My Readings and Reflections - Iraguha , Hatangimbabazi Patrick (11006)

THE GREETING IN THE CELEBRATION OF THE EUCHARIST AFTER

VATICAN II[1]

            When we attend different liturgical celebrations, we are used to respond to greetings uttered by the celebrant. The celebrant greets the congregation in a proper manner and the congregation responds in an appropriate way as prescribed by rubrics. This greeting has its proper place at the beginning of every celebration. The dialogue between the celebrant and the congregation show the presence of Christ who calls people and transform a group of individuals into an ecclesiastical assembly, a celebrating community.

            The traditional greeting is “The Lord be with you”. There are other two options: “Peace be with you” (Pax vobis) and “Blessed be God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. The first formula of greeting (The Lord be with you) was already present in Eastern anaphora. It was said at the beginning of the preface. The answer to these greeting is: “And with you spirit” which alludes the Spirit received through the sacramental imposition of the hands. It is said that it can be replaced when the third formula is used. Let us look at the Pax vobis.

            “Peace be with you” is normally the greetings by bishops to the Christian congregation. Here also, we see the Risen Lord’s[2] peace bestowed or wished to the gathering assembly. We note how important our world needs peace. This is the gift or the grace we can only ask and get from God. This peace is what we expect to get after the celebration and go with it home to serve. That is why some deacons dismiss by saying “Go in peace”. Yes, it is God who bless for he is the blessed. This is reason of the third formula. It takes root in Jewish prayer of berrakat (blessing).

             Also in the Roman Missal, the greeting is preceded by the sign of the cross. The celebrant pronounces it in the name of the persons of the Trinity. People answer Amen. Martimort say it is a regrettable alteration when the greeting is not the first word uttered by the assembly. Some Episcopal conferences prefer to say the Amen themselves to allow people to say the first word while responding to the greeting.

            Still in the introduction of mass of the day, the celebrant can prolong the greeting by giving brief remarks in order to introduce the faithful in the mood of the celebration of the day. This is not meant to give a homily or a detailed presentation of the saint of the day but to help people who made that effort to come to celebrate so that they may really make an authentic assembly. The Eucharist is the source and summit of life. As a greeting is the opening for such wonderful happening, the greeting is very important when we want to encounter Christ.

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[1] The whole reflection I owe it to A.G. MARTIMORT,  The church at prayer, II, The Eucharist,pp194-195

[2] John 20, 19-21

Adoration of the Holy Eucharist as done in Clerics Regular Minor Communities

            Looking at the document of the Constitutions and Rules of the Clerics Regular Minor[1], one is impressed by the fact this Order puts Eucharist on the center of its life.[2]This particular number of the constitution put clearly what is to be the life of the Cleric Regular Minor. It says that the founders “wished to place at the center of the life of the new Order the Eucharist, as source and summit of sanctification and apostolate”. The close continues saying that “this centrality of the paschal Mystery of Christ (...) is expressed in a faithful and worthy celebration of the liturgical actions, especially of Holy Mass, of the liturgy of Hours, of the Sacrament of Reconciliation and through Eucharistic Adoration and preaching the word of God”.

            It is in the sacrifice of Christ is celebrated that the Clerics Regular Minor renew their commitment to God, to the church and their life dedicated for salvation of souls and for charity for the less fortunate: the poor and sinner. Fetching strength from the Eucharist, they are obliged and called to come back in a kind of circular way in front of Chris in the Most Holy Sacrament.

            Where brothers are enough, in front of the Sacrament exposed, they rotate and every one spends at least 30 minutes praying for the various needs of humanity and representing brothers who cannot make it for apostolate or health reasons. Mental prayer is done helped by pious readings. Adoration becomes now for them a source where they go from and come to.

            The worship of the Eucharist outside or within mass is a special privilege to the Clerics Regular Minor. This is also true of the whole people of God to whom they all belong. No doubt, we are all in the Church and breast fed by the Word and Eucharist. Yet, a particular attention or emphasis on a common element brings new inspiration on the attitude of prayer and life.

            Having exposed the Holy Sacrament from around 3 pm, at 6.30 pm, they say Rosary as provided in the document issued by John Paul II.[3] Then, follows evening prayers and blessing by the Holy Eucharist in the Monstrance.

            To conclude, this exercise is of importance for personal improvement. Also it energises the brothers in their daily dedication for apostolate where they are to carry Christ and no thing else and become a true sacrifice for their brothers and sisters.  

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[1] Clerics Regular Minor is a religious Order founded by Adorno, Saint Francis Caracciolo and Fabricius Caracciolo in the 16^th century. It was approved by Pope Sixtus V on 1^rst July, 1588.

[2] Constitutions and Rules of the Clerics Regular Minor, N^o 5.

[3] Rosarium Virginis Mariae

EUCHARISTIC CULT

            In the common understanding, Eucharist is the bread and the wine blessed trough the anaphora. Yet, though this is true, we note that the whole celebration of the liturgy called Mass is referred to as Eucharistic celebration. This celebration does not end within the church edifice just as one may think when the deacon dismisses people. We witness the power which has the Eucharistic celebration in form of devotions. We can name: Eucharistic congresses, adoration and procession. These constitute elements of the Eucharistic cult. Ours is to look at what the relevance these extra-mass celebrations. Do they value the same as the Eucharistic celebration? We cannot discus that these elements bring high the life of the Church.

