The Eucharist The Source and Summit of the Christian Life Catechism of the Catholic Church 1324
Outline What the Eucharist Is What the Eucharist Is Not The Eucharist in the Old Testament The Eucharist in the New Testament The Eucharist in the Early Church What Does this Mean for Us
Three Keys to Interpreting Sacred Scripture Typology A prefigurement in the old testament that is fully realized in the new Rom 5:14 Yet death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those whose sins were not like the transgression of Adam, who was a type of the one who was to come. Covenant How does God enter into relationship with man? The sacrificial system of the old testament compared to Christ and the New Covenant The Davidic Kingdom How are God s people ordered in a society The Church is the New Davidic Kingdom
What the Eucharist Is Eucharist = Greek word for thanksgiving 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. - CCC 1362 Because it is the memorial of Christ's Passover, the Eucharist is also a sacrifice. In the Eucharist Christ gives us the very body which he gave up for us on the cross, the very blood which he "poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. - CCC 1365 The Eucharist is thus a sacrifice because it represents (makes present) the sacrifice of the cross, because it is its memorial and because it applies its fruit. -CCC 1366
What the Eucharist Is 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 truly, really, and substantially contained." 202 "This presence is called 'real' it is a substantial presence by which Christ, God and man, makes himself wholly and entirely present. - CCC 1374 The accidents of bread and wine remain. The substance is completely changed. (Transubstantiation)
What the Eucharist is Not It is not merely a symbol Christ is not present along with the bread and wine (Consubstantiation) Christ is not merely spiritually present
Common Misperceptions We are not receiving meat and blood but the glorified body of the risen Lord We do not re-crucify Christ We do not worship a cracker
The Eucharist in the Old Testament
Melchizedek Gen 14:18 Then Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine. He was priest of God Most High, 19 and he blessed Abram, Psalm 110:4 The LORD has sworn and will not change his mind: "You are a priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek."
Melchizedek Hebrews 5:5-10 5 So Christ also did not take upon himself the glory of becoming a high priest. But God said to him, You are my Son; today I have become your Father. 6 And he says in another place, "You are a priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek.... he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him 10 and was designated by God to be high priest in the order of Melchizedek. Priest-King of Salem (Jeru-salem) who offered bread and wine Melchizedek was not a Levite. He was greater than the Levitical priesthood. Jesus was of the tribe of Judah not Levi. The greater always blesses the lesser. Abraham gave him a tenth of everything
The Passover Lamb Exodus 12:1-13 5 The animals you choose must be year-old males without defect,. 7 Then they are to take some of the blood and put it on the sides and tops of the doorframes of the houses where they eat the lambs. 8 That same night they are to eat the meat roasted over the fire, along with bitter herbs, and bread made without yeast
The Three Necessary Elements of the Passover Slaughter an unblemished lamb Spread it s blood on the doorpost Eat its flesh
Jesus the Lamb of God 1 Corinthians 5:7. For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed. John 1:29 The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, "Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!
Jesus the Lamb of God Acts 8:32 The eunuch was reading this passage of Scripture: "He was led like a sheep to the slaughter, and as a lamb before the shearer is silent, so he did not open his mouth. 1 Peter 1:19 but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect. Revelation 5:6 Then I saw a Lamb, looking as if it had been slain, standing in the center of the throne, encircled by the four living creatures and the elders.
Jesus the Lamb of God Revelation 5:8 Revelation 5:12 Revelation 5:13 Revelation 6:1 Revelation 6:3 Revelation 6:5 Revelation 6:7 Revelation 6:16 Revelation 7:9 Revelation 7:10 Revelation 7:15 Revelation 7:17 Revelation 12:11 Revelation 13:8 Revelation 13:11 Revelation 14:1 Revelation 14:4 Revelation 14:10 Revelation 15:3 Revelation 17:14 Revelation 19:7 Revelation 19:9 Revelation 21:9 Revelation 21:14 Revelation 21:22 Revelation 21:23 Revelation 21:27 Revelation 22:1 Revelation 22:3
Manna Numbers 11:7-9 7 The manna was like coriander seed and looked like resin. 8 They cooked it in a pot or made it into cakes. And it tasted like something made with olive oil. The manna was real food The manna was miraculously provided Deuteronomy 8:3 He humbled you, causing you to hunger and then feeding you with manna, which neither you nor your fathers had known, to teach you that man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD.
