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| THE BREAD OF LIFE. Image via google.com |
The Holy Eucharist is the third of the Three Sacraments of Christian Initiation, Baptism and Confirmation being the first two.
According to the Catechism of the Catholic Church,
"The holy Eucharist completes Christian Initiation. Those who have been raised to the dignity of the royal priesthood by Baptism and configured more deeply to Christ by Confirmation participate with the whole community in the Lord's own sacrifice by means of the Eucharist." [CCC 1322]
We have discussed about the Holy Eucharist in relation to the Lord as the Bread of Life earlier.
The Holy Eucharist is considered the source and summit of ecclesial life [CCC 1324-1327] and variously called Eucharist being a thanksgiving to God [1328]; the Lord's Supper due to its connection to the Last Supper which the Lord had with His Apostles before He went through His passion and death, the Breaking of Bread in relation to the Jewish Passover celebration, and Eucharistic Assembly [synaxis] because it is celebrated in the presence of the faithful [1329]; memorial of the Lord's Passion and Resurrection expressed as Holy Sacrifice commemorating the Lord's sacrifice and Holy and Divine Liturgy since it is the center and most intense celebration of the Church's liturgy [1330]; Holy Communion because through it we unite ourselves with Christ and with our fellow Christians [1331]; and Holy Mass for its conclusion we are sent to accomplish our Christian mission [1332].
Living out the Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist means living a life of
[1] constant gratitude for the grace of salvation which the Father had done through His only-begotten Son, the Lord Jesus Christ [see 1359-1360];
[2] total self-giving in the same manner that the Lord Jesus Christ gave himself totally for the sake of our salvation [see 1364; 1367];
[3] celebrating the memorial of the Lord's sacrifice through active participation in the Church's liturgical activities [see 1341-1347];
[4] perfect union with the Lord and with fellow Christians being members of His one Body [see 1391; 1396; 1398];
[5] focused response to the mission of proclaiming the Gospel to others and of leading them to become members of His flock that there may be only one fold and one Shepherd [see Matthew 28: 19-20; John 10:16].
As the Lord Jesus Christ offered himself to be crucified for the salvation of all, we too as Christians must be ready to offer our lives for the sake of others. We may not be required to physically undergo crucifixion, but we still have to obey the Lord's admonition that we deny ourselves, carry our crosses and follow His steps [see Matthew 16:24; Mark 8:34; Luke 9:23].
We can also fully live out the Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist by perfectly following His command to wash each other's feet [see John 13:14] and to love one another as He loved us [see John 13: 34-35; 15: 12-17] for as the bread is broken [see 1 Corinthians 11:24; Matthew 26:26; Luke 22:19] to feed many [see the multiplication of Bread passages], we too must be ready to offer ourselves, and be broken, in order to serve many, especially the poor [1397].
According to the Catechism of the Catholic Church,
"The holy Eucharist completes Christian Initiation. Those who have been raised to the dignity of the royal priesthood by Baptism and configured more deeply to Christ by Confirmation participate with the whole community in the Lord's own sacrifice by means of the Eucharist." [CCC 1322]
We have discussed about the Holy Eucharist in relation to the Lord as the Bread of Life earlier.
The Holy Eucharist is considered the source and summit of ecclesial life [CCC 1324-1327] and variously called Eucharist being a thanksgiving to God [1328]; the Lord's Supper due to its connection to the Last Supper which the Lord had with His Apostles before He went through His passion and death, the Breaking of Bread in relation to the Jewish Passover celebration, and Eucharistic Assembly [synaxis] because it is celebrated in the presence of the faithful [1329]; memorial of the Lord's Passion and Resurrection expressed as Holy Sacrifice commemorating the Lord's sacrifice and Holy and Divine Liturgy since it is the center and most intense celebration of the Church's liturgy [1330]; Holy Communion because through it we unite ourselves with Christ and with our fellow Christians [1331]; and Holy Mass for its conclusion we are sent to accomplish our Christian mission [1332].
Living out the Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist means living a life of
[1] constant gratitude for the grace of salvation which the Father had done through His only-begotten Son, the Lord Jesus Christ [see 1359-1360];
[2] total self-giving in the same manner that the Lord Jesus Christ gave himself totally for the sake of our salvation [see 1364; 1367];
[3] celebrating the memorial of the Lord's sacrifice through active participation in the Church's liturgical activities [see 1341-1347];
[4] perfect union with the Lord and with fellow Christians being members of His one Body [see 1391; 1396; 1398];
[5] focused response to the mission of proclaiming the Gospel to others and of leading them to become members of His flock that there may be only one fold and one Shepherd [see Matthew 28: 19-20; John 10:16].
As the Lord Jesus Christ offered himself to be crucified for the salvation of all, we too as Christians must be ready to offer our lives for the sake of others. We may not be required to physically undergo crucifixion, but we still have to obey the Lord's admonition that we deny ourselves, carry our crosses and follow His steps [see Matthew 16:24; Mark 8:34; Luke 9:23].
We can also fully live out the Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist by perfectly following His command to wash each other's feet [see John 13:14] and to love one another as He loved us [see John 13: 34-35; 15: 12-17] for as the bread is broken [see 1 Corinthians 11:24; Matthew 26:26; Luke 22:19] to feed many [see the multiplication of Bread passages], we too must be ready to offer ourselves, and be broken, in order to serve many, especially the poor [1397].
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