10C RELIGIOUS EDUCATION. The Meaning and Significance of Eucharist LEARNING STRAND: SACRAMENT AND WORSHIP PROGRAMME

Transcription

1 The Meaning and Significance of Eucharist LEARNING STRAND: SACRAMENT AND WORSHIP RELIGIOUS EDUCATION PROGRAMME FOR CATHOLIC SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN AOTEAROA NEW ZEALAND 10C

2 THE LOGO The logo is an attempt to express Faith as an inward and outward journey. This faith journey takes us into our own hearts, into the heart of the world and into the heart of Christ who is God s love revealed. In Christ, God transforms our lives. We can respond to his love for us by reaching out and loving one another. The circle represents our world. White, the colour of light, represents God. Red is for the suffering of Christ. Red also represents the Holy Spirit. Yellow represents the risen Christ. The direction of the lines is inwards except for the cross, which stretches outwards. Our lives are embedded in and dependent upon our environment (green and blue) and our cultures (patterns and textures). Mary, the Mother of Jesus Christ, is represented by the blue and white pattern. The blue also represents the Pacific Annette Hanrahan RSCJ

3 UNDERSTANDING FAITH YEAR 10 This book is the Teacher Guide to the following topic in the UNDERSTANDING FAITH series 10C THE MEANING AND SIGNIFICANCE OF EUCHARIST TEACHER GUIDE

4 Copyright 2002 by National Centre for Religious Studies No part of this document may be reproduced in any way, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means, without prior permission of the publishers. Imprimatur: Leonard Boyle DD Bishop of Dunedin Episcopal Deputy for Religious Studies October 2002 Authorised by the New Zealand Catholic Bishops Conference Published by: National Centre for Religious Studies Catholic Centre P O Box 1937 Wellington New Zealand Printed by: Printlink Jackson Street Petone Private Bag Wellington Mail Centre Lower Hutt 5045 Māori terms are italicised in the text. The first time a Māori term occurs its English meaning appears in brackets after it. A Māori glossary at the back of the book gives a more detailed explanation of these terms and provides a guide for their pronunciation.

5 CONTENTS Introduction to the Topic... 2 Part One: Thanksgiving Part Two: Meal and Bread of Life Part Three: The Presence of Christ Part Four: Sacrifice Part Five: Farewell Gift and Memorial Part Six: The Promise of Eternal Life Part Seven: The Sign of Unity and Love Part Eight: The Centre of Christian Life Glossary of General Terms Glossary of Māori Terms Acknowledgements

6 TOPIC 10C: THE MEANING AND SIGNIFICANCE OF EUCHARIST LEARNING STRAND: SACRAMENT AND WORSHIP INTRODUCTION TO THE TOPIC This book contains the teacher material for Topic 10C The Meaning and Significance of Eucharist which forms the Sacrament and Worship Strand of the Understanding Faith programme at year ten. The study of topics in the Sacrament and Worship Strand is intended to deepen students understanding of the way in which the mysterious reality of Te Atua (God) is revealed through signs of ordinary things and people, and especially through the Sacraments of the Church. It is also intended to promote understanding of public and personal modes of worship. This teacher material should be read alongside the following: The Religious Education Curriculum Statement for Catholic Secondary Schools in Aotearoa New Zealand. The student resource book for 10C The Meaning and Significance of Eucharist. The student write-on activities for 10C The Meaning and Significance of Eucharist in the year ten student workbook. The supplementary material and activities on the website. "At the Last Supper, on the night he was betrayed, our Saviour instituted the Eucharistic sacrifice of his Body and Blood. This he did in order to perpetuate the sacrifice of the cross throughout the ages until he should come again, and so to entrust to his beloved Spouse, the Church, a memorial of his death and resurrection: a sacrament of love, a sign of unity, a bond of charity, a Paschal banquet 'in which Christ is consumed, the mind is filled with grace, and a pledge of future glory is given to us.'" (CCC 1323) The Eucharist is "the source and summit of the Christian life". (CCC1324) The Eucharist is a great mystery whose meaning and significance can never be exhausted. As John Macquarrie says: 2

7 The Eucharist sums up in itself Christian worship, experience and theology in an amazing richness. It seems to include everything. It combines Word and Sacrament; its appeal is to spirit and to sense; it brings together the sacrifice of Calvary and the presence of the risen Christ; it is communion with God and communion with humankind; it covers the whole gamut of religious moods and emotions. Again, it teaches the doctrine of creation, as the bread, the wine and ourselves are brought to God; the doctrine of atonement, for these gifts have to be broken in order that they may be perfected; the doctrine of salvation, for the Eucharist has to do with incorporation into Christ and the sanctification of human life; above all, the doctrine of incarnation, for it is no distant God whom Christians worship but one who has made himself accessible in the world. The Eucharist also gathers up in itself the meaning of the Church; its whole action implies and sets forth our mutual interdependence in the body of Christ; it unites us with the Church of the past and even, through its paschal overtones, with the first people of God, as an anticipation of the heavenly banquet. Comprehensive though this description is, it is likely that I have missed something out, for the Eucharist seems to be inexhaustible. From Paths in Spirituality (London: SCM Press, 1972) page 73. This topic explores some of the more significant aspects and images of Eucharist that place it at the heart of the Church and make it central to the lives of individual Christians thanksgiving, meal, bread of life, Christ s presence, gift, sacrifice, memorial, promise of eternal life, hākarameta (sacrament) of unity and aroha (love). Eucharist comes from the Greek word meaning to give thanks. The word is important to Christians because at the Last Supper, before his death and resurrection, Hehu Karaiti (Jesus Christ) blessed bread and gave thanks for the cup of wine, declared them to be his body and blood (Matthew 26:26-28) and instructed his disciples to do this in memory of me (Luke 22:19). We now use the term Eucharist to refer to: The whole Eucharistic Celebration or Mass. That part of the Mass which begins at the preparation of the gifts, that is, the Liturgy of the Eucharist. The Consecrated bread and wine. The sacrament whereby bread and wine change to become the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ whom we offer to Te Matua (the Father) and then receive in Holy Communion. Jesus Christ is the koha (gift) of God the Father to save the world. He is God s only Son given for us. Jesus Christ lived for us, died for us, and rose for us. The Eucharist is his ultimate gift of self. Hehu, the gift of the Father, gives himself to us to strengthen and nourish us on life s journey. 3

8 The Eucharist is intimately linked to the crucifixion and Resurrection. To complete God s plan of salvation, Jesus willingly gave himself up to death, death on the cross (Philippians 2:8). The Eucharist celebrates this and makes it present. The Church has always understood the death of Jesus, and the Eucharistic celebration of it, in terms of sacrifice. The Letter to the Hebrews speaks of Jesus as the high priest and as the sacrifice (Hebrews 9). By offering himself completely to Te Atua, the Son of God heals the separation between creation and Creator that was brought about by human sin and restores he tangata (humankind) to a full relationship with Te Atua. In the celebration of the Eucharist the priest acts in the name of Hehu Karaiti and we share in the same sacrifice. We do not repeat the sacrifice Jesus offered himself once and for all but through the power of the sacrament we take part in it and join our offering of our lives to his. The Eucharistic celebration has always been understood in terms of a meal, especially the Passover meal. The Acts of the Apostles says of the first Christians: Each day with one heart, they regularly went to the Temple but met in their houses for the breaking of the bread; they shared their food gladly and generously; they praised God and were looked up to by everyone (Acts 2:46-47). In our celebration of the Eucharist we follow this ancient pattern. We listen to the Word of God and then we share in the bread that has been broken for us. In this communion we are united with Christ and each other. We are companions people who have shared bread and are in communion with the Church. This unity is celebrated and made real in Eucharist. Hehu is present in the Eucharistic celebration in many ways, but most especially in the consecrated bread and wine. While the appearances of bread and wine continue, Jesus is truly present in his humanity and divinity. ACHIEVEMENT AIMS In this topic students will gain and apply knowledge, skills, values and attitudes to understand: 1. Important aspects of the meaning and significance of the Eucharist and its central place in the life of the Church. ACHIEVEMENT OBJECTIVES Students will be able to: 1. Develop an understanding of key aspects and images of Eucharist as thanksgiving, meal, bread of life, the presence of Christ, sacrifice, farewell gift, memorial, promise of eternal life, and sign of unity and love. 4

9 2. Recognise the central place of the Eucharist in the life of the Church and its significance in the lives of individual Christians. CHURCH TEACHINGS AND LINKS WITH CHURCH DOCUMENTS Underpinning the two achievement objectives for the topic are important teachings of the Church. Where possible direct links with the Catechism of the Catholic Church have been established and quotations used to highlight the relationship between the various achievement objectives and the Church teachings which they embody. On occasions, other Church documents, are also referred to and quoted. In all cases the official translations of Church documents have been used, but where necessary changes have been made so that the language is gender inclusive. Achievement Objective 1 Students will be able to develop an understanding of key aspects and images of Eucharist as thanksgiving, meal, bread of life, the presence of Christ, sacrifice, farewell gift, memorial, promise of eternal life, and sign of unity and aroha. Church Teachings Thanksgiving In the Eucharist we give praise and thanks to Te Atua for all that he has done and continues to do for us out of love especially for creating and saving us. Many Names for Eucharist The richness of meaning contained in the Eucharist is expressed in the different names we give the sacrament the Lord s Supper, the Breaking of Bread, the Eucharistic Assembly, the Memorial, the Holy Sacrifice, the Liturgy, the Sacred Mysteries, the Most Blessed Sacrament, Holy Communion and the Mass. Meal and Bread of Life Meals were important in Jesus ministry occasions when he shared his life and revealed Te Rangatiratanga (the Reign of God). Jesus spoke of himself as kai (food) the bread of life. Jesus instituted the Eucharist in the course of the Passover meal as a sign of his great aroha and a memorial of his death and Te Aranga (Resurrection). By celebrating the Last Supper at the Passover meal, Jesus indicated that his approaching death and Resurrection were the fulfilment of the Jewish Passover and the beginning of the new covenant. 5

10 Christ s Presence Christ is present to his Church in many ways but especially in the celebration of the Eucharist where he becomes present in the fullest sense in the consecrated bread and wine. Christ s real presence in the Eucharist is a sign of his great love. Outside of Mass, Christ continues to be present in the Blessed Sacrament. Memorial At the Last Supper Jesus instructed his disciples to repeat his actions and words, Do this in memory of me, until his return, as a memorial of his death and Resurrection. By our carrying out of this command of the Lord through the celebration of the Eucharist, Christ becomes present to his Church. Sacrifice Christ sacrificed his life on the cross for reconciliation between God and humankind and the fulfilment of God s plan of salvation. In the Eucharist Christ makes present and renews the sacrifice of the cross. Christ, through the priest and along with those gathered, offers himself ritually, in the form of bread and wine, to the Father; Te Matua offers us Christ s Body and Blood in return. The Promise of Eternal Life The Eucharist looks ahead to the glory of heaven the fullness of God s life and love. The Eucharist looks ahead to Christ s return. Sacrament of Unity and Love When we receive Holy Communion we receive Christ who offered himself for us by doing so we grow closer to him, to one another and to his Church. Receiving the Body and Blood of Christ is life giving. Receiving the Body and Blood of Christ in Holy Communion commits us to recognising Christ in all people, especially in the poor. Receiving the Body and Blood of Christ requires a commitment to the unity of Christians. Catechism and Church Document Links Thanksgiving The Eucharist, the sacrament of our salvation accomplished by Christ on the cross, is also a sacrifice of praise in thanksgiving for the work of creation. In the Eucharistic sacrifice the whole of creation loved by God is presented to the Father through the death and the Resurrection of Christ. Through Christ the Church can offer the sacrifice of praise in thanksgiving for all that God has made good, beautiful, and just in creation and in humanity. (CCC 1359) 6

11 The Eucharist is a sacrifice of thanksgiving to the Father, 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 Eucharist is also the sacrifice of praise by which the Church sings the glory of God in the name of all creation. This sacrifice of praise is possible only through Christ: he unites the faithful to his person, to his praise, and to his intercession, so that the sacrifice of praise to the Father is offered through Christ and with him, to be accepted in him. (CCC 1361) The Names for Eucharist The inexhaustible richness of this sacrament is expressed in the different names we give it. Each name evokes certain aspects of it. (CCC 1328) It is called Eucharist, because it is an action of thanksgiving to God. The Greek words eucharistein and eulogein recall the Jewish blessings that proclaim especially during a meal God's works: creation, redemption, and sanctification. (CCC 1328) [It is called] the Lord's Supper, because of its connection with the supper which the Lord took with his disciples on the eve of his Passion and because it anticipates the wedding feast of the Lamb in the heavenly Jerusalem. (CCC 1329) [It is called] the Breaking of Bread, because Jesus used this rite, part of a Jewish meal when as master of the table he blessed and distributed the bread, above all at the Last Supper. It is by this action that his disciples will recognise him after his Resurrection, and it is this expression that the first Christians will use to designate their Eucharistic assemblies; by doing so they signified that all who eat the one broken bread, Christ, enter into communion with him and form but one body in him. (CCC 1329) [It is called] the Eucharistic assembly (synaxis), because the Eucharist is celebrated amid the assembly of the faithful, the visible expression of the Church. (CCC 1329) [It is called] the memorial of the Lord's Passion and Resurrection. (CCC 1330) [It is called] the Holy Sacrifice, because it makes present the one sacrifice of Christ the Saviour and includes the Church's offering. The terms holy sacrifice of the Mass, "sacrifice of praise", spiritual sacrifice, pure and holy sacrifice are also used, since it completes and surpasses all the sacrifices of the Old Covenant. (CCC 1330) [It is called] the Holy and Divine Liturgy, because the Church's whole liturgy finds its centre and most intense expression in the celebration of this sacrament; in the same sense we also call its celebration the Sacred Mysteries. We speak of the Most Blessed Sacrament because it is the 7

12 Sacrament of sacraments. The Eucharistic species reserved in the tabernacle are designated by this same name. (CCC 1330) [It is called] Holy Communion, because by this sacrament we unite ourselves to Christ, who makes us sharers in his Body and Blood to form a single body. We also call it: the holy things (ta hagia; sancta) the first meaning of the phrase "communion of saints" in the Apostles' Creed the bread of angels, bread from heaven, medicine of immortality, viaticum... (CCC 1331) [It is called] Holy Mass (Missa), because the liturgy in which the mystery of salvation is accomplished concludes with the sending forth (missio) of the faithful, so that they may fulfil God's will in their daily lives. (CCC 1332) Meal and Bread of Life The three synoptic Gospels and St. Paul have handed on to us the account of the institution of the Eucharist; St. John, for his part, reports the words of Jesus in the synagogue of Capernaum that prepare for the institution of the Eucharist: Christ calls himself the bread of life, come down from heaven. (CCC 1338) The Lord, having loved those who were his own, loved them to the end. Knowing that the hour had come to leave this world and return to the Father, in the course of a meal he washed their feet and gave them the commandment of love. In order to leave them a pledge of this love, in order never to depart from his own and to make them sharers in his Passover, he instituted the Eucharist as the memorial of his death and Resurrection, and commanded his apostles to celebrate it until his return; "thereby he constituted them priests of the New Testament". (CCC 1337) By celebrating the Last Supper with his apostles in the course of the Passover meal, Jesus gave the Jewish Passover its definitive meaning. Jesus' passing over to his father by his death and Resurrection, the new Passover, is anticipated in the Supper and celebrated in the Eucharist, which fulfils the Jewish Passover and anticipates the final Passover of the Church in the glory of the kingdom. (CCC 1340) Christ s Presence "Christ Jesus, who died, yes, who was raised from the dead, who is at the right hand of God, who indeed intercedes for us", is present in many ways to his Church: in his word, in his Church's prayer, "where two or three are gathered in my name", in the poor, the sick, and the imprisoned, in the sacraments of which he is the author, in the sacrifice of the Mass, and in the person of the minister. But "he is present... most especially in the Eucharistic species. (CCC 1373) The mode of Christ's presence under the Eucharistic species is unique. It raises the Eucharist above all the sacraments as "the perfection of the spiritual life and the end to which all the sacraments tend". In the most blessed sacrament of the Eucharist "the body and blood, together with the soul and divinity, of our Lord Jesus Christ and, therefore, the whole Christ is 8

13 truly, really, and substantially contained". "This presence is called 'real' by which is not intended to exclude the other types of presence as if they could not be 'real' too, but because it is presence in the fullest sense: that is to say, it is a substantial presence by which Christ, God and man, makes himself wholly and entirely present." (CCC 1374) It is highly fitting that Christ should have wanted to remain present to his Church in this unique way. Since Christ was about to take his departure from his own in his visible form, he wanted to give us his sacramental presence; since he was about to offer himself on the cross to save us, he wanted us to have the memorial of the love with which he loved us "to the end", even to the giving of his life. In his Eucharistic presence he remains mysteriously in our midst as the one who loved us and gave himself up for us, and he remains under signs that express and communicate this love. (CCC 1380) Since the Eucharistic mystery was instituted out of love, and makes Christ sacramentally present, it is worthy of thanksgiving and worship. And this worship must be prominent in all our encounters with the Blessed Sacrament... (Dominicae Cenae No. 3) Memorial 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) 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) We carry out this command of the Lord by celebrating the memorial of his sacrifice. In so doing, we offer to the Father what he has himself given us: the gifts of his creation, bread and wine which, by the power of the Holy Spirit and by the words of Christ, have become the body and blood of Christ. Christ is thus really and mysteriously made present. (CCC 1357) 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) Sacrifice Because it is the memorial of Christ's Passover, the Eucharist is also a sacrifice. The sacrificial character of the Eucharist is manifested in the very words of institution: "This is my body which is given for you" and "This cup which is poured out for you is the New Covenant in my blood". In the Eucharist Christ gives us the very body which he gave up for us on the cross, 9

14 the very blood which he "poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins". (CCC 1365) The Eucharist is thus a sacrifice because it re-presents (makes present) the sacrifice of the cross, because it is its memorial and because it applies its fruit. (CCC 1366) The sacrifice of Christ and the sacrifice of the Eucharist are one single sacrifice: "The victim is one and the same: the same now offers through the ministry of priests, who then offered himself on the cross; only the manner of offering is different". "And since in this divine sacrifice which is celebrated in the Mass, the same Christ who offered himself once in a bloody manner on the altar of the cross is contained and is offered in an unbloody manner... this sacrifice is truly propitiatory." (CCC 1367) The Eucharist is also the sacrifice of the Church. The Church which is the Body of Christ participates in the offering of her Head. With him, she herself is offered whole and entire. She unites herself to his intercession with the Father for all people. In the Eucharist the sacrifice of Christ becomes also the sacrifice of the members of his Body. The lives of the faithful, their praise, sufferings, prayer, and work, are united with those of Christ and with his total offering, and so acquire a new value. Christ's sacrifice present on the altar makes it possible for all generations of Christians to be united with his offering. (CCC 1368) The Promise of Eternal Life In an ancient prayer the Church acclaims the mystery of the Eucharist: "O sacred banquet in which Christ is received as food, the memory of his Passion is renewed, the soul is filled with grace and a pledge of the life to come is given to us". If the Eucharist is the memorial of the Passover of the Lord Jesus, if by our communion at the altar we are filled "with every heavenly blessing and grace", then the Eucharist is also an anticipation of the heavenly glory. (CCC 1402) At the Last Supper the Lord himself directed his disciples' attention toward the fulfilment of the Passover in the kingdom of God: "I tell you I shall not drink again of this fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father's kingdom". Whenever the Church celebrates the Eucharist she remembers this promise and turns her gaze "to him who is to come". In her prayer she calls for his coming: "Marana tha!" "Come, Lord Jesus!" "May your grace come and this world pass away!" (CCC1403) Sacrament of Unity and Love The Mass is at the same time, and inseparably, the sacrificial memorial in which the sacrifice of the cross is perpetuated and the sacred banquet of communion with the Lord's body and blood. But the celebration of the Eucharistic sacrifice is wholly directed toward the intimate union of the faithful with Christ through communion. To receive communion is to receive Christ himself who has offered himself for us. (CCC 1382) 10