Jesus is the True Manna John 6:48-50 48 I am the bread of life. 49 Your forefathers ate the manna in the desert, yet they died. 50 But here is the bread that comes down from heaven, which a man may eat and not die. John 6:58 This is the bread that came down from heaven. Your forefathers ate manna and died, but he who feeds on this bread will live forever. Revelation 2:17... To him who overcomes, I will give some of the hidden manna
Levitical Sacrifices & Covenant God enters into covenant with man through a sacrifice of blood and a sacred meal 1. Burnt offering 2. Sin Sacrifices 3. Trespass reparation Sacrifice 4. The Daily Burnt Sacrifice 7. The Communion or Peace Sacrifice also called a Thanksgiving Sacrifice or in Hebrew a Toda Sacrifice. The Latin word for this kind of sacrifice is Eucharistia. 5. Remembrance Sacrifices 6. New Moon sacrifices
King David the Priest 2 Samuel 6:14-17 14 And David danced before the LORD with all his might; and David was girded with a linen ephod. 15 So David and all the house of Israel brought up the ark of the LORD with shouting, and David offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before the LORD. David wore the dress of a priest David offered sacrifice (peace offerings) In the Davidic Kingdom the Toda sacrifice (peace offerings) became one of the most important sacrifices Christ is the new Davidic King John 19:23 When the soldiers had crucified Jesus they took his garments and made four parts, one for each soldier; also his tunic. But the tunic was without seam, woven from top to bottom;
The Toda Sacrifice Name Scripture Purpose Consisted of: Who Received: Prophetic Significance Communion or Peace Sacrifice Shelem or shalem (Heb) Latin = Pax also called a Thanksgiving Sacrifice or in Hebrew a Toda Sacrifice. Latin = Eucharistia Voluntary sacrifices Lev. 3:1-17 Lev. 7:11-21; Lev. 7:28 34; Lev. 9:18-21 Lev. 22:17-30; Lev. 21:21-30; Num. 15:7-12 The peace offering expressed peace and fellowship between the offender and God = the restoration of communion. The Toda or thank offering was a sacrifice for being saved from death and being given a new life. According to wealth: 1. From the herd a male or female without blemish (Lev 3:1-5) 2.from the flock, a male or female without blemish (Lev 3:6-11) 3. From the goats (Lev 3:12-17). *minor imperfections sometimes permitted (Lev 3:22-23) -Grain made into a cake with oil and a wine libation accompanied the sacrifice (Num. 15:7-12) of every bull, lamb, or kid. Fatty portions burned on altar for God s portion (Lev 3:3-5). Breast (wave offering) and right thigh (heave offering for the priests); (Lev 7:30-34) Remainder be eaten in court by offerer and his family: *the Toda, thank offering to be eaten same day (Lev. 7:15) This is the only offering in which the offerer shared and unleavened bread was eaten and wine is drunk. It is a sacrificial meal. Foreshadows the peace and restoration of perfect communion that the believer has with God through the giving of Jesus Christ to us in the Eucharist (eucharistia means thanks and the early church also called this communion meal the pax or the peace) 1Cor 5:7-8; 10:16-18; 11:23-26; Col. 1:20
The Prophecy of Malachi Malachi 1:11 For from the rising of the sun to its setting my name is great among the nations, and in every place incense is offered to my name, and a pure offering; for my name is great among the nations, says the LORD of hosts. Nations means gentiles (non-jews) The offering will be pure It will be offered everywhere not just in the temple It will be a real sacrifice
The Eucharist in the New Testament
The Wedding Feast of Cana John 2:1-11 6 Nearby stood six stone water jars, the kind used by the Jews for ceremonial washing, each holding from twenty to thirty gallons. 9 and the master of the banquet tasted the water that had been turned into wine 11 This, the first of his miraculous signs, Jesus performed in Cana of Galilee. He thus revealed his glory, and his disciples put their faith in him. Wine flowed from the holy water vessels at the wedding at Cana At Calvary blood and water flowed from the holy side of Christ, God s vessel of sacrifice. At Calvary Christ gave birth to the New Covenant Church in the Sacraments of Baptism and Eucharist. Christ is the Bridegroom of the New Covenant Church.
