How Eucharist Builds the Church - Prosper Atukwatse 11053

ATUKWATSE PROSPER, 11053T, forth reflection

I AM THE BREAD OF LIFE (Jn 6:35) (I AM THE LIFE OF THE WORLD, 

The Pastoral-Missionary Commission of the Central Committee for Great Jubilee of the Year 2000)

The deeper meaning of the saving presence of Christ is contained in the Eucharist. It is in the Eucharist that Jesus reveals himself as bread that came from heaven, a gift from the Father, food that nourishes our own life as God’s children.

Gift of the Father, Jesus reveals himself to the church as a special gift offered by the father. Jesus is compared to the father’s bread “manna” in the desert, which God gave the Israelites as food.  It was God’s own gift to his people and it brought life to them just as the Eucharist brings life to the world on those who share in it.

The bread that Jesus gives is not real bread but is symbolic and therefore it demands one condition, that is, one must possess faith to eat this bread. Whoever approaches this bread with faith it becomes food of eternity and that is the very reason Jesus say in John 6:38, “whoever comes to me will never hunger and whoever believes in me will never thirst”.

The bread that Jesus gives is a very special because, in that bread Jesus offers himself to the whole world in an act of love. This was revealed on the last supper when Jesus said “and the bread that I give is my fresh for the life of the world.” (John 6:38)

Theological meaning of Jesus saying that he is the bread of life:

Using the phrase “I am”, this reminds us of God’s revelation to Moses when God told him that his name is “I am”. This is Yahweh who is full of mercy and caring just as he did for the Israelites when He delivered them from slavery in Egypt.

He is God with us as a father, who feeds his children but the feeding of God is a spiritual one, no one lacks, the food given is in equal quantity and is life giving.

His coming in the symbol of bread reaffirms the gift of the father that he has given to us all his children and this gift is to remain with us through eternity.

****

ATUKWATSE PROSPER, 11053T, fifth reflection,

the Eucharist and the sacrament of holy orders, 

(sacramentum caritatis, Benedict XVI) 

in person of christi capitis,   the fundamental relationship between the Eucharist and the sacrament of holy orders can be traced from Jesus’ words when he commanded his apostles “do this in memory of me in the upper room. The Eucharist and the office of priesthood were established on the same night before the death of Jesus. Jesus became the priest, actor and victim. The perfect connection of the sacrament of holy orders and Eucharist is best seen at mass, when the priest or bishop presides in the person of Christ. The church teaches that priestly ordination is a criterion for the celebration of the Eucharist. This means without the priest there cannot be Eucharistic celebration because in the ordained minister, it is Christ himself who is present to the church as its shepherd and high priest. Equally, the ordained minister also acts on behalf of the church by offering prayers and the sacrifice of mass. Therefore during the sacrifice of mass the priest should be humble enough making Christ central to the celebration not himself.

The Eucharist and Priestly Celibacy

The synod fathers emphasized that ministerial priesthood that is conferred by ordination requires absolute conformity to Christ.  Respect should be accorded to the practice and tradition of the Eastern Churches that has some members married and other living a celibate life.  The council fathers were pleased that many priests still chose to live a celibate life and celibacy is a criterion for the episcopate ordination.  The synod fathers emphasized that it was wrong to understand priestly celibacy as a purely function term, but it a special way of conforming oneself to Christ’s own way of life.

The clergy shortage and the Pastoral Care of the Vocations

The synod fathers all permitted that the shortage of priests especially in the areas of early evangelization and diocese is a threat to the church and to the sacrament of the Eucharist. The bishops were encouraged to make all effort encourage young people to join the seminaries by showing how rewarding it can be by choosing to serve God a priest.  Candidates with good qualities should be selected and well trained so that they may live an authentic life and perform their ministerial duties effectively. Priests were also encouraged to live an authentic and example lives so that their own lives can inspire the young me join the seminary.

**** 

ATUKWATSE PROSPER 11053T, THIRD REFLECTION

The Eucharist and Matrimony, (sacramentum caritatis, Benedict XVI)  

The Eucharist a Nuptial Sacrament

Pope Benedict says that, “The Eucharist as the sacrament of charity has particular relationship with love of man and woman united in marriage.” Likewise John Paul II many times spoke of conjugal nature of the Eucharist and its unique relationship with the sacrament of matrimony. At baptism the one baptized enters into a conjugal relationship with Christ and the Church just as the husband enters conjugal relationship with a wife at celebration of the sacrament holy matrimony. Every Christian marriage draws inexhaustible strength from the Eucharist. We see a Eucharistic dimension in the mutual consent that takes place between the wife and husband while exchanging their vows. This leads them to establish a community of life and love. Pope Benedict quotes St. Paul’s theology, “conjugal love culminates in the cross, the expression of his marriage with humanity and at the same time the origin and heart of the Eucharist.” The synod council emphasized the acknowledgement of the role of women in family because of their unique mission. Since the family is domestic church, it plays an important role in the teaching of Christian faith. 

