The Eucharist Jan 27, 2020 Agenda • Sacraments Overview • Source and Summit • Old Testament Typology • Jesus and the Jewish Passover • The Real Presence • Rules • Q & A Natural & Supernatural Luke the Evangelist The Gospel of Luke The Acts of the Apostles Vol I: The life of Christ on earth Vol. II: The life of Christ in the Church The Word made Flesh – The BODY The Mystical BODY – The SPIRIT Body - Natural Ascension Spirit - Supernatural 7 Requirements for Sustained Life 7 Sacraments for Our Eternal Life Birth Baptism (re-birth) Nourishment (food & drink) Eucharist (true food) Growth to maturity Confirmation Injury – first aid Reconciliation Disease - healing Anointing of the Sick Procreation Matrimony Governance Holy Orders Sacraments - Overview • Thomas Aquinas, “the sacraments contain the power of God, but the Eucharist is God.” • All 7 Sacraments point us toward holiness, the path to heaven. “The 6 other Sacraments point toward the Eucharist.” Fulton J Sheen The Source & Summit • In the Lord’s Prayer Jesus taught us to pray: – Give us this day our “Daily bread” – the food we need…super-substantial bread (what we truly need) epiousios • Food for the journey …Source of life…”unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you do not have life within you.” John 6:53 • The SOURCE of life • God Himself, THE SUMMIT , the pinnacle, the destination of the journey. • The Eucharist is the Source and Summit of the faith. • The central focus, the goal of the spiritual life, as well as the fuel that gets us there. Family Meals - Scripture • Typology – Symbols; prefiguring – “New lies hidden in the old, and the old is revealed in the new”. St. Augustine – Old Testament – God’s imperfect revelation. • Eden – animals were provided for food. • Man offers animals as a sacrifice to God; thanksgiving. • Abel the sacrifice that was pleasing/acceptable.. • God ultimately asks Abraham (Gen 22) to sacrifice his only son… • Quick overview of the biblical roots of “right worship”: – Animal is offered for God. Gifts are returned to God. – The flesh is roasted and consumed in a family meal. – The blood is offered as a libation to God; sprinkling of the blood on the people as a sign of the covenant. – Celebrated in the same way throughout salvation history. – A sacred meal, a family meal -- sacrum convivium. – Isaiah Lavish meal on the mountain of God. • Why Sacrifice? – In a fallen world, there is no communion without sacrifice. History of Worship – Old Testament Typology 4000 2000 1200 130 1 33 50 100 397 BC BC BC BC AD AD AD AD AD Preached Written Lived Liturgy Old Testament Gospel Gospel Gospel Bible Early Church 11 - & offered offered Abel 11 Abraham Abraham 46 46 books Passover & Passover 27 27 NT Books - Cor 47, 47, 20:7 – St Paul St Paul Gen 22 St John – - 1 Revelation Septuagint Septuagint Didache Church Fathers Church Offering of Offering The Last Supper The Last Christ’s Ministry Christ’s 2:42 Greek Greek Gen 4:4 (and Noah) Council of Council Carthage Acts of the Apostles Melchizedek Gen 14 Melchizedek Moses Sacrifice of Sacrifice Canon Bread & Wine Bread Blood of the Covenant Animal Sacrifice Priestly - New Christian Liturgy Passover Passover The Mass Synagogue New Lamb Liturgy New Moses History of Worship - Old Testament Typology 4000 2000 1200 130 BC BC BC BC Old Testament offered offered Abel Abraham Abraham 46 46 books Passover & Passover - – Gen 22 Gen 4:4 Septuagint Septuagint Offering of Offering Greek Greek Melchizedek Gen 14 Melchizedek Moses Sacrifice of Sacrifice Bread & Wine Bread Blood of the Covenant Animal Sacrifice Priestly - Passover Synagogue Liturgy The Passover - Remembrance • Fundamental Jewish feast. • What was the Passover? Exodus 12 • Who was passed-over? • Freedom from Egypt? What were they freed from? • Passover Seder meal: • Scripture • Responses • Psalms • Wine and unleavened bread • Lamb of the sacrifice (led by the father) – “It is because of what the Lord did for me, when he brought me out of Egypt.” • Family Meal – in communion The Passover Meal – Jewish Traditions • Why a lamb? • Animal sacrifice – no communion without sacrifice • represents the Hebrew children who were passed-over • The blood of the lamb was spread over their door posts as a sign to God. • Thus the Seder meal culminates with the sacrifice of the unblemished lamb. The lamb is then consumed. • Freedom from the bondage of slavery. • Yom Kippur the day of atonement….scape goat, blood of the sacrifice for the atonement of our sins. (lambs blood is shed for the sins of us all) • Repeated in the Temple, on the alter, on the Holy Mountain, presided by the priest…Holy of Holies; Ark, Menorah, Bread of the Presence… History of Worship – A New Exodus 4000 2000 1200 130 1 BC BC BC BC AD Lived Old Testament Gospel offered offered Abel Abraham Abraham 46 46 books