15 The Lord addresses an invitation to us, urging us to receive him in the sacrament of the Eucharist: "Truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of man and drink his blood, you have no life in you". (CCC 1384) Holy Communion augments our union with Christ. The principal fruit of receiving the Eucharist in Holy Communion is an intimate union with Christ Jesus. Indeed, the Lord said: "He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me, and I in him". Life in Christ has its foundation in the Eucharistic banquet: "As the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so he who eats me will live because of me". (CCC 1391) The unity of the Mystical Body: the Eucharist makes the Church. Those who receive the Eucharist are united more closely to Christ. Through it Christ unites them to all the faithful in one body the Church. Communion renews, strengthens, and deepens this incorporation into the Church, already achieved by Baptism. In Baptism we have been called to form but one body. The Eucharist fulfils this call: "The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not a participation in the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not a participation in the body of Christ? Because there is one bread, we who are many are one body, for we all partake of the one bread". (CCC 1396) The Eucharist commits us to the poor. To receive in truth the Body and Blood of Christ given up for us, we must recognise Christ in the poorest, his brethren: You have tasted the Blood of the Lord, yet you do not recognise your brother,... You dishonour this table when you do not judge worthy of sharing your food someone judged worthy to take part in this meal... God freed you from all your sins and invited you here, but you have not become more merciful. (CCC1397) The Eucharist and the unity of Christians. Before the greatness of this mystery St. Augustine exclaims, "O sacrament of devotion! O sign of unity! O bond of charity!" The more painful the experience of the divisions in the Church which break the common participation in the table of the Lord, the more urgent are our prayers to the Lord that the time of complete unity among all who believe in him may return. (CCC 1398) Achievement Objective 2 Students will be able to recognise the central place of the Eucharist in the life of the Church and its significance in the lives of individual Christians. Church Teachings The Eucharist is at the heart of the life of the Church. The Eucharist is the means by which Karaiti becomes present and active in his Church. The Eucharist is central to the lives of individual Christians. 11

16 Catechism and Church Document Links The Eucharist is "the source and summit of the Christian life". (CCC1324) The Eucharist is the heart and the summit of the Church's life, for in it Christ associates his Church and all her members with his sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving offered once for all on the cross to his Father; by this sacrifice he pours out the graces of salvation on his Body which is the Church. (CCC 1407) The Liturgy,... most of all in the divine sacrifice of the Eucharist, is the outstanding means whereby the faithful can express in their lives, and manifest to others, the mystery of Christ and the real nature of the true Church. (Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy 2) ORGANISATION OF THE TOPIC For teaching purposes the material in this topic is organised into eight sections each of which is linked to one or more of the achievement objectives: Part One: Thanksgiving Achievement Objective 1 Part Two: Meal and Bread of Life Achievement Objective 1 Part Three: The Presence of Christ Achievement Objective 1 Part Four: Sacrifice Achievement Objective 1 Part Five: Farewell Gift and Memorial Achievement Objective 1 Part Six: The Promise of Eternal Life Achievement Objective 1 Part Seven: The Sign of Unity and Love Achievement Objective 1 Part Eight: The Centre of Christian Life Achievement Objective 2 LEARNING OUTCOMES Each learning outcome for the topic is derived from one or more of the achievement objectives. The learning outcomes identify what students are expected to learn as they work through the eight sections of the topic. While teachers must ensure that the learning outcomes for the topic are covered so that all of the achievement objectives for the topic are met, it is not intended that students work through every task or activity. Teachers should select a range of tasks appropriate for their students interests and abilities and well-matched to their own teaching style. 12

17 Learning outcomes for each of the sections of the topic are listed at the beginning of the appropriate part. LINKS WITH OTHER LEVELS OF UNDERSTANDING FAITH Topic 10C The Meaning and Significance of Eucharist follows on from Topic 9C The Eucharist and the Church s Year and Topic 9H Sacraments of Initiation. Whereas the earlier topics examined the elements and structure of the Eucharistic celebration, its historical development, its identity as a sacrament, and its relationship to Baptism and Confirmation, the present topic focuses on the Eucharist s meaning and significance. This study presupposes that students have covered the year nine material. MĀORI SPIRITUALITY IN THE RELIGIOUS EDUCATION CURRICULUM In Aotearoa New Zealand Māori spirituality is an essential dimension of the Religious Education Curriculum. Māori students in Catholic schools have a right, supported by Church teaching, to have the faith explained to them in a culturally relevant way, using those traditional Māori concepts, beliefs and values which are still part of the life of Māori today. For example, te ao wairua (the spiritual world), Atua, tapu, mana, noa (free from tapu restrictions), hohou rongo (the restoring of tapu and mana), whānau, te wā (time). It is not sufficient to present the faith to them in wholly European terms while ignoring the riches of the Māori religious traditions and their belief system this would be an alienating experience for Māori. Pope John Paul II himself affirmed the authenticity and integrity of Māori spirituality when speaking to tangata whenua (the people of the land) during his visit to this country in 1986: It is as Māori that the Lord calls you, it is as Māori that you belong to the Church, the one body of Christ. Since 1840 we have been a nation with two streams of culture as expressed in our founding document, Te Tiriti o Waitangi the Treaty of Waitangi. The partnership, communication and mutual respect implied in the Treaty can only exist if there is mutual understanding. For Pakeha, such an understanding is impossible without an appreciation of the Māori culture s underlying spirituality. There is also great potential for the enrichment of the spirituality of Pakeha young people when they are given the chance to develop an awareness and understanding of the Māori faith vision and belief system. All young people in Catholic schools, therefore, should be given the opportunity to understand key aspects of the culture and spirituality of Māori. 13

18 THE USE OF MĀORI LANGUAGE IN THIS PROGRAMME The first time a Māori word or phrase appears in a particular topic, either in the teacher material or the student texts, it is followed by its English equivalent which is placed inside brackets. In most cases the meaning of the Māori terms can be worked out from the context in which they appear. A glossary which gathers together all the Māori terms used in a particular topic is provided. This glossary often explores the Māori concepts in greater depth than is possible in the brief descriptions that appear in the teacher material and student texts. A MĀORI UNDERSTANDING OF EUCHARIST In his work of discerning a Maori theology, Michael Shirres drew connections between Māori ritual and the Eucharist. The following reflection is based on his ideas. The Three Baskets of Knowledge According to some Māori traditions Tāne, after separating his parents Ranginui and Papatūānuku climbed up to the topmost heaven and received three baskets of knowledge that he brought back for us. These baskets, which contain all wisdom, are known as te kete aronui (the basket of the knowledge which comes to us through our senses), te kete tuauri (the basket of our understanding of the reality behind and beyond what we see with our senses) and te kete tuaatea (the basket of the knowledge beyond space and beyond time). This third basket includes the knowledge experienced by taking part in ritual and in using the ritual chants. In the use of ritual and the ritual chants Māori move into what is sometimes called ritual time and ritual space where they are one with all people, with the ancestors, with the spiritual powers and with Te Atua. For Christians, this experience of oneness with people, with creation and with God occurs in the Eucharist. Through the Eucharistic ritual Christians share in the knowledge contained in this third basket of knowledge, te kete tuaatea. The Cross and the Eucharist The central ritual of the Church is the celebration of the Eucharist left to us by Jesus. When we celebrate the Eucharist we move into the two moments of greatest mana the moment when God completely and freely gives himself in creation and the moment when he completely and freely gives himself in recreation through the total giving of his Son, Jesus Christ, on the cross. Through the cross Jesus reaches up to the heavens but also out to all people, embracing the whole of creation, the whole of the cosmos. The cross is the 14

19 pathway by which Jesus chose to become one with us, especially with the poor, the sick and the sinners, those who had been marginalised, those whose tapu had been violated. The death of Jesus on the cross transforms a symbol of shame and powerlessness into the revelation of God s absolute and unconditional love. The cross is the sign of the fullness of mana, the complete giving of self. Through the Eucharist we can reach to the fullness of the new creation brought about by Jesus. The Eucharist gives us a ritual way of joining each moment of our own life to the life of Jesus, especially to the moment of his acceptance of his death on the cross. Māori Ritual and the Eucharist There are parallels between traditional Māori ritual and aspects of the Eucharist. In some traditional Māori rituals, toko (wooden rods or poles) were set up and used as pathways by which the spiritual powers came to us. These links between earth and heaven were temporary dwelling places for the spiritual powers. At the beginning of the Eucharist we make the sign of the cross. During the Eucharist we are mindful of the crucifix on or near the altar. The image of Jesus hanging on the cross helps us to connect with him the crucifix is the rod or pathway by which Jesus becomes present among us. Through the sign of the cross we call Jesus to be with us. A second aspect of Māori ritual is the loosing and binding, the loosing from whatever is destructive, the binding to whatever is life-giving. The loosing is expressed most powerfully through karakia to take away the negative noa, all that weakens or destroys our tapu, our worth as human beings. During the Penitential Rite of the Mass such a loosing occurs when we pray to God to forgive our sins and ask for everlasting life. In Māori ritual the binding occurs through karakia that connect to the life-force with all its tapu, its fullness of tapu, its perfection of tapu. In the ritual of the Eucharist the binding is with Jesus and through him to each other. It is brought about by the prayers, the readings from the scriptures, and the recitation together of the Creed, our common Profession of Faith. This prepares us for the presentation of the gifts and the consecration of the bread and wine to be the Body and Blood of Jesus. A third aspect of Māori ritual is the whakanoa rite, an offering of food to the spiritual power. This is a way of acknowledging that the spiritual power is the source of strength. Following this, the food is shared. The offering we make in the Eucharist is to Te Atua, the source of all, and what we offer is Jesus, and ourselves one with him. In the Eucharist the bread and wine we offer to express the giving of Jesus and the giving of ourselves becomes the Body and Blood of Jesus. It is this that we offer to Te Atua. It is this that we share a sharing that binds us across all nations, all peoples. 15

20 In the Eucharist we acknowledge God as the source of all life and offer to Te Atua as our sacrifice the death of his own son, Jesus Christ. Our communion binds us to one another in that sacrifice. Through the Eucharist we bring our own lives into the moment of Jesus' death, the expression of his absolute and unconditional love for the Father and for each person. We also join in Jesus commitment to all those whose tapu has been trampled on. If we, as Church, are truly one with Jesus, then we will be truly one with those who are suffering, the marginalised of our world, those whose tapu has been violated. Out of its oneness with people, with Jesus and with Te Atua comes the Church's mission a mission that calls us i te kore, ki te pō, ki te ao mārama, from the nothingness, to the night, to the full daylight. THE USE OF MULTIPLE INTELLIGENCES In recent years, as it has become clearer to psychologists and educationalists that different students have different strengths and learn best in different ways, the long established view that intelligence is a single underlying general ability characteristic has been challenged. Various theories of multiple intelligences have been proposed. Background material on multiple intelligences and their application in Religious Education is contained in the Curriculum Statement. The following ideas may be useful for Religious Education teachers who wish to create their own activities and resources across seven of the intelligences. The ideas have been adapted from Book One of Seven Ways At Once: Classroom Strategies Based on the Seven Intelligences by Helen McGrath and Toni Noble (Melbourne: Longman, 1995). This is an excellent resource that suggests ways in which teachers can translate the theory of multiple intelligences into classroom practice. An eighth intelligence naturalist or environmental has been recognised more recently. Suggested activities for this intelligence are also listed. 16

21 Word Intelligence Some Useful Verbs: Write Tell Listen Spell Discuss Read Summarise Brainstorm Re-tell Debate Argue Review Interview Narrate Instruct List Explain Some Interesting Products: Talk on a topic Myth / legend Story Script Play Poem Essay Menu Newspaper Directions Diary / journal Letter Sentences Dialogue Story reading Review Newsletter Headline News report Headline Limerick Booklet Recipe Slogan Instructions Cartoon caption Word search Book Riddle Definitions Advertisement Report Monologue Proverb Audiotaped story Summary Fax Written interview Brochure text Lyrics Reading circle Anagrams Dictionary Joke Crossword Radio programme Sequel / next episode Some Useful Verbs: Space and Vision Intelligence Draw Sketch Construct Sculpt Illustrate Create Design Print Read map Make game Photograph Film Videotape Make Paint Visualise Doodle Some Interesting Products: Map Sketch Drawing Mural Painting Poster Pop-up book / card Plan Timeline Flowchart Venn diagram Maze Diorama Construction Slideshow Display Guided imagery Photograph Stage set Mobile Illustration Screen printing Overhead Sign Overhead transparency Perspective drawing Collage Story map Tangram Chart Card game Calligraphy Design Graph Diagram Cartoon Symbol Print Logo Board game Videotape Frieze Stage set Colour scheme Scroll Banner Brochure Pamphlet 17

22 Body Intelligence Some Useful Verbs: Act out Mime Dance Move like Interpret Exercise Walk Juggle Choreograph Demonstrate Manipulate Visit Fix Make model Perform Build Construct Find Some Useful Products: Charades Floor games Roleplay Mime Creative drama Puppet play Demonstration Models Creative movement Gestures Movements Dance Human sculptures Choreography Body and mouth percussion Excursion Playing musical and non-musical instruments Some Useful Verbs: People Intelligence Co-operate Interview Survey Teach Research (people) Encourage Team up to Lead Organise Perform Play Help Negotiate Mentor Mediate Act Decide together Discuss Work in pairs Listen Communicate Role play Give feedback Tutor Predict (behaviour) Collaborate Take turns Explain Persuade Sell Convince Manage Some Interesting Products: Interviews Survey Biography Play Class presentation Morning talk Social skills Speech Groups Group games Co-operative learning Leadership skills Conference Collaborative evaluation sheet Sociogramme Oral presentation Performance Games Class meeting Team logo Advertising campaign Role play Interview Tutoring Dialogue Marketing plan Simulations Mentoring Peer support programme 18

23 Self Intelligence Useful Verbs: Give opinion Rank Choose Record Describe Reflect Self-assess / evaluate Self-analyse State Set goals Meditate Discuss Dream Self-disclosure Useful Products: Personal goals Learning Goals Reflection sheet Values Autobiography Self-portrait Opinions Personal timeline Interests list Self-description Personal scrapbook Strengths list Family tree Personal reactions Journal Diary Self-assessment Dreams Think book I can book Preferences Fears Self-evaluation Personal logo Personal opinions Prayer Learning journal Feelings statements Meditation Similarities and differences to others Some Useful Verbs: Music Intelligence Rhyme Sing Play Compose Hum Beat out Tap Create Chant Whistle Rap Record Some Useful Products: Jingle Song Lyrics Sounds Soundscape Sound story Musical mnemonic Chant Composition Sound effects Musical score Hymn Mood music Musical play Musical tape Rap Recording of environmental sounds Sound-off Tune 19

24 Logic and Maths Intelligence Some Useful Verbs: Survey Solve Group Explain Justify Draw to scale Plan Apply Analyse Sequence Carry out Test Experiment Find out Categorise Classify Prove Hypothesise Predict Order Some Useful Products: Solution Problem Experiment Pattern Result Estimates Sequence Survey Measurement Code Story ladder Story map Explanation Similarities Differences Data Graph Grid Table Chart Justification Concept map Classification Theme Attributes Scale drawing Prediction Strategy Commonalities Deduction Hypothesis Some Useful Activities: Naturalist or Environmental Intelligence Going on field trips and nature walks Forecasting and tracking the weather Observing the sky, clouds, stars, and space Walking in natural surroundings Reporting on nature videos Listing attributes of objects Recording changes or development over time Photographing nature Devising classifications Sorting and categorising items Caring for plants and animals Using graphic organisers Reconstructing the natural setting in a historical place Predicting the effects of extreme natural phenomena 20

25 CO-OPERATIVE LEARNING STYLES AND ACTIVITIES The principles of co-operative learning are compatible with the aims and philosophy of Catholic schools. The use of co-operative strategies in learning creates an environment in which students work together in ways that encourage and respect the contribution of all, and ensures their success. Meeting the needs of each individual student in this way is central to the Special Character of Catholic schools. Co-operative learning is becoming a feature of all Essential Learning Areas in the curriculum but it is especially appropriate in Religious Education where its aims and outcomes are particularly desirable. Simple explanations of co-operative learning activities are outlined below, but there are many excellent publications on this teaching and learning style available from educational bookshops. The difference between co-operative learning groups and traditional groups is that they are structured in such a way as to ensure the success of each group member. The following elements are essential to co-operative learning. 1. Positive Interdependence students understand that their individual success depends on the success of the group. 2. Face-to-Face interaction students face each other so they can both learn from each other and be involved in the interaction. 3. Individual Accountability all members of the group need to be clear about their task and their role and that they need to contribute their share if the group is to work successfully. 4. Small Group Skills students learn collaborative skills effectively, that is, they communicate, share and co-operate well. 5. Group processing students are helped to evaluate how effectively their group worked. The teacher structures the groups and includes students of a mixed range of abilities in each group. Each person in the group has a part to play. It is important to use Wait Time (3 seconds) after a question has been asked and after a response has been given. SUGGESTIONS FOR CO-OPERATIVE LEARNING ACTIVITIES Teachers are encouraged to apply the following co-operative learning activities throughout the topic according to the task requirements and the needs and abilities of the students. 21

