An
Understanding of the Real Presence of Jesus Christ in the Sacrament of the
Eucharist
Introduction
The Lord Jesus, on the night before
he suffered on the cross, shared one last meal with his disciples. During this
meal our Savior instituted the sacrament of his Body and Blood. He did this in
order to perpetuate the sacrifice of the Cross throughout the ages and to
entrust to the Church his Spouse a memorial of his death and resurrection (Mt
26:26-28; cf. Mk 14:22-24, Lk 22:17-20, 1 Cor 11:23-25).
Recalling these words of Jesus, the
Catholic Church professes that, in the celebration of the Eucharist, bread and
wine become the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ through the power of the Holy
Spirit and the instrumentality of the priest. The whole Christ is truly
present, body, blood, soul, and divinity, under the appearances of bread and
wine—the glorified Christ who rose from the dead after dying for our sins. This
is what the Church means when she speaks of the "Real Presence" of
Christ in the Eucharist. This presence of Christ in the Eucharist is called
"real" not to exclude other types of his presence as if they could
not be understood as real (cf. Catechism, no. 1374). Even though, the presence of the risen Christ
in the Eucharist is an inexhaustible mystery that the Church can never fully
explain in words.
Jesus gives himself to us as food
and drink
Jesus gives himself to us in the
Eucharist as spiritual nourishment because he loves us. God's whole plan for
our salvation is directed to our participation in the life of the Trinity, the
communion of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Our sharing in this life begins with
our Baptism, when by the power of the Holy Spirit we are joined to Christ, thus
becoming adopted sons and daughters of the Father. It is strengthened and
increased in Confirmation. It is nourished and deepened through our
participation in the Eucharist. By eating the Body and drinking the Blood of
Christ in the Eucharist we become united to the person of Christ through his
humanity. "Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me and I
in him" (Jn 6:56). In being united to the humanity of Christ we are at the
same time united to his divinity. Our mortal and corruptible natures are
transformed by being joined to the source of life. "Just as the living
Father sent me and I have life because of the Father, so also the one who feeds
on me will have life because of me" (Jn 6:57). By being united to Christ
through the power of the Holy Spirit dwelling in us, we are drawn up into the
eternal relationship of love among the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit,
and so we become sons and daughters of God by adoption through the sacrament of
Baptism.
The Eucharist is not only a meal but
also a sacrifice?
While
our sins would have made it impossible for us to share in the life of God,
Jesus Christ was sent to remove this obstacle. His death was a sacrifice for
our sins. Christ is "the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the
world" (Jn 1:29). Through his death and resurrection, he conquered sin and
death and reconciled us to God. The Eucharist is the memorial of this
sacrifice. The Church gathers to remember and to re-present the sacrifice of
Christ in which we share through the action of the priest and the power of the
Holy Spirit. Through the celebration of the Eucharist, we are joined to
Christ's sacrifice and receive its benefits. As the Letter to the Hebrews
explains, Jesus is the one eternal high priest who always lives to make
intercession for the people before the Father. In this way, he surpasses the
many high priests who over centuries used to offer sacrifices for sin in the
Jerusalem temple. The eternal high priest Jesus offers the perfect sacrifice
which is his very self, not something else. "He entered once for all into
the sanctuary, not with the blood of goats and calves but with his own blood,
thus obtaining eternal redemption" (Heb 9:12). His actions transcend time,
which is part of creation. Jesus' one perfect sacrifice is thus eternally
present before the Father, who eternally accepts it. This means that in the
Eucharist, Jesus does not sacrifice himself again and again. Rather, by the
power of the Holy Spirit his one eternal sacrifice is made present once again,
re-presented, so that we may share in it. "The whole Church exercises the
role of priest and victim along with Christ, offering the Sacrifice of the Mass
and itself completely offered in it" (Mysterium Fidei, no. 31; cf. Lumen
Gentium, no. 11).
Christ's
Body and Blood are present in the Eucharist under the spices of bread and wine.
This
way of being present corresponds perfectly to the sacramental celebration of
the Eucharist. Jesus Christ gives himself to us in a form that employs the
symbolism inherent in eating bread and drinking wine. Furthermore, being
present under the appearances of bread and wine, Christ gives himself to us in
a form that is appropriate for human eating and drinking. Also, this kind of
presence corresponds to the virtue of faith, for the presence of the Body and
Blood of Christ cannot be detected or discerned by any way other than faith. It
is by the authority of God who reveals himself to us, by faith we believe that
which cannot be grasped by our human faculties (cf. Catechism, no. 1381).
