Sacraments Chapter 3: The Eucharist

St. Ignatius of Antioch

"take part only in one Eucharist"

How does St. Paul use the word discern?

-"discern" means to perceive the difference between things -Christians must recognize that the Eucharist is the Body and Blood of Christ and distinguish it from ordinary bread and wine

Last Supper background

-Celebrating Passover -Pure, male, unblemished lamb must be sacrificed and put blood on 2 doorposts and 1 lintel -Specific ritual -Must be ready to go and leave quickly -Angel of Death passes over homes with lambs on their door

Name of the Eucharist: Lord's Supper

-Connects to the Last Supper -Anticipation of the wedding feast of Lamb in heavenly Jerusalem

What did the act of consuming the victim do and how does this connect to the Eucharist?

-Consuming the victim united the priest to the sacrifice -We become united to the sacrifice of Christ precisely when we receive the Eucharist

Passover ritual and 4 cups

-Eat bitter herbs: bitterness of slavery 1)Cup of deliverance: deliver you from burdens of Egyptians -Read passage about Passover 2)Cup of freedom: now free, deliver from bondage -Eat lamb, unleavened bread 3)Cup of redemption: cup that is Christ's blood -Sing hymns 4)Cup of consummation: "I will take you for my people and I will be your God"

Characteristics of Christ's sacrifice

-Eternal -Has infinite value -Its merit repairs the damage caused by sin -Contains grace for everyone -Will never be sacrificed again

Name of the Eucharist: Holy Mass

-From Latin word "mittere" meaning "to send forth" -Transformed by the Eucharist, Catholics are sent forth in the peace of Christ to transform the world

First detailed account of the Eucharist

-From St. Paul's first letter (Corinthians): addresses certain abuses that occurred in early Christian Eucharistic celebrations -St Paul compares the Eucharist to pagan and OT sacrifices: by consuming sacrificed food/Eucharistic bread and wine, one participates in the sacrifice itself/Body and Blood of our Lord

John 6: Bread of Life Discourse

-Jesus calls himself the bread of life repeatedly -Manna and Jesus both came from heaven to nourish people -Says "I am the bread of life" and the crowd takes him literally -Jesus would have corrected himself if he didn't want him to take it literally; he just repeats himself -Begins using more vivid wording

What was different about the Passover meal of the Last Supper?

-Jesus said the bread and wine were his Body and Blood -Passover meal calls for a hymn and at the Last Supper, when they sang it, they went to the Mount of Olives -The Apostles left before the culminating act of the Passover ritual: drinking from the "cup of consummation"

Early Christians

-Many early Christian letters and writings understood the Eucharist as a transformation of bread and wine into the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ -Gathered around the Eucharist, strengthened by its spiritual nourishment, early Christians grew strong in faith

Eucharist being understood literally

-St. John used Greek word "to be"-literal connotation -Reaction of the crowd at the Bread of Life Discourse-shows they understood his words literally

Regarding the Real Presence of Christ, the Church teaches the following:

-The whole of Christ is present as a substance: the Eucharist is truly Christ though the material appearance of bread and wine remain -The whole of Christ is present in each and every part of the Eucharist -The whole of Christ is present even if the parts are divided -The Presence of Christ is sacramental: reality comes through a sign-bread and wine -The Presence of Christ endures as long as the appearance of bread and wine remain

What did the Eucharist established at the Last Supper fulfill?

-The words spoken by Jesus about the bread of life -This belief went to the root of their faith

What are two interrelated teachings on the Eucharist in the gospel of John?

1)Eucharist is a spiritual food-gives us grace needed for everlasting life 2)Eucharist is truly the Body and Blood of Jesus

How does the Eucharist fulfills the requirements of a sacrifice?

1)It is offered by a priest: Christ, the eternal High Priest, offers the sacrifice through human priesthood 2)The victim is an unblemished male: Christ 3)It is offered in remission for sin: redemption of Christ becomes our sacrifice for the redemption of our sins 4)It is destroyed in some manner: shows that the offering is intended for God

4 reasons for belief in Real Presence

1)Last Supper 2)John 6 3)St. Paul 4)Patristic Writings

Passover

A Jewish feast commemorating the deliverance of their first-born males from death by the blood of the lamb sprinkled on the doorposts while in bondage in Egypt.

missalette

A booklet for the use of the laity which generally contains the prayers, songs, and Scripture readings used at Mass.

excommunication

A censure by means of which a person is excluded from the communion of the faithful in response to a grave, habitual, public sin.

Spiritual Communion

A conscious, burning desire to receive Holy Communion when unable to do so physically.

victim

A living being sacrificed to a deity in the performance of a religious ritual.