Feeding the Five Thousand John 6:1-15 4 The time of the Jewish Passover was near... 11 Then Jesus took the loaves, gave thanks, and distributed them to those who were sitting there; he then did the same with the fish, distributing as much as they wanted. 12 When they had eaten enough he said to the disciples, Pick up the pieces left over, so that nothing is wasted. 13 So they picked them up and filled twelve large baskets with scraps left over from the meal of five barley loaves
Feeding the Five Thousand 5 loaves and 2 fish yield the number 7, which is the number that symbolizes fullness and spiritual perfection. 1000 symbolizes completeness or abundance Five is the number of grace; therefore in this sign there is a super abundance of grace, which prefigures the super abundance of the Eucharistic meal which will spiritually feed the multitudes of all races for all generations until the return of the King.
Feeding the Five Thousand gave thanks in this passage is the Greek word eucharistein which the English word Eucharist is derived. scraps in verse 13 is not plural but is expressed in the singular form = scrap (or fragment) left over indicating one whole. John emphasizes the identity of the fragment(s) with the original loaves left over from the meal of the five barley loaves. Eucharistic Prayer Concerning the broken bread: We give Thee thanks, Our Father, for the life and knowledge which Thou hast made known to us through Jesus, Thy Servant. To Thee be the glory for evermore. As this broken bread was scattered over the hills and then, when gathered, became one, so may Thy Church be gathered from the ends of the earth into Thy Kingdom. The Didache, 9: Eucharistic Prayer [50-120AD].
John 6 The Bread of Life Discourse John 6:35-70. 35 Then Jesus declared, "I am the bread of life.. 49 Your forefathers ate the manna in the desert, yet they died. 50 But here is the bread that comes down from heaven, which a man may eat and not die. 51 I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. This bread is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world."
John 6:48-58 The Sacramental Aspect 52 The Jews then disputed among themselves, saying, "How can this man give us his flesh to eat?" 53 So Jesus said to them, "Truly, 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; 54 he who eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. 55 For my flesh is food indeed, and my blood is drink indeed. 56 He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me, and I in him. 57 As the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so he who eats me will live because of me. 58 This is the bread which came down from heaven, not such as the fathers ate and died; he who eats this bread will live for ever."
John 6:48-58 The Sacramental Aspect The most common verb for eating was esthio and was used in John 6 until verse 54 In verses 54, 56, 57, and 58 the verb trogo is used; it meant to chew or gnaw It described the feeding of animals and livestock and occasionally referred to human eating The change in vocabulary marks a change of focus and emphasis, from the necessity of faith to the consumption of the Eucharist The graphic and almost crude connotation of the verb thus adds greater force to the repetition of His words; He demands we express our faith by eating in a real and physical way, His life-giving flesh in the sacrament -Ignatius Catholic Study Bible
John 6:66-70 Some of the Disciples Leave Jesus 60 On hearing it, many of his disciples said, "This is a hard teaching. Who can accept it?" 66 From this time many of his disciples turned back and no longer followed him. 67 "You do not want to leave too, do you?" Jesus asked the Twelve. 68 Simon Peter answered him, "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. 69 We believe and know that you are the Holy One of God." 70Jesus answered them, "Did I not choose you, the twelve, and one of you is a devil?"71he spoke of Judas the son of Simon Iscariot, for he, one of the twelve, was to betray him. This is the only time in scripture that Christ does not take the apostles aside and explain to them the meaning of his teachings. He meant exactly what he said. He did not speak in parables this time. It is no coincidence that Jesus anticipates Judas betrayal at the Last Supper after just giving the teaching on the Eucharist. Judas could not accept this teaching.
The Institution Narratives Matthew 26:26-28 26 While they were eating, Jesus took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to his disciples, saying, "Take and eat; this is my body." 27 Then he took the cup, gave thanks and offered it to them, saying, "Drink from it, all of you. 28 This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. Mark 14:22-24 Luke 22:17-20
The Last Supper was a Sacrifice Leviticus 17:11 For the life of the creature is in the blood, and I have given it to you for performing the rite of expiation on the altar for your lives, for blood is what expiates for a life. Baltimore Catechism: Lesson 22 Q. 872. When is the Holy Eucharist a Sacrament, and when is it a sacrifice? A. The Holy Eucharist is a Sacrament when we receive it in Holy Communion and when it remains in the Tabernacle of the Altar. It is a sacrifice when it is offered up at Mass by the separate consecration of the bread and wine, which signifies the separation of Our Lord's blood from His body when He died on the Cross.