The transformed bread and wine that are the Body and Blood of Christ are not
merely symbols because they truly are the Body and Blood of Christ. As St. John
Damascene wrote: "The bread and wine are not a foreshadowing of the body
and blood of Christ—By no means!—but the actual deified body of the Lord, because
the Lord Himself said: ‘This is my body'; not ‘a foreshadowing of my body' but
‘my body,' and not ‘a foreshadowing of my blood' but ‘my blood'" ( The
Orthodox Faith, IV [Pg. 94, 1148-49]). Even though, Christ is present under
the appearances of bread and wine, not in his own proper form.
The
presence of Christ is not only during the celebration. During the celebration
of the Eucharist, the bread and wine become the Body and Blood of Christ, and
this they remain. Once the substance has really changed, the presence of the
Body and Blood of Christ "endures as long as the Eucharistic species
subsist" (Catechism, no. 1377). Against those who maintained that
the bread that is consecrated during the Eucharist has no sanctifying power if
it is left over until the next day, St. Cyril of Alexandria replied,
"Christ is not altered, nor is his holy body changed, but the power of the
consecration and his life-giving grace is perpetual in it" (Letter 83,
to Calosyrius, Bishop of Arsinoe [Pg. 76, 1076]). The Church teaches
that Christ remains present under the appearances of bread and wine as long as
the appearances of bread and wine remain.
Conclusion
Conclusion
By his Real Presence in the
Eucharist Christ fulfils his promise to be with us "always, until the end
of the age" (Mt 28:20). As St. Thomas Aquinas wrote, "It is the law
of friendship that friends should live together. . . . Christ has not left us
without his bodily presence in this our pilgrimage, but he joins us to himself
in this sacrament in the reality of his body and blood" (Summa
Theologiae, III q. 75, a. 1). With this gift of Christ's presence in our
midst, the Church is truly blessed. As Jesus told his disciples, referring to
his presence among them, "Amen, I say to you, many prophets and righteous
people longed to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear
but did not hear it" (Mt 13:17). In the Eucharist the Church both receives
the gift of Jesus Christ and gives grateful thanks to God for such a blessing.
This thanksgiving is the only proper response, for through this gift of himself
in the celebration of the Eucharist under the appearances of bread and wine
Christ gives us the gift of eternal life.
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RELATIONSHIP
BETWEEN THE CHURCH AND THE EUCHARIST
The sacrament of
Eucharist as rightly called, is the sacrament of the life of the church. It is
the center and the core of the whole life of the church, without which the
church becomes just like any other organization. Whatever else the church
accomplishes, she does so coming from and geared towards a greater union with
the sacrament of the Eucharist.
On the last supper,
Christ gave himself; his whole being to the church, for the church and on
behalf of His body the church. He shared his total love. In so doing, Christ
created a communion with those whom he died for. It was a communion of love and
self giving and sharing. He called upon all those who willingly accept to share
in this self giving and sharing to do what he did as a memorial. I reflect that
what Christ meant by “do this in memory of me” was not just recanting the words
and breaking the bread and sharing in the cup. He meant more than just the
words of consecration. Rather, he called all those who accept to commune with
him, who want to be part of the new assembly of the new covenant, to do what he
did. That is giving self totally in love.
The church as an
assembly of believers is called to reflect the love of Christ to the whole
world. Christ did not only die to save a few, but to save all. Therefore the
love of Christ which the church ought to reflect should not only be limited to
believers or in particular to Catholics. The partakers of the body of Christ
are called to reflect this love of Christ to all people; both believers and
non-believers since they are called to become Christ like. This is the task the
church has if it is to positively mirror the image of Christ and moreover,
fulfill the command of celebrating the Eucharist. As I said earlier, it is in
the Eucharist that the life of the church emanates. Life is about bearing
fruits. Hence as a Eucharistic community, the church is expected to bear fruits
equivalent to those of the giver of this life which is love. This love
encompasses all the virtues that a Christian can posses because like Christ who
is the head, then a Christian can equally be able to die spiritually for the
sake of the making known the one who died physically to share his love. Again,
not out of merit, but only love.