            The Eucharistic congress is large gathering of Christians (priests, lay and religious) in front of the real presence of Christ: the Eucharist. The ceremonies are sponsored by the Church and celebrated trough mass, adoration and many other forms of devotions. This may take many days. They are either national or international. Such gatherings help for the revival of the faith in all sectors of Christian life and the confidence into the real presence of Christ. Adoration has a special place in such gatherings.

            The cult of adoration according to Martimort (245) goes back to the very beginning of the Christian Church though the expansion of this practice came to be more expressed in the Middle ages when in interpreting the words of Jesus: “ This is my Body”, “ This is my blood” came to be given attention to. The Eucharist has always enjoyed the profound veneration either in the mass or outside it. We think of all the bodily attitudes which are done while in front of the Most Holy Sacrament: genuflection, prostration, etc. We can recall that in ancient time, the altar (even now) was worthy of the reverence for it is there where the miracle of the Eucharist take place. Thus, with evolution of the understanding of the Eucharist, the sacrament of the invisible God gained more awareness. Without overlooking the Trinitarian prayer, in adoration people feel themselves more in the presence of our Brother who understands us in his humanity. We contemplate the face of the Redeemer and feel more in intimacy with him. The lord is nearer to us. Christ is the triumphant Lord who leads us into procession to the Father.

            One of the, major event where the Eucharist is venerated (adored), is the Feast of “Corpus Christi”. In splendid procession, Christ is held and if possible procession is done in the city or village with different stations for Adoration. In the monstrance, Christ blesses those whom he meets of his way. This devotion outside mass adds more to the meaning of Mass which is the Eucharist itself and brings faithful to really understand how Christ is present among them.

            To end, we can say that despite the origins of the worship of Eucharist outside mass which took place during the period when mass was losing its meaning, this devotion allows people to keep the awareness of how there is no other element in our faith greater than the Body and blood of our Lord himself. The Eucharistic cult is in the prolongation of the Holy Mass.     

IRAGUHA HATANGIMBABAZI PATRICK

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EUCHARIST: SACRAMENT OF UNITY

IRAGUHA HATANGIMBABAZI Patrick (11006)

Iraguha , Hatangimbabazi Patrick

Iraguha , Hatangimbabazi Patrick

            The Eucharist is the real presence of Christ. Its celebration is done in unity and ordered for that same unity by those who share the same Body of Christ in the Holy Communion. Communion is the mark of Christian assembly. Around the bishop of that particular church, the Eucharist finds its expression of that union in Christ (L.G. 23). In it is reality the Trinity who calls us together around the table of the word and the table of the Eucharist (Cf. Ronzani, 7). The end of the Eucharistic celebration is therefore the unity, peace and harmony towards our brethren calling us for charity.   

            Christians celebrating in unity show forth in clear way the presence of Christ. His presence is made clearly visible in such gathering of his will as it is said in the gospel according to Matthew 18:20: “For where two or three are come together in my name, there am I among them”. Really, Christ is present in the community celebrating. Despite differences of sex, age, color and social status, all the people of God are gathered to celebrate in unity the same mystery of their salvation. This is a miracle that occurs on every Eucharistic celebration (Cf. Ronzani, 7). Trough out the mass, the call for unity comes more and more often. Just from the beginning of the mass we are reminded that our unity is to be anchored in that of the Trinity. God gathers us. He makes us share one meal, the Body of Christ. This calls us to remain in union with Christ who is our very life and model.

Celebration makes us grow in unity with Christ. “He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me, and I in him”(John 6:56). With these words, we see the condition of being in Christ. Sacraments symbolize our life in Christ. In fact, the Word in the church summons to the encounter with Christ in the Eucharist (Hahn, 54). In the breaking of the break we are opened to his knowledge (Luke 24:30). In this account of Emmaus, the Eucharist moves one to go and share the experience of the Risen Lord.

The way we live and regard our fellow brethren is a clear sign that we have known the Lord and a challenge for Charity and Unity which we never cease to ask for a confirmation during Consecration (Eucharistic Prayer III). If Eucharist calls the awareness of the faithful who receive communion, divisions in our world would be of no-event. 

My Readings and Reflections - Nthenge , Dominic Mutuku (10090)

Dominic Nthenge

Nthenge , Dominic Mutuku (10090)

REG. NO. 10090T

{THE CONSECRATED LIFE- Post synodal, Apostolic exortation vita consecrate of the Holy Father John Paul 11}

