LESSON 6

LESSON TITLE: EUCHARIST

Topics
Meaning of the Eucharist
Biblical Background
The Spiritual Graces of the Eucharist
The Matter of the Eucharist
The Form of the Eucharist

MEANING OF THE EUCHARIST

 The Sacrament of the Eucharist is the memorial sacrifice of the passion, death, and resurrection of
Christ, making present his real Body and Blood under the species of Bread and Wine.
 The name derives from the Greek word Eukaristia, which means “Thanksgiving,” since it is the
worship of gratitude the Father for his Son’s redeeming offering.

BIBLICAL BACKGROUND

Jesus Instituted the sacrament of the Eucharist during the Last Supper. As he was eating with his
Apostles, He took the bread, and when he had the blessing broke it and gave it to them. He said: “Take it,
this is my body.” Then he took the chalice, and after giving thanks, gave it to them, and all drank from it.
Then he said to the: “This is my blood, the blood of the covenant, which is to be poured out for many.”
(Mark 14: 22-24)

The bread and wine at the consecration become the real Body and Blood of Christ; as Jesus declared: “This
is my body, which is for you; do this as a memorial of me. This chalice is the new covenant in my blood.
Whenever you drink it, do this as a memorial of me.”(1 Corinthians 11: 24 - 26)

Jesus instituted the Eucharist for two main reasons:

PERPETUATING CHRIST’S SACRIFICE
The first reason of the Holy Mass is to
perpetuate the Redeeming Sacrifice of
Christ throughout the ages, until he comes
again.
BESTOWING JESUS’ BODY AND BLOOD
The second reason, is to donate his Body
and Blood, creating communion with Him
and pledging eternal life.

 The Eucharist The Source and Summit of the Church’s Life

 The Source: the Eucharist contains the whole spiritual wealth of the Church, which is Christ himself;
from whom we receive an overwhelming abundance of God’s Grace.
 The Summit: the Holy Mass is the focal point and final cause of the Church’s worship, teaching, and
apostolate; to which all activities are directed.
 This sacrament called by four different names:
 1. The Eucharist: Because in every Mass we give thanks to the Lord for what he has done for us. The
term Eucharist is a Greek word which means “Thanksgiving.”
2. The Lord’s Supper: Because every time we celebrate the Eucharist we remember the Last Supper of
Jesus, and we create fellowship among the faithful.
3. The Holy Sacrifice of the Mass: Because in the Eucharist we sacramentally reenact the passion and
death of our Lord.
4. The memorial of Jesus’ Resurrection: Because in every Eucharist we celebrate the glorious
resurrection of Jesus Christ.
5. Breaking of the Bread: To underline the action through which Christ distributed the consecrated
Bread during the Last Supper; this was the first name given by the Apostles to the Sacrament. The breaking
of the bread signifies of Christ on the Cross.
6. The Most Blessed Sacrament: To remind that the real presence of Jesus in the Sacred Species does
not end with the Final Blessing of the Mass, but continues when they are preserved in the Tabernacle for
adoration and for being brought to the sick.

THE SPIRITUAL GRACES OF THE EUCHARIST

1. PARTAKING OF CHRIST’S BODY AND BLOOD:

Under the Sacred Species we receive Christ, who is present in a real and substantial way: with his Body
and Soul, Humanity and Divinity.

2. ATONING FOR THE SINS OF THE LIVING AND DEAD:

The Eucharist forgives the venial sins of the living, at the Penitential Act; and atones for the temporal
punishment of the souls of the dead in Purgatory.

3. HAVING A FORETASTE AND ASSURANCE OF ETERNAL LIFE:

Those who worthily receive the Holy Communion have a taste of the bliss of Paradise, and are assured
of Salvation, if they persevere in God’s Grace.

4. FOSTERING COMMUNION WITH THE CHURCH:

The Holy Mass strengthens the communion of faith and love among the brothers and sisters in Christ,
and union with the Shepherds of the Church.

THE MINISTER OF THE EUCHARIST:

The Minister of the Eucharist is the Priest and the Bishop, who succeed the Apostles by virtue of the
Sacrament of Ordination bestowed upon them.

They act In Persona Christi, meaning, “In the person of Christ,” because it is Christ who celebrates the Holy
Mass through them. Priests and Bishops celebrate the Holy Mass, as well as the other Sacraments, for free;
as by Jesus’ command: “Without cost you have received; without cost you are to give” (Matthew 10:8).
However, the Faithful have the duty to support their seminary formation, daily needs, and dignified
retirement.

The old proverb, Ubi Missa ibi mensa, translated as, “Where the Mass is, there is the table,” means that the
Faithful should generously provide for the needs of their Priests, who take care of their spiritual needs.

 The Mass Intentions are intercessions on behalf of the living and of the dead. As the Virgin Mary at
Cana interceded to Jesus on behalf of the spouses, so do we intercede for the living, as thanksgiving or
special request; and for the dead, as suffrage.
 For every Mass Intention there is a corresponding donation for the Priest celebrant and for the Church,
which varies in kind and quantity from parish to parish; this applies also for the Mass Cards for the
Living and for the Souls.

