catholic University S.J., professor, School of Theology and Ministry Location/ Campuses: A Conversation with Charles Taylor presenter: Charles Time: Gasson Hall, Room 100, 5:30 p.m. Sponsors: The C21 Taylor, professor emeritus, McGill University Location/Time: Center, School of Theology and Ministry, BC Alumni Association Heights Room, Corcoran Commons, 4:30 p.m. Sponsors: The Webcast Available: October 20, 2011 C21 Center, BC Philosophy Department, BC Alumni Association Webcast Available: November 24, 2011 tuesday, october 11, 2011 luncheon lecture The Eucharist: The Center of Family Life Presenter: Ernest thursday, november 17, 2011 lecture Colamatti, professor of theology, Regis College Location/Time: Adoration of the presenter: Rev. Msgr. Kevin O’Neill Library, Reserves Room, 12:00 p.m. Sponsors: The C21 W. Irwin, M.Div., S.T.D., School of Theology and Religious Center and the Office of Employee Development Studies, The Catholic University of America Location/Time: Webcast Available: October 25, 2011 Heights Room, Corcoran Commons, 5:30 p.m. Sponsors: The C21 Center, BC Theology Department, BC Alumni Association panel monday, october 17, 2011 Webcast Available: November 29, 2011 Hey, Did I See You at Mass? Student Panel moderator: Kerry Cronin, associate director, Lonergan Institute, Philosophy information for events: Department Location/Time: Gasson Hall Room 100, 6:00 p.m. Sponsors: The C21 Center and BC Campus Ministry www.bc.edu/church21 Webcast Available: October 31, 2011 617–552–0470 information for events: bc alumni series www.bc.edu/church21 thursday, december 1, 2011 lecture 617–552–0470 Between Heaven and Mirth Presenter: James Martin, S.J., author and cul- ture editor, America magazine Location/Time: Robsham Theater, 6:30 p.m. Sponsors: The C21 Center and the BC Alumni Association Webcast Available: December 15, 2011 contributing publications other events you might be interested in... America, the national Catholic weekly tuesday, october 4, 2011 magazine, has been published since 1909 Beyond Catholic-Jewish Dialogue: A New Paradigm for the 21st Century Presenter: by Jesuits in the United States for thinking Catholics and those who want to know Rabbi Daniel L. Lehmann, president, Hebrew College, with response by Rev. what Catholics are thinking. David C. Michael, , St. Joseph Parish, Needham, and associate director, www.americanmagazine.org Office for Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs, Archdiocese of Boston Location/Time: Heights Room, Corcoran Commons, 4:30 p.m. sponsors: Liturgical Press began publishing for the Church in 1926 and continues its commit- BC School of Theology and Ministry and the Boston College Center for Christian- ment to providing religious and spiritual Jewish Learning information: 617-552-6501 or http://www.bc.edu/stmce resources of relevance and quality to the tuesday, october 18, 2011 Christian community. http://www.litpress.org The Practices of Discipleship Presenter: Terrence W. Tilley, Avery Cardinal Dulles, S.J., Professor of and chair, theology department, Fordham Paul Press was founded to give University Location/Time: Heights Room, Corcoran Commons, 5:30 p.m. Christian authors professional publishing sponsor: BC School of Theology and Ministry information: 617-552-6501 or options without the cost and hassle of trying to sign with a major publisher. http://www.bc.edu/stmce http://www.stpaulpresspublishers.com friday, november 4, 2011 Continuum International Publishing Breaking Open the Word: Best Practices Presenters: Thomas H. Groome, STM Group is an independent academic pub- professor of theology and religious education and chair, STM Department of lisher based in London and New York and Religious Education and Pastoral Ministry, and Daniel J. Harrington, S.J., STM publishes around 600 books each year professor of New Testament and editor, New Testament Abstracts Location/Time: focusing on the Humanities, Education, Heights Room, Corcoran Commons, 1:00–4:00 p.m. sponsors: BC School of and Religion. www.continuumbooks.com Theology and Ministry information: 617-552-6501 or http://www.bc.edu/stmce wednesday, noevember 30, 2011 CHURCH Magazine is an award-winning professional quarterly of pastoral theol- Taking Flight: When Jesus Was a Refugee Presenter: Leo O’Donovan, S.J., ogy and ministry. It is written especially president emeritus, Georgetown University Location/Time: Murray Function for pastors, parish staff, parish leaders, Room, Yawkey Center, 7:30 p.m. sponsors: The Center for Human Rights and and the directors and staffs of diocesan International Justice, the Department of Theology, the Department of Fine Arts, offices. It is published by the National the School of Theology and Ministry information: 617-552-6501 or http:// Pastoral Life Center. www.churchmagazine.org www.bc.edu/stmce

abbreviations STM: BC School of Theology and Ministry C21 Center: The Church in the 21st Century Center

CENTERED AROUND THE ARTICLES IN THIS EXCITING ISSUE, school of theology and ministry A NEW C21 RESOURCES WORKSHOP C21 Online THE EUCHARIST: online learn i n g f o r s p i r i t u a l e n r i c h m e n t a n d f a i t h r e n e w a l AT THE HEART OF CATHOLIC LIFE www.bc.edu/c21online OCTOBER 12 – 25, 2011 [email protected] • 800–487–1187 Ecclesia de Eucharistia blessed john paul ii

In his 2003 encyclical letter, Pope John Paul II discusses the the bonds of profession of faith, the Eucharist in its relationship to the Church. sacraments, ecclesiastical government, and communion.”77 The Eucharist, as the supreme 35. The celebration of the Christians who wish to participate fully sacramental manifestation of Eucharist, however, cannot be the in the Eucharist by receiving the body communion in the Church, demands starting point for communion; it and blood of Christ. The apostle Paul to be celebrated in a context where presupposes that communion already appeals to this duty when he warns: the outward bonds of communion are exists, a communion which it seeks to “Let a man examine himself, and so also intact. In a special way, since the consolidate and bring to perfection. eat of the bread and of the cup” Eucharist is “as it were the summit The sacrament is an expression of (1 Cor 11:28). St. John Chrysostom, of the spiritual life and the goal of all this bond of communion both in with his stirring eloquence, exhorted the sacraments,”78 it requires that the its invisible dimension, which, in the faithful: “I too raise my voice, I bonds of communion in the sacraments, Christ and through the working beseech, beg, and implore that no one particularly in baptism and in priestly of the Holy Spirit, unites us to the draw near to this sacred table with a orders, be real. It is not possible to Father and among ourselves, and in sullied and corrupt conscience. Such give communion to a person who is its visible dimension, which entails an act, in fact, can never be called not baptized or to one who rejects the communion in the teaching of the ‘communion,’ not even were we to full truth of the faith regarding the apostles, in the sacraments, and in touch the Lord’s body a thousand times eucharistic mystery. Christ is the truth the Church’s hierarchical order. The over, but ‘condemnation,’ ‘torment,’ and he bears witness to the truth (cf. Jn profound relationship between the and ‘increase of punishment.’”73 14:6; 18:37); the sacrament of his body invisible and the visible elements of Along these same lines, the and blood does not permit duplicity. ecclesial communion is constitutive Catechism of the Catholic Church rightly 40. The Eucharist creates communion of the Church as the sacrament of stipulates that “anyone conscious of a and fosters communion. St. Paul wrote salvation.71 Only in this context can grave sin must receive the sacrament to the faithful of Corinth explaining there be a legitimate celebration of of Reconciliation before coming to how their divisions, reflected in their the Eucharist and true participation communion.”74 I therefore desire to eucharistic gatherings, contradicted in it. Consequently, it is an intrinsic reaffirm that in the Church there what they were celebrating, the Lord’s requirement of the Eucharist that it remains in force, now and in the future, Supper. The apostle then urged them should be celebrated in communion, the rule by which the to reflect on the true reality of the and specifically maintaining the various gave concrete expression to the apostle Eucharist in order to return to the bonds of that communion intact. Paul’s stern warning when it affirmed spirit of fraternal communion (cf. 1 Cor 36. Invisible communion, though by that, in order to receive the Eucharist 11:17–34). St. Augustine effectively its nature always growing, presupposes in a worthy manner, “one must first echoed this call when, in recalling the the life of grace, by which we become confess one’s sins, when one is aware of apostle’s words: “You are the body of “partakers of the divine nature” (2 Pet .”75 Christ and individually members of 1:4), and the practice of the virtues 38. Ecclesial communion, as I it” (1 Cor 12: 27), he went on to say: of faith, hope, and love. Only in this have said, is likewise visible, and finds “If you are his body and members way do we have true communion with expression in the series of “bonds” of him, then you will find set on the the Father, the Son, and the Holy listed by the Council when it teaches: Lord’s table your own mystery. Yes, Spirit. Nor is faith sufficient; we must “They are fully incorporated into the you receive your own mystery.”84 And persevere in sanctifying grace and love, society of the Church who, possessing from this observation he concludes: remaining within the Church “bodily” the Spirit of Christ, accept her whole “Christ the Lord... hallowed at his as well as “in our heart;”72 what is structure and all the means of salvation table the mystery of our peace and required, in the words of St. Paul, is established within her, and within unity. Whoever receives the mystery “faith working through love” (Gal 5:6). her visible framework are united to of unity without preserving the bonds Keeping these invisible bonds intact Christ, who governs her through the of peace receives not a mystery for his is a specific moral duty incumbent upon Supreme Pontiff and the bishops, by benefit but evidence against himself.”85