CONSECRATED LIFE AS A SIGN OF COMMUNION IN THE CHURCH

Church is a mystery of communion and the trinity dwells on it in which the gift of the communion of the father, the son and the Holy Spirit is realised. Church is able to show its triune meaning and reality to world today in which communities of triune communion which in existence contributes to the proclamation of good news of Jesus Christ by creating concrete way of fruitfulness of his new commandment of love. Community life is a form of life to trinity because the members are called to share everything in common and everyone enjoys the fruits of the gift of each other as own. Community life witnesses the life of trinity which employs the idea of serving others generously. Church asks communities of consecrated life of common and great differences to be overcome by the Holy Spirit and the Holy Spirit which is uniting the communities. Consecrated life is made of a community which witnesses the good news of Jesus Christ and that all they become one in union with Christ, they are really sons and daughters by means of self giving to each other. The ecclesial communion between the laity and the consecrated persons in pastoral work and other initiatives has brought sharing communion in community life and apostolate with the associates and the volunteers, the members of the consecrated life with the association with the laity makes up assign  of communion through consecrated  women who lives in mutual love and equality and has become active in the cause of the kingdom of God through their activities of evangelization, education, participation in the church. By following certain charism in expression of pure love which brings to church extra ordinary apostolic and missionary effectiveness, the communion within this group arises hence becoming a sign of communion in the church. Religious brothers living in the community in fraternity becomes also a sign of communion in the church since they are united for the sake of Jesus Christ particularly in embracing a certain charism in a special way and doing the will of God always, this is characterized by total self giving to Christ in the communities. The mixed institutions also bringing about equality in the communities and having the same obligation as part and parcel of that community, the Holy Spirit is always there to meet the needs of the community. We have the associates of the marriage whereby the living together in fear of Christ and doing will of God always is a sign of communion too where by the also exchange vows to each other.

{ THE EUCHARIST: Life of the church- Encyclichical de Eucharistia of pope John Paul 11 }

THE EUCHARIST BUILDS THE CHURCH.

Eucharist remains to be the centre of the church and participates in its growth as the teachings of the Vatican 11entails. The church grows in the world through the power of God, Christ who is the sanctifier died on the cross and he is celebrated on alter which is the work of redemption carried out in us. The sacrament of the Eucharistic bread unites the faithful by forming one body in which the Christ’s apostles were the seeds of the new Israel who began sacred hierarchy, Christ by offering the body and blood in a mysterious sacrifice and strengthened the church. The apostles by accepting in the upper room invitation by Jesus to take and eat drink it they entered to sacramental communion with him. From that church is built through sacramental communion with the son of God sacrificed for the sake of humanity. Christians are incorporated to Christ through baptism in which one is renewed and consolidated to the sharing which is in form of sacramental communion, we receive Christ and he also receives us and enters in to his friendship with us and it is because of Christ that we have life. Eucharistic communion builds Christ and forms Christ to be one thing with the followers, through instrument of salvation achieved by Christ’s light of the world and salt of the earth humanity was redeemed. The mission of the church remains in continuity with mission of Christ and Eucharist remains to in summit of evangelization, Eucharistic communion confirms the church in its unity with the body of Christ, the union we have with Christ if the gift and grace for each of us which makes it possible with him to share in the unity of his body which is the church. Eucharist incorporates us in to Christ of which it takes place in baptism through the gift of the spirit which is inseparable activity of son and Holy Spirit and is the origin of the church. The gift of Christ and his spirit as we receive in the Eucharistic communion fulfils the fraternal unity rooted in the human heart, in its communion with the body of Christ, the church becomes to be a sacrament and as a sign of an instrument of unity with God and  unity of the human race, Eucharist brings about building up of the church hence human community it is advisable to spend time with Christ  as members of the same body with him which is the church and be close to beloved disciples and feel the infinite love present in his heart, the Christians should be distinguished by prayers above all hence remain to be renewed to spend time in the spiritual converse, in silent adoration and heartfelt love of Christ and in him as Christians we attain consolation and support.

{THE SACRAMENT OF CHARITY: POST SYNODAL Apostolic Exortation Sacramentum caritatis of the Holy Father Benedict XV1.}

THE EUCHARIST, THE MYSTERY TO BE LIVED.

Lord Jesus became food and love, a surest gift of his love by eating bread to acquire eternal life through transformation by gift of Eucharist. We become shares in divine life by receiving body and blood of Jesus Christ, Christ nourishes and unites us to himself hence Eucharistic celebration appears as source and summit of churches life. Through it we are in communion with the whole church as sacrifice of Christ and all the faithful. Faithful perceived Eucharist as a manner of life. Eucharist imparts to Christians by affirming the day of the lord which is Sunday and the day of obligation for all faithful, the day is sanctified in which the Christians gather for celebration and remains to be primordial holy day, this day helps the men and women to understand meaning of their lives and work of which they are entitled to rest. With and without mass on that day it remains to be day of the lord the Christians are allowed to know when there is mass and when it is not there. On this day the Christians rediscovers communal dimension of his life as one who has redeemed and by receiving his body and blood deepens our belonging to Jesus Christ who died for us. Eucharist being summit and source of the life of church and its mission has to be translated to the spirituality of a life lived according to the spirit, within the Eucharist the promotion of evangelization of cultures is embraced by fact Jesus Christ is the truth and the outpouring of the holy spirit which brings about the events capable of cultural reality and brings up the gospel. We are nourished by the Eucharistic sacrifice in which it increases what we receive in Baptism with call to holiness in which Christ is the head of his body the church and Christians are chosen race of royal priesthood. Eucharist and consecrated life is embraced by witness of virginity in relation to mystery of Eucharist more so in priestly celibacy and consecration nourishes those involved to complete dedication to Christ. Moral energy contributes to authentic freedom of children of God especially in moral transformation by worshiping the institution by Christ in response to God in which more urgency welcomes Christ in our life and faith cultivates for the Eucharistic consistency for the baptized.