THE MATTER OF THE EUCHARIST:

 The Matter of the Eucharist is Unleavened Wheat Bread and Grape Wine, since they were the
species consecrated by Jesus during the Last Supper.
Bread: the Eucharist Bread must be made of flour from wheat and water, without yeast, salt, or any
other ingredient. This wheat bread was used by the Jews in their Paschal Meals since the time of the
Exodus.

Wine: the Eucharistic Wine must be “the fruit of the vine,” as specified by the Gospel ( Matthew
26:29), and natural: without any addition of chemical or other substances. The water added to the
Wine is not part of the Matter, but indicates our participation in Jesus’ Sacrifice.

 Who Can Lawfully Receive Holy Communion?

A CHRISTIAN CATHOLIC IN THE STATE OF GRACE

Only baptized Catholics can receive
the Body and Blood of Christ: first,
because they believe in the
Transubstantiation; second, because
they are in communion with the Pope
and the true Church.
Only those in the State of Sanctifying
Grace can communicate, lest they
commit a sacrilege; those in Mortal Sin
must first go to Confession and then to
Communion.

 The Spiritual Communion is the devotional practice of communicating “Spiritual,” as opposite to

“materially;” it can be done by those who attend the Holy Mass but not ready to receive Christ’s Body
and Blood; or during the Eucharistic Adoration and the visit to the Blessed Sacrament.

 Manner of Receiving Holy Communion-can be received either standing or kneeling; on the tongue
or in the hands. The choice on the manner of receiving Communion is on the communicant, provided
there is no risk of sacrilege or profanation. What really matters is not the manner of receiving
Communion, but the State of Grace; as St. Paul said: “A person should examine himself before he
eats of the bread and drinks of the cup” ( !Corinthians 11:28)

 The Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion are deputized to assist the Priest in distributing the
Sacred Species when needed. They should be Catholics of good standing within the community, with
sufficient theological and theological and liturgical preparation, capable of fulfilling their role with
reverence and devotion. In their absence, a Priest can depute any of the Faithful for a single Mass.

 Hosts being used, Wine Reserved for Priests

The early Christians, following Jesus’ command, communicated with loaves of Bread and true Wine.
However, as their number increased, for practical purposes, the Church began replacing the loaves with
 small Hosts, and to reserve the Wine for the Clergy.

 Communion under both kinds is allowed:

1. For community members in their Conventual Mass;

2. For seminarians;
3. For participants to a retreat or spiritual gathering;
4. For spouses in their weeding;
5. With the permission of the local Ordinary.

 The Eucharistic fasting is a period of abstinence from food and beverages, with the exception of water
and essential medicines, in preparation for the worthy reception of Holy Communion. For centuries,
the Eucharistic Fasting began at midnight, hence all Masses were celebrated in the morning; in 1964,
Pope Paul VI reduced the fasting to one hour before Communion, opening the way to the afternoon and
evening Masses, as well as the so-called Anticipated Saturday Mass.

THE FORM OF THE EUCHARIST

 The Form of the Eucharist are the words of the Consecration, namely: “This is my Body; this is my
Blood.”

 The Transubstantiation, or change of substance from Bread and Wine into Body and Blood, happens as
the Form is proclaimed.

 The Consecration is the part of the Mass when the Bread and Wine become the Body and Blood of
Christ. This happens when the Priest proclaims the same words of Jesus during the Last Supper: “This is
my Body…this is my Blood.”

 Being the most sacred part of the Mass, the Faithful kneel in adoration during the Consecration;
likewise, the Priest does the same after consecrating the Bread and Wine.

 The Transubstantiation is the Sacramental act by which the substance of the Bread and Wine is changed
into the substance of the Body and Blood of Christ; while the accidentals, such as the color, shape, and
weight, remain unchanged.

 The real and Substantial Presence means that Christ is truly and substantially present in the Sacred
Species of Bread and Wine: in his Body and Soul, Humanity and Divinity.

 The Eucharistic presence of Christ begins at Consecration and endures as long as the Species subsist.
For instance, once the Consecrated Bread is dissolved into water, or the Wine evaporates, the Real
Presence of Jesus ceases.

 The Real and Substantial Presence of Christ in the consecrated Bread and Wine cannot be rationally
demonstrated, but can only be accepted by faith; we believe because Jesus said: “Take it, this is my
Body… this is my Blood.”

 The Solemnity of the Corpus Christi, which was instituted in 1264 by Pope Urban IV to commemorate
the Eucharistic Miracle of Bolsena, celebrated this Eucharistic Dogma of our Faith

 The Tabernacle is the depository of the consecrated Hosts. Upon entering the church, or anytime
passing in front of the Tabernacle, we make a genuflection as a sign of adoration.
 The Consecrated Hosts are preserved in the Tabernacle for the Eucharistic adoration and for the
distribution to the sick.