SACRAMEN

T OF HOLY
EUCHARIST

Call Out
What are your observed
behaviors or actions of people
during the Mass?

Introduction: HOLY
EUCHARIST

The centerpiece of the seven ritual

sacraments
The source and summit of Christian
life
The most basic action of Catholic
worship
Few have the chance to consider all
the incredible and rich meaning and
values of the Eucharist

 The memorial of Christs sacrifice,

the sacrament of the Lords supper,
and the center of his sacramental
presence
In the sacrament of the Eucharistic
Bread the unity of believers who
form one body in Christ, is both
expressed and brought about

Eucharist for Filipino

Catholics
Activities revolve around the Eucharistic
liturgy: spiritual, social, service group
Celebrations are often graced by a Mass:
family celebrations and anniversaries
Most familiar religious activity in Filipino
society
Post Vatican II Church development
Difficulties: lack of priests, lack of proper
understanding (spectators and solitary
worshippers)

 Variety of personal motivation: have

to go, routine, social conformity
increase rebellious reactions among
youth

Meaning of Eucharist
1. 1st Century eulogy blessing (Berakhah
in Hebrew). Came from that part of the
liturgy where Jesus blessed the bread,
broke it and gave it to His disciples
2. Over the years: Lords Supper
3. Very early years: Agape love feast
4. Mass: sent out sent in Latin is missa
(Mass) the key word which was a signal for
the catechumen to leave. Later in the history
of the Mass,the liturgy ended with the
command, Ite missa est Go, you are sent

Institution of the Eucharist

1. Jesus celebrated a Passover meal with
his disciples
.A solemn feast, a ritual meal celebrated
by the Jews every year in Jerusalem
.Re-enactment of Yahwehs covenant
with Moses and the Jews who inherited
the land of Israel
.Symbols: The host of the meal in this
case, Jesus

2. The New Meaning of the Passover Given by

Jesus
First: Jesus ate with his friends
The summary of the love Jesus showed them
during his three-year ministry
A reminder to his friends that he loved them
Second: He took the unleavened bread and
transformed it into his body
To remind them that God sustained them in
the desert
Bread: the great symbol for the food that
sustain life used in the Passover to remind
the Jewish people that God graciously gives
life and keeps it in existence

Third: He blessed the wine and transformed

it into his blood
Symbolizes life too
Sign of joy, a drink that gladdens
peoples hearts
The transformed wine becomes Jesus
blood, the blood of a new sacrifice
Jesus gave up his life in obedience to
the Father
By drinking of the cup of the
transformed wine, Christians participate
in the great saving deeds of Jesus

3. Jesus Established a New Covenant

What happens at Mass is the sharing of new covenant,
a new covenant between God and his beloved children
Under the form of bread and wine Jesus is saying to us
something like this: Here I am in your midst in the life
giving forms of bread and wine. I want to remind you
that I am true life if you receive me. I want to share my
body and blood. Consume me so that I can become
part of you, enter your life and help you live. Here I am
for everyone, rich and poor, male and female, young
and old, black and white. Here I am as the perfect total
gift. I give you myself under the symbols of life (bread)
and joy (wine) so that you may have my life and share
my joy.

Eucharist Through the Ages

Through the ages, the Eucharist
has always been based on what
Jesus said and did at the Last
Supper. But it has developed
over time with different
emphasis and various customs.

A. The Infant Church

New Testament: The breaking of the
Bread
After worshipping in the Jewish
temple, Christians in Jerusalem would
go to private homes to celebrate the
fact that Jesus the Messiah had
fulfilled the Old Testament
prophecies about the promised
savior

B. First Century
Saint Paul: Agape a love feast or
common supper
Included the consecration of the
bread and wine, the breaking of the
bread and communion
When Christians grew: celebrated
apart from a common meal

C. Second and Third Centuries

In the early years, the celebrant had a lot
of freedom to say his own prayers for the
Mass
Eloquent prayers: written down became
the standard throughout the Christian
world
Earliest example: 215, composed by
Hippolytus

D. Fourth through Seventh

Centuries
384: the church leaders decided that the Mass should
be said in Latin rather than Greek (the most of the
people spoke and understood Latin)
More emphasis was placed in the sacrificial aspect of
the Eucharist
Seventh Century: Pope Gregory the great declared that
the Latin Mass in Rome was the standard for the
western church. 1570: through the decree and some
changes of Pope Pious V, gave the Roman rite its basic
form. 1964: Pope Paul VI modified it to the Mass we
have today
People tended to receive communion less often because
they heavily stressed divinity and their worthiness

E. Middle Ages (8th through 15th

Centuries)
The theological term transubstantiation was
introduced to indicate that the bread and
wine really turned into Jesus risen body and
blood, although the appearance of bread and
wine remained
Focus: the consecration, seeing and adoring
the Eucharistic Lord
Eucharistic devotion: elevation of the host
and chalice at Mass, benediction, exposition,
forty hours, feast of Corpus Christi

F. Reformation to 20th
Century
16th: transubstantiation
The whole of the risen Jesus is
present under each Eucharistic form
(bread and wine) to receive either
the bread or the wine is to receive
the whole Christ

G. Today
1. Mass is said in the language of the people
2. The Prayer of the Faithful has been introduced
3. On occasion we may receive the Eucharist under
both species
4. More emphasis is put on the Liturgy of the Word,
with special guidelines to make the homily reflect
the scripture readings
5. Active participation of the laity has been
encouraged
6. The practice of communion in the hand is allowed

Today, the Church is very

concerned that people
understand what is taking
place in the Mass. Revisions
emphasize the value of
communal worship the
emphasis is on community
worship.

Basic Description of the

Sacrament
A. Sacrifice
.The Eucharist is a sacrifice
because Christ is present precisely
as offering himself for us as a
sacrifice to the Father
.Represents, makes present, the
sacrifice of the cross

B. Memorial
The Eucharist is a memorial of Christs Death and
Resurrection
In comparison with Israels Passover:
- deliverance from Egypt but more for Resurrection and
Ascension
- crossing the Red Sea but more for their own Baptism
- pillar of fire in the desert for Christs true guiding light
- manna in the desert but more of the living bread
- Moses as faithful servant Jesus as faithful Son
- water in the wilderness spring welling up to eternal
life
- law of God at Sinai love of God poured out into our
hearts by the Holy Spirit

C. Communion-Sacrament
Sacred Meal: continuation of Christs
meal ministry
Elements of Meal: Coming Together,
Dialogue, Sharing of Food and Drink
Sign of Unity and Bond of Charity:
unity of the Church

D. Presence-Sacrament
Christs Multiple Presence: Assembly,
Minister, Holy Scriptures, Eucharistic
Species

Outward Sign of the

Eucharist
1. Matter
.Wheat bread: would become the Body
of Christ
.Grapes wine: would become the Blood
of Christ
2. Form
.Line which says: This is my body...
This is my blood... He who eats/drinks...
shall have an everlasting life

NOTE:
The validity of the
celebration of the Eucharist
as far as matter and form
are concern, is not so much
dependent on the matter,
but more on the valid
consecration uttered by the

Effects of the Holy Eucharist

1. Union with Christ: encounter with
Christ Christ gives himself to the
communicant
2. Union with one another: they are so
closely bound to one another as to
form one body, the body of Christ
brothers and sisters in the
supernatural level

HOW CAN WE RETAIN THE

MEANING OF THE
EUCHARIST IN THIS
PRESENT TIME?