SACRAMENT OF HOLY EUCHARIST
SACRAMENT OF HOLY EUCHARIST
Call OutWhat are your observed behaviors or actions of people
during the Mass?Introduction: HOLY EUCHARIST The centerpiece of the
seven ritual sacramentsThe source and summit of Christian lifeThe
most basic action of Catholic worshipFew have the chance to
consider all the incredible and rich meaning and values of the
EucharistIs how the Catholic worship God as members of Christs
Body, the ChurchThe memorial of Christs sacrifice, the sacrament of
the Lords supper, and the center of his sacramental presenceIn the
sacrament of the Eucharistic Bread the unity of believers who form
one body in Christ, is both expressed and brought aboutEucharist
for Filipino CatholicsActivities revolve around the Eucharistic
liturgy: spiritual, social, service groupCelebrations are often
graced by a Mass: family celebrations and anniversariesMost
familiar religious activity in Filipino societyPost Vatican II
Church developmentDifficulties: lack of priests, lack of proper
understanding (spectators and solitary worshippers)Variety of
personal motivation: have to go, routine, social conformity
increase rebellious reactions among youthMeaning of Eucharist1st
Century eulogy blessing (Berakhah in Hebrew). Came from that part
of the liturgy where Jesus blessed the bread, broke it and gave it
to His disciplesOver the years: Lords SupperVery early years: Agape
love feastMass: sent out sent in Latin is missa (Mass) the key word
which was a signal for the catechumen to leave. Later in the
history of the Mass,the liturgy ended with the command, Ite missa
est Go, you are sentInstitution of the EucharistJesus celebrated a
Passover meal with his disciplesA solemn feast, a ritual meal
celebrated by the Jews every year in JerusalemRe-enactment of
Yahwehs covenant with Moses and the Jews who inherited the land of
IsraelSymbols: The host of the meal in this case, Jesus
2. The New Meaning of the Passover Given by JesusFirst: Jesus
ate with his friendsThe summary of the love Jesus showed them
during his three-year ministryA reminder to his friends that he
loved themSecond: He took the unleavened bread and transformed it
into his bodyTo remind them that God sustained them in the
desertBread: the great symbol for the food that sustain life used
in the Passover to remind the Jewish people that God graciously
gives life and keeps it in existenceThird: He blessed the wine and
transformed it into his bloodSymbolizes life tooSign of joy, a
drink that gladdens peoples heartsThe transformed wine becomes
Jesus blood, the blood of a new sacrificeJesus gave up his life in
obedience to the FatherBy drinking of the cup of the transformed
wine, Christians participate in the great saving deeds of Jesus3.
Jesus Established a New CovenantWhat happens at Mass is the sharing
of new covenant, a new covenant between God and his beloved
childrenUnder the form of bread and wine Jesus is saying to us
something like this: Here I am in your midst in the life giving
forms of bread and wine. I want to remind you that I am true life
if you receive me. I want to share my body and blood. Consume me so
that I can become part of you, enter your life and help you live.
Here I am for everyone, rich and poor, male and female, young and
old, black and white. Here I am as the perfect total gift. I give
you myself under the symbols of life (bread) and joy (wine) so that
you may have my life and share my joy.Eucharist Through the
AgesThrough the ages, the Eucharist has always been based on what
Jesus said and did at the Last Supper. But it has developed over
time with different emphasis and various customs.A. The Infant
ChurchNew Testament: The breaking of the BreadAfter worshipping in
the Jewish temple, Christians in Jerusalem would go to private
homes to celebrate the fact that Jesus the Messiah had fulfilled
the Old Testament prophecies about the promised saviorB. First
CenturySaint Paul: Agape a love feast or common supperIncluded the
consecration of the bread and wine, the breaking of the bread and
communionWhen Christians grew: celebrated apart from a common
mealC. Second and Third CenturiesIn the early years, the celebrant
had a lot of freedom to say his own prayers for the MassEloquent
prayers: written down became the standard throughout the Christian
worldEarliest example: 215, composed by HippolytusD. Fourth through
Seventh Centuries384: the church leaders decided that the Mass
should be said in Latin rather than Greek (the most of the people
spoke and understood Latin)More emphasis was placed in the
sacrificial aspect of the EucharistSeventh Century: Pope Gregory
the great declared that the Latin Mass in Rome was the standard for
the western church. 1570: through the decree and some changes of
Pope Pious V, gave the Roman rite its basic form. 1964: Pope Paul
VI modified it to the Mass we have todayPeople tended to receive
communion less often because they heavily stressed divinity and
their worthinessE. Middle Ages (8th through 15th Centuries)The
theological term transubstantiation was introduced to indicate that
the bread and wine really turned into Jesus risen body and blood,
although the appearance of bread and wine remainedFocus: the
consecration, seeing and adoring the Eucharistic LordEucharistic
devotion: elevation of the host and chalice at Mass, benediction,
exposition, forty hours, feast of Corpus ChristiF. Reformation to
20th Century16th: transubstantiationThe whole of the risen Jesus is
present under each Eucharistic form (bread and wine) to receive
either the bread or the wine is to receive the whole ChristG.
TodayMass is said in the language of the peopleThe Prayer of the
Faithful has been introducedOn occasion we may receive the
Eucharist under both speciesMore emphasis is put on the Liturgy of
the Word, with special guidelines to make the homily reflect the
scripture readingsActive participation of the laity has been
encouragedThe practice of communion in the hand is allowedToday,
the Church is very concerned that people understand what is taking
place in the Mass. Revisions emphasize the value of communal
worship the emphasis is on community worship.Basic Description of
the SacramentSacrificeThe Eucharist is a sacrifice because Christ
is present precisely as offering himself for us as a sacrifice to
the FatherRepresents, makes present, the sacrifice of the cross
B. MemorialThe Eucharist is a memorial of Christs Death and
ResurrectionIn comparison with Israels Passover:- deliverance from
Egypt but more for Resurrection and Ascension- crossing the Red Sea
but more for their own Baptism- pillar of fire in the desert for
Christs true guiding light- manna in the desert but more of the
living bread- Moses as faithful servant Jesus as faithful Son-
water in the wilderness spring welling up to eternal life- law of
God at Sinai love of God poured out into our hearts by the Holy
SpiritC. Communion-SacramentSacred Meal: continuation of Christs
meal ministryElements of Meal: Coming Together, Dialogue, Sharing
of Food and DrinkSign of Unity and Bond of Charity: unity of the
ChurchD. Presence-SacramentChrists Multiple Presence: Assembly,
Minister, Holy Scriptures, Eucharistic SpeciesOutward Sign of the
EucharistMatterWheat bread: would become the Body of ChristGrapes
wine: would become the Blood of Christ2. FormLine which says: This
is my body... This is my blood... He who eats/drinks... shall have
an everlasting lifeNOTE:The validity of the celebration of the
Eucharist as far as matter and form are concern, is not so much
dependent on the matter, but more on the valid consecration uttered
by the consecrated minister.Effects of the Holy EucharistUnion with
Christ: encounter with Christ Christ gives himself to the
communicantUnion with one another: they are so closely bound to one
another as to form one body, the body of Christ brothers and
sisters in the supernatural levelHOW CAN WE RETAIN THE MEANING OF
THE EUCHARIST IN THIS PRESENT TIME?