16 b o s t o n c o l l e g e | c 21 r e s o u r c e s | f a l l 2011 43. In considering the Eucharist as , by weakening the These conditions, from which the sacrament of ecclesial communion, sense of how far we remain from no dispensation can be given, must there is one subject which, due to its this goal and by introducing or be carefully respected, even though importance, must not be overlooked: exacerbating ambiguities with regard they deal with specific individual I am referring to the relationship of to one or another truth of the faith. cases, because the denial of one or the Eucharist to ecumenical activity. We The path toward full unity can only more truths of the faith regarding should all give thanks to the Blessed be undertaken in truth. In this area, these sacraments and, among these, Trinity for the many members of the the of Church law leave the truth regarding the need of faithful throughout the world who no room for uncertainty,92 in fidelity the ministerial priesthood for their in recent decades have felt an ardent to the moral norm laid down by the validity, renders the person asking desire for unity among all Christians. Second Vatican Council.93 improperly disposed to legitimately The Second Vatican Council, at I would like nonetheless to receiving them. And the opposite is the beginning of its Decree on reaffirm what I said in my encyclical also true: Catholics may not receive , sees this as a special letter after having communion in those communities gift of God.89 It was an efficacious acknowledged the impossibility of which lack a valid sacrament of grace which inspired us, the sons and eucharistic sharing: “And yet we orders.98 daughters of the Catholic Church and do have a burning desire to join in The faithful observance of the body our brothers and sisters from other celebrating the one Eucharist of the of norms established in this area99 is a churches and ecclesial communities, Lord, and this desire itself is already manifestation and, at the same time, to set forth on the path of ecumenism. a common prayer of praise, a single a guarantee of our love for Jesus Our longing for the goal of unity supplication. Together we speak to Christ in the Blessed Sacrament, for prompts us to turn to the Eucharist, the Father and increasingly we do so our brothers and sisters of different which is the supreme sacrament of ‘with one heart.’”94 Christian confessions—who have a the unity of the People of God, in as right to our witness to the truth—and much as it is the apt expression and the for the cause itself of the promotion unsurpassable source of that unity.90 Our longing for the goal of unity. In the celebration of the Eucharistic of unity prompts us to — Sacrifice the Church prays that God, turn to the Eucharist, Endnotes the Father of mercies, will grant his Encyclical Letter Ecclesia de Eucharistia. John children the fullness of the Holy which is the supreme Paul II, April 17, 2003. Spirit so that they may become one sacrament of the unity of Full text and references can be accessed at the body and one spirit in Christ.91 In the People of God. Vatican website at http://www.vatican.va/ raising this prayer to the Father of lights, from whom comes every good endowment and every perfect gift (cf. 46. In my encyclical Ut Unum Sint Jas 1:17), the Church believes that she I expressed my own appreciation of will be heard, for she prays in union these norms, which make it possible to For more with Christ her Head and Spouse, provide for the salvation of souls with who takes up this plea of his Bride and discernment: “It is a source joins it to that of his own redemptive of joy to note that Catholic ministers information sacrifice. are able, in certain particular cases, 44. Precisely because the Church’s to administer the sacraments of the unity, which the Eucharist brings Eucharist, , and from current about through the Lord’s sacrifice and of the sick to Christians who are not by communion in his body and blood, in full communion with the Catholic or prior issues of absolutely requires full communion in Church but who greatly desire to the bonds of the profession of faith, receive these sacraments, freely the sacraments, and ecclesiastical request them, and manifest the faith C21 Resources governance, it is not possible which the Catholic Church professes to celebrate together the same with regard to these sacraments. please visit: eucharistic liturgy until those bonds Conversely, in specific cases and in are fully re-established. Any such particular circumstances, Catholics would not be a valid too can request these same sacraments www.bc.edu/c21resources means, and might well prove instead from ministers of Churches in which to be an obstacle, to the attainment of these sacraments are valid.”97

w w w . b c . e d u / c h u r c h 21 17 Sacrifice: The Way to Enter The Paschal Mystery robert j. daly, s.j.

The Christian understanding of sacrifice begins with the central belief of Christianity, the mystery of the Trinity, and with the central act of Christianity, the Eucharist.

The Trinitarian View of Sacrifice our salvation. This, of course, includes Christ’s resurrection Christian sacrifice has three interconnected “moments.” and sending of the Spirit. But since Christians usually see the It begins not with us, but with the self-offering of God the sacrifice of Christ as referring especially to his passion and Father in the gift of the Son. The second moment is the death on the cross, we must look at that more closely. totally free, totally loving response of the Son in his humanity. At this point the temptation is strong to approach things The third moment—and only here does Christian sacrifice backward: that is, to allow non-Christian sacrifice with its become real—takes place when the rest of humanity, in the emphasis on destruction of a victim to interpret, and thus Spirit, begins to be taken up into that self-offering, self- veil, the deeper meaning of the sacrifice of Christ. For one giving relationship of Father and Son. can easily find in the death of Christ many of the common This is the essence of Christian sacrifice; it is as close characteristics of sacrifice in other religions—for example, as we can come to a definition of it. Everything else is its material, its agents, and its recipients. details. But since the love of God is in the details, let us Looked at in this backward way, i.e., focusing first on the gift that is destroyed, the sacrificial material is the body of look more closely. Jesus tortured to death. But seen from within, as a Trinitarian The first moment is the self-offering of the Father. We event, the primary sacrificial material (the word is used here cannot remind ourselves too often that nothing begins with only analogously) is the perfectly free, responsive, self- us; everything begins with God (see 1 Jn 4:10: “not that giving, self-communicating, en-Spirited love of the Son to we loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son”). But the Father and also to and for us. This is the ultimate and what begins with God is the Father’s self-offering initiative central meaning of the sacrifice of Christ; it is something in the gift of the Son. It is the Father giving himself; it is that traditional theology tries to express when speaking of not the Father “giving up what he loves;” and above all, it is unbloody sacrifice or sacramental presence in the Eucharist. not something that the Father does to the Son. And since all In the same way, the agents of the sacrifice of the cross Christian sacrifice begins here, sacrifice is never just giving would seem, at least outwardly, to be some Roman and up something, and above all never something that somebody Jewish officials, or perhaps even Jesus staging his own death, does to somebody else. If it is, it is simply not Christian. or the Father who “did not spare his own Son” (Rom 8:32). What happens between the Father and the Son is totally free, And the agents of the sacrifice of the Mass would seem to totally loving, totally mutual self-giving. Thus, when women be its ritual ministers (including, with liturgical , the reject “sacrifice” because patriarchal cultures have preached assembly). But, again, looked at from within as a Trinitarian it in order to keep women subservient, it is definitely not event, the agents are, first, the persons of the Trinity, and then Christian sacrifice that they are rightly rejecting. the liturgical assembly as a concrete historical realization, in The second moment is the self-offering “response” of the Son this particular time and place, of the body of Christ now, in his humanity and in the power of the Holy Spirit. I write in the power of the Spirit, ratifying its covenantal, marital “response” in quotation marks to call attention to the way relationship with God. language can veil as well as unveil. For “response” suggests Finally, who would be the recipients of the sacrificial at least a slight sense of opposition or challenge. But there action? More than 2,000 years ago, Greek religious is nothing of that in the totally self-communicating, mutual philosophy pointed out the absurdity of trying to offer relationship of Father and Son. We know that from our something to God. And when we see the sacrifice of Christ experience of human love, even if only vicariously through and the sacrifice of the Mass as a Trinitarian event, we see film and literature. For whenever authentic human love that, strictly speaking, there are no recipients. Nothing— approaches fulfillment, all sense of opposition or challenge i.e., no thing—is being given to anyone. In other words, fades as, more and more, two become one. The words “in as both the liturgical theologian Edward Kilmartin, S.J., his humanity” remind us of the scholastic teaching that the and the anthropologist René Girard have pointed out, human life of Jesus is the instrumental cause, or “hinge,” of sacrifice, in this ordinary, history-of-religions sense of

18 b o s t o n c o l l e g e | c 21 r e s o u r c e s | f a l l 2011 the word, was done away with by what God was doing in the assembly prays for the needs of the Church and the Jesus Christ. world, and then prepares to approach and, as St. Augustine The third moment is the self-offering of the faithful. Only put it, to receive what it already is, the body of Christ. with this moment does Christian sacrifice (as distinct from When we ask why these transformations are taking place, the sacrifice of Christ, from which, of course, it cannot be it becomes strikingly clear that the transformation of the separated) become real. Here again, words veil as well as bread and wine into the body of Christ is not for its own sake unveil. For strictly speaking, this is not something that the but for the sake of the transformation of the assembly into faithful do. Rather, it is what happens when, in the power the true and living body of Christ. The whole purpose of of the same Spirit that was in Jesus, we are taken up into what is taking place is not simply that the eucharistic body of the totally free, totally loving, totally self-communicating, Christ be made present on this or that altar. The purpose is mutual love of Father, Son, and Spirit. This is also what for the assembly to become more fully transformed into the happens in human love. For we do not experience falling ecclesial body of Christ, or, as we have been arguing here, in love as something that we do, but as something that to be taken up more completely into the totally free, totally happens to us, that lifts us out of ourselves and transports loving, and totally self-communicating, mutual love of us, however fleetingly, to a place of supreme fulfillment—a Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Take this away, and eucharistic foretaste of heaven. presence becomes meaningless.

