Reflection on The Holy
Communion: ‘Redemptionis sacramentum’
(no.80-107)
The Holy Communion
is an encounter with Christ,
in which we receive Christ into
our bodies, so that we may be
completely assimilated into his body. Therefore, when the priest
says, "The body of Christ", when administering the host, and,
"The blood of Christ", when presenting the chalice, the communicant
who receives either body or blood receives the whole and entire Christ. The
Holy Communion also
strengthens the individual because in it, Jesus himself forgives our venial
sins and gives us the strength to resist mortal sins.
Who Can
Receive Holy Communion?
The Holy Communion is the most holy sacrament;
therefore those who receive it must be in a state of grace. The Catholic
baptized who is prepared can receive the body and blood of Jesus Christ.
However, there are circumstances when non-Catholics may
receive Communion from a Catholic priest. This is especially the case when it
comes to Eastern Orthodox Christians, who share the same faith concerning the
nature of the sacraments: Catholic ministers may “licitly administer the
sacraments of penance, Eucharist and anointing of the sick to members of the
oriental churches which do not have full Communion with the Catholic Church, if
they ask on their own for the sacraments and are properly disposed” (Can.844).
This holds also for members of other churches, which in the judgment of the
Apostolic See are in the same condition as the oriental churches as far as
these sacraments are concerned. Christians in these churches should, of
course, respect their own church’s guidelines regarding when it would be
permissible for them to receive Communion in a Catholic church.
How to receive Holy Communion?
Holy
Communion may be received either in the hand or on the tongue depending on the
recommendation of the conference of the bishops. Once implemented the option to
receive Communion either in the hand or on the tongue always remains with the
communicant. However, special care should be taken to ensure that “host is consumed
by the communicant in the presence of the minister” (no. 92). No minister may
refuse a communicant Communion on the tongue except when Communion is being
given by intinction; in that case, it must be given on the tongue. After
they have received the Holy Communion, it is appropriate to stay after Mass and
thank Jesus for coming to their life in the Holy Eucharist.
Karol Michael Chipondo (1195T)
Title: Mary and the Eucharist.
The sixth chapter of The Ecclesia de Eucharistia, ‘at the
school of Mary , ‘a woman of the Eucharist’ The Pope sensibly and innovatively
gives a reflection on the surprising analogy between Mary, mother of God, and the Church. Mary who
by bearing the body of Jesus in her womb became the first ‘tabernacle’ and the
Church which in her heart preserves and offers to the whole world body and
blood of Christ through the sacrament of the Eucharist. The Eucharist is given
to the believers so that their life may become a continuous magnificent in
honor of the most holy Trinity.
Mary certainly participates in the
Holy mass from the very beginning of the Church’s life of the first Community
of the Apostles after the Ascension of our Lord Jesus Christ. She continued
praying with Apostles for the coming of the Holy Spirit. By exercising her
ecclesial maternity, Mary leads the pilgrim church to the heavenly banquet. Her
disposition of faith can be witnessed on her response to the Angel during the
Annunciation. At her words “Let it be done to me as you say” God the son came
into the world by becoming incarnate in her womb through the overshadowing of
the Message of the Angel.
At the moment of the incarnation, Mary
anticipated what happens for the faithful at every Eucharist celebration.
Christ becomes present in the Church, under the species of bread and wine so
that we may receive Him into our very being. Similarity between Mary’s belief
in the words of the Angel and our belief in approaching Holy communion is that,
when the Priest announces, “The body of Christ” we all respond ‘Amen’ our Amen
is similar to the respond of Mary to the Angel ‘fiat’ that is ‘let it be done as you said’.
Mary also anticipated the Eucharist by
her whole life. The church’s shares the sacrifice of Christ through the
participation of the holy Eucharist. As Mary also from the very moment of the
incarnation poured out, with the incarnated son. She is always present is the
celebration of the Holy Eucharist. The church never celebrates the Holy
Eucharist without commemorating the blessed mother of God. She is always
present during the mass and she leading and intercede the church to Christ and
leading her to be obedient to Christ “Do whatever He tells you”(Jn 2:5). In
this relationship we also see in Mary a most holy and perfect fulfillment of
the 'sacramental' way that God comes down to meet His creatures and involves
them in His saving work. From Mary we must learn to become brothers and sisters
of the Eucharist and of the Church.
