Day 188: Christ's Presence in the Eucharist

It is by the conversion of the bread and wine into Christ's body and blood that Christ becomes present in this sacrament. the Church Fathers strongly affirmed the faith of the Church in the efficacy of the Word of Christ and of the action of the Holy Spirit to bring about this conversion... CCC 1375

In today's reading, the Catechism speaks of the Real Presence of Jesus Christ in the Eucharist. This isn't a symbolic or spiritual presence, but "the body and blood, together with the soul and divinity, of our Lord Jesus Christ and, therefore, the whole Christ is truly, really, and substantially contained" (CCC 1374). This change the Church "has fittingly and properly called transubstantiation" (CCC 1376). The Catechism Compendium summarizes this teaching:

Transubstantiation means the change of the whole substance of bread into the substance of the Body of Christ and of the whole substance of wine into the substance of his Blood. This change is brought about in the eucharistic prayer through the efficacy of the word of Christ and by the action of the Holy Spirit. However, the outward characteristics of bread and wine, that is the “eucharistic species”, remain unaltered. (#283)

The Catechism Companion, Vol II comments on this:

From the beginning, the meaning of the Eucharist was recognized when many disciples walked away after Jesus spoke about his flesh and blood as true food and drink [Jn 6:52-66]... Church Fathers such as St. John Chrysostom and St. Ambrose emphasized the reality of the Eucharist as the true flesh and blood of Jesus Christ [CCC 1375]. The ability to "confect" the Eucharist is connected to the ministry and role of the priest, as expressed by St. John Chrysostom... Regardless of the size of the Communion Host we may receive, we receive the whole Christ. (p. 140) 

Finally, Dr. Brant Pitre has a good video on how the Eucharistic theology found in John 6 is misinterpreted:

Pope Benedict XVI celebrates a Mass.

Through the words of consecration prayed by the priest, bread and wine are converted into the Body and Blood of Christ (see CCC 1375). (p. 141)

Day 187: The Church's Sacrificial Unity

To the offering of Christ are united not only the members still here on earth, but also those already in the glory of heaven. In communion with and commemorating the Blessed Virgin Mary and all the saints, the Church offers the Eucharistic sacrifice. In the Eucharist the Church is as it were at the foot of the cross with Mary, united with the offering and intercession of Christ. CCC 1370

Today's reading from the Catechism is short, on the sacrificial unity of the Eucharist with, what has been called, the Churches Militant, Penitent, and Triumphant. The Catechism Compendium summarizes this brief reading:

In the Eucharist, the sacrifice of Christ becomes also the sacrifice of the members of his Body. The lives of the faithful, their praise, their suffering, their prayers, their work, are united to those of Christ. In as much as it is a sacrifice, the Eucharist is likewise offered for all the faithful, living and dead, in reparation for the sins of all and to obtain spiritual and temporal benefits from God. The Church in heaven is also united to the offering of Christ. (#281)

The Catechism Companion, Vol II also comments on this:

The pope and bishops are mentioned in each Mass since they represent the oneness of the Catholic Church... The Eucharistic sacrifice joins together all Catholics who are living now and also the souls in heaven... [It] serves two essential purposes: giving glory to the Father and contributing to the sanctification and salvation of the world. (p. 138)

Finally, Dr. Brant Pitre has a good video on this:

 

Angels in adoration of the Eucharist, which is presented on an altar decorated with the Last Supper. Lithograph by J. G. Schreiner after M. Seitz after H. Hess.

The [lithograph] shown here is a beautiful reminder that the Eucharistic sacrifice unites not only the members of the Church on earth but also the saints and angels. (p. 139)

Day 186: The Sacrificial Memorial

The Eucharist is the memorial of Christ's Passover, the making present and the sacramental offering of his unique sacrifice, in the liturgy of the Church which is his Body. In all the Eucharistic Prayers we find after the words of institution a prayer called the anamnesis or memorial. CCC 1362

In today's reading, the Catechism discusses the Eucharist as a sacrificial memorial. The Catechism Compendium summarizes this section:

The Eucharist is a memorial in the sense that it makes present and actual the sacrifice that Christ offered to the Father on the cross, once and for all on behalf of mankind. The sacrificial character of the Holy Eucharist is manifested in the very words of institution, “This is my Body which is given for you” and “This cup is the New Covenant in my Blood that will be shed for you” (Luke 22:19-20). The sacrifice of the cross and the sacrifice of the Eucharist are one and the same sacrifice. The priest and the victim are the same; only the manner of offering is different: in a bloody manner on the cross, in an unbloody manner in the Eucharist. (#280)

Christ is our "paschal lamb" (1 Cor 5:7), whose suffering and death was offered as a sacrifice for our redemption to the Father. The Mass "re-presents" Christ's Passover that was prefigured in Exodus 13:3, only while the latter liberated the Jews from "out of the house of bondage" in Egypt, the former liberates us from the bondage of sin and leads us to salvation. In the Exodus Passover, the Jews "once again experience God's saving work" which in Christ's Passover is magnified by making present "the sacrifice of the cross" (p. 136). 

I like how the Catechism Companion, Vol II comments on this:

The Eucharist is a "noun" - it is the Body and Blood of Christ. It is also a "verb" - it is the action of the sacrifice of Jesus offered to the Father... The Mass allows us to participate fully by actively offering the sacrifice, as well as by joining our lives and experiences to Christ's sacrifice. Everything we go through can be offered and united to Christ's sacrifice, for the glory of the Father and the salvation of the world. (p. 136)

Finally, Dr. Brant Pitre has a good video on the Mass as a sacrifice: 

In the catacombs the Church is often represented as a woman in prayer, arms outstretched in the praying position. Like Christ who stretched out his arms on the cross, through him, with him, and in him, she offers herself and intercedes for all men. CCC 1368

 

Day 185: Thanksgiving, Memorial, Presence

If from the beginning Christians have celebrated the Eucharist and in a form whose substance has not changed despite the great diversity of times and liturgies, it is because we know ourselves to be bound by the command the Lord gave on the eve of his Passion: "Do this in remembrance of me." CCC 1356

The Catechism discusses in today's reading how the Eucharist is a sacrifice of thanksgiving and praise to the Father. It is "a sacrifice of praise in thanksgiving for the work of creation" and "a blessing by which the Church expresses her gratitude to God for all his benefits, for all that he has accomplished through creation, redemption, and sanctification. Eucharist means first of all 'thanksgiving'" (CCC 1360). 

The Catechism Companion, Vol II comments:

Jesus instituted the Eucharist, providing clear guidance on how God wants to be worshipped. The Eucharist is a sacrificial memorial of Christ's self-offering to the Father... We acknowledge that all glory and honor belong to God and express our gratitude and adoration through the sacrificial worship made possible by Jesus' redemptive work. God invites, commands, and calls us to be present, engaged, and reverent during the Eucharistic celebration. The Eucharist is an extraordinary gift that surpasses our understanding. (p. 134)

The story of Cain and Abel in the book of Genesis, pictured here, is a reminder of the importance of sacrifice in Catholic tradition (see CCC 1357). (p. 135)

Day 184: The Movement of the Mass

In the communion, preceded by the Lord's prayer and the breaking of the bread, the faithful receive "the bread of heaven" and "the cup of salvation," the body and blood of Christ who offered himself "for the life of the world": Because this bread and wine have been made Eucharist ("eucharisted," according to an ancient expression), "we call this food Eucharist, and no one may take part in it unless he believes that what we teach is true, has received baptism for the forgiveness of sins and new birth, and lives in keeping with what Christ taught." CCC 1355

In today's reading, the Catechism discusses the various parts of the Mass in more depth, from the Liturgy of the Word through to the reception of the Eucharist by the faithful. It really makes no sense to post the whole text for the Order of Mass as outlined in the Catechism today, best to read CCC 1348-1355 for oneself for that. I will say though that one of the most important parts of the Mass is that the bishop or priest is acting in persona Christi capitis, or "in the person of Christ the head." So in essence, it is Jesus our "Great High Priest" (Heb 4:14) through the minister that is offering Himself to the Father in each and every Mass. 