Sacrifice and the Eucharist A Pastoral Suggestion To understand the Eucharist, the sacrifice of the Mass, we If Christian sacrifice means being taken up into the should, as Edward Kilmartin suggests, see it as a marriage totally free, perfectly self-communicating, mutual love of ceremony. We attend to what the Church is saying and Father, Son, and Spirit, should we use a word, sacrifice, doing at this moment of intimate contact that takes place that is so freighted with negative connotations that it between the Church and her divine partner. Seeing effectively this marvelous reality? On the other hand, the Eucharist as a marriage ceremony also helps us make the we do not have the option of totally eliminating the word. connection between the Eucharist and the rest of our lives. David N. Power, O.M.I., among others, pointed this out For just as a marriage that stops with the ceremony never to us decades ago. My suggestion is to begin with people’s becomes a real marriage, so too a Eucharist that stops with actual experiences of true Christian sacrifice and only then, the celebration in church never becomes a real Eucharist. if ever, use the word itself. Unfortunately, many actual celebrations of the Eucharist Anyone who has had some experience of self-giving veil as much as they unveil the mystery that is, or should be, love—whether from parents or caregivers, spouses, taking place. So, here too, we must examine the details. teachers, or friends—can at least begin to imagine what In all the classical eucharistic prayers (from the dialogue the self-giving love of God is. If we begin with these to the Great Amen) that come from antiquity and experiences, the experiences that make us human and give still shape what we do today, it is clear that the primary ritual us an inkling of ultimate human fulfillment, we are pointing agent of what is being said and done is the liturgical assembly. out to people, without using the word, that Christian The presider never speaks in his own voice, never as one sacrifice is already present in their lives. They already apart from the assembly and never as a mediator between know, without anyone having to tell them, that this is the God and the assembly. most beautiful thing in their lives, the most beautiful thing In this prayer the assembly addresses God the Father, that they can hope for. From that awareness—for suffering through the Son, in the power of the Holy Spirit. It passes while love remains—they will more easily put into begins by giving praise and thanks for the gifts of creation, perspective the difficult and painful things that generally covenant, and redemption in a crescendo that leads to the accompany self-giving love. They will see that it is the self- presider quoting the words of Jesus instituting the Eucharist giving love and not the suffering that accompanies it that is the night before he died. It is critically important to note that the essence of the sacrifice of Christ. They will be able to these words are not performative. What is taking place is not see that it is the self-giving love that they share with others happening “by the action of the priest,” as a popular hymn that is the essence of their own sacrifice. Sacrifice will have used to put it, but by the action of the Holy Spirit. been unveiled. So what actually is happening, not just here at the quoting — of Jesus’ , but throughout the prayer and Endnotes action of the Eucharist? Robert J. Daly, S.J., a former editor of Theological Studies, is professor Two interlocking transformations are taking place. The emeritus of theology at Boston College. assembly prays for the Holy Spirit to come and sanctify both Robert J. Daly, “Sacrifice: the Way to Enter the Paschal Mystery,” America the gifts of bread and wine and the assembly itself. Confident 188 (May 12, 2003). that this transformation of the assembly is at least beginning to take place—it will be complete only at the end of time— Reprinted with permission of America Press Inc. (2004). All rights reserved.

w w w . b c . e d u / c h u r c h 21 19 How the Eucharist Proclaims Social Justice john a. coleman, s.j.

The Eucharist Is the Memorial and ridiculed for righteousness’ sake. is a kind of “trifling with the death of of the Death of Jesus Jesus also assumed that his followers Christ” (I Cor 12:29). The meal, and the sacrifice, is also a should be ever ready to practice civil memorial. We commemorate Christ’s disobedience if need be (rending “to Eucharist Is the Body of Christ death and resurrection. We remember God what belongs to God and not to Catholics remain faithful to the truth why Jesus was put to death—precisely Caesar”). These are the teachings that of Jesus’ real presence in the elements. because of the challenging message he led to Jesus’ death. The Eucharist is truly the body of Christ. preached and lived. Jesus tells people We who remember the death “My flesh,” Jesus tells us, “is food indeed not to look to their own desires, but of Jesus at every Eucharist should and my blood is real drink. He who eats to regard the needs of others first, recall the deep meaning of Christ’s my flesh and drinks my blood lives in being especially concerned about crucifixion. Jesus who is hoisted on me and I live in him” (Jn 6:55-57). This those most in need. In preaching the a tree outside the city becomes the understanding of Christ’s real presence kingdom, Jesus bids his followers to quintessential despised outsider: “Jesus in the Eucharist is broader than his real be concerned at all times with trying crucified is above all representative presence in the elements. Christ is also to accomplish the will of God in their of the marginated, despised, and present in the Scriptures we proclaim lives and social interactions, trusting oppressed, of those who ‘don’t count’ as we break open the word. As the that, thereby, all other needs would and are kept out of sight (socially fathers of the Church always insisted, be met. He asks us to judge others invisible), of those who are outsiders it is Christ who speaks to us through more by what they do than by their and have no rights. It is not possible the Scripture and who preaches. He social status. Jesus steadfastly refuses to be one with Jesus in the moment of is also present in the assembly, which to defend his own rights by any resort this death and yet ignore the poor and becomes, no less, his body. The symbol to violence (let those who live by the suffering of the world,” writes Monika of the body of Christ is a metaphor for sword die by it, he tells Peter). Instead, Hellwig. the real transformation of elements, Jesus relies on an appeal to conscience. This is the heart of the meaning of human words, and community. It Jesus teaches that, instead of taking Jesus’ redemptive death. As Paul tells also is a potent symbol of a social revenge, we are to break down the us, to neglect the nexus between Jesus’ justice of inclusiveness. The body, rule of violence by embodying in our death and the proclamation of justice though composed of many parts, is, behavior an alternative style of life. We are to pattern our relationships on love—tough love, perhaps—but love, not competition, not humiliation, not triumphalism. We are to be in the world as those who serve. In John 13, the evangelist makes service the very heart of the Last Supper. Jesus taught his followers to live simply, not to enrich themselves, since possessions do not increase happiness. He urged us not to be worried about saving our lives but to be always ready to give them up. Jesus told his disciples not to seek honors, titles, or high positions, nor to be impressed by these in others. He pronounced a

blessing on those persecuted, despised, Patient“AIDS Receiving Communion” © Joel Stettenheim/CORBIS

20 b o s t o n c o l l e g e | c 21 r e s o u r c e s | f a l l 2011 nonetheless, one. Some of the parts world. Is this trifling with the death of banquet where all are invited, even that seem weakest and least important the Lord, to use St. Paul’s phrase? from the highways and byways. Since are really the most necessary and we recall the death of the Lord until cannot be despised. If one part of the Eucharist Is a Rite of Forgiveness he comes again, we also anticipate— body is hurt, all parts feel the pain The Eucharist begins with a like the wise virgins of the parable— (I Cor 12:12-30). This body image penitential rite, a solemn declaration Christ’s return by celebrating the takes us squarely into the arena of of our sinfulness and need for God’s Eucharist as the eschatological banquet social justice. Hear for a moment the mercy. The Church has always and community. In the symbolism of meditation of St. John Chrysostom on assumed that the Eucharist is food for the eschatological banquet, absolutely the body of Christ: healing, a gathering where our sins no one goes hungry! Inexorably, the are forgiven. At every Eucharist, we Eucharist takes us to the world of Do you wish to honor pray these words from the Our Father: hunger in our midst. As Gandhi once the body of Christ? Do not “Forgive us our sins as we forgive trenchantly put it: “There are so many despise him when he is naked. those who sin against us.” We not only hungry people in this world that they Do not honor him here in the ask for forgiveness and empowerment can look for God only in a hunk of church building with silks, toward new life for ourselves but bread.” To take part in the messianic only to neglect him outside, pledge to become, ourselves, forgivers. banquet of the Eucharist is to celebrate when he is suffering from Social justice, which is about “righting profoundly countercultural values that cold and nakedness. For he wrongs,” entails forgiveness predicated stand in judgment on our settled social who said, “This is my Body” on conversion and firm purpose of arrangements. is the same who said: “You saw amendment. Perhaps the key arena me, a hungry man, and you for social justice in our contemporary Eucharist Is Blessing did not give me to eat.” Of world (think of Northern Ireland, for The Eucharist is a solemn act of what use is it to load the table example, or Kosovo, the Middle East, thanksgiving by which we receive of Christ? Feed the hungry or the racial tensions in our own society) God’s blessing and bless God in return. and then come and decorate lies in this possibility of reconciliation. Jewish liturgical rites, which gave the table. You are making a Past iniquities are forgiven, here is the rise to our earliest Christian forms golden chalice and you do chance for a new start. But forgiveness of liturgy, take the form of blessings. not give a cup of cold water? does not come cheap. It is given in A blessing pronounces God as the The temple of your afflicted response to recompense for wrongs sovereign source of all that is already brother’s body is more done, to sincere of failure, good. It invokes the continuation precious than this temple (the and a reliance on God’s blessing to of all existing good and its increase church). The Body of Christ empower a new start. into abundance. Blessings are both becomes for you an altar. It As Jesus from the cross prayed, proclamations and performatives, that is more holy than the altar of “Father, forgive them,” he called us to is, they effect what they proclaim and stone on which you celebrate a socially just reconciliation before we signify. As a sacrament, the Eucharist the holy sacrifice. You are offer our gifts at the altar. Can you hear also effects what it signifies: covenant; able to contemplate this altar the Eucharistic resonance to Jesus’ communion with God through Christ everywhere, in the street and words: “If you are standing before the and with one another; and Christ’s in the open squares. altar in the temple, offering a sacrifice real and transforming presence that to God, and suddenly remember that a transfigures us into the body of Christ, There is a deep theological point friend has something against you, leave making us God’s temple and children at issue, then, in the dispute between your sacrifice there beside the altar and of God’s Holy Spirit. and Cardinal Roger go and apologize and be reconciled — Mahony. The television accused to him and then come and offer your Endnotes the cardinal of downplaying the real sacrifice to God” (Mt 5:23-24)? Jesus John A. Coleman, S.J., is the Casassa presence because he insisted that the reconciles and forgives on the cross Professor of Social Values at Loyola Marymount assembly, too, becomes the body of first, then by his death, he becomes a University. Christ. By her one-sided emphasis pleasing sacrifice to God for us. John A. Coleman, S.J. “How the Eucharist on the real presence of Jesus in the Proclaims Social Justice,” Part One, Church bread and wine to the exclusion of Eucharist Is the Eschatological Magazine (Winter 2000): 5-9. his presence in word and community, Banquet and Community Mother Angelica disconnects the The Eucharist that is a memorial is Eucharist from concerns for social also a foretaste of the heavenly banquet. justice and the transformation of the Jesus’ parables speak of the heavenly

w w w . b c . e d u / c h u r c h 21 21 Remain with Us Lord Mane Nobiscum Domine blessed john paul ii