{THE CHRISTIAN MEANING OF HUMAN SUFFERING: Apostolic letter, salvific Doloris of Pope John Paul 11}

JESUS CHRIST: THE SUFFERING CONQUERED BY LOVE.

God gave his only son so that we may be saved from the slavery of sin; it is out of his love to us that he wants humanity to attain eternal life. Salvation came inform of suffering in which in it infinite love is manifested from both the begotten son and his father and this love is directed to the man and the world. The primary concern of Jesus is to protect man from evil and suffering of which the mission of the son is to conquer sin and death, in which by his obedience in to death on the cross he overcomes death by his resurrection. The original sin gives man possibility in sanctifying grace, the salvific mission of Christ which makes man to exist on earth with hope of eternal life and holiness. The death and resurrection of Christ does not abolish temporal suffering from human life nor historical dimension of human existence but through new light in which the dimension of suffering the light of salvation is experienced in the gospel and good news. Jesus Christ did good to the people and this good was geared towards the suffering and those who were seeking help while on the other hand was sensitive to human suffering of the body or of the soul, he took the suffering of the humanity upon his very self. Christ was aware of all what he was to undergo and through his death on the cross he must accomplish the work of salvation and this work has a plan to eternal love with redemptive character. We see Christ reproves peter when he wants Jesus to abandon suffering and death and when he wanted to defend Jesus by saying scriptures should be fulfilled. Christ is united to the Father in his love by loving the world and man. The suffering was fashioned in the Old Testament as a future project of the anointed one of God, so it’s from the real love of God to humanity that he comes up with the plan of salvation to save humanity due to the gap which was created by sin and thus made man to lose good relationship with God so the plan was there before even before Jesus was born. Jesus is innocent but his suffering comes as a result of the sins of mankind and in him all the sins are cancelled through his suffering, Jesus accepts this suffering with the love for the Father which overcomes the evil of humanity, the evil is replaced with the spiritual space of relationship between God and humanity of which the spaced is filled with good. God gave only his begotten son for the redemption and this redemption by the son is consubstantial with the Father whereby in his suffering as man and the only man who is capable to embrace the measure of evil contained in the sin of man. Christ’s suffering was from his free will by volunteering and innocently dies for the sake of humankind and in this he gives the reality of love by which the only begotten son gives to the Father in his obedience, the words of prayer in Gethsemane which is made possible by letting this cup pass from me nevertheless not as I will but the will of the Father who proves the truth of love through the truth of suffering. As Jesus says its finished comes as the fulfillment of the scripture, humanity is reached in its culmination in the passion of Christ.

{Synod of Bishops [11] special Assembly for Africa.  LINEAMENTA: the church in Africa in service to reconciliation, justice and peace.}

JESUS CHRIST, THE WORD AND BREAD OF LIFE, OUR RECONCILER, OUR JUSTICE AND OUR PEACE.

Jesus is welcoming the suffering so that they may attain rest from him, due to the love of God to us he has sent his only son, the word of God who is always upon us who by assuming flesh the word became part of us and its through the son that we get new life and that in him we become children of God. So Jesus Christ became the word of life in us and he remains to be the fulfillment of our lives. The word of God by assuming the nature of humanity, the meaning of the saving character is realised that no one will perish. It’s through cultural  and religious which enables us to understand the word per excellence in which all life comes, Christians are required to be in touch and familiar with the word so that its effect is realised in life, for sure the knowledge of word is very important for Christians especially through personal encounter with Christ who speaks in sacred scriptures, our Christian communities should remain to be places of listening to the word of God and prayerful reading of the sacred scriptures as insisted by pope Benedict XV1.  To read sacred scriptures is praying of which Christians have to encounter risen Christ who speaks to his followers and gives hope in the fullness of life which he gives to the world. It is the Christ who died and resurrected and makes him to be source and fulfillment of all life of which in him God gives world the word of life who reconciles all being whom he made peace on the cross gives us peace and justification in time, by breaking the bread made word present in us to remain limited with him, by breaking bread Christ makes present mystery of death and resurrection. Eucharist makes us the church, the sign of instrument in his love which transforms the world, by belonging to Jesus Christ makes us members of the same family by sharing the same word of life and partakes the same bread of life and by sharing the same blood makes us to be shares of the same life and by being children of God the we are members of the same family of God and of which there is no more hatred, injustices, fraternal wars since blood of Christ circulates in our veins and through that we are entitled to deepen and inculturation to the mystery of the family of God.