Passover & Passover - – Gen 22 Gen 4:4 Septuagint Septuagint Offering of Offering Christ’s Ministry Christ’s Greek Greek Melchizedek Gen 14 Melchizedek Moses Sacrifice of Sacrifice Bread & Wine Bread Blood of the Covenant Animal Sacrifice Priestly - Passover Synagogue Liturgy Jesus’ Ministry Begins • How did John The Baptist address Jesus when it was revealed to him That Jesus was the Messiah? • Not Behold the Son of God, Not My Lord, • Not the Messiah, Not the Lord of Lords… • Rather….. “Behold the LAMB of God, who takes away the sins of the world!” • ….the one who is to be sacrificed…from God. • God will provide the lamb (Gen 22). • Obvious to Jews of Jesus’ time • Immediately people began to follow him. • Transfiguration discussion…”New Exodus”. History of Worship – A New Exodus 4000 2000 1200 130 1 BC BC BC BC AD Lived Old Testament Gospel offered offered Abel Abraham Abraham 46 46 books Passover & Passover - – Gen 22 Gen 4:4 Septuagint Septuagint Offering of Offering The Last Supper The Last Christ’s Ministry Christ’s Greek Greek Melchizedek Gen 14 Melchizedek Moses Sacrifice of Sacrifice Bread & Wine Bread Blood of the Covenant Animal Sacrifice Priestly - New Passover Passover Synagogue New Lamb Liturgy New Moses Sacred Family Meals – New Testament • Not surprisingly, Jesus continues with the family meal theme. • Meals in the Gospel of Luke take on a special focus. • There are over 19 stories in the Gospel of Luke alone where a meal is celebrated; these celebrations mark the unifying of a family or community. Sometimes a community of sinners. • Can you name an example of a meal or feast celebration in the gospels? Sacred Family Meals – New Testament • Wedding Feast in Cana in John • Peter’s mother in law • Jesus dining with Matthew the tax collector and sinners • Dining with Simon the Pharisee (prostitute anoints Jesus); • Dining with the Pharisees (story about cleansing before eating) • Dining with the Pharisee and healed the man with dropsy (withered hand) on the sabbath. • Zachaeus • Wedding feast, man who didn’t wear the proper garment. • Parable about places of honor at the dinner table (who to invite) • Serve other supper rather than have servants serve you • Prodigal son • Multiplication of loaves • Last supper • Road to Emmaus…more on this later. • Charcoal fire Jn 21 at the Sea of Tiberias • Wedding supper of the lamb (Rev) Last Supper – New Passover • Multiplication of loaves (at the Passover) – Took blessed broke and gave • Last Supper Meal…on the Passover – In the same way he took blessed broke and gave. – “This is my Body, do this in remembrance of me.” – “This is the cup of the new covenant in my blood” Jer 31:31. A new covenant written upon their hearts. A New Testament. • That cup they drank from was the 3rd cup of the Passover meal, as St Paul says, “the Cup of blessing, is it not a communion in the body of Christ.” • The “New Moses” brings “True Bread” from Heaven. Jn 6:32-33. Jn 6:47-51 • 4th cup, the cup of consumation….”It is Finished”? – The Body’s work – The sacrifice – the Old Passover – New Passover… – A New Lamb… – A new family meal… • EAT the Lamb History of Worship – A New Exodus 4000 2000 1200 130 1 33 50 100 397 BC BC BC BC AD AD AD AD AD Preached Written Lived Liturgy Old Testament Gospel Gospel Gospel Bible Early Church 11 - & offered offered Abel 11 Abraham Abraham 46 46 books Passover & Passover 27 27 NT Books - Cor 47, 47, 20:7 – St Paul St Paul Gen 22 St John – - Gen 4:4 1 Revelation Septuagint Septuagint Didache Church Fathers Church Offering of Offering The Last Supper The Last Christ’s Ministry Christ’s 2:42 Greek Greek Council of Council Carthage Acts of the Apostles Melchizedek Gen 14 Melchizedek Moses Sacrifice of Sacrifice Canon Bread & Wine Bread Blood of the Covenant Animal Sacrifice Priestly - New Christian Liturgy Passover Passover The Mass Synagogue New Lamb Liturgy New Moses Real Presence – Is It Really Jesus? • Body, blood soul and divinity • Accidents vs Substance • Paper and ink vs. Monitary value of different bills • Baby vs Old man – Same person different appearance • Transubstantiation – Accidents/appearance stays; but the substance/reality changes. • Bread still looks like bread; wine still looks like wine • The substance changes • It is Jesus! Real Presence – Is It Really Jesus? • How does that work???? Magic? Hocus Pocus… "Hoc est corpus meum" • It is because Jesus said so, and by the power of HIS words…we believe. • “This is my body” The new and everlasting covenant. • Through the authority of the church…the Pilar and foundation of the truth” 2 Tim • The priest, in the person of Christ…uses Christ’s words. • “Jesus’ words are more powerful than nature.” St Cyril of Jerusalem • Rangers game…Elvis slides into 2nd base…I might holler out SAFE! ...Umpire has the authority, his words matter.