The Eucharist, Principle, and gives rise. Can we not see here a special to experience the Eucharist as a great Plan of “Mission” charge which could emerge from this school of peace, forming men and women ? who, at various levels of responsibility “They set out immediately” (cf. Lk 24:33) Giving thanks in social, cultural, and political life, 24. The two disciples of Emmaus, can become promoters of dialogue and 26. One fundamental element upon recognizing the Lord, “set out communion. immediately” (cf. Lk 24:33), in order of this plan is found in the very At the service of the least to report what they had seen and heard. meaning of the word “Eucharist:” Once we have truly met the Risen One thanksgiving. In Jesus, in his sacrifice, 28. There is one other point which by partaking of his body and blood, in his unconditional “yes” to the will I would like to emphasize, since it we cannot keep to ourselves the joy of the Father, is contained the “yes,” significantly affects the authenticity we have experienced. The encounter the “thank you,” and the “amen” of of our communal sharing in the with Christ, constantly intensified all humanity. The Church is called to Eucharist. It is the impulse which the and deepened in the Eucharist, issues remind men and women of this great Eucharist gives to the community for in the Church and in every Christian truth. This is especially urgent in the a practical commitment to building a an urgent summons to testimony and context of our secularized culture, more just and fraternal society. In the evangelization. I wished to emphasize characterized as it is by a forgetfulness Eucharist our God has shown love of God and a vain pursuit of human self- this in my homily announcing the Year in the extreme, overturning all those sufficiency. Incarnating the eucharistic of the Eucharist, based on the words of criteria of power which too often “plan” in daily life, wherever people St. Paul: “As often as you eat this bread govern human relations and radically live and work—in families, schools, and drink the cup, you proclaim the affirming the criterion of service: the workplace, in all of life’s settings— Lord’s death until he comes” (1 Cor “If anyone would be first, he must means bearing witness that human 11:26). The apostle closely relates be last of all and servant of all” (Mc reality cannot be justified without reference meal and proclamation: Entering 9:35). It is not by chance that the to the Creator: “Without the Creator into communion with Christ in the Gospel of John contains no account the creature would disappear.”23 memorial of his Pasch also means of the institution of the Eucharist, but sensing the duty to be a missionary of The way of solidarity instead relates the “washing of feet” 22 the event made present in that rite. 27. The Eucharist is not merely (cf. Jn 13:1–20): by bending down to The at the end of each Mass an expression of communion in the wash the feet of his disciples, Jesus is a charge given to Christians, inviting Church’s life; it is also a project of explains the meaning of the Eucharist them to work for the spread of the solidarity for all of humanity. In the unequivocally. St. Paul vigorously Gospel and the imbuing of society celebration of the Eucharist the Church reaffirms the impropriety of a with Christian values. constantly renews her awareness of eucharistic celebration lacking charity 25. The Eucharist not only provides being a “sign and instrument” not only expressed by practical sharing with the interior strength needed for this of intimate union with God but also of the poor (cf.1 Cor 11:17-22, 27–34). mission, but is also—in some sense— the unity of the whole human race.25 Can we not make this Year of the its plan. For the Eucharist is a mode of Each Mass, even when celebrated in Eucharist an occasion for diocesan being, which passes from Jesus into each obscurity or in isolation, always has a and parish communities to commit Christian, through whose testimony it universal character. The Christian who themselves in a particular way to is meant to spread throughout society takes part in the Eucharist learns to responding with fraternal solicitude and culture. For this to happen, each become a promoter of communion, peace, to one of the many forms of poverty member of the faithful must assimilate, and solidarity in every situation. More present in our world? I think, for through personal and communal than ever, our troubled world, which example, of the tragedy of hunger, meditation, the values which the began the new millennium with the which plagues hundreds of millions Eucharist expresses, the attitudes it specter of terrorism and the tragedy of human beings, the diseases which inspires, the resolutions to which it of war, demands that Christians learn afflict developing countries, the

22 b o s t o n c o l l e g e | c 21 r e s o u r c e s | f a l l 2011 loneliness of the elderly, the hardships our mutual love and, in particular, by Endnotes faced by the unemployed, the struggles our concern for those in need we will be Apostolic Letter Mane Nobiscum Domine. John of immigrants. These are evils which recognized as true followers of Christ Paul II, October 7, 2004. are present—albeit to a different (cf. Jn 13:35; Mt 25:31–46). This will be Full text and references can be accessed at the degree—even in areas of immense the criterion by which the authenticity Vatican website at http://www.vatican.va/ wealth. We cannot delude ourselves: by of our eucharistic celebrations is judged. Praying the Text: The Eucharistic Prayer in the Assembly gerard moore

How should we pray the eucharistic prayer? How can the principles of participation and pastoral application be applied to the eucharistic prayer?

Primary Theological Considerations death, and , and The Mass is made up as There are four primary theological our consequent life in the Spirit. As it were of the liturgy of the considerations that have been obscured such, the prayer is the most public and word and the liturgy of the by the constricted understanding of unequivocal pronouncement of our Eucharist, two parts so closely the eucharistic prayer that history has baptismal faith. We bless the triune connected that they form but passed on to us. The first is that the God without reservation because one single act of worship. For Eucharist is a prayer developed for we have been saved. The point is in the Mass the table of God’s the Sunday worship of the Church. developed elsewhere in this book,20 word and of Christ’s body is It is many centuries before Mass on especially with reference to lament, laid for the people of God to weekdays other than Sunday becomes tragedy, and justice. The eucharistic receive from it instruction and acceptable, even normal. Sunday is not prayer simultaneously expresses, food (GIRM2 §8). simply a convenient part of the week. symbolizes, and deepens the faith of the Rather, as can be seen as early as the New fragile, all too human community that Metaphorically, there is only Testament resurrection narratives, it is is praying it. The Trinitarian nature one “table.” Engagement with the an organizing principle in which are set of the prayer is central. Currently, our eucharistic prayer, whether by presider, the key tenets of faith: the resurrection, focus is powerfully riveted onto Christ. , concelebrant, or assembly, the messianic meal, the ascension, the We need to supplement this with added is deficient without full, active, and sending of the Spirit, the missionary attention to the God and Father of conscious participation in the word and mandate, Thomas’ confession of faith, Jesus, and to the Holy Spirit. In the end, the gathering. to name a few.18 The Sunday eucharistic it is God who has acted, and continues The paragraph from the General liturgy is the principal manifestation of to act, not us. Instruction alludes to our fourth point. the nature and being of the Church Third, it is important to realize The endpoint of the blessing prayer in any community. The eucharistic that the liturgy of the Mass, taken over bread and cup is communion. The prayer is the prayer that proclaims the as a whole, leads to this prayer. pinnacle of the entire celebration is to resurrection faith of the Church, and Our conscious participation in the enter into communion with Christ, and in so doing embodies and emboldens anaphora presupposes preparation with each other, so as to be transformed that assembly as the presence of and enlightenment through our full into a single body, to show forth the the kingdom in that place and time, activity in all the preceding parts of the reign of God, and to experience a amongst those people. liturgy. We are still too conditioned to foretaste of the eternal banquet.21 Our second point is that the see the Mass as divided up into pieces, Christian response to the resurrection without too much connection. Yet the The Particular Context of is praise and thanksgiving.19 The eucharistic prayer cannot be separated Each Assembly purpose at the heart of every eucharistic from the assembly, nor from the liturgy As living expressions of an embodied prayer is to give thanks to God for all of the word. The General Instruction is faith, the way we pray the eucharistic that has been accomplished in the life, most emphatic on this point: prayer cannot be reduced to the literary

