Jesus gave thanks, consecrated the bread and wine, and presented
his body and blood as spiritual nourishment to his apostles, and for the
salvation of all (Jn 6:53-58). This
Eucharist renews the same sacrifice Christ made upon the cross. The ritual sacrifice under the Old Law was
the sign of the covenant between God and his people. In the New Testament the sacrifice achieves
perfection through Christ. This
Eucharist is therefore celebrated as a memorial of Christ’s death, burial, resurrection,
and ascension into heaven. At the Mass
Christ is present in this sacrament. He
offers his sacrifice in the union with the church; for this reason we call the
Eucharist the sacrifice of the church.
The Eucharist is a Sacrament
The Eucharist is a sacrament because Christ offers himself to
the Father in the Mass just as he did on the cross, but the offering is made
through the actions of the priest.
What does the Eucharist do?
1.
unites the recipient to Christ,
2.
gives life - “a true food” (Jn 6:54),
3.
shares in the life of Christ – eternal life (Jn
6:58; Mt 5:23-24; Jn 3:19-24),
4.
builds up Christ’s mystical body – the church (1
Cor 10:16-17; Jn 17:2021), and
5.
serves as a heavenly banquet (1 Cor 11:26; Mt
26:29; Lk 14:16; 2 Pet 3:13).
Scott Hahn’s Catholic Bible Dictionary explains that the
Eucharist is also known as the Lord’s Supper.
This is a Christian sacrament that honors the actions of Jesus at the
last supper. It is reported in all the
Synoptic Gospels that Jesus took bread and blessed it (Mk 14:22-24). This partaking of the Eucharist is called
Holy Communion. In Greek eucharistia
means “thanksgiving” - the sacrament in which Christ is really present under
the appearances of bread and wine. Other
names for the Eucharist are: Holy Communion,
the Lord’s Supper, the table of the Lord, the breaking of the bread, the
unbloody sacrifice, our daily bread, the most blessed sacrament, the sacrifice
of praise, and agape. But the
Eucharist is also a sign of unity, a bond of charity, and a paschal banquet.
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