The Last Supper: Anamnesis The word anamnesis is used only four times in the Old Testament. Twice it is used in a sacrificial context. Numbers 10:10 "Also at your times of rejoicing... you are to sound the trumpets over your burnt offerings and fellowship offerings, and they will be a memorial (anamnesis) for you before your God." Leviticus 24:7 7 And you shall put pure frankincense with each row, that it may go with the bread as a memorial (anamnesis) portion to be offered by fire to the LORD Heb 10:3 But in those sacrifices there is a remembrance (anamnesis) again made of sins every year. The Last Supper was a true sacrifice and the beginning of the one sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross for the remission of sins.
The Fourth Cup The Sacrificial Meal of the Passover lamb was structured around 4 cups of wine shared communally by the faithful assembled for the meal. [see Exodus 12:47-51]. The first cup is the Cup of Sanctification which is blessing of the festival day The second cup is the Cup of Forgiveness. This cup really occurs at the beginning of the Passover liturgy.
The Fourth Cup After the drinking of the second cup comes the blessing and eating of the unleavened bread and the lamb. The lamb is to be completely consumed. Then the most important cup of the meal, which is the third cup, the Cup of Blessing [also called the Cup of Redemption] is poured, blessed and passed communally. At the conclusion of the meal the 4th cup is poured out and blessed. It is the Cup of Acceptance, which seals and unites those present to Yahweh through the Passover Sacrifice. The assembly sings the remainder of the Hallel Psalms 114-118, the faithful drink the 4th cup and the host cries out Teltelesti It is finished [fulfilled].
The Fourth Cup We know that the third cup is taken with the meal, then the fourth cup is passed and that the Great Hallel is sung after the fourth cup. However Jesus and his disciples sing the Great Hallel before taking the fourth cup. They then leave having not completed the Seder meal. Where is the fourth cup?
The Fourth Cup What does Jesus pray in the garden? If it be Thy will let this cup pass from me. Not my will, but Thy will be done. He refuses wine when it is first offered to him while he is carrying the cross He then says I thirst. Wine is offered to him on a hyssop branch recalling the Passover. He drinks the Cup of Acceptance, the fourth cup, and finishes the Passover sacrifice by saying the words It is finished.
The Road to Emmaus Luke 24:13-32 15 As they talked and discussed these things with each other, Jesus himself came up and walked along with them; 16 but they were kept from recognizing him. 17 He asked them, "What are you discussing together as you walk along? 30 When he was at the table with them, he took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them. 31 Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him, and he disappeared from their sight. 32 They asked each other, "Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?" Christ is revealed to the disciples in the breaking of the bread. Here we have Christ celebrating the Mass by teaching them the scriptures (liturgy of the Word) and breaking the bread (liturgy of the Eucharist).
The Church in Acts Acts 2:38-42 42 They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. 43 Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles.
St. Paul s Teaching on the Eucharist 1 Corinthians 10:15-22 16 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? 17 Because there is one bread, we who are many are one body, for we all partake of the one bread. 18 Consider the people of Israel; are not those who eat the sacrifices partners in the altar? 19 What do I imply then? That food offered to idols is anything, or that an idol is anything? 20 No, I imply that what pagans sacrifice they offer to demons and not to God. I do not want you to be partners with demons. 21 You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons. You cannot partake of the table of the Lord and the table of demons. The cup of demons is a sacrifice to demons, the cup of the Lord is compared in the same context implying that it is a sacrifice as well. When a person eats the sacrifices they participate in the altar. What is the altar for Christians when we partake of the Eucharist? The Cross
St Paul s Teaching on the Eucharist 1 Corinthians 11:23-30 26 For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes. 27 Therefore, whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord. 28 A man ought to examine himself before he eats of the bread and drinks of the cup. 29 For anyone who eats and drinks without recognizing the body of the Lord eats and drinks judgment on himself. 30 That is why many among you are weak and sick, and a number of you have fallen asleep. People had fallen asleep (died) because they had profaned the body and blood of the Lord. Did they die because they had received a symbol unworthily?
What Does Heavenly Worship Look Like? Revelation 5:6-14 6 And between the throne and the four living creatures and among the elders, I saw a Lamb standing, as though it had been slain the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each holding a harp, and with golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints; by thy blood didst ransom men for God from every tribe and tongue and people and nation, 10 and hast made them a kingdom and priests to our God, and they shall reign on earth." 14 And the four living creatures said, "Amen!" and the elders fell down and worshiped.
The Wedding Feast of the Lamb Rev 19:6-9 7 Let us rejoice and exult and give him the glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and his Bride has made herself ready; 9 And the angel said to me, "Write this: Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb." And he said to me, "These are true words of God."