w w w . b c . e d u / c h u r c h 21 23 work itself. Every prayer is set within indeed “it is right to give thanks and The praise and thanksgiving offered a context determined by three factors: praise.” On a side note, acclamations are the community’s lived baptismal posture, roles, and occasion. These make more sense, posture-wise, when faith that all things come together in condition the way we take up the prayer, those who make them are standing Christ. Consequently, the community offering modes of participation that are rather than kneeling. comes fully aware of its needs, current active and conscious, though respectful situation, local , and the needs of the genre of the text. Praying the Eucharistic Prayer and condition of God’s world. They How then do we pray the eucharistic Multiple roles approach the table nourished already by prayer? An initial step is to choose the Word that has just been proclaimed. Questions of posture lead our a prayer, along with Preface and They enter the prayer with the desire discussion into plurality of roles. By Acclamation, that suits the pastoral of communion, in the Body and Blood the time of the counter- the and spiritual needs of the assembly. of Christ, and into the body of Christ. diversity of roles in the Roman , Different prayers, and certainly the The various roles and parts reflect and in the eucharistic tradition, was variety of prefaces, were written with the diversity of the body and its unity virtually lost. The new, post-Trent, diverse situations in mind. The General through cooperation. standard ritual book of the Mass, the Instruction provides norms guiding The presider leads the prayer. It is Missale Romanum of Pius V (1570) the choice of the eucharistic prayer.43 not his alone, both because it is a prayer indicated that the Roman Canon The eucharistic prayer(s) for Masses of the Church, and because all worship commenced after the Preface and of Reconciliation, originally intended is an act of the Spirit. Presiding involves Holy, Holy, Holy. The closing Amen far more than the recitation of the remained the only response, mainly the words in the text, and the carrying out preserve of the server. The participative of its prescribed actions. The presider nature of the prayer, however, has prays the text. In doing so he gives voice deeper roots. and body to the praise, thanksgiving, A dialogue heralds that the prayer memorial, and petition of the assembly. has begun: This cannot be done without authentic, C: The Lord be with you. ecclesial authorization. He ought to P: And also with you. celebrate in such a way that the faithful C: Lift up your hearts. are able to engage in these movements, P: We lift them up to the Lord. and to make them their own. To do this C: Let us give thanks to the Lord well requires a sense of the assembly our God. gathered, the prayer itself, and its place P: It is right to give thanks and in the liturgy as a whole, baptismal praise. thanksgiving, and the complexities and contradictions in our current practice. The most ancient sources, and now Photo courtesy of BC Office of MarketingCommunications. This last is significant. Currently our the current Roman Missal, begin the for use in the Holy Year of 1975, are eucharistic religious imagination is 28 prayer in this manner. The presence seen as suitable for special celebrations quite mixed. Proficient presiding means of this dialogue indicates that the with the theme of reconciliation and keeping these perspectives in balance, prayer is an act of the whole assembly, penance, especially during or always attentive to the primary symbol presider and people united in giving occasions of pilgrimage. In Masses for of praise and thanksgiving over bread thanks and praise. The entire prayer children, or where children are the and cup, which leads to communion in is spoken in the first person plural, predominant group, the eucharistic the Body and Blood of Christ. “we,” with one notable exception where prayers for children have their place.44 The place of the faithful is not direct Scriptural words are inferred. The Eucharistic Prayer for Masses for to mimic or repeat the words of the The Holy, Holy, Holy, the great Various Needs and Occasions has a range of presiding celebrant. Those gathered Amen, and the more recent memorial applications, set out in the Introduction celebrate the prayer through making acclamation are all integral parts of the to that text.45 it their own. Obviously included here 29 prayer. This does not imply that the The second step is to come to the is responding wholeheartedly in the parts of the celebrant and the gathered eucharistic prayer fully cognizant dialogues and acclamations. Active are interchangeable. It does mean that of the expectations the form and participation also means praying we have paid mere lip service to the structure have for the assembly that through, about, and with the proclaimed importance of all the roles in the oration. stands and prays it. It is a prayer of text. It involves allowing the prayer The celebrant can continue with the the local Church, in union with the to provoke our own baptismal praise, prayer only if the assembly agrees that , on the day of the resurrection. memorial, and petition. Concurrently,

24 b o s t o n c o l l e g e | c 21 r e s o u r c e s | f a l l 2011 we bring our particular thanksgiving Colloquim 31, 2/1999, pp 111–117. mean something that goes before the prayer it- self, as does the preface to a book. and needs to the assembly, joining them 19. “Eucharist” is from the Greek verb for giv- to all present through the efforts of the ing thanks. Early Latin texts use the expression 29. The responses in the current Roman prayers presider. Ultimately, this participation is gratias agree. remain weak, perhaps with the exception of some of the eucharistic prayers for children, the Spirit-inspired prayer of the adopted 20. See the chapter “The Justice Dimensions in in comparison to ancient and contemporary the Eucharist.” daughters and sons of God, coheirs prayers from the Eastern tradition. They often with Christ. It is the manifestation of 21. The General Instruction promotes as desirable have responses and acclamations for as the reign of God in our time. that the faithful receive the Body of the Lord well as the people. — from bread consecrated at that Mass, and per- mits a sharing in the chalice, GIRM2 §56h. 43. For eucharistic prayers I to IV see GIRM2 Endnotes §322. 28. For two early third-century sources, see the Gerard Moore is a lecturer in worship and eucharistic prayer of Hippolytus, and that of the 44. “Appendix IV: Eucharistic Prayers for practical theology at United Theological Col- Liturgy of Saints Addai and Mari, in Jasper and Masses with Children and for Masses of Recon- lege in Australia. Cuming, Prayers of the Eucharist, p 34, p 46, re- ciliation, Forward,” in The , revised Gerard Moore, “Praying the Text: The Eucha- spectively. It is similarly present in early sources according to the second typical edition of the ristic Prayer in the Assembly” in The Eucharist: of the Roman Canon; see C. Mohlberg et al., Missale Romanum, 1975, 1 March 1985, for use Faith and Worship, ed. Margaret Press (Strath- Liber Sacramentorum Romanae Aeclesiae Ordinis in the of the United States of America, field: St. Paul’s Press, 2001). Anni Circuli, Cod Vat Reg lat, 316, Rerum Eccle- New York: Catholic Book Publishing Co., 1985, siasticarum Documenta, Series Maior, Fontes IV, p 1097. 18. See Gerard Moore, “Justice without Wor- Roma: Herder, 1960, V 1242. A minor conse- ship? The God of the or the God of quence of opening with the dialogue is that the 45. Eucharistic Prayer for Masses for Various Needs Sunday: A Response to John Dominic Crossan,” term preface needs investigation. It does not and Occasions, p 12.

adore te devote With all the powers my poor Heart hath Taste Thee GOD, or touch Thee MAN, Of humble love and loyal Faith, Both yet believe; and witness Thee Thus low (my hidden life!) I bow to Thee My LORD too and my GOD, as loud as He. Whom too much love hath bowed more low for me. Help, Lord, my faith, my hope increase; Down down, proud sense! Discourses die! And fill my portion in Thy peace. Keep close, my soul’s inquiring eye! Give love for life; nor let my days Nor touch nor taste must look for more Grow, but in new powers to Thy name and praise. But each sit still in his own Door. O dear memorial of that death Your ports are all superfluous here, Which lives still, and allows us breath! Save that which lets in faith, the ear. Rich, royal food! Bountiful BREAD! Faith is my skill. Faith can believe Whose use denies us to the dead; As fast as love new laws can give. Whose vital gust [taste] alone can give Faith is my force. Faith strength affords The same leave both to eat and live; To keep pace with those powerful words. Live ever Bread of loves, and be And words more sure, more sweet, than they, My life, my soul, my surer self to me. Love could not think, truth could not say. O soft self-wounding Pelican! O let Thy wretch find that relief Whose breast weeps Balm for wounded man. Thou didst afford the faithful thief. Ah this way bend Thy benign flood Plead for me, love! Allege and show To a bleeding Heart that gasps for blood: That faith has farther, here, to go, That blood, whose least drops sovereign be And less to lean on. Because then To wash my worlds of sins from me. Though hid as GOD, wounds writ Thee man. Thomas might touch; none but might see Come love! Come LORD! and that long day At least the suffering side of Thee; For which I languish, come away; And that too was Thy self which Thee did cover, When this dry soul those eyes shall see, But here even that’s hid too which hides the other. And drink the unsealed source of Thee, When glory’s sun faith’s shades shall chase, Sweet, consider then, that I And for Thy veil give me Thy FACE. Amen. Though allowed nor hand nor eye To reach at Thy loved face; nor can —Richard Crashaw (1613–1649)

w w w . b c . e d u / c h u r c h 21 25 A Mother Hands on the Eucharist karen kiefer

We were running late. After gingerly negotiating the filled with emotion and His grace, I wondered how I could baby’s car seat and oversized diaper bag through the narrow make it up the aisle. I wasn’t ready, and yet I also knew that backdoor of St. Mary’s Chapel, we found our way into an not going to communion was not an option. I needed Holy empty wooden pew at the back of the church; the noon Communion. I needed to receive the Eucharist for the first Mass had already begun. This was our first stop on the time as a new mother with my baby in my arms. I needed to way home from the hospital, after giving birth to our first thank God and I needed to let Him know that I understood baby daughter, and a chance for us to express our profound and that I would honor His hopes as best I could. gratitude to God. As I made my way up the side aisle, I tried to cradle the It had been an emotional 72 hours, and I really needed baby with my head down, again hoping no one would notice some God time. What I didn’t know was that God needed the emotion on my face. The revelations just kept coming. some time with me, too. As I settled our newborn into my arms, everything There I was, standing there with all my flaws, felt different. I had been to this chapel hundreds of times holding the most perfect gift ever and about to receive before, praying for the moment when I would sit in front His most perfect gift, the Eucharist. The communion of of His altar with a baby in my arms and my husband by those gifts was magnificent. my side. I couldn’t believe I was living my dream, and now everything was different. I was a mother and we I heard the priest say, “The Body of Christ.” I looked up, were a family; a Catholic family, celebrating the gift of the fearing that if I uttered “Amen” a wail so loud, so tender, Eucharist together for the first time. so powerful might escape, so I nodded. But I nodded with Before I could finish that thought, my eyes were dripping conviction, and everything about that silent gesture was wet. Shocked by the abruptness and intensity of my tears, profound. It was as if I renewed all of my sacramental vows: even embarrassed by them, I tried quickly to brush them baptism, reconciliation, first communion, , away without disturbing the baby or drawing attention to and marriage in this one moment. myself. I remember wondering how tears of joy could be Honestly, I wasn’t convinced that I could do what God so overpowering. But there was more to these tears, these was asking me to do. But I was convinced that He thought were tears of revelation and the revelations were just as I could. I knew that from that moment forward, each time overpowering: I received the Eucharist, I would forever be reminded that He was with me on this journey, that He trusts me and The Holy Spirit was with me. The Holy Spirit that He believes in me. By receiving the Eucharist, I was wishes to move the Church forward through us and also acknowledging and honoring my promise to Him that through our child in a very human way. The Catholic faith that my parents had passed on to me and that my husband’s parents had passed on to him would be passed on to our daughter by us. It was our time, our turn, and our privilege to be her Eucharistic . I was not only this child’s mother but I was a Catholic mother and responsible to keep His Eucharist alive in her heart and offer her bread for her journey. That was my sacramental promise. That was the expectation. That was the hope of the Holy Spirit.