The Eucharist and the unity of Marriage

The synod fathers talked about the unity of marriage between family and Eucharist. We find perfect and faithful bond uniting Christ and the church in the sacrament of Eucharist. Therefore the council encouraged and emphasized monogamy as opposed to polygamy in some cultures. Christ encounters them in their specific circumstance and calls them to embrace the full truth of love, making whatever sacrifices are necessary in order to arrive at perfect ecclesial communion.

The Eucharist and the Indissolubility of Marriage

The Eucharist expresses the irrevocable nature of God’s love in Christ for his church and this enlightens us why matrimony is indissoluble. As the formula says “what God has united no man can separate it. Therefore the church forbids those who have celebrated holy matrimony and have divorced and have remarried in participating in Holy Communion. Their sharing in the Holy Communion would contradict the loving union of Christ and the Church.

****

ATUKWATSE PROSPER 11053T, 2^ND REFLECTION

Transforming action of the Holy Spirit (Understanding the Eucharist by Rinaldo Ronzani)

Ronzani begins by quoting the Catechism of the Catholic Church (No 1108) that says “In every liturgical celebration the Holy Spirit is sent in order to bring us into communion with Christ and so form his body.” The Holy Spirit works in a profound way more that transforming the assembly through prayers and listening to the world of God. That is, the Holy Spirit comes to sanctify the bread and wine to turn into body and blood of Jesus Christ. The Holy Spirit also transforms those who receive the Eucharist to become on body of Jesus Christ.

First Epiclesis: This is a special invocation of the Holy Spirit, this is done by the celebrating priest together with the whole assembly in the Eucharistic prayer. The community with the priest invokes God’s power and asks that the gifts offered by human hands be consecrated. During the invocation of the Holy Spirit the priest makes some gestures, namely, “he opens his hands out-stretched over the bread and wine”. This gesture signifies the laying on of hands that points to the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. Another gesture the priest makes is the sign of the cross over the bread and wine offered at the altar in these words, “The body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ”. And the structure of the first epiclesis from the second Eucharistic prayer is follows. “Father let your Spirit come upon these gifts to make them holy, so that they may become for us the body and blood of our Lord, Jesus Christ”.

Second Epiclesis: The second epiclesis happens when the priest in communion with the assembly in the Eucharistic prayer invokes the power of God and “ask those who receive the body and blood of Christ may become one body and in the Lord.” Ronzani quotes the second epiclesis from the second Eucharistic prayer. “Father may all of us who share in the body and blood of Christ be brought together in the unity by the Holy Spirit.”

            The intention of the first epiclesis is the sanctification of the offerings, while the second epiclesis focusses mostly on the effect of the Eucharist on those who receive it. Just as St. Augustine commented that “you become what you eat”, therefore Christians who share in the body and blood of Christ are united as one in body and blood of Christ.  

****

ATUKWATSE PROSPER, 11053T

THE EUCHARIST LIFE OF THE CHURCH, THE EUCHARIST BUILDS THE CHURCH, John Paul II

Vatican Council 11 teaches that the essential element facilitates the church’s growth is the celebration the sacrament of Eucharist and it should be held in high esteem. However, the church as kingdom of Christ is already at hand as a mystery its growth is this world is by the power of God. From the beginning of the Church with the apostles, the Eucharist has been present as unifying factor because the faithful used to gather on the last supper to participate in the communion meal and this gather developed into a church. The gathering of the disciples with Jesus was very important to the apostles. This is because in them the seed of sacred hierarchy was sowed and this led to the birth and beginning of the new Israel. The Apostles entered into communion with Jesus in the Upper Room when they accepted Jesus command. “Take this and eat, Drink of it, all of you” (Mt 26:26-27). And it is from this time of Jesus’ invitation until the end of time that sacramental union with Christ the son of God the church is built. (21)

We share into the life and ministry of Christ first at baptism. This is strengthen and made fully when we share in the sacrifice of the Eucharist. It is this Eucharist that gives us life because in the Eucharist He is Christ himself who is the source of life. John 6:57, Jesus says, “he who eats me will live because of me”. It is this union in Christ that He surely possesses us and is able to send us out on mission as Jn 20:2 clearly points it out, “As the Father has sent me, and even so I send you”. This sending is to carry out the mission of the Church. However this mission needs a spiritual support and this can only be achieved through full participation in the Eucharist. (22)

            In addition, it is the Eucharist Communion that confirms the church in her unity as a body of Christ. St. Paul uses this unifying figure to encourage the people of Corinth to be one body even though people were many and different. This is because there is only one body and blood of Jesus Christ. And it is this unity that we see working together of the Holy Spirit and Jesus becoming origin of the church and this union of the two persons of the Trinity becomes fully perfect in the Holy Eucharist. (23-24)

            To sum up, we cannot have Catholic Church fully active and living according to the foundation set by Jesus if there is no Eucharistic Communion. The Eucharist must be at the centre of the activities of the church, because it is Christ revealing and giving himself to us as a free gift of love. Therefore the faith should yearn for the Eucharist because it is the source of life for all who participate in it.