The Miracle of Lanciano

A monk struggled with his belief in the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist. One morning, at Mass, he said the words of Consecration and wondered if it was truly the Body and Blood of Jesus. Miraculously, the bread turned into real flesh and the wine turned into real blood. This miracle continues today, as the flesh and blood are in the same condition they were in at Consecration.

anaphora

A prayer invoking God's power and care upon some person, place, thing, or undertaking. The prayer of Benediction acknowledging God as the source of all blessing.

sacrifice

A ritual offering made to God by a priest on behalf of the people as a sign of adoration, thanksgiving, supplication, and communion.

covenant

A solemn promise or contract regarding future action binding on the participants and fortified by an oath, expressed either in words or in symbolic action.

monstrance

A vessel of precious metal used for exposing the Blessed Sacrament for adoration.

Mt 28:18-20

All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, to the close of the age.

Mass

Also called the Eucharist or Lord's Supper. This name is derived from the Latin dismissal of the faithful, "Ite, missa est."

tabernacle

An ornamented receptacle in the church in which the consecrated Eucharist is reserved for Communion for the sick and dying as well as for adoration.

1 Cor 11:26-29

As often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes. Whoever, therefore, eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of profaning the body and blood of the Lord. Let a man examine himself, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup. For any one who eats and drinks without discerning the body eats and drinks judgment upon himself.

John 1:29

"Behold Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world"

1 Corinthians 5:7

"For Christ, our Paschal Lamb..."

What was St. Peter's response to the Bread of Life Discourse?

"Lord to whom shall we go?" This statement shows he had faith in Jesus and trusted that what he was saying was true.

How is it seen in Passover that we must eat Jesus?

At Passover, must eat Lamb, therefore, if Jesus is the Lamb of God, we must eat him

Name of the Eucharist: Eucharistic celebration(Mass)-Breaking of the Bread

Called Breaking of the Bread because Jesus broke bread on the Road to Emmaus

How is the Eucharist different from the other sacraments?

Christ himself is present in it.

What happens each time we attend the Liturgy of the Eucharist?

Christ invites us to participate in the Body and Blood given up for us so that we may share in his divine life

In celebrating the Liturgy of the Mass...

Christians participate in the primary religious expression of the New Covenant.

koinonia

Communion, fellowship, or association. This term was used by St. Luke to describe both the fellowship of believers and the relationship between the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

consecration

Dedication to a sacred purpose; to sanctify. In the Mass, Consecration refers to the moment when the bread and wine are transformed into the Body and Blood of Christ.

Origin of the word Eucharist

From Greek word "eucharistein" meaning to "give thanks"-from Scripture "when he had given thanks"

Eucharist

From the Greek for "thanksgiving"; also called the Mass or Lord's Supper. It is the principal sacramental celebration of the Church, established by Jesus at the Last Supper, in which the mystery of salvation through participation in the sacrificial Death and glorious Resurrection of Christ is renewed and accomplished.

communion

From the Latin for "mutual participation" or "oneness together": in the sense of Holy Communion, the reception of the Body and Blood of Christ in the Eucharist; in the sense of fellowship, the bond of union with Jesus and all baptized, faithful Christians in the Church.

Fagein

Greek word "to eat"

Trogein

Greek word describing what animals do when they eat, gnawing

What does Jesus give us in the Eucharist?

He gives his own Body and Blood as spiritual nourishment to keep the flame of sanctifying grace burning and to unite us more fully to himself and to his Body (the Church)

What did Jesus do after the Last Supper?

He prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane that the Father would remove the cup from him.

What does Christ do in his Eucharistic presence?

He remains mysteriously in our midst and remains under signs that express and communicate his love

Mt 3:11

I baptize you with water for repentance, but he who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry; he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire.

Gen 3:15

I will put enmity between you [Satan] and the woman, and between your seed and her seed, he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.

Name of the Eucharist: Holy and Divine Liturgy, Liturgy of the Eucharist

In Church's liturgy, we encounter the sacred mysteries of Christ and participate in the liturgy celebrated in Heaven

Name of the Eucharist: Holy Communion

In receiving the Eucharist, a Christian is united to Christ and to other members of the Christian community

Name of the Eucharist: Bread of angels, Bread from Heaven, Medicine of Immortality

In the Eucharist, we receive the spiritual graces needed to live the Christian vocation

Name of the Eucharist: Holy Sacrifice

It completes, surpasses, and perfects all OT sacrifices

Name of the Eucharist: Memorial

It reminds us of our Lord's Passion, Death, and Resurrection

What does the celebration of the Eucharist serve as?

It serves as a memorial and reminder of Christ's Passion and Death. The actual sacrifice of Christ is re-presented to us in the Liturgy of the Eucharist.

Uniqueness of Last Supper

Jesus and his Apostles don't drink from the cup of consummation -Extends Passover meal -Finishes Passover meal on the Cross when Jesus drinks the sour wine -Jesus becomes the New Lamb

Miraculous multiplication of the loaves and the fishes

Jesus fed the crowd-Jesus was at the peak of his public ministry, crowds sought him out. Jesus took this opportunity to tell them about a greater miracle to come-he gave the Bread of Life Discourse and refers to himself as the "Bread from Heaven."

Jn 6:35

Jesus said to them, "I am the bread of life; he who comes to me shall not hunger, and he who believes in me shall never thirst."

What ends the Passover Feast?