The Catechism Companion, Vol II makes some good comments on this:

Christ brings us the Eucharist at each Mass. While paintings and drawings depict the visible elements of the Mass, they often fail to portray the heavenly hosts and the presence of Jesus Christ himself. In the Eucharist, Jesus is not only present Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity, but he is also present as the great High Priest... The Eucharist is not just a meal but also a sacrifice, and participating in this sacrifice is an integral part of the Mass. Jesus commanded us to do this in his memory. (p. 132)

A bit "cheesy Hollywood" perhaps, but this video does pretty much encapsulate what the Church believes happens at each and every Mass:

Day 183: The Mass of All Ages

The command of Jesus to repeat his actions and words "until he comes" does not only ask us to remember Jesus and what he did. It is directed at the liturgical celebration, by the apostles and their successors, of the memorial of Christ, of his life, of his death, of his Resurrection, and of his intercession in the presence of the Father. CCC 1341

In today's reading, the Catechism discusses the celebration of the Mass. The Catechism Compendium summarizes this: 

The Eucharist unfolds in two great parts which together form one, single act of worship. The Liturgy of the Word involves proclaiming and listening to the Word of God. The Liturgy of the Eucharist includes the presentation of the bread and wine, the prayer or the anaphora containing the words of consecration, and communion. (#277)

Christians meet on "the first day of the week", that is Sunday, "to break bread" (Acts 20:7) since that is the day Christ was resurrected (Jn 20:1). The Mass is celebrated in the same manner, though liturgies may differ among Rites, all over the world. The Eucharist at the Mass is the same as at Divine Liturgy or Holy Qurbana. 

I really like how the Catechism quotes St. Justin Martyr's apology from about the year 155 A.D., which witnesses the "basic lines of the order of the Eucharistic celebration" that we still follow today (CCC 1345). The Catechism Companion, Vol II gives a summary of what he wrote:

St. Justin Martyr affirms that the Eucharist is not ordinary food but the true flesh and blood of Jesus Christ, to be received only by those who have faith, have received Baptism, and live according to Christ's teachings... If someone does not believe in the Real Presence or they are not united to the Church or not living as Christ taught us receiving the Body and Blood of Christ would place them in danger of receiving condemnation on themselves. (p. 130)

In every age, the Church's priests offer Holy Mass in obedience to Christ, who said "do this in remembrance of me: (Luke 22:19; see CCC 1341). (p. 131)

 

Day 182: The Signs of Bread and Wine

The first announcement of the Eucharist divided the disciples, just as the announcement of the Passion scandalized them: "This is a hard saying; who can listen to it?" The Eucharist and the Cross are stumbling blocks. It is the same mystery and it never ceases to be an occasion of division. "Will you also go away?": The Lord's question echoes through the ages, as a loving invitation to discover that only he has "the words of eternal life" and that to receive in faith the gift of his Eucharist is to receive the Lord himself. CCC 1336

In today's reading, the Catechism discusses the mystery of the institution of the Eucharist by Christ. Bread and wine are the elements or signs used, which are significant in Scripture. We see one of the first typologies for Christ and the Eucharist in Melchizedek and his offering of bread and wine in Gen 14:18-20. As the Catechism Compendium notes:

The Eucharist was foreshadowed in the Old Covenant above all in the annual Passover meal celebrated every year by the Jews with unleavened bread to commemorate their hasty, liberating departure from Egypt. Jesus foretold it in his teaching and he instituted it when he celebrated the Last Supper with his apostles in a Passover meal. The Church, faithful to the command of her Lord, “Do this in memory of me” (1 Corinthians 11:24), has always celebrated the Eucharist, especially on Sunday, the day of the Resurrection of Jesus. (#276)

As the dialogue in John 6:25-71 shows, unfortunately, the Eucharist is a stumbling block for some just as the Risen Christ can be (1 Cor 1:23). Yet it is a sacrament of love, one from Him to spiritually nourish and sustain us, a gift of eternal life (Jn 6:51). The Catechism Companion, Vol II notes:

The Eucharist is a profound gift of love from the Lord. The Eucharist fulfills the Jewish Passover, establishing the New Covenant in Jesus' blood. Every celebration of the Eucharist looks forward to heaven, allowing us to taste the love God has for us. God's love extends to each of us, regardless of weaknesses or failures. Attending Mass reminds us of his overwhelming love for us. (p. 128) 

In the Eucharist, we truly receive the Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity of Jesus Christ, which is why we are warned never to receive this precious gift in an "unworthy manner" (1 Cor 11:27).