26 Timed Talking 1. Establish your pairs and nominate 1s and 2s in each pair so they will know the order of speaking. 2. Give the pairs the topic or question. 3. Have partners recall the important points of the topic or question in turn on a signal from the teacher. 4. Say Go and give the first speaker a fixed time, say 45 seconds. Then say, change and the second speaker is given a fixed time. Times and the number of turns can be varied to suit the topic or question and the ability of the class. 5. Pairs share their ideas with the whole group by telling one point they shared until the topic is complete. (Optional) Think Pair Share 1. Students listen to a question. 2. Students have time to think about what was said. 3. Students turn to a partner and pair their ideas, discuss, ask a question, give an opinion and challenge ideas. 4. Students share ideas with other pairs, then large group. Think Pair Square 1. Students in squares listen to a question. 2. Students take time to think about the question. 3. Students in their square turn to a partner and share their ideas, discuss, ask a question, give an opinion and challenge ideas. 4. Students share ideas with other pairs, then large group. Team Reports: Inside / Outside Circle 1. Students work in an even number of groups preparing a presentation. 2. Groups pair off around the room facing each other forming an Inside/Outside Circle. 3. All Inside Circle groups present simultaneously to Outside Circle groups. 4. The Outside Circle groups then give specific feedback to their Inside Circle group stating what they liked and learned. 5. All Outside Circle groups give their presentations followed by feedback from Inside Circle groups. 6. Groups work on own presentation again to make any improvements. 7. Rotate. Teacher asks Outside Circle groups to right face and rotate one ahead to another team. Inside Circle groups stay put. 8. Teams repeat steps 3 5. Team Mates Consult 1. Group appoints reader and checker. 2. All put pens down preferably in a central container on table. 3. Reader reads first question, and group seeks answer through research or discussion. 4. Checker ensures that the whole team agrees with and understands the answer they have given to the question. 22

27 5. With agreement all pick up their pens and write the answer to the question in their own words no dictation by one student to others. 6. Students follow the same process for each question. Those on the left of the previous reader and checker become the new reader and checker. 7. Teacher asks any student to share answers with the class. Numbered Heads Together 1. One student needs to be a checker in each group. 2. Students are numbered off in groups. 3. Teacher asks question or sets task and time limit. 4. Students put their heads together and work on task everyone must know the answer checker asks if everyone understands. 5. Teacher or student calls a number and the child who has that number raises their hand and answers. 6. Further questions can be asked and different numbers called upon to answer but all numbers must be able to answer. 7. Giving students think time before putting heads together is also useful. Roundtable 1. Students sit in groups of four with a large piece of paper with the question on it. 2. The paper is passed around the table as each student has a turn at writing what they think with help from others if necessary. 3. When the chart has been around the table and all have had a turn students can move on to another group and repeat the process or they can share what they have done with the class. Team Statements 1. Think Time. Teacher announces topic and allows 20 seconds of Think Time. 2. Pair Discussions. Students pair and discuss their thoughts. 3. Individual Write. Students individually write one sentence on the topic. 4. Roundrobin. Students read their sentences to their team roundrobin with no comments. 5. Team Discussion. Team discusses ideas they have heard. 6. Consensus and Share. Team comes to a consensus on a team statement and shares it with the class. 7. Team Discussion: Compare Statements. Team discusses their statement in relation to other team statements. 23

28 Expert Jigsaw 1. Students form groups and number themselves 1, 2, 3 etc. around the group. (Determine the size of these groups according to how many students will profitably work together at the end of the exercise.) 2. All the 1s join together, all the 2s, and the 3s etc. to create new groups. 3. The new group researches a topic or completes an activity. 4. Each group has a different aspect of a topic in which to become an expert. 5. 1s, 2s and 3s then return to their original group and present their new knowledge. Doughnut 1. Sit the group in a circle. 2. Number each person 1, 2, 1, 2, etc. around the circle. 3. Ask them to discuss the question in pairs. 4. After 5 minutes or more (depending on the question) ask the 1s to move two or more positions around the circle and continue the discussion with the partner of the person whose seat / place they now occupy. 5. This can be repeated until the 1s return to their seats. 6. Calculate the number of seats / places to be missed to give four or five moves. This activity ensures that all class members have to speak and helps them to meet others. Brain Drain 1. A reporter is appointed in each group. 2. When reporting back the reporter stands up and contributes one idea from their group. 3. The reporter from each group does the same in turn. 4. No ideas can be repeated. 5. The reporter sits down when their brain is drained. 6. The teacher records all the contributions. Back to Back 1. Two students sit back to back. 2. One student has a picture; the other has a pencil and a blank piece of paper. 3. The student with the picture describes slowly in detail what he / she sees in the picture. 4. The student with the pencil and paper sketches what he / she perceives to be the picture allow 5 to 10 minutes. 5. When the picture is completed students compare the picture and the sketch and discuss what has been included, what has been missed and what the picture is about. 6. An alternative is for one important detail to be left out of the description of the picture. On completion the effect this has had on the picture is discussed. 24

29 T Chart 1. Give the chart a heading as indicated in the lesson and draw a large T below it. 2. Below the bar of the T write LOOKS LIKE on the left and SOUNDS LIKE on the right. 3. Students give examples beneath each heading. Telephone Exercise 1. Students form several teams. 2. One student from each team steps out of the room. 3. The teacher reads a short story or article to the class. 4. The students return to the classroom and join their team. 5. Teammates teach the student everything they can about the story or article. 6. That student answers questions about the story or article. 7. The team assesses themselves on how well they listened to, taught and learned about the message of the story or article. 8. Students discuss anything they missed or could do better. 25

30 Achievement Objective 1 PART ONE: THANKSGIVING Students will be able to develop an understanding of key aspects and images of Eucharist as thanksgiving, meal, bread of life, the presence of Christ, sacrifice, farewell gift, memorial, promise of eternal life, and sign of unity and aroha. Church Teachings Thanksgiving In the Eucharist we give praise and thanks to Te Atua for all that he has done and continues to do for us out of love especially for creating and saving us. Many Names for Eucharist The richness of meaning contained in the Eucharist is expressed in the different names we give the sacrament the Lord s Supper, the Breaking of Bread, the Eucharistic Assembly, the Memorial, the Holy Sacrifice, the Liturgy, the Sacred Mysteries, the Most Blessed Sacrament, Holy Communion and the Mass. Learning Outcomes At the end of this section of the topic students will: Explain ways in which the Eucharist is an act of thanksgiving and praise to Te Atua. Identify different names given to the Eucharist. Teacher Background Eucharist is Thanksgiving Christians have used the term "Eucharist" or thanksgiving, since the second century. This is because during the ritual celebration we offer thanks and praise to God, the Father, for all the gifts of creation and for Jesus Christ s dying and rising to save humankind. In doing so, we unite our thanks and praise with that of Christ and follow his example. During the Eucharist we offer praise and thanks for all that God has done and continues to do. We express this praise especially in the Preface and in the Holy, Holy through the Holy Spirit who is called down on the assembly so that it might become the People of God, the Body of Christ. At the end of the Eucharistic Prayer, this praise is gathered together in the great doxology: 26

31 Through him, with him, and in him, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, all glory and honour is yours, Almighty Father, forever and ever. Various aspects of the Eucharistic celebration the singing, the vestments, the festivity, the solemnity, the artistry, the creativity, the decoration of the sacred space are also expressions of joy and thanksgiving that the power of evil and death have been overcome in Christ s Resurrection. The Christian community and the whole of humankind are saved by Jesus passage through death to new life. The Eucharist gives us courage and hope that, despite our weakness, we may remain faithful to Christ s promise of salvation in good times and in bad. Links with Student Text Task One This task asks students to look carefully at two passages from the First Eucharistic Prayer for Children and Young People. Working in a pair or small group they should: a) Give the reasons for thanking and praising Te Atua for creation. b) Give the reasons for thanking and praising God for Hehu. The answers are: Reasons for thanking and praising God for creation include: The wonderful things God has done The beautiful world The happiness God has given us Daylight For enlightening our minds with his word (scripture) The earth and all the people who live on it Our life which comes from God God s goodness and love for us The great things God does for us. Reasons for thanking and praising God for Jesus include: Sending his Son, Jesus, who gave his life for us and came to save us Jesus curing sick people Jesus care for those who were poor Jesus weeping with and comforting those who were sad Jesus forgiving sinners and teaching us to forgive each other Jesus love for everyone and showing us how to be kind Jesus taking children in his arms and blessing them. 27

32 Task Two This activity requires students to read at least one of the following Psalms that express praise and thanksgiving for God s gift of Creation. Psalm 8 Thanks for God s greatness and every person s dignity Psalm 18 Thanks for help and deliverance from the enemy Psalm 29 Praise of God s majesty in a storm Psalm 65 Thanks for God s blessings Psalm 104 Praise of God s creation Psalm 116 Thanks to God in time of need Psalm 136 Thanks for God s faithful love. Students are asked to use magazines and other printed material to make a collage that illustrates the Psalm. Teachers will need to make sure that the necessary resources are available paper, magazines, scissors, glue, coloured pens, pencils, etc. This activity could be done individually, in pairs or in small groups. Remind students that many of the Psalms that are sung or said during the Liturgy of the Word express praise and thanksgiving to God. Task Three Either: Here students are asked to write a prayer of thanksgiving for some aspect of their own lives a special person or gift, something they have experienced. The following list of suggestions is given: yourself a family member a teacher nature a talent or ability a special place a parent a friend school where you live a favourite activity something that has happened to you. Students could begin their prayer: Dear God, I thank you for

33 Or: Students could write a poem giving reasons why we should be thankful for Jesus. They could use words that share letters with words such as JESUS CHRIST or THANKSGIVING. The following example is provided: Something to Do J e s u s h e a l E d b l e S s e d t a U g h t S u f f e r e d C a r e d H e l p e d f o R g a v e d I e d r o S e u n d e r s T o o d Here students are asked to list some songs that they know which are sung at Mass and that express praise and thanks to Te Atua. They should write out some lines from one of the waiata (songs) that especially appeal to them. Teachers should prepare for this task by providing class members with a variety of tapes, CDs, songbooks, OHP transparencies, handouts, etc. containing the words of songs that are sung at school or parish Masses. Introduce this activity by playing the class a recorded version of a well-known song of thanksgiving and encourage them to join in the singing. The words of Give Thanks by Henry Smith are printed in the Student Resource Book. This song is available on the CD Shout to the Lord Songs 4 Worship (Integrity Music) which is readily available. Extension Either: Here students are asked to write their own Mass song on the theme of thanksgiving. They could write original words, or music, or both. 29

34 Students could work individually or in small groups. Encourage them to perform their work when it is finished perhaps at a school Mass or during assembly. Or: Students are asked to design a poster or banner that could be hung in a church, hall or classroom to help create a sense of thanksgiving and praise during the celebration of the Eucharist. The teacher will need to make sure that all the materials required are available paper of different colours and sizes, pens and pencils, glue, scissors, a variety of materials and fabrics, glitter, etc. The school s art department may be willing to assist with resources and suggestions. Lines from Give Thanks or other songs of praise and thanksgiving could be included on the banner or poster. Something to Discuss Thanksgiving best describes what we do when we join in the Eucharist, but the celebration goes by many other names. Here students are asked to consider a list of terms, which over the centuries have been used to describe the Eucharist. Students should identify which of the names they are familiar with. The Lord s Supper The Breaking of Bread The Eucharistic Assembly The Memorial Meal The Holy Sacrifice The Liturgy The Sacred Mysteries The Blessed Sacrament Holy Communion The Mass Explanations for many of these names appear in the Catechism of the Catholic Church (paragraphs 1328 to 1332) if teachers wish to explore this aspect of the topic further with their students. These paragraphs are printed in this Teacher Guide on pages 6 and 7. 30

35 PART TWO: MEAL AND BREAD OF LIFE Achievement Objective 1 Students will be able to develop an understanding of key aspects and images of Eucharist as thanksgiving, meal, bread of life, the presence of Christ, sacrifice, farewell gift, memorial, promise of eternal life, and sign of unity and love. Church Teachings Meal and Bread of Life Meals were important in Jesus ministry occasions when he shared his life and revealed Te Rangatiratanga. Jesus spoke of himself as kai the bread of life. Jesus instituted the Eucharist in the course of the Passover meal as a sign of his great aroha and a memorial of his death and resurrection. By celebrating the Last Supper at the Passover meal, Jesus indicated that his approaching Death and Resurrection were the fulfilment of the Jewish Passover and the beginning of the new covenant. Learning Outcomes At the end of this section of the topic students will: Explain the importance of meals in human celebration. Describe the place of food and meals in Jesus life and ministry. Recognise that Jesus called himself the bread of life and instituted the Eucharist in the context of a meal, the Last Supper. Teacher Background Eucharist as a Meal When we speak of the Eucharist as a meal we are using a metaphor to describe the nourishment we receive when we attend the Eucharistic celebration. Eucharist arises from humankind's history of eating together and from the bonds of kinship and friendship that grow from preparing and sharing more than just food. In the very act of assembling and consuming a meal together companionship and love are strengthened. 31

36 Meals in Jewish Tradition Eucharist has its background in Old Testament Jewish culture where every meal was a sacred event, a time when the family would give thanks. Dietary laws bound the community together so that people would not share the impurity of others. Meals brought people together and created bonds, strengthening relationships, and were called covenant meals. Psalm 41 (verse 9) refers to a situation where a trusted friend who once shared the psalmist s table later took advantage of him. Betraying another after eating a meal with him or her was regarded as a serious breach of faith, a breaking of covenant. Dining was a religious activity. All food was blessed, or made pure, and certain rituals were performed. The meal served to unify the group: family and close friends sat down together at the same table, eating the same food, symbolically growing in a deeper outlook of life, through a conversion process with one another gathered round the table. In Jesus time, there were three types of Jewish meals that held great importance. The kiddush meal was the opening meal of the Sabbath. Through a blessing prayer, said by the mother, one recalled that all belongs to God, drawing out the sacredness and the profound nature of each day of life. As a sign of unity, everyone took a sip of wine. Another type of meal, which was held at special occasions such as weddings, circumcisions, funerals, etc, for groups of people, was the chaburah. This meal was in response to fulfilling a virtuous deed in front of God. The pesach (Passover / seder) meal was the most solemn and sacred meal of the Jewish people. Celebrated after the first full moon of spring in the northern hemisphere, this event commemorated and relived, both on earth and in the heavens, the first day of creation, the sacrifice of Abraham, the Exodus from Egypt and that day of hope when the Messiah will come. Jesus Food Sharing The basis for Eucharist can be seen in three aspects of Jesus life: In the meal fellowships of Hehu during his three years of ministry. In the Last Supper on the night before his death. And in the Easter appearances of the Risen Christ at the meals of the disciples. During Jesus public ministry he continually shared meals with all kinds of people. Strangers, friends, sinners and the respectable were all invited to the table not just for the physical nourishment that kai provides, but for something more the sharing of life. By sharing meals with people Jesus was inviting them to share his life. By accepting food from or in the company of Jesus those invited to the meals were accepting the person offering it, the one passing them the food. 32

37 Jesus was constantly able to draw people to this sharing of himself as he sat with them at table. But the fact that he ate with social and moral outcasts was not well received by those who searched for ways to attack him. "This man," they complained, "welcomes sinners and eats with them" (Luke 15:2). Their anger was based on the reasoning that if Jesus ate with sinners, then he shared his life with them! Jesus critics were right, but failed to understand the true implications of Jesus actions. Sinners, along with everybody else, were invited into Jesus life through sharing meals with him. Meal sharing is person-sharing. The meal fellowships that Jesus held with the disciples during his life were a model and foreshadowing of the heavenly banquet that the Old Testament prophets had promised. They were also a sign that those who were regarded as lost the sinners, the outcasts and others on the margins of religion and society had a privileged place in God s plan of salvation. Through these meals Jesus showed that the Reign of God and the forgiveness of sins were linked together, and involved a new communion with Te Atua and one another. The Bread of Life Unlike the other Gospels, which view the Eucharist in the context of the Last Supper, the Gospel of John speaks of the Eucharist against the background of a different sort of meal an outdoor meal and one with an informal picnic atmosphere. Chapter six of John s Gospel begins by telling the story of the multiplication of loaves. This event, where 5,000 people are fed, also occurs in Matthew (14:13-21), Mark (6:32-44) and Luke (9:10-17) but John uses the feeding of the multitude and Jesus' walk on the waters of the lake to explore the Eucharist in a different way from the others. After feeding the people Jesus walks to the other side of the lake where the people follow him. Jesus takes this opportunity to speak to them: "Do not work for food that goes bad, work for food that endures for eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you..." (6:27). Eternal life is a major theme in John. Here he connects it to bread, suggesting that just as the kind of bread (probably plain barley bread) they ate on the hillside the day before nourished their bodies in this life, so the kind of bread he will provide will nourish their souls for eternal life. Jesus is then challenged to do something extraordinary to gain the confidence of the crowd: "What sign will you yourself do, the sight of which will make us believe in you? What work will you do? Our ancestors ate manna in the desert..." (6:30-31). Jesus replies "...it was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven, it is my Father who gives you the bread from heaven, the true bread" (6:32). Jesus then goes on to announce, "I am the bread of life..." (6:35), a statement he later repeats: 33

38 "I am the bread of life. Your ancestors ate the manna in the desert and they are dead; but this is the bread which comes down from heaven so that a person may eat it and not die. I am the living bread which has come down from heaven. Anyone who eats this bread will live for ever; and the bread that I shall give is my flesh for the life of the world" (6:48-51). Here Jesus, who has just emphasised his divinity, offers to share himself personally with human beings as bread, the most common of foods throughout the world. His listeners understandably equate the giving of Jesus' flesh with cannibalism and are appalled, possibly revolted. But Jesus continues: "Anyone who does eat my flesh and drink my blood has eternal life, and I shall raise that person up on the last day. For my flesh is real food and my blood is real drink. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood lives in me and I in that person" (6:54-56). At this many of Jesus disciples who were listening said: This is intolerable language. How could anyone accept it? (6:60). Many of them returned to their former way of life and no longer accompanied Jesus. Nowhere in the closing verses of John 6 is there a suggestion that Jesus did not mean exactly what he said. When Jesus sees great numbers of his followers disappearing down the road he does not call them back saying, "Wait! You misunderstood." He stands by his extremely explicit statements, the most clear-cut Eucharistic teaching in any Gospel. Peter is as confused as everyone else. When Jesus asks if he and the other members of the inner circle will also pack up and go, Peter's reply is hesitant: "Lord, to whom shall we go?" (6:68). Then, his decision made, he comes down firmly, You have the message of eternal life, and we believe; we have come to know that you are the Holy One of God (6:68-69). Today, many people find it difficult to take Jesus' words at face value and are unable to accept his real presence in the Eucharist. Catholics members of a faith tradition so centred on the Eucharist are called upon to reaffirm their belief in Jesus, the bread of life: " we believe; we have come to know that you are the Holy One of God. Jesus Passover Meal The Eucharist grew out of the context and importance of the Passover meal that Jesus shared with his disciples immediately before his saving Death and Resurrection. 34

