The
Eucharist in the Western Church during Reformation: Luther and Trent
[E.J. KILMARTIN, The Eucharist in the West:
chapter Six] by Kurian Ajeesh John (11013T)
In the 16th
century the theologians of the Reformation movement rejected the essential
elements of the Catholic Eucharistic faith arguing that it was erroneous. They
denied the sacrificial character of the Eucharistic liturgy. This triggered the
Council of Trent to issue dogmatic formulations against reformers. A Council
that was called for the purpose of reconciliation within the western
patriarchate became a Council of total separation. The controversial theme
addressed first was on the Sacrament of the Body and Blood of Christ and its
real presence during the celebration. The Council adapted the presence not just
of the flesh and blood of Christ rather of the person of the Word of God.
There was an insistence
that in virtue of the hypostatic union, the flesh and blood is always together
to the risen Lord and they are animated by the human spirit of Christ. In
short, the Council approved the doctrine of transubstantiation. They rejected
the theory of consubstantiation. The goal of celebrating the Eucharist is for reception
by the faithful other than adoration. Because of this, Canon 2 was formulated
mainly to avoid the idea that a strict parallel exists between the unique
hypostatic union of Logos and humanity and Eucharist and incarnation. This is
what the theory of consubstantiation failed to secure, it does not account for
the changing of bread and wine into Body and Blood.
The argument raised by
Luther against the Catholic theology of the Eucharist was based on Hebrew
10:1-18. Therefore, if the Mass is considered true sacrifice, then it has to be
regarded a new sacrifice, working against the one sacrifice accomplished by
Christ. He had a conviction that Catholic theology was erroneously attributing
to the Mass a sacrificial activity of the Cross. The Council’s response was
that the Mass is a true and proper sacrifice offered to God, a sacrifice
instituted by Christ on the Last Supper for the forgiveness of sins of both the
living and the dead. Therefore, it is the role of the priest to offer sacrifice
of the Body and Blood of Christ at the altar. A priest acts in persona Christi when he utters the
Eucharistic Prayer. The words of consecration are real words of Christ which
effect the substance of bread and wine to Body and Blood of Christ. Each
offered Mass is a memorial made present by Christ himself in the sacraments.
Thus the theology of the Eucharist became the main agenda of the Council
against the Reformers particularly Martin Luther. Instead, the desired
reconciliation could not be reached.
The
Eucharistic Celebration: Concelebrating
[A.G., MARTIMORT,
The Church at Prayer Vol. II., The Celebration of the Eucharist After Vat. II,
chap. II]. by Kurian Ajeesh John (11013T)
The Constitution on the
Liturgy states that concelebrating is an expression of the unity of the
priesthood which has continued to this day as a practice in the Church. This
unity of priesthood has been there from the early Church. Masses presided by
bishops have had been characterized by many priest concelebrating. In the
Eastern Church, the presiding bishop was to appoint one of the concelebrants to
pronounce the anaphora. In the Western Church, according to the rubrics all the
concelebrants were expected to say half-aloud all the prayers from the
offertory on though in certain occasions this was (is) done on great feasts and
ordination ceremonies.
The present ritual of
concelebrating forbids private Mass especially those being concelebrated at the
same time in the same Church. The real president of the celebration is the
bishop, and the college of priest around him. All the concelebrants share in
the common action especially in the words of the first epiclesis, the account
of institution, the anamnesis and second epiclesis as well as the concluding
doxology. Other prayer are distributed among the various concelebrants
especially the intercession of the anaphora. All give the gesture of imposition
of hands outstretched toward the offering, bread and chalice, while saying the
words of the Lord. The palm of the hand
is to be turned to the side and not to the floor in order that that the act may
be understood as a gesture of pointing, in keeping with the words “This is my
body… This is my blood…”
Now the concelebrants
receive communion under both species but the ceremonial for communion allows
wide freedom of choice. Regarding the question of vestments, the concelebrants
vest as though they were celebrating alone. They may simply wear a stole over
the alb. The unity that is expressed in the rite of concelebrating embraces the
entire priestly people as they gather around those who have received the grace
of presiding over the rite. Therefore, those priests who live in community or
serve the same Church should gladly welcome visiting priests to concelebrate
with them. The significance of concelebrating is Church unity, that communion
which Christ called his disciples to show to the world. They will know that you
are my brothers if you love one another.
AT THE SCHOOL OF MARY:
“WOMAN OF THE EUCHARIST"
(Pope John Paul II, Ecclesia de Eucharistia)
by Kurian Ajeesh John (11013T)
I
wish to find out why Mary is the woman of Eucharist at her school and try to
find again in all its richness the deep relationship between the Church and the
Eucharist: Mary, Mother and model of the Church. John Paul II in his Apostolic
Letter Rosarium Virginis Mariae points
out that, the Blessed Virgin Mary as our teacher in contemplating Christ's
face, and among the mysteries of light, she can guide us towards this most holy
sacrament, because herself has a profound relationship with it. She was present
at the Eucharistic celebrations of the first generation of Christians, who were
devoted to “the breaking of bread” (Acts 2:42). Mary is a “woman of the
Eucharist.” Because in her whole life and the Church, which looks to her as a
model, is also called to imitate her in her relationship with this most holy
mystery. She acts as our support and guide in acquiring this disposition, in
this school (Church) we also accept Mary's invitation to obey him without
hesitation: “Do whatever he tells you” (Jn 2:5). With the same maternal concern
which she showed at the wedding feast of Cana, Mary seems to say to us; Do not
waver; trust in the words of my Son. If he was able to change water into wine,
he can also turn bread and wine into his body and blood, and through this
mystery bestow on believers the living memorial of his Passover, thus becoming
the 'bread of life'.