My Readings and Reflectons - Mejia Zelada , Carlos Dario - 10084

The Eucharist, a Mystery to be proclaimed

The Eucharist and Mission

In the Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation Sacramentum Caritatis[1], Benedict XVI reflects on the relation of the Eucharist and the missionary vocation of all the members of the Church. In this sense, the Pope says that “there is nothing more beautiful than to be surprised by the Gospel, by the encounter with Christ. There is nothing more beautiful than to know him and to speak to others of our friendship with him.” In the Eucharist, we celebrate the encounter with Jesus Christ, the encounter with his Good News. The love that we celebrate in the Eucharist is the experience to be shared with all people around us. The world needs to do this experience of God’s love. The world is in need of encounter Jesus Christ and to believe in Him. In relation to this, Benedict XVI says that “the Eucharist is thus the source and summit not only of the Church’s life, but also of her mission” and he also adds that “an authentically Eucharistic Church is a Missionary Church.”  All of us, the members of the Community of Believers, disciples of Jesus Christ, are called to tell our brothers and sisters with conviction: “That which we have seen and heard we proclaim also to you, so that you may have fellowship with us” (1 Jn 1:3). In the Eucharist, we encounter Christ, we know him, and we are called to make him known to all people, to proclaim that “He is the one sent by the Father for the redemption of the world (cf. Jn 3:16-17; Rom 8:32).” It is important to recall, Benedict XVI says, that “at the Last Supper, Jesus entrusts to his disciples the sacrament which makes present his self-sacrifice for the salvation of us all, in obedience to the Father’s will.” And it is why, the Pope adds, that “we cannot approach the Eucharistic table without being drawn into the mission which, beginning in the very heart of God, is meant to reach all people.” For these reasons, the Eucharist, which is the encounter with Jesus Christ, the encounter with his Gospel, makes us missionaries who are sent to proclaim God’s love to the entire world.

The Eucharist, a Mystery to be proclaimed

The Eucharist and Witness

            Benedict XVI, in his Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation Sacramentum Caritatis, points out that to bear witness by our lives is the first and fundamental mission that we receive from the celebration of the sacred mysteries. God has manifested his love to us in Christ, and the wonder we experience at this gift of God gives new impulse to our lives and commits us to be witnesses of his love. Benedict XVI tells us that “we become witnesses when, through our actions, words and way of being, Another makes himself present.” In this sense, the Pope states that “witness could be described as the means by which the truth of God’s love comes to men and women in history, inviting them to accept freely this radical newness.” And reflecting on witness, it is “Jesus himself [who] is the faithful and true witness (cf. Rev 1:5; 3:14), the one who came to testify to the truth (cf. Jn 18:37).” Benedict XVI, likewise, invites us to reflect on how the early Christians where witnesses of Christ even to the offering of their own lives, to the point of martyrdom. And he also says that “throughout the history of the Church, this has always been seen as the culmination of the new spiritual worship: ‘Offer your bodies’ (Rom 12:1)”. Related to this new spiritual worship, the Pope invites to recall “the Eucharistic imagery whit which Saint Ignatius of Antioch describes his own imminent martyrdom”. Saint Ignatius “sees himself as ‘God’s wheat’ and desires to become in martyrdom ‘Christ’s pure bread’”. All Christians who offer their lives through martyrdom, the Holy Father says, “enter into full communion with the Pasch of Jesus Christ and thus become Eucharist with him.” Finally, the Pope also says that today the Church has many members who continue to offer their lives through martyrdom; they are witnesses of the Lord, witnesses who offer their lives as a new spiritual worship. They are witnesses who make us to remember that “such worship culminates in the joyful and convincing testimony of a consistent Christian life”, Benedict XVI says. God’s love manifested in Christ is the love we celebrate in the sacred mysteries, and it is the love that all of us are called to announce to all people, bearing witness by our lives.

The Eucharist, a Mystery to be offered to the world

The Social Implications of the Eucharistic Mystery

Benedict XVI, in his Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation Sacramentum Caritatis, also reflects on the relation between the Eucharist and the social commitment of the believers. The union with Christ through the Sacrament of the Eucharist brings newness to our social relations because the “union with Christ is also union with all those to whom he gives himself.” We belong to Christ “only in union with all those who have become, or who will become, his own”, the Pope says. Through the Sacrament of the Eucharist, the Lord makes us to be in communion with our brothers and sisters. It is the Lord, who through the memorial of his sacrifice, “strengthens our fraternal communion and, in a particular way, urges those in conflict to hasten their reconciliation by opening themselves to dialogue and a commitment to justice.” In this sense, Benedict XVI also says that in order to build true peace, the conditions of the restoration of justice, reconciliation and forgiveness are fundamental. These conditions are central “to transform unjust structures and to restore respect for the dignity of all men and women, created in God’s image and likeness.” All Christians are called to fulfill their social commitment for a more just world. Then, “through the concrete fulfillment of this responsibility, the Eucharist becomes in life what it signifies in its celebration.” The Eucharist and the social commitment of all Christians are united because “the sacrifice of Christ is a mystery of liberation that constantly and insistently challenges us”.  All of us, Benedict XVI says, are called to be promoters of peace and justice because “all who partake of the Eucharist must commit themselves to peacemaking in our world scarred by violence and war, and today in particular, by terrorism, economic corruption and sexual exploitation”. These situations are also related to other problems which affect negatively the dignity of human life. For these reasons, we, who remember in the Eucharist how Christ has loved us, are also called by Christ to renew our social commitment in the promotion of human dignity because it is He who unites us all, through his Sacrifice, as brothers and sisters, as children of God.