Jesus saying "I thirst" and the soldiers offering him a sponge of sour wine on a branch of hyssop-same branch used to sprinkle blood of Passover lamb. When he tasted the wine, he said "It is finished."

Mt 26:26-29

Jesus took bread, and blessed, and broke it, and gave it to the disciples and said, "Take, eat; this is my body." And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he gave it to them, saying, "Drink of it, all of you; for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. I tell you I shall not drink again of this fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father's kingdom."

By choosing to institute the Eucharist at a Passover meal and linking it to His Death...

Jesus was indicating that he would be the Lamb who takes away the sins of the world.

What is the "cup of consummation"?

Jesus' Death; would begin a New Covenant with God

Lk 1:38

Let it be to me according to your word.

Road to Emmaus

On the day of Jesus' Resurrection, two disciples were discussing the strange events of how some women found the tomb empty and saw an angel saying Jesus had risen from the dead. A stranger (Jesus) approached the them and the two told him the news and that they hoped Jesus was the promised Messiah.

What is transubstantiation?

One substance changes into a different substance

The understanding of the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist is detailed in...

Sacred Scripture-every verse about the Eucharist demands it to be understood literally rather than symbolically

Missal

Sometimes called a Sacramentary, a liturgical book which contains the prayers of the Mass for the use of the priest at the altar.

Acts 2:2-4

Suddenly a sound came from heaven like the rush of a mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared to them tongues as of fire, distributed and resting on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.

Name of the Eucharist: Eucharistic assembly

The Eucharist is an action of the Christian community

What happens each time the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass is offered?

The Eucharist transcends time and place, making that moment on Calvary present on our altar

Is 7:14

The Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, a young woman [virgin] shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.

age of discretion

The age at which a person becomes morally responsible for his actions. In most parts of the world, this age is set at seven years.

Real Presence: What is different about the Eucharist?

The bread and wine actually become the Body and Blood of Christ, along with his soul and divinity, present in a true, real, and substantial manner

epiclesis

The calling down of the Holy Spirit.

state of grace

The condition whereby one enjoys the friendship of God. One who possesses "sanctifying grace" or "habitual grace" is enabled to know, love, and serve God and others in reference to him.

How do we know Jesus meant the Bread of Life Discourse literally?

The crowd understood him literally, and he didn't correct himself, so he must have meant it literally. The crowd leaves. The Apostles don't understand either, but they have faith.

Paschal Lamb

The pure and spotless lamb prepared for the ritual Passover meal by the Jews.

Sacramental Presence

The real, true, and substantial existence of Christ's divinity and humanity in the Holy Eucharist under the appearances of bread and wine.

transubstantiation

The scholastic term used to designate the unique change, in a true, real, and substantial manner, of the entire substance of the Eucharistic bread and wine into the body and Blood of Christ, with his soul and divinity, leaving intact the accidents.

Real Presence

The unique and true presence of the Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity of Christ in the Eucharist under the appearance of bread and wine.

What happens through consecration?

The whole and entire substance of bread and wine is changed in a true, real, and substantial manner into the Body and Blood of Christ, his soul and divinity. After, there is no bread or wine present.

Similarity between manna and Jesus

Their ancestors had been sustained in the desert by manna from Heaven and Jesus would offer his Body and Blood for the nourishment of the soul. Manna offered those momentary fulfillment, while Christ offered food of everlasting life.

1 Jn 5:16-17

There is sin which is mortal; I do not say that one is to pray for that. All wrongdoing is sin, but there is sin which is not mortal.

Is 11:1-2

There shall come forth from the stump of Jesse, and a branch shall grow out of his roots. And the Spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and the fear of the LORD.

Why did people leave at the Bread of Life Discourse?

They became upset with Jesus' claim that he had come from Heaven. Jews began to dispute among themselves. The statements Jesus made proved to be too much. Some people couldn't accept the teaching and demanded an explanation, and some didn't understand. Only the 12 Apostles stayed.

Jn 3:5

Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.

Acts 8:14-17

When the apostles at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent them Peter and John, who came down and prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit; for it had not yet fallen on any of them, but they had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. Then they laid their hands on them and they received the Holy Spirit.

adoration

Worship. This is the humble acknowledgment by human beings that they are creatures of a thrice-holy creator.

When was the institution of the Eucharist?

at the Last Supper

At the Road to Emmaus, the two disciples didn't recognize Jesus until the...

breaking of the bread-his presence was unmistakenly revealed

St. Irenaeus of Lyon

elaborated on the Real Presence of Christ

If Jesus is the New Lamb...

he must be eaten and we must somehow eat his body and drink his blood. In Scripture, it explicitly states that the Passover Lamb must be consumed.

When is the first time Jesus speaks of the betrayal?

in the context of the Eucharist

The Eucharist makes Christ's sacrifice...

real and present in our own lives

What does the Road to Emmaus teach us?

that we encounter Christ in a real and physical way in the Eucharist and we need it to recognize our Lord

What is the last of the Sacraments of Initiation?

the Eucharist

Through the Eucharist, Christians are...

transformed into the one Body of Christ