Mary lived her Eucharistic faith even
before the institution of the Eucharist, by the very fact that she offered her
virginal womb for the Incarnation of God's Word. The Eucharist, while
commemorating the passion and resurrection, is also in continuity with the
incarnation. In continuity with the Virgin's faith, in the Eucharistic mystery
we are asked to believe that the same Jesus Christ, Son of God and Son of Mary,
becomes present in his full humanity and divinity under the signs of bread and
wine. Mary, as she contemplated the face of the newborn Christ and cradled him
in her arms invites us to that unparalleled model of love which should inspire
us every time we receive Eucharistic communion. She experienced a kind of
“anticipated Eucharist” one might say a “spiritual communion” of desire and of oblation, which would
culminate in her union with her Son in his passion, and then find expression
after Easter by her partaking in the Eucharist which the Apostles celebrated as
the memorial of that passion. She is present, with the Church and as the Mother
of the Church, at each of our celebrations of the Eucharist. The Church and the
Eucharist are inseparably united, the same ought to be said of Mary and the
Eucharist.
Mary sings of the new heavens and the
new earth which finds in the Eucharist their anticipation. The Magnificat
expresses her spirituality, and there is nothing greater than this spirituality
for helping us to experience the mystery of the Eucharist. The Eucharist has
been given to us so that our life, like that of Mary, may become completely a
Magnificat.
****
The
Table of the Body of Christ & Easter Banquet and Fraternal Gathering (Pope
John Paul II, Dies Domini) by Kurian Ajeesh John (11013T)
The
Liturgical action is a sacred action of the Church, it surpasses all others and
no other action of the Church can equal its efficacy by the same name, title,
and to the same degree. It is a unique means by which the Church seeks the help
of God to create peace and reconciliation among the people of God. The
Eucharist is the sacrament in which Christ in the form of bread and wine is
made present. They become the body and blood of Christ through
the invocation of the Holy Spirit who works with absolutely unique power in the
words of consecration. In the Eucharist, Jesus is truly present with his body and blood
in order to offer himself in an un-bloody manner to the heavenly Father. He
also gives Himself to the faithful as nourishment for their soul.
Through
his suffering Jesus reconciled humanity with God. It was fulfilled through the
suffering, death and glorification of Christ. In the Eucharistic celebration,
the Risen Lord is encountered by the faithful in the form of bread and wine
which after transubstantiation, the bread and wine become the Body and Blood of
our Lord Jesus Christ who is truly and really present at the altar. This
Sacramental communion makes the faithful united with the Lord and all other
communicants from different origins, cultures, races, languages and ethnic
groups to whom he gives himself. In this union, every member is at peace and is
reconciled with God and with one another. Here all embrace the culture of
Christ, that is communion with his Father. In the Holy Eucharist, the faithful
draws inspiration and strength to live the radical newness brought by Christ into
the heart of everyday life. It also leads each faithful to be a radiant witness
in his or her working environment and society. It is by the Eucharistic union
that members are able to build effectively a reconciled, just and peaceful society.
The chief fruit of the Eucharist is an intrinsic union of the recipient with
Christ.
***
The Eucharist
and the Sacrament of Holy Orders
(Pope Benedict XV1,
Sacramentum Caritatis) by Kurian Ajeesh John, 11013T
Jesus
instituted both the Eucharist and the Holy orders on the same day. On the day
He was in the upper room with his disciples, he said to them ‘Do this in
Memorial of Me’ (Lk 22:19). Here he clearly institutes the Eucharist and at the
same time asks His disciples to do it. So by commanding them to do, Jesus in a
way gives all the powers and qualities of a priest to continue His mission that
was entrusted to him by His Father. In the Old Testament the priest has to
offer sacrifice for his own sins and for the sins of the people. Through this
sacrifice the sins of both parties were forgiven and the blessing of God could
be attained. Our Holy Church teaches us that the duty of a priest is to offer
sacrifice for the redemption from slavery of Satan. In the new sacrifice, Jesus
is the sacrificer as well as the victim. When a priest celebrates the Holy
Eucharist, he acts in the person of Christ.
Our
celebration of Eucharist is not a routine event, but it is spiral. As we
celebrate the Eucharist every day we find new meaning of what we are doing
without losing the essence of the sacrifice that Jesus had done on Calvary.
Being in the place of sacrificer the priest must be chaste like Christ. The tradition
of the Church Fathers teaches that, Jesus the eternal priest offer his
sacrifice on the cross in the state of
virginity. This priestly celibacy is considered as the total dedication and devotion
to Christ, to his church and to the kingdom of God. As we live in this era of
technology, people may fail to understand the mystery of Jesus and His life. As
a result we see the shortage of priests. The bishops and priests have the duty
to spread the Good News, especially to the families and to have a great
pastoral work of caring, and vocation to priestly ministry. The ministers of Word and Sacraments, both
deacons and priests, should have the greater hope of getting men in the
vineyard of the Lord. And these ministers have to strive faithfully to impart
the message of Christ, so that they can help young people choose priesthood as
their way of life, not for the sake of becoming priests but for the sake of
serving others in the love of Christ for them.
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