Chapter 12: The Chapter 12: The EucharistEucharist
Eucharist = Jesus’ Eucharist = Jesus’ body and bloodbody and blood in the form of in the form of bread and winebread and wine
Spiritual center of Catholic lifeSpiritual center of Catholic life Because through it we’re savedBecause through it we’re saved
The The source and summitsource and summit of our life of our life Every action of the Church is tied to thisEvery action of the Church is tied to this
We remember and celebrate what God We remember and celebrate what God has done for us through Jesushas done for us through Jesus
Jesus is Jesus is truly presenttruly present here on earth here on earth – through the power of the – through the power of the Holy Holy
SpiritSpirit He is found under the He is found under the appearance of the appearance of the bread and winebread and wine
Body and blood, soul and divinity of ChristBody and blood, soul and divinity of Christ
In the presence of the Eucharist Jesus In the presence of the Eucharist Jesus remains among us as the one who loved remains among us as the one who loved us and gave Himself up for usus and gave Himself up for us
Matthew, Mark, Luke and Paul all Matthew, Mark, Luke and Paul all record record Jesus’ institutionJesus’ institution of the of the Eucharist at the Eucharist at the Last SupperLast Supper
Occurred during Occurred during PassoverPassover Night beforeNight before
Good Friday Good Friday
Gives Jewish feast of Passover it’s Gives Jewish feast of Passover it’s full full meaningmeaning – Jesus is the – Jesus is the new lambnew lamb of God of God by whose by whose bloodblood we pass from we pass from death to death to new lifenew life
Christ instituted a Christ instituted a new Passovernew Passover = the = the Eucharist as a pledge of Eucharist as a pledge of his love,his love, memorial of his death and Resurrection, memorial of his death and Resurrection, and to make us sharers in his Passoverand to make us sharers in his Passover
Eucharist is a Eucharist is a Sacrament of Sacrament of InitiationInitiation
We are initiated into the We are initiated into the
Paschal MysteryPaschal Mystery Christ actually becomes Christ actually becomes
one with usone with us
Actual sacrifice Actual sacrifice of Christ is of Christ is re-re-presented to presented to usus each time each time
Mass is Mass is celebrated,celebrated, in in the Liturgy of the Liturgy of the Eucharistthe Eucharist
Eucharist isEucharist is
IdenticalIdentical to Jesus’ to Jesus’ death on the Crossdeath on the Cross Sacramental memorialSacramental memorial of Christ and his Body of Christ and his Body Christ made presentChrist made present by the power of the HS by the power of the HS A A true sacrificetrue sacrifice Offered for the living and the dead to obtain Offered for the living and the dead to obtain
spiritual benefitsspiritual benefits
Eucharist has many namesEucharist has many names EucharistEucharist – comes – comes
from Greek from Greek eucharistein meaning eucharistein meaning to give thanksto give thanks
Lord’s SupperLord’s Supper – – because of connection because of connection to to the Last Supperthe Last Supper, , also an anticipation of also an anticipation of the wedding feast in the wedding feast in HeavenHeaven
More names …More names … Eucharistic CelebrationEucharistic Celebration or or MassMass or or breaking of the breadbreaking of the bread
– because part of Last Supper rite, where Jesus – because part of Last Supper rite, where Jesus took took bread and broke itbread and broke it and gave it to the Apostles and gave it to the Apostles
Memorial - Memorial - because it reminds us of the Lord’s Passion because it reminds us of the Lord’s Passion and Resurrectionand Resurrection
Eucharistic AssemblyEucharistic Assembly – refers to the fact that the – refers to the fact that the Eucharist is celebrated in the assembly of the faithfulEucharist is celebrated in the assembly of the faithful
More names …More names …
Holy SacrificeHoly Sacrifice – since it completes and – since it completes and surpasses all sacrifices in the Old surpasses all sacrifices in the Old TestamentTestament
All OT sacrifices foreshadow the sacrifice All OT sacrifices foreshadow the sacrifice of Christ – especially sacrifice of of Christ – especially sacrifice of priest priest MelchizedechMelchizedech who offered who offered bread and wine bread and wine to God; Eucharist uses to God; Eucharist uses bread and winebread and wine
History of the EucharistHistory of the Eucharist
Passover mealPassover meal in Exodus in Exodus Kill the lamb, place blood over doorposts, and Kill the lamb, place blood over doorposts, and
eat the lamb so that the angel would passovereat the lamb so that the angel would passover Jesus did miracles multiplying fish and Jesus did miracles multiplying fish and
loaves to loaves to feed the peoplefeed the people John chapter 6 = Jesus’ teaching on the John chapter 6 = Jesus’ teaching on the
EucharistEucharist ““I am the bread of life, I am living bread from I am the bread of life, I am living bread from
Heaven, Those who eat my flesh and drink Heaven, Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood will have eternal lifemy blood will have eternal life
Last SupperLast Supper
Jesus institutes the EucharistJesus institutes the Eucharist
Mystery of Mystery of TransubstantiationTransubstantiation
John 6:41 – Jesus refers to himself as the John 6:41 – Jesus refers to himself as the “bread came down from Heaven“bread came down from Heaven.”.”
When the priest When the priest says the words of consecrationsays the words of consecration over the bread and wine, by the power of the over the bread and wine, by the power of the Holy SpiritHoly Spirit the substance of the substance of bread and winebread and wine into into the the Body and Blood of JesusBody and Blood of Jesus
Words of consecration = words of Words of consecration = words of Eucharistic Eucharistic prayer,prayer, words of words of Jesus at the Last SupperJesus at the Last Supper Eucharist is Jesus present in the fullest possible wayEucharist is Jesus present in the fullest possible way
Bread = truly Bread = truly Jesus’ bodyJesus’ body Wine = truly Wine = truly Jesus’ bloodJesus’ blood
Transformation of bread Transformation of bread and wineand wine into Jesus’ into Jesus’ body body
and bloodand blood = = transubstantiationtransubstantiation
After words of consecration After words of consecration bread and wine aren’t bread and wine aren’t
bread and wine, but Jesus’ bread and wine, but Jesus’ Body and BloodBody and Blood
Still appear to be bread and Still appear to be bread and wine, but are Jesus’ Body wine, but are Jesus’ Body
and Bloodand Blood
Transubstantiation includes thatTransubstantiation includes that
The whole ChristThe whole Christ is present under every part of is present under every part of the Eucharistthe Eucharist
The whole ChristThe whole Christ is present if the parts are is present if the parts are divideddivided
The whole Christ is present as The whole Christ is present as a substancea substance The presence of Christ is The presence of Christ is sacramentalsacramental The presence of Christ endures The presence of Christ endures as long asas long as what what
remains appears to be bread and wine, remains appears to be bread and wine, recognized as such and uncorruptedrecognized as such and uncorrupted
Even outside the Mass Even outside the Mass Jesus Jesus remains presentremains present in in
the Eucharistthe Eucharist
Jesus is Jesus is present in present in
every every Church, in Church, in
every every tabernacletabernacle