39 Jesus began the preparation for the Passover by asking some of his disciples to go ahead and get a room. "There will be a person in the city... and (the disciples) then went to prepare the Passover" (Mt 26:18-19). Jesus was to be the host of this Passover event. Earlier, at the multiplication of the loaves and fishes, the disciples had already experienced that there was no hunger or want in Jesus presence. Jesus was again inviting his disciples to eat from the generosity of God, to share a meal. The Passover meal was a time when the Jewish community prayed for the coming of the Messiah. At the end of this Passover meal, Jesus did something new he took some bread, blessed it, and gave thanks to God. He broke the bread and gave it to them, stating that this bread was now himself! "Eat my body, the body which will be given up for you!" Just as the bread was now transformed, so, too, were the disciples. Doing the same with the cup filled with wine, a new covenant, new relationships and new bonds with Christ were established. This supper took place "on the night he was handed over" (1 Corinthians 11:23), before his arrest. Jesus is linking the events of his Passion, Death and Resurrection to the meal that is being shared. When he gathers his disciples into the shared meal Jesus is connecting them with this journey. All who share the meal with Jesus share in the paschal journey of death and rising. The first disciples, and then all people, came to a new relationship with God through the context of a meal. At the Last Supper Jesus also sees his approaching death in the light of the final coming of the Reign of God: In truth I tell you, I shall never drink wine any more until the day I drink the new wine in the kingdom of God (Mark 14:25). Jesus words and actions at the Last Supper are confirmed through his cross and Resurrection. Meals and Jesus Appearances Following the Resurrection In the accounts of the risen Christ s meetings with his disciples, meal-sharing is once again of great significance. The risen Lord invites his apprehensive disciples to share food with him and in doing so draws them into a sharing of life that is not undone by the experience of death. Life triumphs over death! The same day that his disciples discovered his empty tomb, the Risen Lord met two of them on the road to Emmaus. Although the pair did not at first recognise him, he explained the Scriptures to them about his death and rising and finally, "while he was with them at table, he took bread, said the blessing, broke it, and gave it to them their eyes were opened and they recognised him" (Luke 24:30-31). In the familiar intimacy of meal-sharing, the disciples knew him to be the Lord. In another incident the disciples are out fishing on the Sea of Tiberias and recognise Jesus on the shore. They come to the beach and find him cooking breakfast for them. He shares the meal with them, and when they are finished instructs them to continue this sharing of risen life: "Feed my lambs" (John 21:15). 35

40 Meals and Early Christian Worship In the homes of members of the early Jewish-Christian community, a meal was shared, followed by the "Lord's supper", the eucharistic celebration. People would bring themselves, their food and their gifts to the banquets. As time went on, because of persecution, secrecy, growth and change, the Lord's Supper began to only include the Scriptures and the institution narrative, not a full meal. However, the understanding of a meal, with its connotations of gathering, bonding, and the strengthening of relationships, continued. Christ was encountered through ''the breaking of bread" and the sharing of the cup. The members re-experienced the resurrection. Early Christians heard Christ "knocking at the door" and gathering with them for the Eucharist. Though congregations grew and moved to basilicas, people continued to bring their bread, their offerings. The Eucharist a Meal of the Risen Life Faithful to Jesus instruction, "Do this in memory of me", Christians continue to gather at the table of the Lord to share the gift of risen life and to celebrate the mystery and faith that Christ will come again. Whenever we do this, Jesus continues his ministry of meal-sharing with us. He invites us to share food with him so that we may share life with him. Present among us, Jesus identifies himself with the food and drink that are being shared in the meal. In this way Jesus shares life his risen life by sharing himself. Jesus identification with the food and drink of Eucharist is total. He is truly present in the consecrated bread and wine that are shared during the Mass. These are the living Christ, his very Body and Blood. By joining in the Eucharist we are sharing a sacred meal with our Lord, breaking open the Word, gathering around the table, eating his Body and Blood, filling our spiritual hungers, realising that we will be completely filled and have no more hungers and thirsts when we enter into Christ's glory in the world yet to come. Although a meal, the Eucharist is more than a meal because in it we celebrate the freedom from the power of death and a renewed relationship with God that the Resurrection of Jesus brings. Links with Student Text Something to Discuss Here students are asked to share about a special meal that they remember. The following questions are given as starters: What was the special occasion? When / where was it? Who was there? 36

41 What food was eaten? What did people talk about? Did anything special happen at the meal? Why do you remember the meal so well? This discussion could involve the whole class or take place in small groups. The teacher (or class members) could collate key points from the discussion to list and display: Things that make for a successful meal. Something to Plan a) Here students are asked to plan a special meal of their own they have an unlimited budget and resources. The following questions are provided to get students thinking: What would the special occasion be? Where / when would the meal take place? Who would you invite? What food would you have? What would you want people to talk about? What music or entertainment would you have? Would anything special happen at the meal? What would you want people to remember about the meal? This activity could be done individually, in pairs or small groups. b) Students should then design an invitation or menu for the meal. Show students examples of invitations and menus to show them what is required in terms of content and presentation. Make available the resources students will need to produce an attractive finished product coloured card and paper, glue, scissors, pens, pencils etc. Alternatively, students may wish to create their invitations or menus on computers using graphics. Task Four Here students are asked to match a scripture passage with its description. The answers are as follows: Scripture Passage Description 1. Mark 8:1-10 D. Seven loaves and a few fish feed four thousand 2. Luke 7:36-50 C. An unwelcome guest 37

42 3. Luke 10:38-42 B. At home with two sisters 4. Luke 15:11-32 F. A Welcome Home party 5. Luke 19:1-10 G. Staying with the tax collector 6. John 2:1-10 A. A wedding reception with problems 7. John 6:1-13 H. The boy who shared his lunch 8. John 13:4-5; E. The master washes the servants feet Something to Do Here students are asked to choose one of the above incidents and either act it out using words or mime or design a poster based on it that includes some words of Scripture. If students decide to act out an incident they will need to work in groups, the size of which will depend on the incident chosen. The poster could be done individually or in pairs. Something to Think About Here students are asked to reflect on the various ways that Jesus words and actions show the Reign of God in the incident that they chose to act out or design a poster for. Remind them that at meals Jesus would: Share himself with others Communicate friendship Show acceptance to outcasts Break down social barriers Teach and challenge people Tell stories with a message Forgive sins Heal Provide food and drink (especially when there wasn t enough). An explanation of each of the eight incidents follows: Mark 8:1-10 (Seven loaves and a few fish feed four thousand) Here Jesus shows the Reign of God by: Showing concern for the crowd s hunger Providing food for about four thousand people from seven loaves and a few fish (with seven baskets of scraps left over). 38

43 Compare with John 6:1-13 (The boy who shared his lunch) below. Luke 7:36-50 (An unwelcome guest) Here Jesus shows the Reign of God by: Accepting the attentions of the woman with the bad name in the town (a prostitute and social outcast) By telling a story about love that challenges and corrects the attitude of Simon the Pharisee who wants Jesus to exclude the woman By forgiving the woman s sins and affirming her faith. Luke 10:38-42 (At home with two sisters) Here Jesus shows the Reign of God by: Gently correcting Martha and telling her not to be so worried and stressed about getting the meal served up Indicating that Mary is doing the right thing by listening to the Word of God. Luke 15:11-32 (A Welcome Home party) Here Jesus shows the Reign of God by: Telling the story of the lost son (the prodigal ) and the dutiful son which is about God s willingness to forgive and welcome home sinners unconditionally. The section of the story which shows the Father ordering a feast to be prepared for the son who has returned home (Luke 15:22-24) shows that the father not only accepts the son s return but celebrates it. Luke 19:1-10 (Staying with the tax collector) Here Jesus shows the Reign of God by: Inviting himself to dinner with Zacchaeus, a tax collector and social outcast Indicating by his words to the disapproving onlookers that no social group is excluded from salvation. John 2:1-10 (A wedding reception with problems) Here Jesus shows the Reign of God by: Changing water into wine and so saving those hosting the wedding from embarrassment Providing an image of the heavenly banquet and its abundance. John 6:1-13 (The boy who shared his lunch) Here Jesus shows the Reign of God by: Showing concern for the crowd s hunger 39

44 Providing food for about five thousand people from five barley loaves and two fish (with twelve baskets of scraps left over). Compare with Mark 8:1-10 (Seven loaves and a few fish feed four thousand) above. John 13:4-5; (The master washes the servants feet) Here in the context of the Last Supper Jesus shows the Reign of God by: Reversing the expectation that those with authority and power are to be served by those of a lower rank Washing his disciples feet to show them that their ministry is to be one of service. Workbook Activity: A Meal with Jesus Here students are asked to imagine that Jesus is dining with them tonight. They are asked to respond to the following starters by writing in the spaces provided in their workbooks. The place you choose for the meal is: The friends you invite to this special occasion are: The preparations you and your friends make for it are: The time has finally arrived. Your guest appears at the door and greets you with these words: You invite Jesus in and say: You introduce Jesus to your friends. To each of them he says: During the meal Jesus comes around to offer food and drink to each person and to speak to them individually. He talks of love, peace, joy and what it means to follow him. To you he says: It is the end of the meal and time for the guests to leave. Before departing Jesus offers up a prayer. These are the words: People are happy and as they go they sing a song of praise. These are some of the lines that stay in your mind: Task Five This task focuses on Jesus feeding of the five thousand and his bread of life sermon which are described in John 6: a) Here students are asked to read John 6:60-66 in their Bibles. They should write down what many of Jesus followers said and did when they heard his bread of life sermon a key section of which is printed in their student resource books. Many of Jesus followers say: This is intolerable language and leave him at this point. 40

45 b) These followers are reacting strongly to Jesus statements about eating his flesh and drinking his blood. They think he is describing some form of cannibalism. What Jesus is doing is identifying the bread and wine as the spiritual food of his own body and blood. Jesus is saying that he is the real bread from heaven that gives life forever. Jesus words will only begin to make sense to his disciples at the Last Supper when Jesus institutes the Eucharist. A fuller understanding comes to them after the Resurrection. The teacher may need to explain that even the Apostles did not understand Jesus words about eating his flesh and drinking his blood. c) Students are asked to read John 6:67-69 and write down what Simon Peter said in reply to Jesus question: Do you want to go away too? Simon Peter s words express faith in Jesus despite his inability to grasp the deeper meaning of what Jesus is saying: Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the message of eternal life, and we believe; we have come to know that you are the Holy One of God. Extension Activity a) Here students are asked to imagine they are news reporters and write down some questions that they would like to ask Jesus, his disciples or members of the crowd who were there when Jesus spoke about the bread of life. Sample questions are given below: Sir, did you just hear the sermon of Jesus from Nazareth? What do you think he was trying to say? Simon Peter, do you consider yourself one of Jesus followers? Jesus what did you mean when you said that people would eat your flesh and drink your blood? b) Students could get different class members to answer the questions in role in an interview. Supplementary Resource The Bread of Life The following script is a useful resource for this section of the topic: It can be photocopied and read aloud by members of the class (either as a whole class or in small groups). Students can adapt the material and produce their own scripts, dramatisations, mimes, songs, raps, posters or other presentations based on it. 41

46 BREAD OF LIFE (John 6:22-69) Narrator: It is the day after the multiplication of the loaves. Most of us were there yesterday. We were part of the crowd that the man Jesus fed with just five loaves of bread and two fish. We wanted to bring Jesus back with us to the city to make him our king, but he didn't want that. He went up into the mountain and hid from the crowd. Later that evening some of us saw his disciples leaving in the boat without him. This morning we've all gathered in the marketplace to see what new developments have happened. Everyone is still talking about the miracle of the bread and fish. Suddenly, Jesus arrives in the marketplace. First Person: Here he comes now. Second Person: How did he get across the lake? He didn't leave in the boat with his followers. Third Person: I took the last boat home. He didn't come with me. Fourth Person: (Addressing Jesus) Sir, where did you disappear to yesterday? We were looking all over the mountainside for you. Jesus: (Sadly) Yes, you were looking for me. But only because I fed you. Not because you believe in me. You shouldn't be so concerned about perishable things like food. No, spend your energies seeking the eternal life that the Son of Man can give you. For God the Father has sent me for this very purpose. Fifth Person: What do we have to do to please God? Jesus: What God wants is this: That you believe in the one he has sent to you. Sixth Person: You must show us more miracles if you want us to believe in you. First Person: Sure, just give us free bread every day, like our fathers had while they journeyed in the wilderness. Second Person: Yeah, like it says in the holy book, 'Moses gave them bread from heaven. 42

47 Jesus: Moses didn't give it to them. My Father did. And now he offers you the true bread from heaven. The true bread is a person the one sent by God from heaven, and he gives life to the world. Third Person: Sir, if that's true, give us this bread every day of our lives. Jesus: I am the bread of life. No one coming to me will ever be hungry again. Those believing in me will never thirst. Narrator: Then the Jews began murmuring and grumbling to themselves because he claimed to be the Bread from heaven. (Everyone murmurs and grumbles) Fourth Person: What's he talking about? He is merely the son of Joseph, we know his father and mother; we know where he is from. Fifth Person: What is he trying to say? We know he didn't come down from heaven. Jesus: Don't murmur among yourselves about my saying that. Those the Father speaks to, who learn the truth from him, will understand. Yes, I am the bread of life. There was no real life in that bread from the skies which was given to your fathers in the wilderness, for they all died. But there is such a thing as bread from heaven that will give eternal life to everyone who eats it. And I am that living bread. Anyone who eats this bread will live forever; my flesh is this bread, given to the world. Narrator: Then the Jews began arguing with each other about what he meant. (Everyone talks some are getting angry.) Sixth Person: How can this man give us his flesh to eat? Jesus: With all the earnestness I possess I tell you this: Unless you eat the flesh of the Son of man and drink his blood, you cannot have eternal life within you. My flesh is the true food, and my blood is the true drink. Everyone who eats my flesh and drinks my blood lives in me and I live in him. First Person: This is very hard to understand. 43

48 Second Person: Who can tell what he means? Third Person: This teaching is too hard. Fourth Person: Who can listen to this? Narrator: Jesus knew that his disciples were confused and some were grumbling and complaining. Jesus: Some of you do not believe. That is what I meant when I said that no one can come to me unless the Father speaks to his heart. Narrator: At this point many of his disciples turned away and did not follow him any more. (Most of the crowd get up and walk away, shaking their heads in disgust. A few stay near Jesus) Narrator: Jesus watched them walk away. Then he turned to the Twelve. Jesus: And you are you going to leave me also? Narrator: Peter answered for them all. Peter: Master, to whom would we go? You alone have the words that give eternal life. And we believe that you are the holy Son of God. From Developing Faith by Kieran Sawyer SSND (Ave Maria Press, 1978) pages 60 to 62. Something to Think About Here students are asked to reflect on how Jesus words and actions at the Last Supper fulfil what he had said when he spoke about the bread of life the day after he had fed the 5,000. Jesus words and actions at the Last Supper show that Jesus is the bread of life who gives eternal life. Jesus instructions at the Last Supper make it clear that the bread and the wine are his Body and Blood, his real presence. When 44

49 the disciples eat the bread and wine that Jesus has blessed and shared they are eating his Body and Blood. Task Six Here students are asked to read three Scripture passages which describe meetings that Jesus had with his disciples after the Resurrection. Each meeting involves the sharing of food. Students are required to think up a brief description of each incident that mentions the food that was shared. Here are some suggestions: a) Luke 24:30-32 Disciples on the Road to Emmaus recognise Jesus in the breaking of the bread. b) Luke 24:36-43 Jesus eats a piece of grilled fish which the disciples offer him. c) John 21:1-14 Jesus invites the disciples to eat fried fish for breakfast on the shore of Tiberias. 45

50 PART THREE: THE PRESENCE OF CHRIST Achievement Objective 1 Students will be able to develop an understanding of key aspects and images of Eucharist as thanksgiving, meal, bread of life, the presence of Christ, sacrifice, farewell gift, memorial, promise of eternal life, and sign of unity and aroha. Church Teachings Christ s Presence Karaiti is present to his Church in many ways but especially in the celebration of the Eucharist where he becomes present in the fullest sense in the consecrated bread and wine. Christ s real presence in the Eucharist is a sign of his great aroha. Outside of Mass, Christ continues to be present in the Blessed Sacrament. Learning Outcomes At the end of this section of the topic students will: Describe Christ s presence in the Eucharist in terms of the consecrated bread and wine. Recognise ways in which Christ is worshipped in the Eucharist outside of Mass. Teacher Background Jesus Presence Among Us Some people enter our lives so compellingly that we are never quite the same. Even in their absence we feel their presence. Even if we know we shall never see them again, we cannot act as if they had never been part of our lives. They have left their mark. They have irremediably changed us. For better or worse, we cannot act as if they had never been known. They are part of our history, they are inseparable from our identity. For us to be ourselves is to know ourselves as somehow marked by them. Paul Wadell, The Primacy Of Love: An Introduction to the Ethics of Thomas Aquinas (Mahwah, N.J: Paulist Press, 1992) page 83. The Eucharist is the sacrament of Jesus continuing presence among us the means by which he communicates the life of God to us and the sign which points to this reality. 46

51 From the days of the apostles to our own time, there have been many changes in the way our Church has understood the Eucharist. But throughout its long history the Church has held firmly to the belief that the Risen Jesus is really present in the Eucharist. Two thousand years ago, through his words, actions, and person Jesus first proclaimed the Reign of God to our world. Today, Christ continues to live and act in our world through his presence in the Eucharist, his great sign of love. In the Eucharist, the Risen Christ is dynamically present among his people, changing our lives: healing us, cleansing us, reconciling us, calling us, inviting us to a deeper commitment to proclaiming Te Rangatiratanga, calling us to be his body in the world. Christ is present in the Eucharist in many ways. He is present in the gathered community. "For where two or three meet in my name, I am there among them" (Matthew 18:20). He is present in the Word of Scripture. He is present in the person of the priest through whom Christ acts, inviting us to the Eucharistic meal where he first offers himself to the Father and then gives himself to us. But Christ is especially present in the Eucharist when the prayer of praise and blessing is spoken over the bread and wine so that they become Christ s Body and Blood this presence of Christ, the source of our salvation, is often described as the real or true presence, the heart of the Eucharist. The various modes of Christ s presence in the Eucharist were examined in Topic 9H Sacraments of Initiation. The present topic explores more deeply Christ s presence in the consecrated bread and wine. The Church teaches that the presence of Christ under the appearance of bread and wine comes about through the words of Jesus: "This is my body", "This is my blood" (Mark 14:22, 24). "Body" in Semitic languages does not refer to only a part of a person, but rather the whole person. When we read, "This is my body, which is for you" (1 Corinthians 11:24) or "This is my body to be given for you" (Luke 22:19), we understand that Jesus is offering the whole of himself for us. In a similar way, the word "blood" in Semitic languages refers to the life-force of a person. The blood "to be poured out in behalf of many" (Matthew 26:28) is Jesus himself freely giving up his life for us. By repeating these words spoken by Jesus on the evening before his death, the Church not only tells the story of the Last Supper, but also announces "the death of the Lord until he comes" (1 Corinthians 11:26). By speaking in the name and in the person of Jesus Christ and repeating the account of the institution as a prayer of blessing over the bread and wine, Christ becomes present for us under the appearance of bread and wine. Christ's presence in the Eucharist is not something magical or mechanical. It comes about through a prayer directed to God, the Father, in the name of Jesus Christ for the gift of the Holy Spirit (a prayer called the epiclesis). Throughout his life Jesus did everything in Te Wairua Tapu (the Holy Spirit); he offered himself above all as a sacrifice in the Spirit (Hebrews 9:14). 47