The Eucharist in the Early Church
Quotes from the Church Fathers St. Clement Of Rome (c. 80 a.d.) Our sin will not be small if we eject from the episcopate those who blamelessly and holily have offered its sacrifices [or offered the gifts, referring to the Eucharist]. (Letter to Corinthians 44:4) St. Ignatius Of Antioch (c. 110 a.d.) I have no taste for corruptible food nor for the pleasures of this life. I desire the bread of god, which is the flesh of Jesus Christ, who was of the seed of David; and for drink i desire his blood, which is love incorruptible. (Letter to Romans 7:3)
Quotes from the Church Fathers St. Ignatius Of Antioch (c. 110 a.d.) Take care, then, to use one Eucharist, so that whatever you do, you do according to god: for there is one flesh of our lord Jesus Christ, and one cup in the union of his blood; one altar, as there is one bishop with the presbytery... (Letter to Philadelphians 4:1) St. Ignatius Of Antioch (c. 110 a.d.) They [i.e. The Gnostics] abstain from the Eucharist and from prayer, because they do not confess that the Eucharist is the flesh of our savior Jesus Christ, flesh which suffered for our sins and which the father, in his goodness, raised up again. (Letter to Smyrna 7:1)
Quotes from the Church Fathers St. Justin The Martyr (c. 100-165 a.d.) We call this food Eucharist; and no one else is permitted to partake of it, except one who believes our teaching to be true and who has been washed in the washing which is for the remission of sins and for regeneration [baptism], and is thereby living as Christ has enjoined. St. Justin The Martyr (c. 100-165 a.d.) For not as common bread nor common drink do we receive these; but since Jesus Christ our savior was made incarnate by the word of god and had both flesh and blood for our salvation, so too, as we have been taught, the food which has been made into the Eucharist by the Eucharistic prayer set down by him, and by the change of which our blood and flesh is nourished, is both the flesh and the blood of that incarnated Jesus. (First apology 66)
Quotes from the Church Fathers St. Justin The Martyr (C. 100-165 A.D.) Moreover, as I said before, concerning the sacrifices which you at that time offered, god speaks through Malachi [1:10-12]...It is of the sacrifices offered to him in every place by us, the gentiles, that is, of the bread of the Eucharist and likewise of the cup of the Eucharist, that he speaks at that time; and he says that we glorify his name, while you profane it. (Dialogue with Trypho 41) The Didache (c. 140 a.d.) On the lord's day of the lord gather together, break bread and give thanks, after confessing your transgressions so that your sacrifice may be pure. Let no one who has a quarrel with his neighbor join you until he is reconciled by the lord: "in every place and time let there be offered to me a clean sacrifice. For I am a great king," says the lord, "and my name is wonderful among the gentiles." (14:1-2)
Quotes from the Church Fathers St. Irenaeus (c. 140-202 a.d.)...he took from among creation that which is bread, and gave thanks, saying, "this is my body." The cup likewise, which is from among the creation to which we belong, he confessed to be his blood. St. Irenaeus (c. 140-202 a.d.) He taught the new sacrifice of the new covenant, of which Malachi, one of the twelve prophets, had signified beforehand: [quotes mal 1:10-11]. By these words he makes it plain that the former people will cease to make offerings to god; but that in every place sacrifice will be offered to him, and indeed, a pure one; for his name is glorified among the gentiles. (Against Heresies 4:17:5)
Quotes from the Church Fathers St. Irenaeus (C. 140-202 a.d.) If the body be not saved, then, in fact, neither did the lord redeem us with his blood; and neither is the cup of the Eucharist the partaking of his blood nor is the bread which we break the partaking of his body...he has declared the cup, a part of creation, to be his own blood, from which he causes our blood to flow; and the bread, a part of creation, he has established as his own body, from which he gives increase to our bodies. St. Irenaeus (c. 140-202 a.d.) When, therefore, the mixed cup and the baked bread receives the word of god and becomes the Eucharist, the body of Christ, and from these the substance of our flesh is increased and supported, how can they say that the flesh is not capable of receiving the gift of god, which is eternal life -- flesh which is nourished by the body and blood of the lord...receiving the word of god, becomes the Eucharist, which is the body and blood of Christ... (Against heresies 5:2:2-3)
What does this Mean for Us? At every Mass we have the chance to come together and renew our covenant with God through the precious body and blood of His only begotten Son. At every Mass we encounter our Lord at the foot of His cross. At every Mass we participate in the heavenly liturgy with all the angels and saints worshiping the Lamb, standing as if slain.
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