Time stood still, but the revelations continued. It was clear that I was on a new faith journey and it was already proving to be transformative. I felt a paradigm shift so incredibly powerful regarding my role in our Church, from receiver of the Eucharist to bestower of the Eucharist. I was now moving His bread forward into a new generation. Suddenly, I remember being startled when people were

already filing out of the pews for communion. I was still so Photo courtesy of BC Office of MarketingCommunications.

26 b o s t o n c o l l e g e | c 21 r e s o u r c e s | f a l l 2011 we would continue to hand on our Catholic faith and my them fully to understand that they can find the gifts of actions and examples would bring the Eucharist to life for the Eucharist in friendship, compassion, forgiveness, and our children, His children. sacrifice. Or that as God reveals Himself to us through the Over the next five years we would return to St. Mary’s Eucharist and through His radiant light we become our Chapel on the way home from the hospital three more best selves. These revelations will take time and that is all times, after giving birth to three more daughters. Each part of their journey. time the tears flowed, but I understood their presence, His Sure, there are many times when I find myself wondering presence, and I was prepared enough to bring tissues. With if we are doing enough to teach our children all that they each visit we grew stronger in our faith and more confident should know about the Eucharist and our Catholic faith, in our sacramental convictions as parents to share with but those are also the times that I am comforted by the our children the gift of our faith, hoping that one day our revelation that some of the most profound and lasting daughters would do the same if they had children. lessons our children will learn will be from the Holy Spirit As our girls have grown, we have tried to help them and through their personal faith experiences in their own see the Eucharist as a source of spiritual nourishment and life feast. strength. One of our daughters calls the Eucharist her — “Jesus vitamin” while another (our daughter with the sweet Endnotes tooth) calls it her “Lord cookie.” Those words tell us that Karen Kiefer is the associate director of the Church in the 21st they view the Eucharist with great affection and that they Century Center at Boston College and the mother of four daughters. understand in their own way its power. But it is harder for

“the mass on the world” from hymn of the universe Since once again, Lord—though this time not in the …I know that we cannot forestall, still less dictate to you, forests of the Aisne, but in the steppes of Asia—I have even the smallest of your actions; from you alone comes all neither bread nor wine, nor altar, I will raise myself beyond initiative—and this applies in the first place to my prayer. these symbols, up to the pure majesty of the real itself; I Radiant Word, blazing Power, you who mold the your priest, will make the whole earth my altar and on it manifold so as to breathe your life into it; I pray you, lay on will offer you all the labors and sufferings of the world…. us those your hands—powerful, considerate, omnipresent, My and my chalice are the depths of a soul laid widely those hands which do not (like our human hands) touch open to all the forces which in a moment will rise up from now here, now there, but which plunge into the depths and every corner of the earth and converge upon the Spirit. the totality, present and past, of things so as to reach us Grant me the remembrance and the mystic presence of all simultaneously through all that is most immense and most those whom the light is now awakening to a new day. inward within us and around us. One by one, Lord, I see and love all those who you have …Do you now, therefore, speaking through my lips, given me to sustain and charm my life. One by one, also I pronounce over this earthly travail your twofold efficacious: number all those who make up that other beloved family Word, the word without which all that our wisdom and our which has gradually surrounded me, its unity fashioned out experience have built up must totter and crumble—the of the most disparate elements, with affinities of the heart, of word through which our most far-reaching speculations scientific research, and of thought. And again, one by one— and our encounter with the universe are come together more vaguely it is true, yet all inclusively—I call before me into a unity. Over every living thing which is to spring up, the whole vast anonymous army of living humanity; those to grow, to flower, to ripen during this day say again the who surround me and support me though I do not know words: This is my Body. And over every death-force which them; those who come and those who go; above all, those waits in readiness to corrode, to wither, to cut down, speak who in office, laboratory, and factory, through their vision again your commanding words, which express the supreme of truth or despite their error, truly believe in the progress mystery of faith: This is my Blood. of earthly reality and who today will take up again their — impassioned pursuit of the light....This bread, our toil, is of Endnotes itself, I know, but an immense fragmentation: This wine, Pierre Teilhard de Chardin, S.J., was a French philosopher and Jesuit priest who trained as a paleontologist and geologist. our pain, is no more than a draught that dissolves. Yet in the very depths of this formless mass you have implanted— Pierre Teilhard de Chardin, Hymn of the Universe. New York: Harper and this I am sure of, for I sense it—a desire, irresistible, & Row, 1965. hallowing, which makes us cry out, believer and unbeliever alike: “Lord, make us one.”

w w w . b c . e d u / c h u r c h 21 27 The Sacrament of Charity Sacramentum Caritatis

Adoration and Eucharistic Devotion celebration itself. Indeed, “only in Church and a summons to individuals adoration can a profound and genuine and communities to place Christ at the The intrinsic relationship between reception mature. And it is precisely center of their lives. celebration and adoration this personal encounter with the Lord Forms of eucharistic devotion 66. One of the most moving moments that then strengthens the social mission of the Synod came when we gathered in contained in the Eucharist, which 68. The personal relationship which St. Peter’s , together with a great seeks to break down not only the walls the individual believer establishes number of the faithful, for eucharistic that separate the Lord and ourselves, with Jesus present in the Eucharist adoration. In this act of prayer, and not but also and especially the walls that constantly points beyond itself to the just in words, the assembly of bishops separate us from one another.”193 whole communion of the Church and wanted to point out the intrinsic nourishes a fuller sense of membership The practice of relationship between eucharistic in the Body of Christ. For this reason, celebration and eucharistic adoration. A 67. With the Synod Assembly, besides encouraging individual believers growing appreciation of this significant therefore, I heartily recommend to to make time for personal prayer before aspect of the Church’s faith has been an the Church’s pastors and to the People the Sacrament of the Altar, I feel obliged important part of our experience in the of God the practice of eucharistic to urge parishes and other church years following the liturgical renewal adoration, both individually and in groups to set aside times for collective desired by the Second Vatican Council. community.194 Great benefit would adoration. Naturally, already existing During the early phases of the reform, ensue from a suitable catechesis forms of eucharistic piety retain their the inherent relationship between explaining the importance of this full value. I am thinking, for example, of Mass and adoration of the Blessed act of worship, which enables the with the Blessed Sacrament, Sacrament was not always perceived faithful to experience the liturgical especially the traditional on with sufficient clarity. For example, an celebration more fully and more the Solemnity of Corpus Christi, the 40 objection that was widespread at the fruitfully. Wherever possible, it would Hours devotion, local, national, and time argued that the eucharistic bread be appropriate, especially in densely international Eucharistic Congresses, was given to us not to be looked at, but populated areas, to set aside specific and other similar initiatives. If to be eaten. In the light of the Church’s churches or oratories for perpetual suitably updated and adapted to local experience of prayer, however, this adoration. I also recommend that, circumstances, these forms of devotion was seen to be a false dichotomy. As in their catechetical training, and are still worthy of being practiced St. Augustine put it: “nemo autem illam especially in their preparation for today.195 carnem manducat, nisi prius adoraverit; first Holy Communion, children be — peccemus non adorando”—“no one eats taught the meaning and the beauty of Endnotes that flesh without first adoring it; we spending time with Jesus, and helped Post-Synodal Sacramen- should sin were we not to adore it.”191 In to cultivate a sense of awe before his tum Caritatis. Benedict XVI, February 22, 2007. presence in the Eucharist. the Eucharist, the Son of God comes to Full text and references can be accessed at the meet us and desires to become one with Here I would like to express Vatican website at http://www.vatican.va/ us; eucharistic adoration is simply the appreciation and support for all those natural consequence of the eucharistic Institutes of whose celebration, which is itself the Church’s members dedicate a significant amount supreme act of adoration.192 Receiving of time to eucharistic adoration. In this the Eucharist means adoring him whom way they give us an example of lives we receive. Only in this way do we shaped by the Lord’s real presence. become one with him, and are given, as I would also like to encourage those it were, a foretaste of the beauty of the associations of the faithful and heavenly liturgy. The act of adoration specifically devoted to outside Mass prolongs and intensifies eucharistic adoration; they serve as a all that takes place during the liturgical leaven of contemplation for the whole

28 b o s t o n c o l l e g e | c 21 r e s o u r c e s | f a l l 2011 An Experience of Adoration aaron pidel, s.j.