52 Through the Holy Spirit Jesus is abidingly present in the Church and in "the world. The Eucharistic presence of Hehu Karaiti also takes place in the Holy Spirit. So the priest prays before saying the words of institution, "Let your Spirit come upon these gifts to make them holy, so that they may become for us the body and blood of our Lord, Jesus Christ" (Second Eucharistic Prayer). At different times in the course of history, the Church had to affirm the true, real presence of Jesus Christ in the Eucharist from misunderstanding while at the same time saying that this presence was a "mystery of faith". Since the Fourth Lateran Council (1215) and the Council of Trent (1551) the Church has used the concept of transubstantiation (change in substance) to describe the real presence of Jesus in the Eucharist. In more recent times, Popes Pius XII, Paul VI and John Paul II have defended and confirmed this expression. Transubstantiation is not meant to be a rational explanation of the mystery of the Eucharist which can be grasped only in whakapono (faith) but is meant to protect the literal meaning in Jesus' words of institution against one-sided interpretations. Transubstantiation affirms that the presence of Christ does not change the appearances of bread and wine (size, smell, taste, and chemical composition, etc). The presence of Christ concerns the essence (substance) of bread and wine, which are changed into Christ s Body and Blood. Because this change is not open to scientific investigation, the real presence of Jesus Christ in the Eucharist is a matter of faith. In the Eucharist a new reality comes about, bread and wine are transformed, receiving a new meaning as signs of the personal presence and self-giving of Hehu Karaiti. When, during the Eucharistic celebration, Jesus calls us to eat his flesh and drink his blood, he is inviting us to receive his Risen self. To eat his body and drink his blood is to enter into a true encounter with the person of Jesus. This is the full meaning of the Eucharist. It is a dynamic meeting with the Risen Lord who is there to change us by bringing harmony and peace to our lives, our whānau (families), our country, our world. He comes to make us experience ourselves as his body in the world. The Eucharistic Presence outside the Mass Catholics believe that Christ continues to be present in the consecrated bread and wine outside the Eucharistic celebration. The Church has always preserved the elements remaining from the Eucharistic celebration and brought them as Holy Communion to the sick and the dying. The veneration and worship of the Lord in Eucharistic processions, in benediction, exposition and in private prayer before the tabernacle, came later. These first spread in the Middle Ages when feasts such as Corpus Christ (The Body of Christ) were introduced. Exposition and benediction of the Blessed Sacrament highlight that Christ is truly present in the Blessed Sacrament. Pope John Paul II wrote: Since the Eucharistic mystery was instituted out of love, and makes Christ sacramentally present, it is worthy of thanksgiving 48

53 and worship. And this worship must be prominent in all our encounters with the Blessed Sacrament... (Dominicae Cenae No. 3) The various forms of Eucharistic devotion prayer and adoration before the Blessed Sacrament, exposition and benediction, 40 Hours Devotion, Eucharistic processions, etc. are to be understood in the context of the Mass and should always lead to a greater appreciation and understanding of Christ s presence in the central Eucharistic celebration. Eucharistic devotions should always aim to strengthen Christian identity and a commitment to mission as the Body of Christ in the world. The Ritual for Exposition and Benediction The ritual for exposition and benediction as presented most recently by the Congregation for Divine Worship (1973) follows this ritual: The priest places the Blessed Sacrament in a monstrance or on the altar for adoration a ciborium containing the Blessed Sacrament may also be used, but the monstrance allows one to view the Holy Eucharist. At this time, a hymn of praise is sung as the priest incenses the Blessed Sacrament. During the period of adoration, the faithful may pray in quiet and foster a deeper spiritual communion with the Lord. However, the adoration period should also include prayers, such as Liturgy of the Hours, and readings from Sacred Scripture accompanied perhaps by a homily or exhortation to increase the understanding of the Eucharistic mystery. At the end of the period of adoration, the priest again incenses the Blessed Sacrament as a hymn of praise is sung, and then blesses the congregation with the Blessed Sacrament, making the sign of the cross. After the blessing, the priest reposes the Blessed Sacrament in the tabernacle. Links with the Student Text Getting Started One way of introducing the idea of Eucharist as presence is through the following activity developed by Kieran Sawyer SSND. It touches on five ways in which Christ is present to us in the Eucharist. Required Materials / People Keys in a box A photograph of parents with their family A photograph of adoptive parents with their children A letter written by a loved sister or brother A student ready to assume the role of a babysitter A homemade gift (a knitted sweater, painted pot or decorated picture frame, etc.) A student willing to argue and then make up by shaking hands with the teacher. 49

54 Procedure 1. Introductory Exercise: a) Keys in a box. Hold up a small box in which you have secretly placed some keys. Hold it quietly so the keys don t rattle. Then tell the class: My keys are present in this box. Do you believe they are there? Why or why not? Put the box down with the mystery unsolved. b) Parents in a family. Pass around a family picture, and discuss the presence of parents in each child. Say: Some day these parents will no longer be living. Will they still be present in the family? When will the family be especially aware of their presence? Explain what presence in the family as a group means as different from presence in each individual. c) Adoptive parents in children. Pass around a picture of adopted children. Ask: Are the parents present in their adopted children? In what way? d) Loved one in a letter. Pass around a letter from a sister or brother. Ask: What does it mean to say that the writer is present in that letter? What do I have to do to experience that presence? e) Parents in babysitter. One of the students becomes the next exhibit. Say to him / her: (Name), when you are babysitting, the parents of the children are present in you. What does that mean to you? To the children? f) Friend in a homemade gift. Show a homemade gift such as a knitted sweater, hand painted pot, decorated picture frame, etc. You make a gift for a friend What does it mean to say you are present in the gift? How are you more present than if you had bought the gift? 50

55 g) Teacher in a handshake. Dramatise a situation where you have a disagreement with one of the students. When it is over, you admit that the argument was at least half your fault. The next day when the student comes to class you walk up to him /her and hold out your hand. What does it mean to say that you are making yourself present in that handshake? List these presences on OHT or board with a number beside each. Students copy them down. 2. Ask the students to think over the seven examples of presence and write down the numbers of those that they think say something about how Jesus is present in the celebration of the Eucharist. When they have done this, ask them to circle the one they think best explains Jesus presence. Call on each to give his or her choice and explain it. Tally their answers. After each of the students has expressed his / her choice explain that all of the answers are in some sense right, because each exhibit says something about Jesus presence. Explain that each answer is also wrong, because no human example can fully explain the mystery of God s presence among us in the Eucharist. (The weakest example is number one, the keys in the box, since it refers to a simple spatial kind of presence although students have found value even in that example. For instance, a student could say that they believed the keys were there even though they couldn t see them because they trusted you to tell the truth.) 3. Now explain that the Church teaches that Jesus is really present in the Eucharist in many ways. (Cf Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy 7.) As you present the five ways of his presence, have the students point out which exhibit it corresponds to. Jesus is present in the heart of the individual Christian. This is something like 1 (c) above. It is a presence of love and concern. Jesus is present in the community gathered in his name. This is something like 1 (b) above. Jesus is present in his word which is read at Mass. This is something like 1 (d) above. Point out that a person has to read carefully and lovingly to find the presence of another in a piece of written communication such as a letter. Jesus is present in the priest, his official representative. This is something like 1 (e) above. Point out that even though you may not be a good babysitter, the authority of the parents still resides in you. The parents make that presence possible, you don t. Apply this to the priesthood. 51

56 Jesus is present in the consecrated bread and wine the Eucharistic species. This is something like 1 (f and g) above. In both cases, the giver puts himself / herself into something visible and offers himself / herself to the receiver. 4. Explain to the class: The presence of Christ in the consecrated bread and wine is a unique and very special kind of presence. The Church uses the term Real Presence to express the mystery of the sacramental presence of Jesus after the consecration. The Catholic Church teaches and believes that the bread and wine are changed so that, while the appearances of bread and wine remain, the reality (the substance) of the bread and wine are changed into the body and blood of Jesus. 5. Refer again to 1 (g) above. Point out that when you offer your hand to the student, there are three things that the student might do: Accept your hand and the friendship it offers and shake hands sincerely. Turn away and refuse to be reconciled. Fake it and say: If I m going to pass this course, I d better string the teacher along. Do the symbolic action but not really mean it. Apply this to the Eucharist. Jesus offers himself to us at each Mass under the appearance of the bread and wine. We can respond in one of three ways. Which way do we respond? 6. This is also a good time to explain the misunderstanding in the statement sometimes heard: If I think Jesus is present in the Eucharist then he is present there for me. If I don t think he s present then he isn t. Note that this statement makes the presence of Jesus dependent on my faith, not on his love. To go back to the example of the handshake: even if the student doesn t believe you are really putting yourself into that handshake, you are there. Your presence depends on you, not on the student. Jesus is present in the Eucharist whether we accept his presence or not, whether we believe or not. Task Seven From Developing Faith by Kieran Sawyer SSND (Ave Maria Press, 1978) pages 64 to 65. Numbers 4 and 6 are adapted. This task asks students to read a section of the Second Eucharistic Prayer and answer questions about it. Here are the answers: a) The gifts that are mentioned in the prayer are the bread and wine. 52

57 b) The words that show that the prayer is directed to the Father are: And so, Father, we bring you these gifts. The words that show that the gifts become the Body and Blood of Christ by the work of the Holy Spirit are: We ask you to make them holy by the power of your Spirit, that they may become the Body and Blood of your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ The words that show that we celebrate the Eucharist because Christ told us to are: at whose command we celebrate this Eucharist. The words that show that the story of the Last Supper is retold are: On the night he was betrayed he took bread and gave you thanks and praise. The words that show that the bread and wine become Christ s Body and Blood are: Take this, all of you, and eat it: this is my body which will be given up for you... Take this, all of you, and drink from it: this is the cup of my blood The words that show that the Eucharist is celebrated in memory of Christ are: Do this in memory of me. The words that show that the Eucharist fulfils the Old Testament Covenant are: the blood of the new and everlasting covenant. The words that show that through the Eucharist sins are forgiven are: It will be shed for you and for all so that sins may be forgiven. Workbook Activity: A Quiet Reflection This activity is a reflection on Christ s presence in the Blessed Sacrament. It is best for students to do it at a quiet time, in a quiet space a chapel or church would be very appropriate. Students should read through the words of the reflection Visiting Christ in the Blessed Sacrament slowly and thoughtfully, pausing as often as they like. Alternatively, the teacher could read the reflection to students who follow the words in their texts. Visiting Christ in the Blessed Sacrament Imagine that you walk into a church at night for adoration of the Blessed Sacrament The candles on the altar are the only source of light you rest your eyes upon the host that stands out clear and white against the darkness The host is like a magnet that draws your eyes towards itself as to the Centre The centre of your being and the world 53

58 As you keep looking at the host a silence falls upon you All thinking quietens down and fades away The silence of that host seems to seep into your body and from there it spreads throughout the church so everything inside you And around you is stilled. (Adapted from The Heart page 71 of Wellsprings by Anthony de Mello) Students are then asked to write down words or images that come to them in the quiet. Make the point to students that what they have written or drawn is their prayer. 54

59 Achievement Objective 1 PART FOUR: SACRIFICE Students will be able to develop an understanding of key aspects and images of Eucharist as thanksgiving, meal, bread of life, the presence of Christ, sacrifice, farewell gift, memorial, promise of eternal life, and sign of unity and love. Church Teachings Sacrifice Christ sacrificed his life on the cross for hohou rongo (reconciliation between God and humankind) and the fulfilment of God s plan of salvation. In the Eucharist Christ makes present and renews the sacrifice of the cross. Christ, through the priest and along with those gathered, offers himself ritually, in the form of bread and wine, to the Father; Te Matua offers us Christ s Body and Blood in return. Learning Outcomes At the end of this section of the topic students will: Describe key features of sacrifice, its place in Jewish religion and in the teaching of Jesus. Make links between Jesus death on the cross and the Eucharist. Teacher Background The Meaning of Sacrifice The Church has always spoken of the Eucharist as sacrifice but for many people today sacrifice can be a difficult word. For some, "sacrifice" suggests ideas of a distant God, awe and reverence, mystery, sacred place, the proper intercessor, and the importance of correct ritual. "Sacrifice" comes from two Latin words, sacrum and facere, which placed together mean to make holy or to put under the control of God alone. Genuine sacrifice is the offering of a koha back to God as an expression of our desire for union with him. Because genuine sacrifice is the sign of a person s self-offering, it always involves an inner conversion or renewal. The gift to Te Atua alone and union with him is the main focus. Genuine sacrifice prompts the person to live in a new way. Sacrifice is not something God needs; we need to offer sacrifice. 55

60 Jewish Sacrifice While many pagan cults used sacrifices to appease their gods, in the Jewish tradition sacrifices were used to create, restore or renew a relationship with God. Old Testament sacrifice acknowledges one God as the giver of every gift and gives thanks for this God s lordship over all creation. Offering gifts such as wine, grain and animals back to Te Atua gave the people some sense of union with him. Ancient Hebrew sacrifices renewed the covenant made at Mt. Sinai which established the Israelites as God's chosen people and showed that God s people wanted to re-establish a right relationship with their God. Hebrew sacrifices stressed the giving (focus on God) and not the giving up (focus on self). Often an animal was killed so that its blood (life itself) could be offered to God. The death of the animal was not emphasised; giving it completely to God was. In Jewish sacrifice, animals would be cut by a priest who would collect their blood. The blood was then poured on and around the altar. In this way, the offering, or holocaust (burned offering) was completely offered to God in a most solemn way. Another type of Jewish sacrifice was the communion sacrifice, or zevach. This sacrifice was similar to the Passover meal and was offered to God in response to something special, such as a thanksgiving to God for the blessing received. Some of the blood was drunk, as if sharing a meal with God. Another Jewish tradition of sacrifice was for atonement, or kippur. On the Day of Atonement, the high priest entered the Holy of Holies in the Temple and scattered blood everywhere. This shedding of blood was a sign of the forgiveness of sins and necessary for sins to be forgiven. Offerings, pledges and gifts were also seen as going hand in hand with animal sacrifice, and for that matter, took the place and the meaning of the animal sacrifices. Later, prayers and fasting became acceptable substitutes. In the Old Testament genuine sacrifice is linked to God-centred lives of goodness and justice. After rejecting the sacrifices of his people, God says in Amos, " let justice flow like water, and uprightness like a never-failing stream!" (5:24). The prophet Micah describes a person wondering which sacrifice would please God. God replies, "You have been told what is right and what Yahweh wants of you. Only this, to do what is right, to love loyalty and to walk humbly with your God (6:8). Jesus Attitude to Sacrifice It is important to understand the Old Testament approach to sacrifice if we are to understand Jesus attitude to it. When questioned by the Pharisees about fasting (Matthew 9:13 and 12:7), Jesus repeated the prophets' criticism of sacrifice by quoting Hosea 6:6 ("For faithful love is what pleases me, not sacrifice; knowledge of God not burnt 56

61 offerings"). Jesus' insistence on the need for genuine interior holiness is consistent with what the prophets taught about sacrifice. Hehu spoke prophetically when he emphasised the link between sacrifice and love of one's neighbour: "So then if you are bringing your offering to the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your offering there before the altar, go and be reconciled with your brother first, and then come back and present your offering" (Matthew 5:23-24). Jesus the Perfect Sacrifice Jesus himself is the best model of genuine sacrifice. He lived in loving obedience and service to the Father whose own great act of sacrifice was the sending of his Son into human history to bring the world to God to the extent that he suffered death for the sake of all humankind. Fully God and fully human, Jesus by his life, death and resurrection offered a sacrifice which was unique and therefore unrepeatable (Hebrews 9:25-28). According to John's Gospel, Jesus in his public life and in his death was like the Passover lamb. Jesus' life (blood) was poured out completely. But Jesus' sacrifice was a voluntary one; he freely went to his death. By reinterpreting the Passover meal, Jesus transformed the meaning of sacrifice. Through his passion, death and resurrection, Jesus offered himself willingly as a sacrifice to God he atoned for our sin, gave his blood to be poured out for the sins of many, and restored humanity to God's friendship. Jesus gathered up everything of our world and history its beauty, tragedy, tears, joys, suffering and death and brought it to the Father. As the Eucharistic Prayer says: "For our sake he opened his arms on the cross." The cross becomes the sign not only of suffering and death but also of resurrection and new creation. The cross is the place where death was transformed. The sacrifice of the cross is God's holy action where Jesus death is made into risen life. Sacrifice and the New Testament Writers The writers of the New Testament saw Jesus' entire life as a sacrifice. They used the terms common to sacrifice to describe his life, death and resurrection. Jesus commanded his apostles, "Do this in memory of me". This command referred not only to the Eucharist but included imitating Jesus by handing over their lives in obedience to the Father and in service to the community. In fact, Jesus gave no detailed ritual for the Eucharist. And for up to forty years after Jesus' resurrection, the Christians around Jerusalem continued to join in the Temple sacrifices while at the same time celebrating the Eucharist in their homes. These Christians saw no contradiction in this because whether they celebrated the Eucharist or worshipped in the Temple, the goal of sacrifice was the same in each case: honouring the giver of all gifts and being united with him through inner conversion to his ways. 57

62 The New Testament idea of sacrifice is concerned with making one's entire life a gift to God and a service to all his people. Those offering sacrifice are to allow God's presence to transform their lives. If the sacrifice does not result in changed lives, then those who offered it have put an obstacle in God's way, and so the sacrifice has been incomplete. St. Paul spends more time telling his converts in Corinth what kind of loving attitude should characterise their celebration of the Eucharist than giving them detailed instructions about the ritual to be used. Sacrifice is to change our lives not God's mind. If the inner attitude of the one offering sacrifice or arranging for it does not match the external devotion of the ritual, then the so-called sacrifice actually mocks God. A heart ready for obedience and service is the kind of gift God considers worthwhile. The Eucharist as Sacrifice The Second Vatican Council, following almost two thousand years of Church Tradition, speaks of the Mass as sacrifice: "At the Last Supper, on the night he was betrayed, our Saviour instituted the eucharistic sacrifice of his Body and Blood. This he did in order to perpetuate the sacrifice of the Cross throughout the ages until he should come again, and so to entrust to his beloved Spouse, the Church, a memorial of his death and resurrection: a sacrament of love, a sign of unity, a bond of charity, a paschal banquet in which Christ is received, the mind is filled with grace, and a pledge of future glory is given to us". (Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy N.47) The First Eucharist Prayer of the Mass describes the Eucharist as a "sacrifice of praise". This is because in the Eucharist, Jesus sacrifice on the cross and all his saving actions are re-presented sacramentally through word and sign. In the Eucharist Jesus offers himself to the Father under the appearance of bread and wine. The Eucharist does not "repeat" Christ's death and Resurrection the saving event of all time but re-establishes our bond with it. This sacrificial character of the Eucharist is described in the New Testament, especially in Matthew's account of the words over the chalice: "For this is my blood, the blood of the covenant, to be poured out in behalf of many for the forgiveness of sins" (Mt 26:28). These words echo those of Moses at the sacrifice of Sinai where he sprinkled half of the sacrificial blood on the altar and half on the people, saying, "This is the blood of the covenant which the Lord has made with you in accordance with all these words of his" (Ex 24:8). When Jesus offers himself to the Father on the cross he completes and fulfils the Old Testament covenant, becoming the one perfect sacrifice who makes all other sacrifices unnecessary. In the Eucharist we re-link ourselves to Jesus death on Calvary. St. Paul told the church in Corinth, "Whenever you eat this bread, then, and drink this cup, 58