The Eucharist, a Mystery to be offered to the world

The Eucharist, Bread broken for the life of the world

The Pope Benedict XVI, in his Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation Sacramentum Caritatis, states that the Eucharist is Bread broken for the life of the world. Reflecting on this aspect of the Eucharist, the Holy Father quotes the words of Saint John the evangelist: “The bread I will give is my flesh, for the life of the world” (Jn 6:51). It is the Lord who gives his life for the salvation of all people. The Lord is close to every person, he shows his compassion and mercy to all people. Jesus’ life and his offering in the cross express God’s plan of salvation for all people, so they may have true life. The celebration of the Sacrament of the Eucharist “makes sacramentally present the gift that the crucified Lord made of his life, for us and for the whole world.” When we celebrate the Eucharist, we are witnesses of God’s love and compassion for humankind. The Eucharist also “gives rise to a service of charity” to all people. This service of charity “consists in the very fact that, in God and with God, I love even the person whom I do not like or even know.” This service of charity implies to look on my neighbours from the perspective of Jesus Christ. My neighbours are brothers and sisters “for whom the Lord gave his life, loving them ‘to the end’” (Jn 13:1). When we celebrate the Sacrament of the Eucharist in our communities, we “must become ever more conscious that the Sacrifice of Christ is for all, and that the Eucharist thus compels all who believe in him to become ‘bread that is broken’ for others”. The believers in Jesus Christ are called to become bread that is broken to build a more just and fraternal world. The Pope Benedict XVI also reminds us the episode of the multiplication of the loaves and fishes through which Jesus Christ continues to exhort us to become more committed towards our brothers and sisters. It is the Lord who says to us today: “You yourselves, give them something to eat” (Mt 14:16). Every time we are gathered as a community to celebrate the Mystery of the Eucharist, we are called, together with Jesus, to be bread broken for the life of the world.

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[1] The Sacrament of Charity, Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation of the Holy Father Benedict XVI. 

Mejia Zelada , Carlos Dario

Mejia Zelada , Carlos Dario

Mejia Zelada , Carlos Dario - 10088

Stay with us Lord

John Paul II, in his apostolic letter: Stay with us Lord,[1]  invites us to deepen in the Mystery of the Eucharist, mystery of our faith in which the Risen Lord comes to our encounter as He did so with the disciples of Emmaus. It is the Risen Lord who explains the Scriptures to the two disciples on the road to Emmaus, an experience which makes "their hearts burning within them (cf. v 32)", and He is the one who also opens the disciples' eyes to recognize Him in the Breaking of the Bread. This experience of the disciples of Emmaus who encounter the Risen Lord, talks to us about the centrality of the Eucharist in the Church's life. In this sense, John Paul II, invites us to reflect on the Eucharist as a mystery of light, as source and manifestation of communion and as principle and plan of mission. First, the Eucharist is a mystery of light because Jesus Himself is the Light of the world. Jesus is the Light which enlightens our minds to understand the Scriptures and in this way all believers are led "into the depths of the divine life." The experience of listening to the Word of God in our celebrations allows us to open "ourselves up to the dimensions of the Mystery" of our faith. The proclamation of the Word of God, which is the first part of the liturgy of the Eucharist, prepares us to the second part of the celebration, where we come to the table of the altar to eat the Body and to drink the Blood of the Lord. This is the moment in which we recognize the Lord who is "substantially present, whole and entire, in the reality of his body and blood." It is the Risen Lord who is telling us in the Eucharistic celebration: “I am with you always…” (Mt 28:20) It is the Lord’s presence in the Eucharistic bread “which makes us one body”, one community of believers who are united in His name to celebrate, to worship and to contemplate the mystery of our faith.  Second, John Paul II also says that the Eucharist is a source and manifestation of communion.  It is the Risen Lord who has decided to stay “in” us through the Sacrament of the Eucharist. Then, “receiving the Eucharist means entering into a profound communion with Jesus,” as He says in the Gospel of John: “Abide in me, and I in you” (Jn 15:4). It is the Lord’s presence in the Eucharist “which makes us one body”. It is the Risen Lord who “builds up the Church as a communion, in accordance with the supreme model evoked in his priestly prayer: ‘Even as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they may also be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me’ (Jn 17:21)”.  Third, the Eucharist is also, principle and plan of “mission”, John Paul II says. After recognizing the Risen One in the breaking of the bread, the two disciples of Emmaus went to Jerusalem to report what they had seen and heard; what they had experienced. As the disciples of Emmaus, “the encounter with Christ, constantly intensified and deepened in the Eucharist, issues in the Church and in every Christian an urgent summons to testimony and evangelization.” In this sense, John Paul II says that “the Eucharist not only provides the interior strength needed for this mission, but is also – in some sense – its plan.” The Eucharist is plan of mission because it is “a mode of being, which passes from Jesus into each Christian, through whose testimony it is meant to spread throughout society and culture.”  Then, the Eucharist is a “project of solidarity for all humanity” where all Christians are called to live at the service of the least. Finally, the Risen Lord is the One who opens our eyes to recognize Him in the breaking of the bread, in the Eucharist, which is for that mystery of light. Eating the Lord’s body and drinking the Lord’s blood is source and manifestation of communion with the Church and the world. In this sense also, the Eucharist becomes principle and plan of mission because it invites us to share with others, being in solidarity with people, especially the least so that all of us may live in an attitude of thanksgiving to God.