+AMDG+ tent, eucharistic processions accompanied by Taizé chants, I suppose my experience of eucharistic adoration is and even a eucharistic healing session. In this latter event, a fairly typical of devout Catholics of my generation. Being priest donned a cope and , while the gospel of now only 32 years old, I have no personal memory of the hemorrhaging woman, healed by contact with the fringe those features of pre-conciliar piety that ritualized the of Jesus’ garment, was read aloud. The priest then processed sacredness of the Eucharist: 40 hours devotions, Corpus with the , giving each retreatant an opportunity Christi processions, stringent requirements, a strictly to touch the humeral veil as he passed by. I remember that demarcated , and the exclusively priestly handling the silence was punctuated only by adolescent sobbing. of the sacred species and vessels. There being so little sense Though I never had much of a taste for the dramatic, the of privileged transgression at the prospect of drawing close experience of a community silently united around a common to the Eucharist, my parents had little success inducing me object of adoration stayed with me. The “re-enchantment” to serve as an at my home parish. continued apace. When I first encountered eucharistic adoration, By the time I got to college, I was ready, with the however, I remember stepping into a spiritual atmosphere encouragement of some college friends, to commit to a distinct from what I had known before. To the best of my weekly adoration slot. The daunting prospect of filling a recollection, this encounter took place when I was a junior contiguous hour with silent prayer sent me searching for in high school, working as a counselor at a summer camp devotional booklets, , and—finally—to somewhat run by the Missionaries of Charity. Occasionally, my fellow randomly selected spiritual writings. These ranged from counselors and I would stop by the sisters’ convent to ask the esoteric allure of St. John of the Cross to the florid some question or offer some service, only to discover that Marian meditations of St. Alphonsus Liguori. These were we were interrupting their afternoon . Before perhaps my first regular attempts at meditative prayer. In we could excuse ourselves, we would be coaxed into an hindsight, I can see that the very structure of eucharistic oppressively hot chapel, noiseless except for the gentle adoration provided a sound pedagogy of prayer, or what hum of an oscillating fan. There we would find the sisters Sacramentum Caritatis would call a “mystagogy.” The weekly kneeling on the hard wooden floor, their gaze fixed intently commitment of an hour helped me to persevere in dryness upon a monstrance. We hesitantly followed suit. I, of course, and discouragement. The sense of Presence radiating initially resented the imposition. However, in the rich from the monstrance encouraged a conversational prayer silence of that chapel, resentment slowly gave way—first to style and helped correct some of my natural tendencies to bemused acceptance, and finally to what I would now call introspection and self-absorption. gentle consolation. There was something about the exposed Not coincidentally, it was here that the initially terrifying Eucharist, to which the sisters attended with so much prospect of becoming a priest, the person I instinctively concentration, that called for reverent silence; and there associated with the Eucharist, began to intrude unbidden was something about the reverent silence that evoked God’s into my thoughts. My adoration periods became grist for the nearness. Borrowing a sociological term from Max Weber, mill of vocational discernment and a source of missionary I would say that these periods of reverent adoration formed motivation. And though I then tried my best to swat away the basis of my eucharistic “re-enchantment.” those unsettling “what-if” questions, I see in hindsight that In the years that followed, I noticed the spread of the “re-enchantment” of the priesthood began with the “re- adoration. This was true in the Catholic South. A parish in enchantment” of the Eucharist. North Augusta, South Carolina, began offering perpetual It is doubtlessly because of many experiences such as adoration, and was imitated after a few years by a parish in my my own that not a few highly placed Catholics welcome hometown of Augusta, Georgia. Even parishes too small to the growing popularity of eucharistic adoration. In his 2005 support perpetual adoration, such as my home parish, began Address to the , Benedict reported, to offer solemn and to resurrect their annual Corpus Christi processions. When I returned a few summers It is moving for me to see how everywhere in later to work with the Missionaries of Charity—this time in the Church the joy of eucharistic adoration is the South Bronx—I found a similar trend in the North. The reawakening and being fruitful. In the period of Missionaries once again “invited” us to attend a Youth 2000 liturgical reform, Mass and adoration outside it retreat on the grounds of St. Joseph’s Seminary in Yonkers, were often seen as in opposition to one another: It New York. Activities included all-night adoration under a was thought that the eucharistic bread had not been

w w w . b c . e d u / c h u r c h 21 29 given to us to be contemplated, but to be eaten, as a who were present the intense silence of that million young widespread objection claimed at that time. people remains unforgettable, a silence that united and uplifted us all when the Lord in the Blessed Sacrament was Benedict goes on to describe the opposition between placed on the altar.” In his sensitivity to moments such as Mass and adoration, alleged by certain liturgical scholars, as these, I find Benedict very much in touch with the sensibilities “nonsensical.” Especially in the case of the Eucharist, eating and yearnings of post-conciliar, Western Catholics. always implies both spiritual and biological assimilation. Though reactions among those million youth assembled in Benedict cites Augustine’s Enarrationes in psalmos to this Cologne surely varied, there were doubtlessly not a few for effect: “No one should eat this flesh without first adoring it... whom that period of adoration was the beginning of a re- we should sin were we not to adore it.” Benedict concludes enchantment—much like my first reluctant meditation in that adoration is therefore “the most consistent consequence that balmy adoration chapel of the Missionaries of Charity. of the eucharistic mystery itself.” — In addition to being doctrinally sound, however, Benedict Endnotes sees it as speaking powerfully to the youth of the Church. Aaron Pidel, S.J., is a Jesuit from Augusta, Georgia, who recently In the same Christmas address, Benedict recalls a personal completed his studies at the School of Theology and Ministry at Boston highlight from World Youth Day in Cologne: “For all those College.

A Graced Moment: Welcoming the New Roman Missal cardinal roger m. mahony

“A faithful friend is a sturdy The revised Roman Missal will be English language. Indeed, the subtle shelter…. A faithful friend is beyond introduced in parishes on November differences in English usage in the price.” These words from the Book of 27, 2011, the First Sunday of Advent. United States are a good indication of Sirach (6:15-16) resonate with all who The occasion offers an unprecedented the fact that there is no such thing as a know the joy of friendship. A good opportunity for in-depth preparation single, perfect English translation. friend is someone I know well, someone and thorough catechesis. The new who knows me well. A faithful friend is translation reflects more fully the power A Eucharistic Church a trusted companion who enriches my of the prayers of the Mass, both when The Catholic Church is a eucharistic life, as I do for my friend. we are celebrating Eucharist and also Church. The coming months will be a For Catholics, the Mass is where when we are sent forth to “go in peace time to consider again how and why this our relationship with the Lord, who glorifying the Lord” with our lives. is so and to come to a new appreciation is much more than a true friend, is Over these past 36 years as a priest of the Mass and its prayers. From nurtured and strengthened. The Mass and bishop, I have celebrated Mass not the very first days when the disciples itself is a “faithful friend” because we only in English but also in Spanish gathered, “they devoted themselves to know it well, and our participation and Italian. Often I have been struck the teaching of the apostles and to the draws us ever deeper into the grace by the accuracy of those translations communal life, to the breaking of the of the Lord. Later this year we will be in contrast to our English version. I bread and to the prayers” (:42). introduced to a new translation of the can appreciate the work that went into “Breaking of the bread” refers, of course, prayers of the Mass in the new Roman the new English translation, knowing to the celebration of the Eucharist. It was Missal. Some are wary of this change— that no one translation can completely probably not until the third and fourth perhaps the most significant change serve every English-speaking nation. centuries that ritual texts, or formularies, in the liturgy since the reformed Am I satisfied with every single change were used for the celebration of Mass. liturgy was first introduced after the in word or phrase? No. But since we Eucharistic Prayer II (once attributed to Second Vatican Council. Such change will be using an English-language St. Hippolytus) probably emerged in the is never easy, but perhaps a better missal that must serve many English- third century, and what we commonly approach might be to welcome the speaking countries around the world, call Eucharistic Prayer I (or the Roman new translation as a new friend about it is helpful to be mindful of the Canon) more than likely emerged in the to lead us to a new moment of grace. great diversity and nuances of the mid-fourth century. Over the following

30 b o s t o n c o l l e g e | c 21 r e s o u r c e s | f a l l 2011 centuries, local bishops approved set and, most important, Catholic children deeply God’s saving work in and formularies for Mass texts, and many and young people in understanding through the eucharistic mysteries. of those texts found their way into the the new translation and, in turn, the The newly revised Roman Missal precursors of the Roman Missal for use importance of the Eucharist in their is not simply an exercise in finding by the . lives. Perhaps there could be materials different words; rather, it is a fountain Recent polls suggest that many online just for young people: for first of new insights into Catholic teaching Catholics do not fully understand the Communion children and for young and praying. truth that the Eucharist is the sacrament people preparing for confirmation. To be sure, the transition to the new that gives us the real body, blood, soul, YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, and other translation will be a logistical challenge. and divinity of Jesus Christ. The newly social media sites are ideal vehicles for Both the priest and the congregation revised Missal provides an opportunity reaching out to this audience. USCCB will need to rely upon a variety of to consider this and other truths of the resources are available through all of participation aids. Because there are Catholic faith. these media. word changes from the very beginning The timing is propitious. When the of the Mass until the dismissal, Sacramentary was first published in will need to have the Roman Missal in English some 40 years ago, there were front of them throughout the Mass; fewer ways to communicate instantly the congregation will depend on pew than there are today with smart phones, cards, hand missals, and hymnals. tablets, and a plethora of computers. Initially this might feel awkward This development puts us far along the because we are accustomed to praying path in helping to prepare better for the and participating by heart, but we reception of the newly revised Roman need to welcome the Roman Missal, Missal. During the time of liturgical in a sense, as a new friend. It will take reforms following the Second Vatican time to become fully acquainted with Council, catechesis was inconsistent the Missal, and only through practice and not always sufficient to prepare the From Translation to Understanding will that happen. Openness to this new Church for what was being introduced. This preparation period for the experience will lead to hidden riches, Today, catechesis is not limited to the newly revised Roman Missal is a way where Catholics learn something more Sunday homily or faith formation to inform and catechize Catholics more about their faith and find new ways classes. Two outstanding websites offer deeply. Over the years, for example, to express their devotion and love for excellent resources online, through the priest has proclaimed, “The Lord the Lord. To ignore this invitation download or for purchase. be with you.” And the congregation to friendship would be to deprive The first site is that of the U.S. has responded, “And also with you.” ourselves of new opportunities and Conference of Catholic Bishops, But the Latin text should have been new riches in our liturgy. (USCCB) one of the very best: www. translated, “And with your spirit.” The I am convinced that the introduction usccb.org/romanmissal. In addition response “And also with you” does not of the newly revised Roman Missal to sample texts, commentaries, and capture the Christian meaning of the next November will be an inspiring explanations, it provides a wide Latin, Et cum spiritu tuo. One of the moment in the life of the Church in our variety of resources useful for parish earliest exchanges invoking reciprocal country and in other English-speaking communities making final preparations blessings from God and God’s spirit is countries. The new words will invite a for implementation. Seeing the found in the Book of Ruth (2:4): “...The fresh perspective as we pray, as though current and the new texts side by side LORD be with you!” and they replied, viewing a work of art in a new light. will help illustrate the richness of the “The LORD bless you!” This is a moment to enter more deeply language in the new translation. The The early Christians who were into the greatest mystery of our faith, second resource is the website of the baptized into the body of Christ had the Eucharist. Federation of Diocesan Liturgical also received the Holy Spirit. They — Commissions: www.fdlc.org. Included honored the presence of the Lord in Endnotes among its many offerings are audio one another’s lives through this greeting Cardinal Roger M. Mahony is the recordings of many of the prayers of and response (/Et cum retired of Los Angeles. the Missal. These will be particularly spiritu tuo), understood as a mutual Cardinal Roger M. Mahony, “A Graced Moment: helpful for priests in learning the style salutation and a sign of their union. The Welcoming the New Roman Missal,” America and cadence of the new texts, so they power of this greeting and response is 204 (May 23, 2011). can effectively proclaim them. far greater than “And also with you.” Parishes would be wise to make a Reprinted with permission of America Press Inc. Many of the newly translated texts (2004). All rights reserved. special effort to involve catechumens allow all people to understand more