63 you are proclaiming the Lord s death until he comes" (1 Corinthians 11:26). Through the Eucharistic celebration Jesus Christ draws us into his sacrifice because we are his body united with him through Baptism. That is why we pray: May he make us an everlasting gift to you" (Third Eucharistic Prayer). Through, in, and with Christ", the Eucharist also becomes the sacrifice of the Church. This is possible only because we become in the Eucharist "one body, one spirit in Christ" (Third Eucharistic Prayer). The Eucharist, by re-presenting Christ s sacrifice, is also "for the forgiveness of sins" (Mt 26:28) and can be an intercession for all. The Eucharistic remembrance of the living and the dead reminds us that every Eucharistic sacrifice takes place within the "communion of saints". For the same reason, the Eucharist also commemorates the saints whose intercession and protection are sought. To say that the Eucharist is a sacrifice is to recall many rich layers of meaning. As the Christian community, we offer ourselves with Jesus Christ to God, through the bread and wine which we ask to become Christ's body and blood. We, too, want to be changed and become like Christ. It is nothing we do, but rather it is God's gift to us. The Eucharist becomes our self-offering when we unite ourselves in mind and heart with Christ who freely offers himself to God. In the Eucharist Jesus reaches out to us and our world to gather them to himself to make them holy. We become holy because God makes us holy. The more we surrender to this holy action of God in Jesus Christ, the more we share in God's holy action and so join in the sacrifice of Christ. Links with the Student Text Something to Discuss Students have been given the following definition of sacrifice: Sacrifice = giving up something of value in order to gain something more desirable. They are asked to discuss five examples of sacrifice in everyday life. For each situation they are asked to decide: a) What is given up? b) What is gained? I sacrificed my free time to study for the science test. The person gives up free time to study. The expected gain is good results in the science test. It s a real sacrifice to get up at the crack of dawn and swim forty lengths. The person gives up sleeping in later. The expected gain is increased fitness, speed, and perhaps recognition as a champion. 59

64 We sacrificed our comfortable beds and slept on the floor because of the extra visitors. The people give up the comfort of their own beds. The gain is happy guests who have been treated with hospitality. They sacrificed sweet food to lose weight for the summer. The people give up sweet food. The expected gain is a loss of weight and perhaps increased feelings of well-being and attractiveness. I read about this guy who s sacrificing his kidney to help his brother out. The person is donating his kidney. The expected gain is an improvement in his brother s health and even life expectancy. Something to Think About Here students are asked to identify situations they have been part of that have involved some form of sacrifice. The teacher should make the point that the sacrifices may have been made by the student or by others. The sacrifices could be very significant or very small. Emphasise that true sacrifice involves a giving of self. Refer to the case of Titus Oates who died to save his friends lives. Task Eight Students should work in pairs or small groups to take turns to explain to their partner or others in the group about Jewish sacrifice. They should use the six illustrations that are printed in the student resource book to help them: The Temple The Altar of Sacrifice The Passover The High Priest The Holy of Holies Micah 6:8. Each person should talk about a different picture when it is their turn. Workbook Activity: Religious and Jewish Sacrifice Students will need to read the material about religious and Jewish sacrifice in their student resource books before they complete this crossword: Answers Across 2. Jerusalem 3. sacrifice 60

65 6. Tangaroa or Tangaloa (Tagaroa is correct but won t fit the crossword) 7. Passover 10. animals 11. gift 12. God 14. justice 15. meat 16. Atonement Clues Down 1. holocaust 4. sin 5. Covenant 8. high priest 9. blood 13. Temple 15. Micah Task Nine Here students are asked to read Matthew 5:23-24 in their Bibles. They are required to explain what point Jesus is making about sacrifice. The passage is as follows: "So then if you are bringing your offering to the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your offering there before the altar, go and be reconciled with your brother first, and then come back and present your offering" (Matthew 5:23-24). Jesus point is that sacrifices to God are only pleasing if the people offering them are working to establish / maintain / restore good relationships with other people. Task Ten Here students are asked to match the ending of each statement in the right hand column with its beginning in the left hand column. They should write down the numbers 1 to 9 and next to each put the correct letter of the alphabet. The answers are as follows: 1. Jesus lived totally in accord with God s will D. and served God in everything he did. 2. When Jesus was condemned and crucified A. he willingly offered his life back to the Father. 3. Through his suffering, death and Resurrection B. Jesus healed humankind s damaged relationship with God. 61

66 4. Jesus death showed F. his great love for us. 5. Jesus is sometimes called the perfect sacrifice I. because he made all other sacrifices unnecessary. 6. The Eucharist is a sacrifice because G. it re-presents Jesus sacrifice on the cross. 7. In the Eucharist Jesus offers himself to the Father E. under the appearances of bread and wine. 8. By joining in the Eucharist we become C. part of the sacrifice of Christ. 9. We offer ourselves to God when we ask that the bread and wine H. become Christ's Body and Blood. Something to Make As a response to the poem The King students are asked to draw or make a cross of their own. One way is for students to use photographs of people, events and places that are important to them and lay them out in the shape of a cross. Another suggestion is for students to gather appropriate illustrations from magazines and newspapers and arrange them in a cross shape. On their crosses students should write some words that they want to say to Jesus. 62

67 PART FIVE: FAREWELL GIFT AND MEMORIAL Achievement Objective 1 Students will be able to develop an understanding of key aspects and images of Eucharist as thanksgiving, meal, bread of life, the presence of Christ, sacrifice, farewell gift, memorial, promise of eternal life, and sign of unity and aroha. Church Teachings Memorial At the Last Supper Jesus instructed his disciples to repeat his actions and words, Do this in memory of me, until his return, as a memorial of his death and Resurrection. By our carrying out of this command of the Lord through the celebration of the Eucharist, Christ becomes present to his Church. Learning Outcomes At the end of this section of the topic students will: Identify ways in which Jesus is remembered and made present when Christians gather to celebrate the Eucharist. Recognise that Christians keep alive the memory of Christ by remaining faithful to the Eucharist. Teacher Background In Memory of Jesus At the Last Supper Jesus instructed his disciples to make present his one sacrifice in the Eucharist: "Do this as a remembrance of me" (Luke 22:19; 1 Corinthians 11:24,25). This remembrance is more than just recalling something to mind it means making God s saving actions present here and now through the ritual celebration. This was what the Jews did when they used the Passover meal to commemorate their deliverance from Egypt. The remembrance that comes about through the Eucharistic celebration has great depth of meaning. In the Eucharistic sacrifice of praise through thanksgiving and under the signs of bread and wine, the Church commemorates the freedom from the power of sin and death that has been gained by the cross and Te Aranga of Jesus. In celebrating the Eucharist, Christians proclaim the death of the Lord (1 Corinthians 11:26). 63

68 The Eucharistic Prayer stresses this. Following the institution narrative, the gathered community proclaims the mystery of faith in one of a number of possible acclamations, for example: Dying you destroyed our death, Rising you restored our life. Lord Jesus, come in glory. (Second Acclamation) And the priest says: Father, we celebrate the memory of Christ, your Son. We, your people and your ministers, recall his passion, his Resurrection from the dead, and his ascension into glory; and from the many gifts you have given us we offer to you, God of glory and majesty, this holy and perfect sacrifice... (First Eucharist Prayer) The Eucharist is not a new or independent sacrifice that replaces or somehow completes Jesus sacrifice of the cross. It is the sacramental way of making present the sacrifice of the cross, which has taken place once for all. As such, the Eucharist is the memorial of what happened on Calvary. Christians keep alive the memory of Christ by living lives that are consistent with the values celebrated in the Eucharist. Links with Student Text Getting Started Introduce this section of this topic by playing the song In Memory of Jesus by Carey Landry which is printed in the student resource book. The song originally appeared in Glory and Praise Volume 2 (1980) and is published by North American Liturgy Resources, Phoenix, Arizona Recordings of the song are available. Task Eleven Using In Memory of Jesus as a resource, students should list the different things that we remember when we gather to celebrate the Eucharist. Possible answers include: The manna, the heavenly bread that God provided to feed the Hebrews as they journeyed through the desert to the Promised Land. The day thousands were miraculously fed by Jesus with a few loaves and fish. The Last Supper, the meal of the Twelve. The day Jesus died to free us from fear. The Resurrection, the day the Father raised Jesus to new life. 64

69 A Story to Listen to Read the story of Mike s Star to the class. As students are listening to the story or after it is finished ask students to: a) List or draw five things that the star represents in Mike s life. b) Think of ways in which Mike s star is like the Eucharist. Possible responses may include: A gift A symbol / sign of his father s love A reminder of experiences Mike and his father had shared A reminder to Mike of the sort of person his father wanted him to be A means of keeping the memory of his father alive A summary of everything Mike s father stood for A source of strength that keeps Mike going and out of trouble. The story of Mike s star reveals some important aspects of what Eucharist is about. Encourage students to see the links between Mike s star and the Eucharist: The night before he died Jesus gave the Eucharist to those he loved, so that his memory would be kept alive till he returned. Everything that the star meant to Mike tells us something about what Jesus wanted the Eucharist to mean to his friends and followers. The Eucharist is a gift The Eucharist is a symbol / sign of God s love The Eucharist is a reminder of experiences Jesus and his disciples shared The Eucharist is a reminder to us of the sort of people Jesus Christ wants us to be and of the work he wants us to do as we follow in his footsteps The Eucharist is a means of keeping the memory of Jesus alive The Eucharist is a summary of everything Jesus stood for The Eucharist is a source of strength that helps to keep us going and out of trouble. 65

70 MIKE'S STAR It was the opening week of school, and I was doing what I like best to do getting to know a new group of teenagers. It was probably about the third day of class that I noticed Mike's star. I doubt if I would have paid attention to it at all if it hadn't been so out of place a beautiful little silver lapel-tack, stuck conspicuously on the neck band of a worn-out sweatshirt! The next day I noticed the star again, this time pinned on the collar of Mike's faded flannel shirt. The third time I saw it my curiosity got the best of me. Hey, Mike, I asked after class. "What's with the star? Mike smiled. It's a long story, Sister. Got time for it? I had time, and here is Mike's story: Mike's father had been a doctor, a highly respected neurologist. I suppose you could even say he was famous, Mike said sheepishly. He was a very busy man, as doctors usually are, but he was, nonetheless, an exceptionally wonderful father to his six children. He believed in spending time with his family real time, sharing time. Mike was the oldest of the children, and the only boy. His special time to be with his Dad was after dark, when the stars came out. Mike and his father would often go for long walks out beyond the town where the stars really had a chance, Mike said. Dad knew a lot about astronomy, he added. I could name all the major constellations by the time I was ten. But their conversations weren't only about stars. Mike was one of those lucky youngsters who could talk to his Dad about anything. During those walks under the stars he learned all the beautiful and difficult things about life and the world and people that a boy needs to learn from his Dad. When Mike was in eighth grade, it was discovered that his father had cancer of the throat. That's no way to go, Sister, Mike said, his face showing again some of the agony of that bitter year. It was a long and excruciating illness. The best remedies that medicine knew were tried. Some seemed to help for a time, but the Dad completely lost his power of speech. When Dad knew he had only a few weeks to live, he asked to be brought home, Mike told me. He wanted to spend his last days with Mom and us kids. 66

71 One night shortly after that, Mike's mother told Mike that his Dad wanted to see him. Mike slipped quietly into the bedroom, pained by the sight of the emaciated man lying so feebly against the pillows. Dad couldn't even smile, Mike said. He just looked at me, steadily and gently, and all the love in the world was in his eyes. Then he took a tiny jewellery box off the bedstand and pressed it into my hand. Mike said he just kissed his Dad and ran out of the room, crying. That night his father died. In the box was the silver lapel-tack star. Mike told me he had worn that star every day since his father's death. Sometimes he'd forget it on yesterday's shirt and have to run down to the basement to dig it out of the wash. This star keeps me going, Mike said, touching it fondly. And it also keeps me out of trouble most of the time, he laughed. It just helps me to remember the kind of man Dad wanted me to be. Mike graduated several years ago. He's in Med school now, studying to be a neurologist like his father. But Mike and his star are still an important part of my life. His story, more than any theology I have ever studied, has helped me to understand, and to explain to my students, what the Eucharist is all about. From Confirming Faith Director's Manual by Kieran Sawyer SSND (Ave Maria Press, 1982) page

72 Task Twelve This task asks students to explain how Maximilian Kolbe is an example of true sacrifice. Kolbe s death is a true sacrifice because he freely suffered and offered his own life to enable another prisoner to live. Kolbe linked his suffering to that of Jesus by encouraging his companions with prayers, psalms, and meditations on the suffering and death of Christ. Something to Research Here students are asked to come up with the names of other people who have kept the memory of Jesus alive through true sacrifice. Jean Donovan and Oscar Romero are two figures of the late twentieth century who sacrificed their own lives to keep alive make present the memory of Jesus. The following summaries of their lives may be useful for students: Jean Donovan Jean Donovan grew up with loving parents and almost anything a young American would want. She loved life, enjoyed school and had many interests. As a young adult Jean was very successful. She had a good job, nice clothes, her own apartment and opportunities to travel to other countries. Although Jean seemed happy, she felt more and more that her life was missing something important. Jean began to feel that Christ was calling her to do more for people in need. One day Jean read a story about El Salvador in Central America. It told about people suffering from terrible poverty. They had little food, poor housing, few jobs and low pay. They also feared for their lives, because many poor people just disappeared or were killed. Jean felt Christ calling her to reach out to these people. She decided to volunteer to work among the poor peasants of El Salvador. In El Salvador Jean worked with some American Sisters who had been there longer. Together they did whatever they could to help suffering people. They helped the poor to discover their own dignity as human beings but also worked to change the conditions that caused poverty and pain. Jean soon realised that she and the Sisters were in danger because of their work for the poor. She was often afraid, and at times wondered why she gave up such a pleasant life at home. 68

73 When Jean s family and friends learned that two people she knew were killed outside the place where she lived they begged her to return to the United States. But Jean felt that Christ wanted her to stay with the poor of El Salvador. She remembered how Jesus gave his whole life to help suffering people. So she stayed. Jean Donovan and the Sisters she worked with were shot to death on December 2, She was just twenty-seven years old. Adapted from People to Remember pp 10, 11 by Martenach and Pfeifer, Paulist Press Archbishop Oscar Romero In 1977 at the age of sixty Oscar Romero was appointed Archbishop of San Salvador, the capital city of El Salvador. El Salvador was a country of extremes. Most of the people were very poor with half the population earning less than $10 a month. But there were also a handful of very rich families who owned most of the land. Father Romero had always felt it was the duty of a good priest and bishop to help both rich and poor. But as Archbishop, Romero became more aware of the injustices in his country. He realised that the poor were poor because rich and powerful families kept them from owning land and earning enough money to live fuller lives. When priests who tried to help the poor were tortured and killed by death squads, Archbishop Romero began to speak out for justice and against violence. He started a weekly radio programme that became the most popular programme in the country. Each Sunday he spoke of Christ's Gospel. He condemned the injustices that hurt the poor. He urged people to respect one another's rights and lives. The more popular Archbishop Romero became with the poor, the greater danger he was in. He regularly received threats of death. Even some of his fellow bishops disagreed with his strong statements. Many of the rich Catholics opposed him. Archbishop Romero began to speak out more clearly against the death squads. He spoke against the armed forces that seemed to be supporting those who killed innocent people. He spoke out against the government, challenging the leaders of his country to stop the violence and injustice. Archbishop Romero knew his life was in danger, but he continued to speak out. On March 24, 1980, as he was celebrating evening Mass in the hospital, two men walked up and shot the Archbishop through the heart. 69

74 A few moments before his death Archbishop Romero had said in his homily: "The holy Mass, this Eucharist, is clearly an act of faith. This body broken and blood shed for human beings encouraged us to give our body and blood up to suffering and pain, as Christ did not for self, but to bring justice and peace to our people." A fellow bishop called him 'Saint Romero of the Americas'. Adapted from People to Remember pp 10, 1 by Martenach and Pfeifer, Paulist Press,

75 PART SIX: THE PROMISE OF ETERNAL LIFE Achievement Objective 1 Students will be able to develop an understanding of key aspects and images of Eucharist as thanksgiving, meal, bread of life, the presence of Christ, sacrifice, farewell gift, memorial, promise of eternal life, and sign of unity and love. Church Teachings The Promise of the Fullness of God The Eucharist looks ahead to the glory of heaven the fullness of God s life and love. The Eucharist looks ahead to Christ s return. Learning Outcomes At the end of this section of the topic students will: Recognise that the Eucharist promises eternal life the fullness of God s life and aroha. Explain what Jesus story of the great banquet tells us about the Eucharist and the fullness of life with Te Atua. Teacher Background Every time we celebrate the Eucharist we reach out for heaven. When we join in the Holy, Holy, "we join the angels and the saints as they sing their unending hymn of praise". In the First Eucharistic Prayer we ask that God's angel may take our sacrifice to his altar in heaven. In the Third Eucharistic Prayer we pray that Christ will "enable us to share in the inheritance of God's saints". Elsewhere the Church's liturgy speaks of the Eucharist as a pledge (or foretaste) of the glory to come. The New Testament uses a number of images to describe the ultimate happiness that we associate with heaven. Jesus speaks of the kingdom of heaven (Matthew 4:17), of seeing God (Matthew 5:8) and of entering into the joy of the Lord (Matthew 25:21-23). The Letter to the Hebrews promises Christians that they will enter into God's rest (4:9-11). Heaven is a state, in which those who know and love God come to share the fullness of his life and love. In heaven Te Atua gives himself to the beloved in the most complete and satisfying way. 71

