Sacraments: The Eucharist

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Sacraments The Eucharist

• Steve Surprenant, MBA, STB/MA
• Senior Vice President COO
• Mercy Community Health, CT

February 3, 2009
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Objectives

• Understand the biblical foundations of the
  Catholic Sacrament of The Eucharist
• Understand the impact of historical changes on
  the Sacrament of The Eucharist
• Understand the current sacramental theology of
  the Sacrament of The Eucharist

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Todays Agenda

• Introduction
• Sacraments of The Eucharist
• New Testament and in the early Christian
  communities
• The evolution of Catholic interpretation
• The Middle Ages and The Council of Trent
• The contemporary theology of the Sacrament of The
  Eucharist
• Following Vatican II

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Introduction

• Catholic Church
• Also called Roman Catholic Church
• catholic from Greek for universal
• All come under the jurisdiction of the Pope,
  successor of Saint Peter, Bishop of Rome
• Western Rite (Latin Rite)
• Eastern Catholic Churches (comprised of 22 rites)
• Byzantine, Coptic, Armenian, Maronite, Syriac and
  Chaldean
• Scope of Discussion

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What is a Sacrament?

• The sacraments are efficacious signs of grace,
  instituted by Christ and entrusted to the Church,
  by which divine life is dispensed to us. The
  visible rites by which the sacraments are
  celebrated signify and make present the graces
  proper to each sacrament. They bear fruit in
  those who receive them with the required
  dispositions. (1131)
• A sacramental celebration is woven from signs and
  symbols. Their meaning is rooted in the work of
  creation and in human culture, specified by the
  events of the Old Covenant and fully revealed in
  the person and work of Christ. (1145)
• Signs taken up by Christ. In his preaching the
  Lord Jesus often makes use of the signs of
  creation to make known the mysteries of the
  Kingdom of God. He gives new meaning to the
  deeds and signs of the Old Covenant, above all to
  the Exodus and the Passover, for he himself is
  the meaning of all these signs. (1151)

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The Holy Eucharist

• "At the Last Supper, on the night he was
  betrayed, our Savior 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 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. (1323)
• "The Eucharist is the efficacious sign and
  sublime cause of that communion in the divine
  life and that unity of the People of God by which
  the Church is kept in being. It is the
  culmination both of God's action sanctifying the
  world in Christ and of the worship men offer to
  Christ and through him to the Father in the Holy
  Spirit. (1325)

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Signs and Symbols

• The Passover Meal
• Early Christians viewed the Last Supper from the
  viewpoint of the Passover meal
• The apostles would have seen a short-legged table
  surrounded by cushions where they would sit
• On the table was a bowl of saltwater and dish of
  bitter herbs
• A container of mashed apples, raisins and plums
  coated with cinnamon looked like the bricks they
  made

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The Passover Meal

• Platters of unleavened bread stood next to the
  large Cup of Blessing filled with wine
• A roasted lamb symbolized the sacrificial quality
  of the meal and recalled the blood of a lamb on
  their doorposts that saved them
• Psalms and prayers were recited to recall the
  ancient event when God saved the people of Israel
  from Egypt

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The Last Supper

• Jesus opened the meal with a psalm that praised
  God for his mighty deeds of salvation in the
  Exodus.
• Then he took the bread, gave thanks for it and,
  breaking tradition, followed this with new words
  Take and eat. This is my body that will be given
  up for you.
• This bread was now his body. It would be given
  up, that is offered on the cross.

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The Last Supper

• At the end of the meal, Jesus took the Cup of
  Blessing filled with wine and again broke
  tradition and said, Take and drink...This is my
  blood. . . It will be shed for you and for all
  for the forgiveness of sins.
• Once more Christ referred to his forth- coming
  passion where he would shed his blood
• As they drank of the one cup and ate of the one
  bread, they experienced their unity in Christ

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The Last Supper

• Finally, Christ gave them and their successors
  the power to celebrate Eucharist Do this in
  memory of me.
• They all sang a psalm and Jesus went forth to his
  saving death and resurrection
• In this event Jesus gave us the sacrament of the
  Eucharist and the ordained priesthood

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The Early Church

• Early Church followed command of Jesus and broke
  bread in His Memory
• Over time, the apostles and their successors
  developed the Eucharistic celebration into the
  structure that endures to this day
• First named it the Breaking of the Bread
• Soon the need to separate the rite from a meal,
  both because of abuses at meals (1 Cor 1117-22)
  and because they wanted a more prayerful setting
  for this act of worship