It is therefore not
enough for a Christian who just walks to the altar, receives the Eucharist and
does not continue to illumine the lives of others including non-believers. If
such happens, the celebration and the reception of the Eucharist become just
another routine and ‘play’ without meaning. I find it of great importance for
the church to encourage and re-visit its catechesis on the meaning of
participation in the Eucharistic celebrations of its members. This might make
its mission on earth more effective and fruitful.
Bernard
Kariuki OSF 11010T
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Celebrating the Eucharist - Rinaldo Ronzani
The celebration of the
Eucharist is a key issue addressed by the Vatican II council document. This is
as a result of the key position the Eucharist occupy in the live not only of
the minister, but of every Christian. Hence, “It is the duty of the pastors to
ensure that the faithful take part fully aware of what they are doing, actively
engaged in the rite, and enriched by its effects.” (SC 11) It is of importance then that all those who participate in
the Eucharistic celebration be well prepared.
It’s the duty of the
pastor then to ensure that the gathered community is aware of the great
importance of being one in faith; hence they are a manifestation of the
universal church. Moreover, the awareness that the gathering is not just any
other meeting, but its aim is to encounter with the risen Lord in the Word and
in the Eucharist. This encounter calls for “conscious, active, full
participation which is motivated by faith, hope and charity.” (GIRM, I, 3) This
can be achieved by letting the faithful make use of their various gifts
appropriately during the celebration. The ministers ought to be fully aware of
the spirit of the office they hold during the celebration, hence to carry all
that pertains to it with a sense of the church existing in the assembly.
In order to achieve
this, prior preparation and planning of the groups to officiate during the celebration
is paramount. These include the presiding minister, deacon, acolytes, lectors,
the choir and the whole assembly. Moreover, the environment around the chapel
or the church where the celebration is to take place need to be conducive.
There are some focal points in the church which need to be strategically
placed. Among these; is the altar, lectern, the minister’s chair, the assembly
and the choir. Make sure that all that is necessary for the celebration is
within the vicinity and placed at the right place to avoid unnecessary
movements.
Christ is present
during the whole celebration in various ways. In the assembly of the faithful
gathered in his name, in the person of the presiding minister, in the word as
it is proclaimed and above all in the consecrated bread and wine. Such
awareness is required for the assembly to reap the full graces of the
Eucharistic celebration. In addition, the presence and use symbols during the
liturgy are not just for decorative purposes. The faithful need to be made
aware of the meaning of the many symbols and gestures used; use of light,
cross,, the silence, kneeling and standing, sprinkling of water and others. This
fosters a conscious participation, and consequently a fruitful one.
It is with such an
awareness which is well informed that the various liturgical celebrations can
be inculturated without losing the meaning of liturgy. The priests, who are the
shepherds of the flock, are called to be in the forefront to prepare
accordingly, those put under them. This is a duty which cannot be assumed if
the Eucharistic celebration is to remain meaningful and fruitful to every
Christian. Eucharist is the core and the life of the church. It ought then to
be celebrated with all the dignity and value it deserves.
****
Benedict
XVI, Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation Sacramentum
Caritatis, (22nd February 2007), Nairobi: Pauline Publications,
2007.
Part Two: The
Eucharist, A Sacrament to be Celebrated.
In
this section, the Synod of Bishops stated the relationship between the lex orandi and the lex credendi and stressed
the primacy of the liturgical action. The Eucharist should be experienced as a
mystery of faith celebrated authentically (34). The liturgy is a radiant
expression of the paschal mystery in which Christ draws us to himself and calls
us to communion. Christ showed us how the truth of love can transform even the
dark mystery of death into the radiant light of the resurrection. This is the
beauty which the memorial of the redemptive sacrifice of Christ contains for
us. Thus the subject of the liturgy’s intrinsic beauty is Christ himself, risen
and glorified in the Holy Spirit, who includes the Church in his work (36). The
day of creation has now become the day of the “new creation”, the day of our
liberation, when we commemorate Christ who died and rose again. The celebration
of this new creation is the duty of the bishops, priests, and deacons, each
according to his proper rank.
