What is Holy Eucharist?

• Celebration of life remembering the

Christ’s Paschal Mystery that saved us
from sins.

• We thank God for his saving action

• To listen to God’s word and share

Christ’s Body and Blood in the form of
bread and wine
 What is Holy Eucharist?
• Structured as a meal
• Called together as one body of believers
• Christ used the natural elements of a
meal
oComing together, conversing and
sharing of food and drinks together
To bring his saving loving presence
among us
 Sacred Scripture
• Passover Meal (Exodus 12-13)
o The Old Testament
1. Act of remembering God’s saving
action
2. Act of giving thanks for God’s saving
action
3. Act of worshiping God
4. Act of renewing their sense of being a
people formed by their covenant with
God
 Sacred Scripture
• The Last Supper
o New Testament
o Shows the four solemn actions of Christ in
the Eucharistic liturgy
1. Take that corresponds to preparation of
the gifts in the Holy Mass
2. Bless to Eucharistic prayer
3. Break, breaking of the bread
4. Give to communion
 What is Holy Eucharist
Eucharist
• Comes from greek word “eukarista” which
means to give thanks

Vatican II Constitution of the Sacred Liturgy

• Presents the basics of the catholic faith
regarding the institution of the Eucharistic
Sacrifice of Christ’s body and blood
 Memorial
-Reminder of His death and
resurrection
 Sacrament of love
- sign of unity and bond of charity
 Paschal banquet
-Christ is consumed, the mind is filled
with grace
 Pledge of future glory
• Christ
- Primordial Sacrament of God
- Origin
-primary agent
-fullest expression of each sacrament
-Supreme Worshiper in the Eucharist
- both priest and victim
- food for eternal life =
bread and wine
 The Holy Eucharist as a
Sacrifice Sacrament
• Christ instituted the sacrament
• He prepared for it in the fellowship of meals
which he shared during his public life
• He established the Eucharist at the last
supper
• He confirmed it as the Risen Christ in Easter
• Eucharist is both a sacrifice and a sacred
meal
• Eucharist itself is a prayer
– It offers perfect worship to the Father

5 goals of authentic prayer

1. Thanksgiving
2. Praise and Adoration
3. Contrition
4. Petition and Suppliction
5. Offering
 The Holy Eucharist as a
Communion Sacrament
• Ecclesial Act
• The Eucharist becomes a meal of communion
• A sign of unity and bond of charity
• Graces we receive after communion:
1. Unites us with Chirst
2. Separates us from sin
3. Reconciles us with one another
4. Builds up the Christian Community, the Church
 The Holy Eucharist as a
Presence Sacrament
• Christ is present in the Eucharistic
celebration
1. Assembly
2. In the person of the priest celebrant
3. Holy Scripture
4. Eucharistic species of Bread and Wine
 The Holy Eucharist as a
Presence Sacrament
• Unleavened bread
-Symbolizes the purity and newness of the new bread of life

• The Wine
-symbolizes the product of Israel as Yahweh's
Vine and of Christ, God’s true vine

• Bread and Wine

- prefigure the glorification of the whole
material creation in the Risen Christ at his
second coming ( parousia)
 Process
1. Transfiguration
- Bread and wine take on a new deep
personal meaning
- Christ’s personal self giving presence
of our salvation
2. Transfinalization
- the glorification of all matter in the new
age
- started from resurrection and comes
fully at His second coming
 Process
3. Trans- substantiation
- through the power of the Holy spirit the
material substance is changed into a
reality of a different level: the glorified
Body and Blood of Christ; crucified and
risen
 2 Major Divisions
• Liturgy of the Word

• Liturgy of the Eucharist

 Major Parts
1. Introductory Rites

2. Liturgy of the Word

3. Liturgy of the Eucharist

4. Communion Rite

5. Concluding Rites
 Words to remember
• Eucharist
- to give thanks
• Liturgy
- greek word “ leitourgia” meaning public duty
• Communion
- latin word “ communio” meaning sharing in
common
- “koinonia” meaning fellowship
• Banquet
- ceremonial dinner honoring something