Catechumenate Topic: Eucharist

Catechumenate Topic: Eucharist

Read Luke 22: 14-20

Assign John 6 as homework

The Eucharist is extraordinarily Biblical, we believe the Lord’s words on the matter.

The Eucharist is the source and summit of Christianity. In it is contained the essence of our beliefs, and all our beliefs point towards, in it is Christ himself.

The Eucharist comes out of the Jewish Passover feast. Christ takes it and perfects it, and it points to our final Passover our crossing over to the Father. The bread and wine of the Passover is a thanksgiving, the sacrifice of the Lamb is atonement for sin through the vicarious death of another. Eucharist means thanksgiving.

Some names for the sacrament are: Eucharist, Blessed Sacrament, Holy Communion, the Lord’s Supper, the Sacrament of the Altar, the Body and Blood, the True Presence

The sacrament requires a validly ordained Bishop or Priest, and unleavened wheat bread and grape wine. The Bread and the Wine truly become the living Body and Blood of the Lord. They contain his body, blood, soul, and divinity. Christ himself is the High Priest who offers up the sacrifice, and continues it at every Mass. The words of consecration are not the priest’s, they are Christ’s. The Eucharist is timeless, in that it is the same sacrifice of the Lord’s Supper, and the Cross, and the Resurrection as happened 2000 years ago. We are not re-sacrificing Christ, Christ is re-presenting His sacrifice, renewing it, perpetuating it. It is a memorial.

When baptized you live in the life of Christ, when you receive the Eucharist he lives in you. In baptism you are called to a life which you cannot of your own power live, with the Eucharist you life is transformed into the life you are called to live in Baptism.

The spiritual presence of the Christ in the Eucharist is beyond the senses, but is indeed there. This is made possible by the power of Christ’s words and the power of the Holy Spirit.

Anyone who receives the sacrament should be in a state of Grace, if conscious of a serious sin they should go to Reconciliation first. The reception of the Eucharist is the Highest act of Christian worship in the world, and thus completes Christian initiation.

The fruits of the Eucharist are:

Union with Christ, we are what we eat.

The unity and formation of the Church is derived for the Eucharist, as we all share in the one body, the one bread, we come one body. We are what we eat.

Separation from sin, and cleansing of venial sin.

Strengthens spiritual virtues and goodness.

Commitment to the Poor.

And also…..

The senses have no power over the Eucharist, they cannot penetrate the mystery, but the Eucharist is good for the senses.

Improved sight so that you may see others and Christ sees them.

Improved touch so that you may know better how to love others.

Improved hearing so that you may hear God’s words in your heart.

Improved taste so that your desires are properly ordered to what is good and just.

Improved smell that you may recognize God’s Glory in the world and give him praise and thanksgiving.