LECTIO: EUCHARIST FOR DISCIPLESHIP GROUPS IN THE BEGINNING SESSION 2
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PART 1: EAST OF EDEN OPENING PRAYER Now the serpent was more subtle than any other wild creature that the LORD God had made. He said to the woman, Did God say, You shall not eat of any tree of the garden? And the woman said to the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden; but God said, You shall not eat of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, neither shall you touch it, lest you die. But the serpent said to the woman, You will not die. For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil. So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate; and she also gave some to her husband, and he ate. Then the eyes of both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves aprons. Genesis 3:1-7 Devoutly I adore you, hidden Deity, under these appearances concealed. To you my heart surrenders self. For, seeing you, all else must yield. Sight and touch and taste here fail; Hearing only can be believed. I trust what God s own Son has said. Truth from truth is best received. Divinity, on the Cross, was hid; Humanity here comes not to thought. Believing and confessing both, I seek out what the Good Thief sought. I see no wounds, as Thomas did but I profess you God above. Draw me deeply into faith, into Your hope, into your love. Amen. St. Thomas Aquinas Eucharistic hymn Adoro Te Devote from The Aquinas Prayer Book, Sophia Institute Press 1
DISCUSS REVIEW QUESTIONS» What is typology and how is it helpful in reading Scripture?» In addition to the Eucharist, can you recall any other things prefigured in the Old Testament and later fulfilled in the New Testament?» Look at Genesis 3:1 5. How does the serpent distort the word of God?» What effect does the serpent s lies have on Eve? 2
» What do Adam and Eve most desire when they decide to act on the serpent s words?» Why were Adam and Eve barred from the Garden of Eden after their sin?» Why is this a merciful act of God? GO DEEPER QUESTIONS God gave Adam and Eve the prohibition to not eat of the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil or else they would die. Similarly, St. Paul gives a prohibition of eating of the Eucharist unworthily. He writes to the Corinthians: Whoever, therefore, eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of profaning the body and blood of the Lord For anyone who eats and drinks without discerning the body eats and drinks judgment upon himself. That is why many of you are weak and ill, and some have died [1 Corinthians 11:27, 29-30].» How do you interpret St. Paul s warning? 3
» In his mercy, God expelled Adam and Eve from the Garden of Eden so they would no longer eat from the tree of life. The Church does not allow non-catholics to receive Holy Communion. How is this also an act of mercy? CLOSING PRAYER Lord, we thank you for your constant presence throughout salvation history, and how you prepared for the gift of the Eucharist from the very beginning of time. We praise and thank you for your Eternal Wisdom and your mercy. Help us to grow in our reverence and understanding of the Eucharist as we continue to walk through the Scriptures on the way that leads to your Son. Amen. 4
PART 2: THE STORY OF SACRIFICE OPENING PRAYER Now Adam knew Eve his wife, and she conceived and bore Cain, saying, I have gotten a man with the help of the LORD. And again, she bore his brother Abel. Now Abel was a keeper of sheep, and Cain a tiller of the ground. In the course of time Cain brought to the LORD an offering of the fruit of the ground, and Abel brought of the firstlings of his flock and of their fat portions. And the LORD had regard for Abel and his offering, but for Cain and his offering he had no regard. So Cain was very angry, and his countenance fell. Genesis 4:1-5 Devoutly I adore you, hidden Deity, under these appearances concealed. To you my heart surrenders self. For, seeing you, all else must yield. Sight and touch and taste here fail; hearing only can be believed. I trust what God s own Son has said. Truth from truth is best received. Divinity, on the Cross, was hid; humanity here comes not to thought. Believing and confessing both, I seek out what the Good Thief sought. I see no wounds, as Thomas did but I profess you God above. Draw me deeply into faith, into Your hope, into your love. St. Thomas Aquinas Eucharistic hymn Adoro Te Devote from The Aquinas Prayer Book, Sophia Institute Press 5
DISCUSS REVIEW QUESTIONS» Look at Genesis 4:1 5. How are Abel and Cain s offerings described differently?» Genesis 4:5 says, For Cain and his offering [the LORD] had no regard. Why were Cain and his sacrifice not acceptable to the Lord?» How does Abel prefigure Christ?» How is Melchizedek s offering a foreshadowing of Christ and the Eucharist? 6
GO DEEPER QUESTIONS» A teenage son told his father that he did not want to go to Mass because he did not get anything out of it. The father simply replied: Son, love isn t love until it is given away. What do you think his dad was trying to say?» A priest, as understood in Jewish tradition, is a mediator between God and man. However, the New Testament says: For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus (1 Timothy 2:5). Taking this verse into consideration, why does the Catholic Church have priests? CLOSING PRAYER Lord, we thank you for your constant presence throughout salvation history, and how you prepared for the gift of the Eucharist from the very beginning of time. We praise and thank you for your Eternal Wisdom and your mercy. Help us to grow in our reverence and understanding of the Eucharist as we continue to walk through the Scriptures on the way that leads to your Son. Amen. 7
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