Reflections on the Eucharist - Lawrence Mwenye 11058

                The Eucharist; Jesus the True Sacrificial lamb

This article offers a reflection on Pope Benedict XVI’s encyclical Sacramentum Caritatis which was issued on 22^nd of February in 2007.

 Jesus accomplished the mission he came for in the paschal mystery. Just before giving up his Spirit he said, ‘It is finished’ (John 19:30).Through Jesus’ obedience to death on the cross, He brought the new covenant. Through this our sins were forgiven. Jesus’ death on the cross expresses as the Pope puts it, “Love in its most radical form”.

In the Paschal mystery, all of us were delivered from evil and death. When Jesus instituted the Eucharist, He spoke of the new and eternal covenant which was evidenced in shedding of His blood. This actually was the ultimate purpose of His mission.

Before Jesus’ baptism in River Jordan, John the Baptist saw Him and said, “Behold the lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world”. These are the words repeated by a priest during mass. They are indeed significant because Jesus Christ Himself is the true paschal lamb who gave Himself to us freely and in this way he brought about the new and eternal covenant. The Eucharist therefore, contains this drastic newness which is offered to us every time in the Eucharist celebration.

The institution of the Eucharist at the Last Supper took place within a ritual meal commemorating the deliverance of the people of Israel from slavery in Egypt. This meal was called the sacrifice of lambs and it was a remembrance for the past but also a proclamation of what is to come. In the same way during the institution of the Eucharist Jesus anticipated and made present the sacrifice of the cross and the victory of the resurrection. The institution of the Eucharist on Holy Thursday was an anticipation of his death on Good Friday and eventually his resurrection.

At the same time, He made known that He was the sacrificial lamb. In this way, Jesus showed that His death and resurrection had a salvific meaning and it was indeed a mystery that renews history and the whole world. The institution of the Eucharist showed how Jesus’ death, which was violent turned out to be a supreme act of love and humanity’s definitive deliverance from evil.

It is evident therefore that Jesus’ sacrifice of the cross was purely an act of love for the whole humanity. We should therefore be grateful to Christ every time we receive the most holy sacrament of the Eucharist.                     

                                                       Eucharistic Presence

This work is a reflection on the “Eucharistic Presence” in Nathan Mitchel’s book: Real Presence, The work of the Eucharist.

In the Eucharistic prayer, we ‘call to mind’ the paschal mystery of Jesus. When we recall this it is not just a psychological act but rather this remembrance means that we are engaged in an incarnate, corporate action. Mitchel reminds us that sacramental memory in the Catholic tradition is a deed and not an idea.

This has an adumbration in the gospel of John. According to John, to participate in the life of Jesus one has to participate in the rituals of the community that is gathering and is active in the name of Jesus. It therefore implies that it is a communal rather than an individual act.

John Chrysostom sees the significance of Jesus’ Eucharist body and the assembly’s act of eating and drinking in a feminine way. In fact he says the cup is like a nipple and the people who drink are like babies hungrily suckling the mother’s breast.

St Augustine’s view on the real presence according to his commentary on the gospel of John is that to eat the living bread is indeed to believe in Jesus.

Thomas later on also concurred with Augustine in maintaining that the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist can be perceived only through faith. He clearly says that the eating done in the sacrament of the Eucharist is a spiritual activity formed by faith. St. Thomas further explained that the real presence of Christ is a substantial presence. This cannot be seen with the bodily eye nor can it be imagined it is only open to the intellect which he calls the spiritual eye.

On speaking about the Eucharistic presence as a sacramental presence Augustine warned that eating the body of Christ is not cannibalism. As a fact he said that it cannot be compared with meat from the butcher. Augustine’s understanding is that although the sacrament is celebrated in a visible manner, it must be understood in an invisible manner.

                    Significance of the preparation of gifts.

This article is a reflection on the significance of the preparation of gifts in Johannes Emminghaus’ book The Eucharist.

In every mass, there is the preparation of gifts just after the liturgy of the word. In this reflection paper the significance of this is explored.

Emminghaus starts this presentation by offering a brief history. At the Passover meal the memorial rite had something special namely the head of the house took bread and cup in his hands and raised them up as he spoke words of praise and interpretation. This was mainly done to direct the participants to what was being symbolized. From this, one can already notice that there is a similarity with what happens in our liturgy today. The priest who represents the people takes the position of the head of the house during the days of the Passover meal.

In the early Christian community the disciples participated in the celebration by preparing the bread and the wine as well as receiving them. At that time the meal was not only a sign of brotherhood but also a meal provided by the poor in community. So there was giving away generously to cater for the needs of others. This was seen as a sacrifice.

When communities grew giving these gifts took a different dimension. People could bring them in a procession that was symmetrical of the procession during which the transformed gifts were received back. With time, the preparation of gifts underwent a ritual expansion. It is in this regard therefore, that Hippolytus put forward the idea that only those who were in communion with the church could bring gifts and receive bread back when it had changed.