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The Early Church

• Eucharist was moved to Sunday in memory of
  Christs resurrection
• In place of the meal the early Christians created
  a Liturgy of the Word
• Modeled after synagogue prayer
• Included readings from Scripture, singing of
  psalms and an instruction
• Around the words of Jesus, they added prayers of
  thanksgiving, praise and intercession
  (eucharistein thanksgiving)

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The Early Church

• By year 150, the basic structure of the Mass was
  already in place
• Held in peoples homes
• As communities grew, became more difficult
• 2nd and 3rd Centuries
• Absent the Apostles, began to reflect upon the
  writings of 1st generation leaders Paul
• When Jewish-Christians were no longer welcome at
  the synagogue service, they added its prayers,
  singing, chanting, and homily to the Eucharistic
  liturgy

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The Early Church

• Liturgy of the Word on Sunday
• Two readings by a lector
• Homily by the priest
• Eucharistic Prayer and Communion
• A collection for widows, orphans and needy!
• Celebrant had considerable freedom in the
  creation of prayers
• Over time, became more standardized
• Second Eucharistic Prayer from Hippolytus of Rome
  in 215 was incorporated by many communities

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Changes in the Celebration

• Year 313 was a turning point
• Persecutions suddenly ended and Constantine gave
  freedom to Christians
• Used basilicas for Eucharistic worship so modest
  house churches gradually ceased
• Stately ceremonies suitable in a huge church
  emerged. Processions, courtly movement in the
  sanctuary, metered chant (composed by St.
  Ambrose) and sung litanies

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Changes in the Celebration

• Latin became the language of the celebrations
• Incense and bells, kissing sacred objects and the
  use of genuflections began to accompany the
  ancient structure of the Eucharist
• The celebrants wore vestments, clothes worthy of
  a Roman senator
• Simple plates and cups of house worship became
  elaborate chalices and patens

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Changes in the Celebration

• 7th C, Pope Gregory the Great declared that the
  Latin Mass in Rome was the standard for the
  Western church
• Pope Gregory's decree, with some changes made by
  Pope Pius V in 1570, gave the Roman rite its
  basic form until the reforms of Vatican II
• An inevitable evolution due to social acceptance,
  organizing an empire-size Church and, indeed,
  ecclesial prosperity

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Changes in the Celebration

• This era witnessed the rise of extraordinary
  bishops, known now as Church Fathers, such as
  Augustine and Chrysostom, whose homilies were
  rich in theology and pastoral in application
• Their theme was The Body of Christ Eucharist
  builds the Body of Christ Church.
• Become that which you receive.

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Changes in the Celebration

• The sacrificial aspect of the Eucharist grew in
  importance while the meal symbolism faded into
  the background
• The theology stressed Christ's divinity
• Led to the people feeling less worthy to approach
  the Lord, the creator and judge of the universe
• As a result, there was a decline in the reception
  of communion

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The Ages of Faith (9th 15th C)

• Stunning Gothic cathedrals in medieval Europe
  signaled a resurgence of faith
• Religious processions, pilgrimages to holy
  shrines, and birth of new religious orders
• But also decline in active participation in the
  Mass
• Emphasis on the sacrificial nature of the mass
• Growing sense that the laity were spectators to a
  drama unfolding on the altar
• Led to a feeling that the consecration was the
  high point of the Mass

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The Ages of Faith

• Focus fell not on receiving Jesus in communion
  but on seeing and adoring the Lord in the
  Eucharist
• The assembly was removed from participating by
  screens of stone or iron that hid the choir and
  altar from public view
• Ringing of bells were introduced to focus
  attention of the congregants to the consecration

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The Ages of Faith

• The monks and priests conducted their corporate
  liturgy away from the assembly
• The Mass remained in Latin, even though people
  began using their local languages for most things
  in their lives
• When the people complained of the Masss
  remoteness, they were given side altar Masses
  where the priest faced the wall and prayed in
  Latin

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The Ages of Faith

• The people compensated for their estrangement by
  asking the priest to hold up the host for their
  view and adoration
• Many Catholics had ceased receiving Communion
• Had long since moved to using the host at Mass
  (sacrificial nature of the term)
• Lateran Council IV (1215) also mandated Communion
  at least once a year at Easter time
• Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament became popular
  along with benediction, Corpus Christi
  processions, etc.