Proper
attentiveness must be paid to various languages employed in liturgy: music,
words, gestures, silence and movements. Everything related to the Eucharist
should be marked with beauty. Any music genres which fail to respect the
meaning of liturgy should be avoided (42). The intrinsic unity of the
liturgical action is evident in the connection between the liturgy of the word
and that of the Eucharist. The word which we proclaim and accept is the Word
made flesh, inseparably linked to Christ’s person. We also present the gifts of
bread and wine, our pain and suffering to be transformed by Christ our
Redeemer. Because of this act, the Eucharistic Prayer becomes “the centre and
summit of the entire celebration” (48). What follows the Eucharistic Prayer is
the sign of peace, the distribution and reception of the Body and Blood of
Christ, then the dismissal. The dismissal “Ite,
missa est”, helps us to grasp the relationship between the Mass and the
mission of Christians in the world since this phrase means “mission”.
Furthermore,
the Synod addresses the aspect of authentic participation in the liturgical
celebration as expressed in the Second Vatican Council document Sacrosanctum Concilium. Active
participation goes beyond external activity (52). Therefore, provision may be
made for a number of adaptations appropriate to different contexts and
cultures. The condition for this is the spirit of constant conversion which
must mark the lives of all the faithful. It is therefore, beneficial to
cultivate a desire for full union with Christ through the practice of spiritual
communion. For the sake of the eternal salvation of our separated brothers and
sisters, they can be admitted to sacraments but conditions indicated in
Catechism of the Catholic Church be met (56). Similar care must be paid to
those who participate through the communication media, especially the sick,
prisoners and migrants since sacraments demands personal conformity to the
mystery being celebrated: interior disposition. The basic understanding calls
for a process of mystagogy which
should always respect three elements: interpreting the rites in the light of
the events of salvation; presenting the meaning of the signs, and bringing out
the significance of the rites for the Christian life (64).
Finally,
adoration of the Eucharist is highly recommended. The final judgment belongs to
the Diocesan Bishop concerning the location of the tabernacle which contributes
to the recognition of Christ’s presence in the Blessed Sacrament. However
Christians must learn to strike a balance and know that the Eucharist is a
sacrament to be celebrated not only to be adored.
****
Eucharistic meal from a
scriptural dimension
Kariuki Bernard OSF
 |
| Bernard Kariuki |
Taking
a meal together has always been a sign of friendship and hospitality. Meals,
both secular and sacred, express a fundamental reality of human existence, our
solidarity in life with our fellow men and with God in sacred meals. Meals
celebrate life as gift from God. In so doing, such a celebration anticipates
the perfect sharing which Christ exemplified which Christ exemplified when he
instituted the Eucharist at the last supper.
In
the scriptures, a meal was a sign of joyful reunion (Lk 23-32), of hospitality
(Gn 24:33), and as well of thanksgiving to God (Gn 14:18-19). Most celebrations
of human life were concluded with a banquet for instance a marriage or a
funeral. The Holy Bible is full of writings about sharing meals. In fact in
some instances God had to intervene in the life of the Israelites with manna
(Ex 16). The Promised Land is described as a land full of milk and honey. The
covenant of Sinai is confirmed by a sacrificial meal in the presence of God
(Ex24:10-11). This symbolized a harmonious relationship between those offering
the sacrifice and God.
The
Passover meal (Ex 12) was the most important of all the Old Testament sacred
meals. This Jewish Passover prepared the Christian Pasch. Just like the way a
lamb was slaughtered for remission of sins, Christ offered himself for the
remission of sins for all. The re-enactment of this act of redemption becomes
the focus of our Christian liturgy, and centers on the sacrificial meal of our
Eucharistic celebration. The Christian is united with the sacrificed and the
risen Christ in an unending Passover. This calls the Christian to remove the
old way; the sacrificing of the lambs, and instead put on the armor of light;
of sincerity and truth. The new life acquired through this sacrifice becomes a
continuing festival of thanksgiving and communion.
The
church always celebrates the paschal mysteries of Christ, making the salvation
foreshadowed in the exodus available to us in the Eucharist. This has become
the new table of sharing the meal. It has become the new communion meal of the
people of God. It is a sacrifice that expresses harmony between God and His
people. It is a meal, through which the worshipper relates to God
sacramentally, and to the others gathered together through sharing in the same
sacrifice. Moreover, at the end of the celebration, the call “go and serve…”in
other words, go and share with those who were not in this assembly. Go and make
those who were not part of this assembly part of it by sharing what you have
received. It is not only for private benefit, but also for the others. This becomes
a challenge then for every Christian.
A reflection on Ernest Lussier’s The
Eucharist: the Bread of Life