76 Occasionally we experience foretastes of heaven in our earthly life, experiences that give us some idea of what final and full happiness must be like the experience of love that is part of marriage or friendship, the sense of awe that we feel sometimes at sunrise or sunset. But the best foretaste of heaven that God has provided for us is the Eucharist. The meals of the earthly Jesus, the Last Supper, and the Eucharistic meals of the earliest Christian communities all looked forward to the coming of Te Rangatiratanga. When we celebrate the Eucharist, something of the Reign of God, the fullness of God s life and love, is revealed to us. The Eucharist is a sign of the promise and the hope of a renewed creation freed from all traces of sin and death, of what will one day be when God is all in all (1 Corinthians 15:28). It also anticipates the heavenly marriage feast that is described in the Book of Revelation (19:9). What we experience in the Eucharist, as a foretaste has been made possible through the death and Resurrection of Jesus Christ. Every Eucharistic celebration, therefore, has an Easter character that is why since the days of the early Church the Eucharist has been celebrated on Sunday, the day on which Christ rose from the dead. Whoever eats of the Eucharistic bread already has eternal life and will be raised up on the last day (John 6:54). Like manna in the Old Covenant, the Eucharist is food and provision for the journey of the people of God's New Covenant (1 Corinthians 10:3-4). The manna in the wilderness was the foreshadowing of the true bread of God, which has come down from heaven and gives life to the world (John 6:33). The one who eats of this bread will never die (John 6:49-50, 58). The Eucharist, both as sacrament and as sacrifice, points us in the direction of heaven the fullness of God s life and love and prepares us for eternal life. Through an attentive participation in the Eucharist, our faith in Christ is strengthened and we gain a deeper insight into heaven. Come to the Banquet The stories of the great banquet in Luke 14:15-24 and Matthew 22:1-14 (where it is presented as a wedding feast) can be understood as images both of the Eucharist and of heaven the fullness of life with God. In Luke, a man is hosting a great banquet and sends out his servant with invitations. But many on his list have excuses, very reasonable excuses. One is getting married, another is trying out new oxen, and so on. So the man asks his servant to search for anyone who will come. He invites those on the margins of society the poor, the crippled, the blind and the lame because he wants a full house. The message of the story is that all are invited to share in the Eucharist and in the fullness of the Reign of God. All that is needed is a willingness to accept God s invitation to take part. In Luke 14:12, before Jesus tells the story of the great banquet, he tells those gathered that when they give a dinner not to ask friends, brothers, relations or 72

77 rich neighbours, because they will reciprocate. Jesus tells them, instead, to invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind who cannot pay them back. In Te Rongopai (the Gospels) Jesus presents the banquet as a wonderful symbol of God's free and unconditional love, a love that is often ignored or rejected. Links with the Student Text Something to Think About Here students are asked to read the story of the great banquet in Luke 14:16-24 and reflect on the following questions. This could be done in pairs or small groups. a) If the banquet was being held today who are the people that the Master would invite to his banquet? b) Which people today would be too busy to attend? c) Who today would accept the invitation? Answers will vary from student to student and group to group but some of the following are possibilities: The Master would start by asking the privileged and the admired in our society to his banquet wealthy property owners and business people, TV and film celebrities, well-known public figures, people of fashion, politicians, etc. Many of these people would be too busy or involved in their own lives to attend. The Master would then invite those people of lesser or of no significance in society the elderly, the young, the unemployed, the sick and the disabled, refugees, those who have been in prison or psychiatric institutions, the homeless, people who are looked down upon because of their race, culture or sexual orientation, etc. Many of these people would accept the invitation to the banquet because they are open to God s word. Something to Do Either: Here students are asked to work in a small group to act out the story of the great banquet but in a modern day setting. They could present it using words or in a mime. Or: Here students are asked to design a poster that presents some aspect of the story of the great banquet in a modern day setting. They should label it with a verse of Scripture. 73

78 The previous activity Something to Think About should help students choose a modern context for their presentation or poster. Task Thirteen Students are asked to look carefully at the following statements and decide on three that they think best describe the message of the story. The Eucharist is like a great banquet Life with God is like a great banquet God calls everyone to share in the Eucharist The Eucharist shows us what life with God is like Everyone is invited to share in God s life People have the freedom to respond or not to God s invitation Some people are too busy to accept God s offer Riches and possessions can prevent people from responding to God God reaches out to the poor and the suffering Answers will vary but students should be able to give reasons for their choice. All of the statements can be applied to the story of the great banquet. 74

79 PART SEVEN: THE SIGN OF UNITY AND LOVE Achievement Objective 1 Students will be able to develop an understanding of key aspects and images of Eucharist as thanksgiving, meal, bread of life, the presence of Christ, sacrifice, farewell gift, memorial, promise of eternal life, and sign of unity and love. Church Teachings Sacrament of Love and Unity When we receive Holy Communion we receive Christ who offered himself for us by doing so we grow closer to him, to one another and to his Church. Receiving the Body and Blood of Christ is life-giving. Receiving the Body and Blood of Christ in Holy Communion commits Christians to recognising Christ in all people, especially in the poor. Receiving the Body and Blood of Christ requires a commitment to the unity of Christians. Learning Outcomes At the end of this section of the topic students will: Describe how the Eucharist celebrates, promotes and brings about unity and aroha in the Church and the world. Give examples of how Christians can express this unity and love in their lives. Teacher Background Unity in the Eucharist The central meaning of any sacrament can be found in the prayers which accompany the sacramental action. Important petitions of the Eucharistic prayer are for unity in Christ. We ask that the Spirit change the bread and wine into the Body and Blood of Christ so that we who eat and drink might be changed into the Body of Christ. "Let your Spirit come upon these gifts to make them holy, so that they may become for us the body and blood of our Lord, Jesus Christ and May all of us who share in the body and blood of Christ be brought together in unity by the Holy Spirit" (Second Eucharistic Prayer). "Grant that we, who are nourished by his body and blood, may be filled with his Holy Spirit, and become one body, one spirit in Christ" (Third Eucharistic Prayer). The other Eucharistic prayers make similar requests. Unity, then, is at the heart of the Eucharist. 75

80 When individual Christians share in the Eucharistic meal and receive Holy Communion, they are entering into an intimate union with Jesus Christ. When we consume the consecrated bread and wine, Christ enters fully into our lives and we into his. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood lives in me and I live in that person (John 6:56). The Eucharist brings about unity between the individual believer and Christ as the life of Christ grows within and the effects of sin are healed. But the Eucharist is much more than food for the individual Christian. When we come together to celebrate the Eucharist we express who we are as Church. The Liturgy, especially the Eucharist, "is the outstanding means whereby the faithful may express in their lives and manifest to others the mystery of Christ and the real nature of the true Church". (Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy, 2) The Eucharist is a source of unity, but also a sign of unity real unity, existing now. "Strengthened in Holy Communion by the body of Christ, [the faithful] manifest in a concrete way the unity of the people of God that this sacrament aptly signifies and wondrously causes". (Vatican II, Dogmatic Constitution on the Church, 11) When Christians take part in the one Eucharist, they gather as the body of Christ, which is the Church: "And as there is one loaf of bread which we break, is it not a sharing in the body of Christ? And as there is one loaf, so we, although there are many of us, are one single body, for we all share in the one loaf (1 Corinthians 10:17). The preparation of the bread from many grains and of the wine from many grapes is a symbol of the union of all the faithful with Christ. Church teaching describes the Eucharist as a "sign of unity" and as a "bond of love" (Dogmatic Constitution on the Church 26). St. Thomas Aquinas speaks of the Eucharist as the "sacrament of Church unity" because it signifies and deepens the unity between individual Christians and the Church. Since the Eucharist is the sacrament of unity, the celebration of the Eucharist belongs to the entire assembled community. The faithful are not mute spectators but active participants who seek to understand the mystery of the Eucharist by taking part in the liturgical action consciously and devoutly. (Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy 48) The Eucharistic celebration of a particular congregation always takes place in communion with the entire Church. This is expressed in the Eucharistic Prayer when those gathered pray in communion with the local bishop, who himself is united with the other bishops and the Pope. 76

81 The Eucharistic celebration presupposes reconciliation and communion within the celebrating congregation, even as it fosters them. We see this above all in the liturgical sign of peace. The unity of the Church, which is signified and brought about by the Eucharist, is also a sign and instrument of the unity of humankind. The Eucharist is bread for the life of the world (John 6:33). The Eucharist must take effect beyond the parish, in the world. This is why Eucharistic celebrations include intercessions for all, especially the needy, and also collections for poorer parishes and the poor of the world. These features have been present in the Eucharist since it was first celebrated. The celebration of the Eucharist prepares us and sends us out to bring love and reconciliation to those we meet. We cannot honestly share the Eucharistic bread if we are not ready to share our daily bread and to work for justice and peace in the world. The Eucharist is the source of Christian ministry in the world. The separation between different Christian churches and church communities at the Eucharistic table is painful. Because the Eucharist is the sacrament of unity and of love, this separation at the table of the Lord is a scandal that Christians must do all in their power to address. Where there is no common faith or the unity of the Church is lacking, a common participation in the Eucharist is difficult to achieve, although in certain circumstances it is possible for individual separated brothers and sisters to receive the sacrament. In the encyclical On the Coming of the Third Millennium, Pope John Paul II writes: "Among the most fervent petitions which the Church makes to the Lord... is that unity among all Christians of the various confessions will increase until they reach full communion". Our efforts toward ecumenical agreements must show the world "that the disciples of Christ are fully resolved to reach full unity as soon as possible in the certainty that 'nothing is impossible with God.'" In this same context, as the pope calls for "cooperation in the many areas which unite us," he points out that these areas which unite us "are unquestionably more numerous than those which divide us" (16). It is the task of Christians to emphasise the positive, to realise how far we have come. Today in many places the churches of a city or area are joining together to work to alleviate poverty, improve the environment or provide emergency relief. Although Christians cannot always share the Eucharist at one common table, they can join in sharing the Scripture. "To accomplish so great a work, Christ is always present in his Church, especially in its liturgical celebrations... He is present in his word, since it is he himself who speaks when the holy Scriptures are read in the Church." (Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy, 7) 77

82 Links with the Student Text Getting Started One way of introducing this section of the topic is with the song One Bread, One Body by John Foley SJ. It is in Glory and Praise Volume 2 (Phoenix, Arizona: North American Liturgy Resources, 1980). Recordings are readily available. The words of the song are printed in the Student Resource Book. Workbook Activity: The Community of God s People This activity focuses on the Eucharist as a celebration of the unity and love that exists between Christ and all the members of his Church, living and the dead. On the workbook page smaller circles are arranged around a larger circle representing Christ. Named in some of the circles are those people who are mentioned during the Eucharistic Prayer. Students are asked to fill in the empty circles with the names of those people that they would like to call to mind and unite with during the Eucharistic Prayer. They should draw lines to connect each person with Christ and each other. Task Fourteen This task challenges students to write some prayers of their own for needs that they see in the world. Model prayers are provided. The song Remember Me by Joe Wise (Cincinnati, Ohio: North American Liturgy Resources, 1972), which is printed in the student resource book, may help students with ideas. Some words from newspapers and magazines are also included to help students with ideas. Something to Do At the end of Mass we are told to: Go in peace to love and serve the Lord. This task asks students to use images from magazines and newspapers to make a collage that shows all the different ways that Christians can do this. The teacher will need to make sure that the resources required are available. The prayer that follows this activity in the student resource book may help students reflect on ways in which the Eucharist both challenges and enables us to live Christian lives. Supplementary Material The following article may be a useful resource for this section of the topic. It describes how a eucharistic response to life can bring God s presence into a situation of intense sadness and enormous suffering. 78

83 Where was God on 11 September? In the weeks following the dreadful terrorist attacks on the World Trade Centre in New York, thousands of rescue workers filled Ground Zero. Anyone who set foot at the site by the Hudson River felt a great sense of community and love. The Holy Spirit was at work drawing people together in a time of intense sadness and in a place of enormous suffering. The best place for the rescuers to get a hot meal and a chance to relax was a cruise boat that had been donated to the relief effort. Decorating the walls of its dining room were posters made by American schoolchildren, including one to the "firefiters" that read: "I am sure that whatever you are doing right now you are helping someone". The main dining room, warm and full of the aroma of lasagne, roast chicken and coffee, was filled with hundreds of workers clustered around dozens of round tables: firefighters eating with government officials, police officers passing sodas to iron workers, counsellors breaking bread with search-andrescue teams, military policemen making room at their tables for a Red Cross counsellor, truck drivers offering to get a cup of coffee for a doctor. The sight an image of the kingdom of God was strangely beautiful in a place of such suffering and misery, an image of the kingdom of God. Here were people eating together, working together, talking with one another, sharing their stories, encouraging one another, united in a common purpose of love. It was difficult not to see it as a sort of eucharistic meal, a breaking of bread in the spirit of sacrifice and remembrance. It was a room filled with the Spirit of God. The question "Where was God?" was not difficult to answer. Here was God, in this room. At Ground Zero was a piece of wreckage from the towers: two huge steel beams that had fallen from a great height and lodged themselves in the pile of rubble. The two beams were in the unmistakable form of a cross a sign for the rescue workers of God's presence. Masses were celebrated underneath it, photographs were tacked on to it, people prayed in its shadow. It still stands as a symbol for the events of 11 September. But another Christian symbol, the Resurrection, can also be seen at Ground Zero. It is found in the sacrifice of the firefighters and police officers who offered their lives for others. It is seen in the loving dedication of the rescue workers. It is there in the promise of new life. Adapted from James Martin, Where was God on 11 September? in The Tablet, 7 September

84 PART EIGHT: THE CENTRE OF CHRISTIAN LIFE Achievement Objective 2 Students will be able to recognise the central place of the Eucharist in the life of the Church and its significance in the lives of individual Christians. Church Teachings The Eucharist, especially Sunday Mass, is at the heart of the life of the Church. The Eucharist is the means by which Karaiti becomes present and active in his Church. The Eucharist is central to the lives of individual Christians. Learning Outcomes At the end of this section of the topic students will: Explore reasons why Sunday Eucharist is important in the life of the Church and to individual Christians. Recall different ways of describing the Eucharist. Teacher Background The Source and Summit of Christian Life The Eucharist has been described in a great variety of theological images. These include the Eucharist as the sacrament of Christ in the world, the memorial of the sacrificial death and resurrection of Christ, the source and means of unity, food for the journey, bread broken for a new world, the place where the dead are remembered and the communion of saints celebrated, the assembly of Christians who worship the triune God, a pledge of future glory and a foretaste of life to come. The Eucharist also keeps alive the liberating, healing and prophetic memory of Christ in the world. Consequently it is often said by way of summary that the Eucharist is the source and summit of the Church s life. Since the beginning of Christianity the Eucharist has been the central focus of Church life and the life of Christians. The Acts of the Apostles describes its place in the community in Jerusalem: They devoted themselves to the apostles instruction and the communal life, to the breaking of the bread and the prayers (Acts 2:42,46). Especially on the first day of the week, the day of the Lord, the early communities gathered for the breaking of the bread. Ignatius of Antioch, a bishop and martyr of the second century, wrote that to be a Christian means to live according to Sunday. A few years later, Justin Martyr provided a vivid description of the early Sunday Eucharist: 80

85 On Sunday, though, we all hold a meeting in common because it is the first day on which God created the world through the transformation of darkness and primary matter, and because Jesus Christ, our Redeemer, rose from the dead on this day. The same remains true today. The Sunday Eucharistic celebration is the most important expression of Christian life for the individual and the community. Because of this, the Church obliges Catholics to attend Mass on Sundays and on Holy Days of Obligation, which in New Zealand are Christmas and the Assumption. The precept of the Church specifies the law of the Lord more precisely: "On Sundays and other holy days of obligation the faithful are bound to participate in the Mass". "The precept of participating in the Mass is satisfied by assistance at a Mass which is celebrated anywhere in a Catholic rite either on the holy day or on the evening of the preceding day." (Catechism of the Catholic Church 2180) Since the Second Vatican Council the Eucharist has been seen within a wider context, that of the worshipping community, and as a result individual and active participation by the entire congregation has greatly increased. The Eucharist is always connected to the way in which Christians are the Body of Christ following Paul s teaching that because we eat the one bread, we are one body (1 Corinthians 10:17). In order to understand the heart of the Eucharist it is necessary to recognise its origins in Jesus Christ in his proclamation of the Reign of God, and in his death and Resurrection. Links with the Student Text Workbook Activity: Eucharist and Christian Life The Eucharist is at the centre of Christian life. Students are asked to read a variety of comments from different people about what the Eucharist means to them. Students should respond by writing some comments of their own about the Eucharist in their workbooks. They could ask family members and friends to write some too. Workbook Activity: The Diamond This activity asks students to review all they have learned about the Eucharist during this topic. 81

86 The Eucharist has been described as a diamond with many facets. On each facet of the diamond printed in their workbooks students should write a different idea / word / phrase about what the Eucharist means. The section headings in the student resource book should provide key words that students could use. For example: Thanksgiving Meal Bread of Life Christ s Presence Sacrifice Farewell Gift Memorial Eternal Life Unity Love Centre of Christian Life. 82

87 GLOSSARY OF GENERAL TERMS The entries in this glossary are for key words or terms contained in the text, and other useful definitions that provide additional background to the topic. The references after each term, e.g. N.2766 are to paragraphs in the Catechism of the Catholic Church. There is a separate glossary of Maori terms. Adoration (N.1078) The highest reverence which is to be offered only to God, our creator, redeemer, and sanctifier, who alone should be worshipped and glorified. Believers adore God through various images, such as the cross. They also adore Christ present in the Eucharist. Assumption (N.966, 974) This is the dogma that the Blessed Virgin Mary was taken (assumed) body and soul into heaven at the end of her earthly life. It was promulgated by Pope Pius XII in 1950, and is the only dogma proclaimed since the decree on papal infallibility in Mary s Assumption is a sharing in the Resurrection of her Son and an anticipation of the resurrection of others. The Assumption is celebrated liturgically by a Feast Day on 15 August. Body of Christ (N ) This term has two profoundly inter-related meanings in Christian thought and practice, which refer to ways Christ is present to humanity and to the world. The meanings stem from the fact that the human body of Jesus of Nazareth was not destroyed by death but was raised in a glorified form to life with God the Father. It is in this glorified humanity, permeated with the Holy Spirit, that Christ is present today. At the Last Supper Christ shared bread with his Apostles saying this is my body. At each celebration of the Eucharist the body of Christ is present to the communicant as the priest offers the consecrated host. The related idea of the Church as the Body of Christ was first developed in the work of St Paul (eg 1 Cor 10:16-17, Rom 12:5). With Christ as the head, all members are part of the one Body of Christ, in communion (see entry) with God and each other. They share the one bread which is also the body of Christ. Benediction (See entry for Rite of Eucharistic Exposition and Benediction). Blessed Sacrament In general, a term for the Eucharist denoting its pre-eminent place among the seven sacraments. More narrowly, it is a term for the consecrated host reserved for use outside the celebration of the Eucharist, particularly for distribution to the sick, or for devotions such as Benediction (see entry). 83