w w w . b c . e d u / c h u r c h 21 31 Anaphora of St. John Chrysostom

Priest: Let us stand well. Let us the name of the Lord. to God ask, pray, and entreat You: Send down stand in awe. Let us be attentive, that in the highest. Your Holy Spirit upon us and upon we may present the holy offering in Priest (in a low voice): Together these gifts here presented. peace. with these blessed powers, merciful Priest: And make this bread the People: Mercy and peace, a sacrifice Master, we also proclaim and say: precious Body of Your Christ. of praise. You are holy and most holy, You and Amen. Priest: The grace of our Lord Jesus Your only begotten Son and Your Priest: And that which is in this Christ, and the love of God the Father, Holy Spirit. You are holy and most cup the precious Blood of Your Christ. and the communion of the Holy Spirit, holy, and sublime is Your glory. You so Amen. be with all of you. loved Your world that You gave Your Priest: Changing them by Your People: And with your spirit. only begotten Son so that whoever Holy Spirit. Amen. Amen. Amen. Priest: Let us lift up our hearts. believes in Him should not perish, Priest: So that they may be to those People: We lift them up to the but have eternal life. He came and who partake of them for vigilance of Lord. fulfilled the divine plan for us. On soul, forgiveness of sins, communion Priest: Let us give thanks to the the night when He was betrayed, or of Your Holy Spirit, fulfillment of Lord. rather when He gave Himself up for the kingdom of heaven, confidence People: It is proper and right. the life of the world, He took bread in before You, and not in judgment Priest (in a low voice): It is proper His holy, pure, and blameless hands, or condemnation. Again, we offer and right to sing to You, bless You, gave thanks, blessed, sanctified, broke, this spiritual worship for those who praise You, thank You, and worship and gave it to His holy disciples and repose in the faith, forefathers, You in all places of Your dominion; apostles saying: fathers, patriarchs, prophets, apostles, for You are God ineffable, beyond Priest: Take, eat, this is my Body preachers, evangelists, martyrs, comprehension, invisible, beyond which is broken for you for the confessors, ascetics, and for every understanding, existing forever and forgiveness of sins. righteous spirit made perfect in faith. always the same; You and Your only People: Amen. Priest: Especially for our most begotten Son and Your Holy Spirit. Priest (in a low voice): Likewise, holy, pure, blessed, and glorious Lady, You brought us into being out of after supper, He took the cup, saying: the and ever virgin Mary. nothing, and when we fell, You raised Priest: Drink of it all of you; this is People: It is truly right to bless us up again. You did not cease doing my Blood of the , which you, Theotokos, ever blessed, most everything until You led us to heaven is shed for you and for many for the pure, and mother of our God. More and granted us Your kingdom to come. forgiveness of sins. honorable than the Cherubim, and For all these things we thank You and People: Amen. beyond compare more glorious than Your only begotten Son and Your Holy Priest (in a low voice): the Seraphim, without corruption Spirit; for all things that we know Remembering, therefore, this you gave birth to God the Word. We and do not know, for blessings seen command of the Savior, and all that magnify you, the true Theotokos. and unseen that have been bestowed came to pass for our sake, the cross, Priest (in a low voice): For upon us. We also thank You for this the tomb, the resurrection on the St. John the prophet, forerunner, liturgy which You are pleased to accept third day, the ascension into heaven, and Baptist; for the holy glorious from our hands, even though You are the enthronement at the right hand of and most honorable Apostles, for surrounded by thousands of Archangels the Father, and the second, glorious Saint(s) (Name(s)) whose memory we and tens of thousands of Angels, by the coming. commemorate today; and for all Your Cherubim and Seraphim, six-winged, Priest: We offer to You these gifts saints, through whose supplications, many-eyed, soaring with their wings, from Your own gifts in all and for all. O God, bless us. Remember also all Priest: Singing the victory hymn, People: We praise You, we bless who have fallen asleep in the hope of proclaiming, crying out, and saying: You, we give thanks to You, and we resurrection unto eternal life. (Here People: Holy, holy, holy, Lord pray to You, Lord our God. the priest commemorates the names Sabaoth, heaven and earth are filled Priest (in a low voice): Once again of the deceased.) And grant them with Your glory. Hosanna in the we offer to You this spiritual worship rest, our God, where the light of Your highest. Blessed is He who comes in without the shedding of blood, and we countenance shines. Again, we ask You,

32 b o s t o n c o l l e g e | c 21 r e s o u r c e s | f a l l 2011 Lord, remember all Orthodox bishops and salvation. Remember, Lord, those People: Lord, have mercy. who rightly teach the word of Your who do charitable work, who serve in Priest: Having prayed for the unity truth, all , all deacons in Your holy churches, and who care for of the faith and for the communion the service of Christ, and every one in the poor. And send Your mercy upon of the Holy Spirit, let us commit . We also offer to You this us all. ourselves, and one another, and our spiritual worship for the whole world, Priest: And grant that with one whole life to Christ our God. for the holy, catholic, and apostolic voice and one heart we may glorify and People: To You, O Lord. Church, and for those living in purity praise Your most honored and majestic Priest (in a low voice): We entrust and holiness. And for all those in name, of the Father and the Son and to You, loving Master, our whole public service; permit them, Lord, to the Holy Spirit, now and forever and life and hope, and we ask, pray, and serve and govern in peace that through to the ages of ages. entreat: Make us worthy to partake of the faithful conduct of their duties we People: Amen. your heavenly and awesome Mysteries may live peaceful and serene lives in all Priest: The mercy of our great God from this holy and spiritual Table with piety and holiness. and Savior Jesus Christ be with all of a clear conscience; for the remission Priest: Above all, remember, Lord, you. of sins, forgiveness of transgressions, our Archbishop (Name): Grant that he People: And with your spirit. communion of the Holy Spirit, may serve Your holy churches in peace. Priest: Having remembered all the inheritance of the kingdom of heaven, Keep him safe, honorable, and healthy saints, let us again in peace pray to the confidence before You, and not in for many years, rightly teaching the Lord. judgment or condemnation. word of Your truth. People: Lord, have mercy. Priest: And make us worthy, Master, Priest: Remember also, Lord, those Priest: For the precious Gifts with confidence and without fear of whom each of us calls to mind and all offered and consecrated, let us pray to condemnation, to dare call You, the your people. the Lord. heavenly God, FATHER, and to say: People: And all Your people. People: Lord, have mercy. Priest (in a low voice): Remember, Priest: That our loving God who THE LORD’S PRAYER Lord, the city in which we live, every has received them at His holy, heavenly, — city and country, and the faithful who and spiritual altar as an offering of Endnotes dwell in them. Remember, Lord, the spiritual fragrance may in return send Accessed from http://www.goarch.org/chapel/ travelers, the sick, the suffering, and upon us and the gift of the liturgical_texts/liturgy_hchc. July 24, 2011 the captives, granting them protection Holy Spirit, let us pray.

the shape of the liturgy Was ever another command so obeyed? For century settlement of a strike; for a son for a barren woman; for after century, spreading slowly to every continent and Captain so-and-so, wounded and prisoner of war; while country and among every race on earth, this action has the lions roared in the nearby amphitheatre; on the beach been done, in every conceivable human circumstance, for at Dunkirk; while the hiss of scythes in the thick June every conceivable human need from infancy and before grass came faintly through the windows of the church; it to extreme old age and after it, from the pinnacles of tremulously, by an old on the 50th anniversary of his earthly greatness to the refuge of fugitives in the caves and vows; furtively, by an exiled bishop who had hewn timber dens of the earth. Men have found no better thing than this all day in a prison camp near Murmansk; gorgeously, for to do for kings at their crowning and for criminals going the canonization of St. Joan of Arc—one could fill many to the scaffold; for armies in triumph or for a bride and pages with the reasons why men have done this, and not tell bridegroom in a little country church; for the proclamation a hundredth part of them. And best of all, week by week of a dogma or for a good crop of wheat; for the wisdom of and month by month, on a hundred thousand successive the Parliament of a mighty nation or for a sick old woman Sundays, faithfully, unfailingly, across all the parishes of afraid to die; for a schoolboy sitting an examination or for , the pastors have done this just to make the Columbus setting out to discover America; for the famine plebs sancta Dei—the holy common people of God. of whole provinces or for the soul of a dead lover; in — thankfulness because my father did not die of pneumonia; Endnotes for a village headman much tempted to return to fetich Gregory Dix, an Anglican Benedictine monk. because the yams had failed; because the Turk was at the gates of Vienna; for the repentance of Margaret; for the Gregory Dix, The Shape of the Liturgy (Continuum Press, 2005).

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