The preparation of gifts is the beginning of the Eucharistic sacrifice. In the prayers accompanying the preparation of gifts the priest presents the bread and the cup to God and thus creates a bridge that connects the preparation with the formula of anamnesis in the Eucharistic prayer. This presentation must truly be regarded as the beginning of the church’s Eucharistic sacrifice.

                                  The Eucharist builds the Church.

                      Mwenya, B.Lawrence 11058T Class 2A

In his encyclical letter “Ecclesia de Eucharistia”which was given in Rome in 2003, Pope John Paul II speaks about the Eucharist- the life of the church. In this article, I would like to reflect on the way the Eucharist builds the church as presented in the second chapter of the encyclical.

One may wonder how the Eucharist builds the church. To comprehend this well, there is need to look closely at the words of our savior in the gospel of John 15: 4 “Abide in me and I in you”. With these words it becomes clear that if Christ is in us and we in him, we form a perfect unity with him and thus since he is the head of the church, saying that He, who is present to us in the most holy sacrament of the Eucharist is indisputable.The causal influence of the Eucharist as the Pope notes can be traced at the origin of the church. The institution of the Holy Eucharist on Holy Thursday was a foundation of the new messianic community. By accepting the Eucharist, the disciples entered into a communion with Jesus. From then, the church is built through sacramental communion with the son of God who was sacrificed for our sake.

Being incorporated into Christ, as we already know from the catholic teaching, starts at baptism. This is then renewed and consolidated by partaking the eucharist.Those who partake on the Eucharist are united with Christ because we receive him and him in return receives us and therefore we enter into friendship with him because this brings about a mutual abiding. This is truly what Jesus requires of us when he tells us to abide in him and him in us. By this union, the Christians form a sacrament for humanity that is a sign and instrument of the salvation won by Christ.

Christ then invites us his followers to continue his mission. The church relies on Christ’s sacrifice on the cross and communion with Christ in the Eucharist for its spiritual power. This therefore shows vividly that the Eucharist is very vital in giving life to the church. It can thus be rightly said that without the Eucharist there is the church loses its spiritual strength.

The Eucharistic communion also confirms the church in her unity as the body of Christ. In the Eucharist, the gift of Christ and his spirit which we receive brings to the satisfaction the longing for fraternal unity deeply rooted in the human heart. This communion with the body of Christ becomes as sign and instrument of intimate unity with God and of the unity of the whole human race. But one can ask if communion with the body of Christ, which indeed Christians receive often, why disunity even among Christians themselves? The answer can be found if we acknowledge that sin brings incredible disunity. This therefore reminds us that the unifying power of the Eucharist, which is able to fight this disunity, should be constantly relied on. Thus it is important to note that as the Eucharist builds up the church, it creates a human community as well.

                                         Eucharist and Priesthood.

                                   Mwenya, B.Lawrence 11058T-Class 2A

This article reflects on John Paul II’s letter “Dominicae Cenae”. This letter written on 24th February 1980 was addressed to all the bishops. It was indeed about the mystery and worship of the Eucharist.

The ministerial priesthood of the Bishops and priests, and the ministry of deacons are linked closely with the Eucharist because the Eucharist is very central in the sacrament of the priesthood which was instituted on Holy Thursday. During ordination, a celebration linked to the holy mass as witnessed in early liturgies, the priests become united in a singular and exceptional way to the Eucharist.

Thus, priests exist for the Eucharist. This responsibility applies to priests in their parishes and bishops in their dioceses. This responsibility is of course, a great mystery of faith. But apart from the clergy this sacrament of the Eucharist is also given to the whole people of God, all believers in Christ.

If then this sacrament is a great responsibility of priests then there is a lot of expectation from them as far as administering this sacrament is concerned. They have to be exemplary in their love for the sacrament, in veneration and witness so that the faith of the laity may be build and strengthened through them. Through this responsibility of the priests, the Pope reaffirmed that the Eucharistic worship in mass and the devotion to the Blessed Sacrament becomes an important link to the ministerial priesthood to the common priesthood of the Christians.

When a priest celebrates the Eucharist, he fulfils his principle mission. This is manifested more completely when his life allows this mystery to be visible in people’s hearts and minds as he does his ministry. This clearly brings forth the highest exercise of which is the source and summit of all life. “Dominacae Cenae” therefore shows distinction of responsibility that the clergy have for the Eucharist. While considering this, it should be clear that this responsibility refers to the pastoral office and therefore it does not mean that compared to the laity the clergy have a greater qualitative responsibility. In conclusion, in regard to the Eucharist and priesthood “Dominicae Cenae” shows the pastoral responsibility and influence which exemplary pastors can have on the spiritual life of their Christians.