88 Chalice From the Latin calix, meaning cup, a chalice is the container or cup used for the wine which becomes the Lord s Precious Blood at the celebration of the Eucharist. Chalices are consecrated with chrism by a Bishop. They may be made of any suitable material and are often silver or gold. They usually have a wide base and stem between the base and cup. Ciborium From the Greek Kiborion, meaning cup, a ciborium is a vessel used to hold consecrated small hosts. Similar to a chalice, a ciborium has a lid. Communion (N , 1108) As a Christian term this is a translation of the Greek koinonia meaning sharing or fellowship. St Paul used the term to describe the close union that Christians, through the power of the Holy Spirit, have with God and with each other. In itself this communion reflects the unity among the persons of the Holy Trinity. The link between the vertical (with God) dimension and the horizontal (with people) dimension of this communion is both signified and strengthened in the celebration of the Eucharist when the members of the Church (the body of Christ) share in the body of Christ in holy communion (see entry on Body of Christ). Consecration (N , N.1538, 1573, 1597) To consecrate is to make holy or sacred, to sanctify. In the Catholic Church consecration is commonly used of: 1) That moment in the Eucharistic Prayer when the presiding priest recites the Lord s words of institution over the bread and wine. By the action of Christ through the power of the Holy Spirit, the bread and wine become the Body and Blood of Christ. This part of the Eucharistic Prayer is often called the Institution Narrative. 2) The prayer of ordination that the presiding bishop pronounces over the candidates whom he is ordaining as bishop, priest, or deacon. This prayer of consecration invokes the Holy Spirit on the candidates. Together with the laying on of hands, it is an essential element of the Sacrament of Holy Orders. The text of the prayer over the candidate varies for ordaining a bishop, a priest, or a deacon. Covenant (N.56-67, N ) A solemn agreement often involving the taking of an oath by the parties concerned. In the Old Testament there are a number of instances of God making a covenant with people, e.g. Noah (Gen. 9) and Abraham (Gen. 17). The most important was the Sinai Covenant. This defined the people of Israel by their relationship with God. Led by Moses the people promised, All that the Lord has said we will do (Ex. 19:8). In return God promised, I will be your God and you shall be my people (Lev. 26:12). God remained ever-faithful to the Covenant even though the Israelites had to be continually called back to it by the Prophets. 84

89 The New Covenant, inaugurated by Jesus (see Luke 22:20) does not revoke the Old Covenant, but fulfils it. Devotions Such nonliturgical prayers and practices as the way of the cross and rosary that develop one s spiritual life and deepen one s religious convictions. Eucharist (N.1322ff) This word comes originally from a Greek word for thanksgiving. It is used by Catholics today in several related senses: 1) in reference to the Sacrament of the Eucharist, the central Catholic act of worship referred to by the Second Vatican Council as the source and summit of the Christian life. The celebration of the Eucharist is a memorial banquet of Christ s death and resurrection, his sacrifice for the salvation of humankind. It is a sign of unity in which the faithful join with Christ in the Spirit to offer thanks and praise to God. 2) the celebration of the Eucharist is often referred to as the Mass. 3) in a more restricted sense it is used to refer to the second part of that celebration, the Liturgy of the Eucharist, which follows the Liturgy of the Word and contains the Eucharistic prayer. 4) it is also used to mean the consecrated bread (the host) and wine, the Body and Blood of Christ. Thus people may speak of receiving the Eucharist. Eucharistic Prayer (N , , ) This is the principal prayer of the Eucharistic liturgy. It follows the presentation of the gifts and precedes the Communion Rite. It begins when the priest says, The Lord be with you, and ends with the Doxology, Through him, With him, In him to which the people respond Amen. The Eucharistic Prayer is a great Trinitarian prayer of praise and thanksgiving recalling God s saving act for humankind in the dying and rising of Christ. An important part of the Great Prayer is the epiclesis. Here the Church calls down the Holy Spirit to consecrate the bread and the wine which then becomes the Body and Blood of Christ. The Eucharistic Prayer has its origins in the Last Supper and Jewish prayers. In the Roman Rite today a number of approved Eucharistic Prayers are in use including three for children. Exposition (See entry for Rite of Eucharistic Exposition and Benediction). Gesture / Gesturing We are familiar in everyday life with certain hand movements or gestures conveying a particular meaning. Thus the handshake is a sign of greeting and on the sports field the extended arms or clenched fist a sign of triumph. In a similar way certain gestures have meaning in a Church context. Thus the extending of hands over someone by a priest is a sign of calling on the Holy 85

90 Spirit. Making the Sign of the Cross reminds Christians that the Holy Trinity lies at the centre of their faith. Holy Day of Obligation (N , 2180, 2185) These are certain feast days in the liturgical calendar on which Church law obliges Catholics to participate in the Mass and to refrain from work or activities that hinder worship, joyful relaxation and works of mercy. Although Sundays are in fact holy days of obligation for Catholics, the term is usually reserved for other feast days to which the obligation applies. These vary from country to country. In New Zealand the Holy Days of Obligation (as at 2002) which are observed other than on a Sunday are two: Christmas Day and the Feast of the Assumption (15 August). Last Supper A term for the final meal Jesus celebrated with his disciples on the night before his death. The Gospel accounts of this meal vary in detail, but all contain the words spoken over the bread and wine by Christ indicating that these are changed into his Body and Blood. This foreshadows his voluntary offering of himself on the Cross the next day. The Church believes that by his actions at the Last Supper Christ instituted the Eucharist and instructed his followers to do this in memory of me [1 Cor. 11:25]. Liturgy (N ) From the Greek leitourgia meaning public work or public service, this term in Christian tradition came to mean the official public worship of the Church. In the liturgy all the faithful are caught up with Christ in his priestly office in celebration of his saving work. Although applied primarily to the celebration of the Eucharist, the term liturgy includes other official rites and prayers of the Church. The Second Vatican Council in a famous phrase referred to the liturgy as the summit toward which the activity of the Church is directed; it is also the font from which all her power flows (Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy 10). Micah Like Amos, Micah came from a country town in Judah. He prophesied in Judah towards the end of the eighth century BC. Micah warned the people that they should turn from their unjust ways if they wished to avoid the fate of their neighbours to the North whose city had been destroyed by the Assyrians. Micah calls on them to abandon idolatry and empty religious observances and return to the life God expects of them to live justly, to love tenderly and to walk humbly with God. Monstrance A windowed liturgical vessel usually made of precious metal that allows the Blessed Sacrament to be displayed during occasions of Eucharistic devotion such as exposition and benediction. 86

91 Mystery (N.774) This is a reality revealed by God, the full understanding of which is beyond our finite minds. It is important to understand that as used by the Church the term mystery does not mean something about which nothing can be known, but rather something of such depth that its meaning can never be fully explained. All believers are called to grow in understanding of what God has revealed. Both mystery and sacrament stem from the Greek word mysterion and both refer to what Pope Paul VI referred to as a reality imbued with the hidden presence of God. Passover Meal (N.1164) A major Jewish religious feast. It celebrates the deliverance of the Israelites from slavery in Egypt. It takes its name from the Hebrew pesah Exodus 12:13 When I see the blood I will pass over you when I strike the land of Egypt. At the Passover meal Jewish families eat food symbolic of God s saving events at the time of their flight from Egypt. Thus lamb is eaten in remembrance of the lambs sacrificed at the time of the Exodus. In Christian terms Jesus becomes the Passover Lamb the lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. According to the synoptic Gospels Jesus celebrated Passover with his disciples just before his death. In his Last Supper lie the origins of much of our Eucharistic celebration of today. Primacy of Sunday (N , ) Through a tradition extending back to the apostles the Church has celebrated Christ s passion and resurrection every seventh day. Thus the Lord s Day, or Sunday, is a special day for Christians as a day for worship and as a day of rest following the Jewish custom. The Eucharist is the chief form of worship of God and also the chief source of strength for the life of the Christian community. The Church therefore places a serious obligation on the faithful to participate in the Eucharist on Sundays (and certain Holy Days) unless prevented by grave cause. Psalms (N ) The Psalms are a collection of 150 Israelite lyrics, poems and prayers found in the Wisdom Books of the Old Testament. They represent the work of several centuries and some may be the work of King David to whom many are ascribed. The Book of Psalms (or Psalter) is the masterwork of prayer in the Old Testament. The Psalms contain many forms of prayer, such as lamentation and thanksgiving, but all in praise of God. The Psalms are part of the liturgy and for centuries have been among the best-loved prayers of Christians. Reign or Kingdom of God (N.541ff, 671) The Kingdom or Reign of God is a term used in both the Old and New Testaments to describe the saving and life-giving rule of God over creation 87

92 and human history. The preface for the liturgy of the Feast of Christ the King describes it as an eternal and universal Kingdom: a Kingdom of truth and life, a Kingdom of holiness and grace, a Kingdom of justice, love and peace. In the Lord s Prayer Christians pray that this Kingdom may come on earth as it is in Heaven. On the one hand Jesus ushered in the Kingdom with his presence on earth (Mark 4:30-32) while on the other hand the Reign of God will not be experienced in all its fullness until Christ comes again in glory to judge the living and the dead (Mark 13:26-27). Christians are called on to take responsibility, both in the personal and the public spheres, for trying to foster the reign of justice and peace in their own times and situations. Resurrection (N ) The term Resurrection refers, in the first instance, to the central Christian belief that God raised Jesus to new life after his death on the cross and burial in the tomb. The New Testament describes a number of appearances of the Risen Christ to his disciples. Following St. Paul the Church teaches that Christ s Resurrection is the first fruits of many (see 1 Cor 15:20). All who die in Christ will be raised to life with him and the Father through the power of the Holy Spirit. The Risen Lord appeared to the disciples as a glorified body. Those raised to life will also experience the resurrection of the body and not simply some spiritual or immaterial existence. Rite of Eucharistic Exposition and Benediction During this Eucharistic devotion, the origins of which extend back to the ninth century, the faithful focus on an unconsumed host from a previous Mass and worship the presence of the risen Christ in that host. The ceremony has four parts: exposition, adoration, benediction, and reposition. During exposition, the minister goes to the tabernacle and removes a large host reserved there. Placing it in a monstrance (a windowed liturgical vessel which displays the host), the minister sets the object of our devotion on the altar. The period of adoration may be lengthy. Prayers, Scripture readings, songs, homily, and silence may fill the time. At the close of this period, if the minister is a priest or a deacon, he blesses the assembly with the monstrance and says a concluding prayer. This blessing is the benediction from which the service derives its name. If a Minister of the Eucharist is presiding, he or she does not give a blessing. Finally, the minister removes the Blessed Sacrament from the monstrance and places it back in the tabernacle, an action called "reposition". Traditionally, Catholics have sung two popular eucharistic hymns during the adoration, "O Salutaris Hostia" and "Pange Lingua" but any eucharistic hymn will serve. A litany of acclamations to God "The Divine Praises", usually concluded benediction, but the revised liturgy does not specifically include them. Any acclamation or song of praise may close the service. Benediction enhances our devotion to the Eucharist and whets our appetite for the Mass. The main reason we have eucharistic bread is to consume it in communion with one another and with Christ. However, it may also serve as an object of praise, a vision of the great treasure we share at every Mass. 88

93 Ritual The word ritual generally means set ways of doing things. In religious terms therefore one of its meanings is virtually identical to that of rite. Ritual can also mean the whole body of rites in use in the church. Thus there is a text called the Roman Ritual which lays down general principles for worship in the Catholic Church. Sacrament (N ) In its broad sense the term sacrament refers to ways in which the invisible saving power of God is made visible through created things. But properly speaking a sacrament is a visible sign of invisible grace. Thus the Second Vatican Council spoke of Christ as the sacrament of God, and the Church as the sacrament of Christ. In particular it refers to the seven Sacraments of the Church which are signs and instruments of Christ s grace. Sacrifice (N , ) In the celebration of the Eucharist the Church remembers and represents Christ s freely offered self-sacrifice on behalf of all. The sacrifice of Christ embraces his whole attitude throughout his life as well as his surrendering of his life at the end. At the Passover the sacrifice of a lamb was part of a covenant between God and the Children of Israel by which they were led from slavery to a new life of freedom. So the Church celebrates the new covenant in which the sacrifice of Jesus, the lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world, marks another movement from slavery to sin and death, to freedom and new life with God. In the Eucharist the whole Church, the living and the dead, unite the sacrifices of their own lives to that of Christ in an offering to God. Tabernacle A cupboard or container found in Catholic churches and used exclusively for the reservation of the Blessed Sacrament. Tabernacles must be immovable and made of solid and opaque material they are often beautifully decorated. Tabernacles are found either in the sanctuary area beside or behind the altar or, more frequently today, in a separate chapel off the main body of the church. The Blessed Sacrament is reserved in the tabernacle primarily and originally for viaticum and communion to the sick, as well as for adoration. 89

94 GLOSSARY OF MĀORI TERMS This glossary gives explanation of Māori terms which are italicised in the text. Pronunciation correct pronunciation of Māori comes only with practice in listening to and speaking the language. The English phonetic equivalents provided under each Māori word are intended to give help, for teachers who need it, in providing reasonably accurate examples for students. If in doubt please seek assistance from someone practised in correct pronunciation of Te Reo Māori. indicates stressed syllable Aroha (úh-raw-huh) In general, means love and/or compassion. Note that the word is used in two senses: 1. A joyful relationship involving the expression of goodwill and the doing of good, empathy. 2. Sympathy, compassion towards those who are unhappy or suffering. Atua (úh-too-uh) The Māori word Atua has been used to describe God in the Christian sense since missionary times. Before the coming of Christianity, Māori used the word atua to describe many kinds of spiritual beings (in the way we now use the word spirit ) and also unusual events. Only the priestly and aristocratic classes of Māori society (ariki, rangatira and tohunga) had access to knowledge of the Supreme Being, Io, also known as Io-matua, Io-matua-i-tekore, Io-te-wananga, etc. It seems that many, but not all, tribes had this belief in Io before missionary times. Māori use several words to refer to God in the Christian sense: Te Atua God, the Supreme Being Ihowa Jehovah Te Ariki Lord, more correctly used of Jesus Te Matua the father (literally, parent) Io a term used for God in some, but not all Māori circles. (Te Atua is acceptable in all circles). Hākarameta (háh-kuh-ruh-meh-tuh) Sacrament. 90

95 Hākari (háh-kuh-ree) A feast. Hāngi (húh-ngee) An earth oven or its contents. Known as umu in other areas of the Pacific. He Tangata (heh túng-uh-tuh) Human beings, humankind. Hehu Karaiti (héh-hoo kuh-rúh-ee-tee) Jesus Christ. Hohou Rongo (háw-haw-oo ráw-ngaw) The restoring of tapu and mana, by a process of reconciliation which involves acknowledging violations, accepting responsibility and giving redress. When written with initial capital letters, Hohou Rongo, refers to the Sacrament of Penance or Reconciliation. Kai (kúh-ee) To eat food. Food. Karakia (kúh-ruh-kee-uh) Prayer, ritual. Koha (káw-huh) Gift. Mana (múh-nuh) Spiritual power and authority. Its sources are both divine and human, namely, God, one s ancestors and one s achievements in life. Mana comes to people in three ways: mana tangata, from people, mana whenua, from the land, and mana atua, from the spiritual powers. Please note: when mana refers to Mana of God it is written as Mana. Noa (náw-uh) Free from tapu restrictions, which have been lifted by ceremony or ritual. This form of noa is positive, it is the freedom to go on with life after being released from restricting factors, e.g after a pōwhiri or welcoming ceremony; on leaving a cemetery; after a reconciliation; etc. Noa can also be negative: a state of weakness and powerlessness which affects both people who have suffered violation or abuse and also those who have caused violation or abuse. Papatūānuku (puh-puh-tóo-ah-noo-koo) The earth mother, often called Papa. Ranginui (rúng-ee-noo-ee) The Sky Father, often called Rangi. 91

96 Rongopai (ráw-ngaw-puh-ee) Gospel or Good News. Nga Rongopai (plural). Te Rongopai (singular). Tāne (táh-neh) The spirit and guardian of forests. The ancestor of human beings. Tangaroa (túh-nguh-raw-uh) The spirit of the sea and guardian of all things that live in water. He is called Tagaloa or Tangaloa in other areas of the Pacific. Tangi (túh-ngee) Short for tangihanga. The ceremony of mourning the dead. Tapu (túh-poo) This word is used in three senses: 1) restrictions or prohibitions which safeguard the dignity and survival of people and things 2) the value, dignity, or worth of someone or something, eg the holiness of God, human dignity, the value of the environment 3) the intrinsic being or essence of someone or something, eg tapu i Te Atua is the intrinsic being of God, the divine nature. Please note: when tapu refers to the Tapu of God it is written as Tapu. Te Ao Wairua (teh úh-aw wúh-i-roo-uh) The spiritual world. Te Aranga (teh úh-ruh-nguh) The Resurrection. Te Kete Aronui (teh kéh-teh úh-raw-noo-ee) The basket of the knowledge which comes to us through our senses. Te Kete Tuaatea (teh kéh-teh tóo-uh-uh-teh-uh) The basket of the knowledge beyond space and beyond time. Te Kete Tuauri (teh kéh-teh tóo-uh-oo-ree) The basket of our understanding of the reality behind and beyond what we see with our senses. Te Matua (teh múh-too-uh) This means father or parent. It is the word used for father in the Lord s Prayer in Māori. Matua wahine means mother in the Hail Mary. Matua tane means father. Note that mātua with a long vowel, is the plural of the word. 92

97 Te Rangatiratanga (teh ruh-nguh-tée-ruh-tuh-nguh) The reign of God. Te Tiriti O Waitangi (teh tée-ree-tee aw wúh-ee-tuh-ngee) The Treaty of Waitangi. Te Wā (teh wáh) A period of time in which a series of events, affecting people and their lives, takes place, which enables people to reach goals, or moments of achievement. Te Wairua Tapu (teh wúh-ee-roo-uh túh-poo) The Holy Spirit. Toko (táw-kaw) Wooden rods or poles set up and used as pathways between earth and heaven by the spiritual powers or as temporary dwelling places. Waiata (wúh-ee-uh-tuh) Song or hymn. Whakanoa (fúh-kuh-naw-uh) A rite that is used to lift or nullify a tapu. Whakapono (fúh-kuh-paw-naw) Faith. Whānau (fáh-nuh-oo) Extended Family. Whenua (féh-noo-uh) Land. Afterbirth, placenta. 93

98 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS FIRST EDITION (1991) This booklet was part of a series prepared by the members of a Writing Party: David Hawke fsc (Auckland) Rita Haase (Auckland) Anne Ward rsj (Hamilton) Barbara Henley rndm (Palmerston North) Gary Finlay (Wellington) Mervyn Duffy sm (Wellington) Marcellin Wilson rsm (Wellington) Charles Shaw (Christchurch) Edwige Fava (Dunedin) SYLLABUS CO-ORDINATOR: EDITORS: THEOLOGICAL CONSULTORS: TYPIST: Gary Finlay (NCRS, Wellington) Gary Finlay (NCRS, Wellington) Elizabeth M Russell sjc (NCRS, Auckland) John Mackey DD Paul Williamson sm, S.T.D., M.A. (Hons) Kath Rowland (NCRS, Auckland) SECOND EDITION (2002) CO-ORDINATOR/EDITOR: THEOLOGICAL CONSULTOR: LITURGICAL CONSULTOR: CONTACT FOR MAORI CONSULTATION: NCRS: Charles Shaw Mons Vincent Hunt Rev Anthony Harrison Rev Bernard Dennehy Gary Finlay, Director Joan Parker rndm, Editing Marilyn Roberts, Secretary 94

99 Titles of the Topics in Year 10 STRANDS Human Experience 10A Scripture and Tradition 10B, 10G Church History 10D Theology 10H Sacrament and Worship 10C, 10F Social Justice 10E

100 RELIGIOUS EDUCATION PROGRAMME FOR CATHOLIC SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN AOTEAROA NEW ZEALAND Journey Stories 10C TEACHER GUIDE CEP1013