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[1]  The apostolic letter “Mane Nobiscum Domine” was written for the year of the Eucharist, which was celebrated from October 2,004 to October 2,005.

My Readings and Reflections - Makokha , Humphrey Okumu - 10024

Makokha , Humphreys Okumu

Makokha , Humphreys Okumu

Mysterium Fidei by Pope Paul VI

                Eucharist is a Mystery of Faith that has to be approached with humble obedience. The presence of the true body and blood of Christ in the Eucharist cannot be detected by our senses but has to be understood through faith. When the church gathers to celebrate these mysteries, following Christ’s command, ‘do this in memory of me’, she re-enacts the eternal sacrifice of Christ on the cross. This therefore, makes mass a sacrifice. Mass should therefore be understood not as a private affair of the priest but an act of Christ and the church which has to maintain a public character even if it is celebrated in private.

                Christ’s is present in the church in different ways including; his presence when the church prays, because he prays for us a high priest, he prays in us a head of the church and finally all prayers of the church are directed to the father through him. Christ is also present in the word proclaimed because he is the word of God and the Gospel is only preached in the name and authority of Christ. He is also present in the minister of the assembly who acts in persona Christ. Last but not least, Christ is present in a special way in the sacrament especially the Eucharist. Here, Christ is present in a substantial way in the species of bread and wine as body and blood.

                The effect of Eucharist is communion or unity with Christ and the church which is characterized by charity and serving our brothers and sisters through love. Through eating the body of Christ, we are made into one body of Christ- the church, with Christ as the head. In the words of St. Paul to Corinthians, because the body is one, we though many become one body of Christ.

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Stay with us Lord- Mane Nobiscum Domine of Pope John Paul II

            Eucharist is the mystery of light which illuminates our hearts so as to recognize Christ in sacred scriptures being proclaimed and in the breaking of the bread. Because of this, Vat II emphasizes the importance of the word in liturgical celebration. In the proclaimed word, Christ himself speaks to us so that we may recognize him in the breaking of the bread.

            Eucharist is both a meal and a sacrifice because, apart from reminding us of what happened in the upper room, it makes present the eternal sacrifice of Christ on the cross. Due to this, mass has to be understood both as a memorial and an eschatological fullness to be experienced in the world to come. In fact, it is a foretaste of heaven on earth. Eucharist is also a mystery of the real presence of Christ par excellence because, Christ is substantially present in the whole and entire reality of body and blood. Due to this, Eucharist must be approached in faith with deep awareness of Christ real present both in mass and in Eucharistic piety.

            Through the Eucharist, Christ finds a way of being in communion with us just as he was with his two disciples on the road to Emmaus. This therefore means that Eucharist is a sacrament of unity par excellence. This unity must exist between Christ and his body- the church, and also all members of the church. After partaking of it, one is sent on a mission to witness the risen Lord just like the two. The believer is endowed with both strength and plan for mission of Christ and the church. The church on her part becomes more aware of herself as a sign and an instrument of unity hence becoming an agent of communion, peace and solidarity in the world which is faced with a lot of divisions. She therefore develops practical ways of building a more just and fraternal society

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Ecclesia De Eucharistia

                The church is born and sustained by the Eucharist which is Christ’s gift of himself to all the believers for the purpose of making out of them his own body-the church. Through baptism, Christians are incorporated into Christ’s Body – the church.  However they are constantly renewed and made into one through the sharing in Eucharist. In celebrating Eucharist, the church makes present in reality and in faith-filled remembrance the Paschal Event. The sacrifice of Christ on the cross and the sacrifice of mass should therefore be understood as one single great event.

                Through sharing in the Eucharistic banquet, the faithful are more united to God and to one other; they become a community gathered around the risen Lord. By partaking in Christ’s body and blood, the faithful are made into one body of Christ- the church. “For what is the bread? It is the body of Christ. And what do those who receive it become? The body of Christ- not many bodies but one body” (23). The holy Spirit present during the Epiclesis is not only responsible for transformation of the substance of bread and wine into body and blood of Christ but she also unites the faithful to Christ and to one another by making of them spiritual gifts acceptable to the father

It is therefore important to note that it is the Holy Eucharist which ensures the building up of any Christian community. In this respect, the sacrament of holy Orders and the present of a presbyter is of importance if our communities are to be Eucharistic assemblies. By themselves the laity cannot celebrate Eucharist because; there exists a close relationship between Eucharist as a sacrament and ministerial priesthood. It is because of this understanding that Catholic Church finds herself faced with a lot of challenges especially when dealing with ecumenical dialogue with the Ecclesial communities, because they lack sacrament of Holy Orders which hinders them from preserving the Eucharistic Mystery.  Due to this difficulty, Catholics are encouraged not to receive communion from our separated brothers and sisters (30) so that there is no ambiguity from what we believe and what we live. Eucharist cannot be the starting point of communion, it presupposes that communion already exists (35). In other words, as a body of Christ, we have to be united both visibly by our way of life and invisibly by the sacraments especially the Eucharist. Presbyters shares in the ministry of the Bishop who is the proper minister of the sacraments and the visible principle and foundation of unity within a particular church. It is therefore a contradiction to celebrate Eucharist, the sacrament of unity without true communion with the bishop (39). This therefore means that it is almost impossible to think of celebrating Eucharist together with our separated brothers and sisters not until the bonds of unity willed by Christ are re-established through genuine dialogue and spirit of ecumenism.