****
Name: Karol Michael Chipondo.(1195T)
Title. ‘The Eucharist a mystery to be believed’
The first section of the document,
Sacramentum Caritatis of The Holy Father Benedict XVI ‘the Eucharist, a Mystery
to be believed’, highlights the free gift of the Blessed Trinity and it
illustrates the mystery of the Eucharist on the basis of its Trinitarian
origin, which ensures it always to remain a gift. In this mystery there are
profound roots of what the Exhortation says concerning adoration and its
intrinsic relationship with Eucharistic celebration. The Eucharist is the
sacrament of faith, meaning that the Eucharist has to be understood as the real
body and blood of Christ himself which is present in the species of bread and
wine. These elements of the Eucharist are the Trinitarian Love of God that was
manifested by His own son on the cross through death and resurrection.
In relation to the life of Jesus and
the work of the Spirit, the document considers the institution of the Eucharist
in relation to the Jewish Paschal supper. This meal is decisive passage that
illuminates the radical 'novum' that
Christ brought to the ancient ritual meal. During the last supper, Jesus and
his Apostles commemorated, the ritual meal relating to the history of Israel.
In this meal, Jesus introduces the newness of his gift by The Institution of
the sacrament of the Eucharist. At the same time, He is real himself as the
true sacrifice lamb of destined to God’s plan of human salvation.
The document also added that; In
the rites of the Eucharistic celebration of the mass, we do not repeat an act
chronologically which situated during Jesus' Last Supper, rather we celebrate
the Eucharist as a radical 'novum' of
Christian worship. As the believers we are called to enter in the sacramental
life of the Church. The sacraments give us a real foretaste of the
eschatological fulfillment of our destined. Man was created for that true and
eternal happiness which only God’s love can give Jesus calls us to enter the
mystery of death and resurrection, the innovative beginning of the
transformation of human history and all the universe. Moreover, to move toward
the right way we all need to be guided by Jesus Christ himself.
THE EUCHARIST BUILDS THE
CHURCH
Chipondo Karol (11O95T)
The ‘Eucharist builds the church’,
is a second chapter in the encyclical letter by John Paul II, “ECCLESIA DE
EUCHARISTIA”. The Pope starts by quoting from the second Vatican Council of
the Catholic Church, which states that, the Eucharist is at the centre of the
process of the church’s growth. That, when the faithful approach the sacred
banquet during the celebration of the Eucharist, they receive Christ who in
ever present is sacred species of Bread and Wine. Besides, Christ receives each
one of us in return; hence it forms a complete sealed friendship. This becomes
a fraternal unity between the members of the church and with Christ who is the
head of the church. By this union the church becomes a sacrament of redemption
whereby it open the door to salvation of all humanity. In this way, the church
continues the work of Christ by drowning the real strength from the Holy Spirit
who is within the church’s mission.
The consecrated Bread and Wine is
the force within the church which generates the unity among the faithful and
also between the church and Christ. It is the sacramental union in which Christ
continues his works of redemption with those who believes on this communion
with the Son of God. The Eucharistic sacrifice is the sacrifice of Christ
himself who is really present in the sacred species of bread and wine. Christ
is the victim in this senses, he is the priest and principal who work through
the presence of the minister. At the same time the Eucharist is the sacrifice
of the church. It is the sacramental sacrifice which exists only for the good
of the church and her members. It is through this mystery that we become the
body of Christ. By her union with Christ the church becomes a sacrament for the
salvation of all people; therefore, it continues the work of Christ.
The church is united to her Lord who
veiled by the Eucharist species, which dwells within her and builds her up. The
church worships the Lord not only at the celebration of the holy mass itself,
but this is extended even outside and other times. The church cherishes the
Lord in all times because of what the Lord has done and also for all most
precious treasures of his words and deeds to the church. Actually, the fruit of
every Eucharist celebration is an ever greater development of the life of the
church. Its presence is ever in the church even after the Eucharistic
celebration. The worship of the Eucharist outside the holy mass unites the
faithful in the love of Christ even after mass. This worship is linked to the
commands of Christ ‘Do this in memory of me’
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