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The Ages of Faith

• At Lateran IV Church affirmed Christs Real
  Presence and introduced the concept of
  transubstantiation (Thomas Aquinas)
• All things are made up of substance and
  accidents
• During the Eucharistic celebration, the
  substance of the bread and the wine are
  replaced with the substance or being of
  Christ
• Therefore, Jesus Real Presence in His Body and
  Blood at the celebration of the Mass

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The Reformation

• Council of Trent (1545) to deal with the
  Reformation and its challenges
• Re-affirmed Real Presence and theology of
  Transubstantiation
• Upheld sacrificial nature of the Mass
• In 1570, Pius V decreed a standard book for the
  celebration of Mass for the West
• Participation of the people would be devotional
  rather than liturgical
• Mass text was to remain in Latin

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The Late Middle Ages

• Introduction of Baroque architecture
• Choir stalls, screens and walls were removed
• Distance between altar and assembly was
  shortened separated only by altar rail
• Altar was placed against the wall, which was
  lavishly decorated from floor to ceiling
• Tabernacle rested on the altar and above it was a
  niche provided for exposition and adoration of
  the Blessed Sacrament
• Soaring pulpit was situated near the middle of
  the Church indicating the importance of a sermon
  but not a homily

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The Late Middle Ages

• Worship space glowed with self-confidence and
  triumph
• Suited the mood of this Counter-Reformation
• Church was a throne room the assembly was
  the audience
• Sadly, most Eucharists were Low Masses,
  generally without music and which the assembly
  attended in silence
• Eventually, in the 19th century, it became clear
  that a return to the sources of the liturgy was
  needed

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Pre-Vatican Council

• Mid 1800s liturgical change had begun
• Benedictines revived earlier liturgical practices
  and were studying the roots of Christian liturgy
• Pope Pius X (1903-1914) encouraged the use of
  Gregorian chant, frequent Communion and lowering
  the age for First Communion
• Pius XIIs Mediator Dei (1947) lent powerful
  impetus to the liturgical movement
• 1951 Joseph Jungmann, S.J., published The Mass of
  the Roman Rite, that revealed the complex history
  of the Mass.

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Vatican Council

• First document approved by Vatican II was
  Sacrosanctum Concilium (1963)
• Little debate and very small opposition, the
  Constitution on the Liturgy was approved by the
  Council Fathers vote 2,147 to 4 opposed The
  liturgy is the summit to which the activity of
  the Church is directed it is also the fount from
  which all her power flows (10).
• The celebration of the Eucharist is the
  celebration of the entire community

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Post-Vatican II

• A number of changes were introduced
• Priest now faced the people
• Vernacular languages replaced the Latin
• People shook hands at the greeting of peace
• Congregation was asked to participate actively in
  the Mass, to sing and pray at various times
• Inclusion of the Prayer of the Faithful
• People were invited to receive Communion
• Either in the hand or on the tongue and to stand
  at its reception
• They were offered the chalice so they could share
  Communion under both species, the Eucharistic
  Bread and Wine

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Post-Vatican II

• Laity and religious could serve Communion as
  extraordinary ministers
• Married deacons appeared, to assist the priest at
  Mass and to preach homilies
• Entrance processions were added
• People brought up the gifts at the presentation
  of the offerings
• Mass readings provided a three-year series of
  Scripture in which large sections of the Bible
  would be heard
• Homilies were expected to explain Scripture and
  apply it to everyday life

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Post-Vatican II

• Church architecture became functional and
  minimalist in decoration
• Guitar Masses surfaced and new hymns were
  composed, leading to many arguments about taste
  and suitability
• Some experimentation went over the top. But in
  fact the amazing thing is how little disturbance
  actually happened
• The dreams of the liturgical movement were
  fulfilled and expanded upon. People are realizing
  that they can enrich their spirituality mainly
  from the celebration of the Eucharist

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Concluding Thoughts

• Changes in the Eucharistic celebration, whether
  large or small, have been occurring since the
  Last Supper
• The basics have never changed, but the details,
  decisions by Church authority and the attitudes
  of the participants have undergone modifications
  and development
• In this sense the celebration of the Eucharist is
  a dynamic and living reality

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Concluding Thoughts

• While a constant diet of experimentation is not
  healthy, a loving attention to the quality of the
  divine celebration is a necessity
• The noble core of the Eucharist from the Upper
  Room to an urban cathedral or a village church
  has withstood the tumults of historyand always
  will
• Today, we emphasize "celebrating the Eucharist."
  The mass is public worship in which the
  community, led by the priest, join in thanking,
  praising, and adoring God