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