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Development of Eucharistic devotions (16th February)

                The celebration of the Eucharist is the centre of the life of the church, for it brings out a very critical aspect that enhances the unity of the church- the community gathered around the Risen Lord. This practice has been the Tradition of the church since her inception, and has resulted to development of what is now called Eucharistic devotion due to reservation of the Eucharist.

                The major reason for reserving the consecrated species of bread was due to the fact that the sick needed to receive Viaticum which is considered food for accompanying then in their last journey to eternal happiness. Other reasons that resulted to this reservation include the fact that some Popes in the history of the church preferred to keep with them the Eucharist while on journey. Also, during the persecution of the church, Christians took Eucharist to other Christians who had been imprisoned because of their faith.

                As a result of the growing need to reserve the Eucharist, there was development of tabernacles so as to ensure safety while reserving the consecrated species of bread. In most places, tabernacles were first constructed in sacristy but later they were moved to the sanctuary. By 15^th century, many churches had placed tabernacles beside alter because, alters are the centre of Eucharistic sacrifice. In some other places, tabernacles were placed in adoration chapels especially in middle age Basilicas. With this development, there was great emphasis on reverence, adoration and care for Eucharistic species leading to growth of piety around Eucharist because of the belief in the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist.

                This piety and devotion was even more promoted with the practice of elevation of the consecrated host that developed by 13^th century. The faithful were therefore required to focus on the elevated consecrated host as a sign of reverence and, awareness of the real presence of Christ in the Consecrated species of bread and wine. Today, different practices of Eucharistic adoration and devotion have evolved in the church, among them include; the solemn procession of Corpus Christi, exposition and benediction, perpetual adoration, Holy Hour, and silence prayers before the tabernacle.

                 I can therefore conclude that the practice of reserving Eucharist mostly for the sick, led to the development to today’s Eucharistic piety due to increased awareness of Christ’ real presence in the Eucharist.

Bibliography

THIBODEAU, R, Eucharistic Devotion: Renewing a Timeless Tradition, Liguori Publication: Missouri 1987

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Summary of Sacramentum Caritatis of Pope Benedict XVI 

(16th February)

Eucharist is the self –offering of Christ.  Through the Eucharistic species of body and blood, we meet the Risen Lord, are made companions with him on our journey of faith. He therefore becomes for us food of truth to quench out thirst for knowledge and truth so as to be freed.

It is “a mystery of faith par-excellence”(6) because, faith and sacraments are essential  elements of the life in the church. Through the kerygma, faith is awakened; however, it is only nourished and sustained through the encounter of the Lord in the Eucharist. By partaking in the Eucharist, we become sharers of God’s innermost being- Trinitarian Love, which is shown to us through Christ’s total life giving. In the Eucharist, Jesus is the true lamb, who through obedience to the father, offers himself for our sins so that we may be re-created. In fact by partaking in the Eucharist, “one becomes what he or she receives”(35).  Through the shading of blood on the cross, Jesus established a new and everlasting covenant which radically transforms the world. Christ therefore, becomes a new Sabbath which was offered once and for all for our salvation. This sacrifice is always re-enacted at every Eucharistic celebration following Christ’s great command, ‘do this in memory of me.’ During such Liturgical celebrations, Christ is made present through the power of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is therefore responsible for not only Transubstantiation but also for gathering into one the community of faithful and make of them Spiritual offering acceptable to the father.

Eucharist is the Sacrament of communion and unity of the people of God. In fact, it is at the very centre of the life of the church, and all other sacraments, ministries and apostolates stems from and are directed towards it. Eucharistic banquet is to be seen as a real foretaste of the heavenly banquet because it brings into one the whole community gathered around the table of the lord.  The Eucharistic Liturgy is made up of two important parts: the word and the Eucharist. The whole assembly is required to fully and actively participate in the whole mass. First, the Risen Lord speaks to the assembly through the Scriptures and only then, he feeds them by his body and blood. It should however be noted that in the Catholic Tradition, “the centre and summit of the entire celebration is the Eucharist”(48). The proper minister of the Eucharist is the Bishop who is assisted by the presbyters by the virtue of their ordination.

Only those who are allowed should partake in the Eucharist even though the church wishes that all shares in this meal so as to achieve the unity which Christ willed. The ministers are therefore reminded to always explain the “meaning of sacramental communion”(50) especially in occasions where mass is  celebrated in great events. It is of great importance to not that “Eucharistic communion and ecclesial communion are so linked to make it impossible for non- Catholics to receive the former without enjoying the latter.”(56). In order to facilitate full participation in mass, it is highly recommended that the celebrations are done in a particular cultural context because Jesus through incarnation, showed us that God encounters us in our concrete human situations emphasizing the importance of inculturation in liturgy. Even though mass media has made a remarkable influence on evangelization, the faithful are encouraged to be physically present and participate fully in Eucharistic assemblies. Watching mass on TVs is highly discouraged unless under situations such as sickness because “visual image can represent reality, but they do not actually reproduce it.”(57).