Scriptural Roots

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• Scriptural Roots
• of
• Eucharistic Theology
• and
• Practice
• Presented by Brian Lemoi

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• Welcome
• Introduction

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• Goal
• This diocesan pastoral initiative by Bishop
  Robert Lynch is intended to foster a deeper
  experience and understanding of Eucharist to
  paraphrase St. Augustine we are called to be
  what we receive.
• Objectives
• To achieve this goal the following objectives
  have been identified and will be attained through
  catechesis, dialogue, and faith sharing during a
  multi-year process. By participating, parishes
  will
• Strengthen the bonds among the people of God as
  we share faith
• Enrich communal prayer and reflection on the word
  of God
• Enhance participation and celebration of
  Eucharist
• Develop a greater consciousness of what it means
  to be the Body of Christ
• Send the Church forth to act in justice and mercy
• As the Church of St. Petersburg journeys
  together, there will be a focus for each year
  with a special emphasis that is highlighted below

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• ? Year 1 Focus Beginning the Journey
  (Winter/Spring/Fall 2007)
• o Clergy along with diocesan, parish, and school
  leadership will study and discuss the book From
  Maintenance to Mission by Rev. Robert S. Rivers
• o Eucharist Source and Summit (a resource
  developed by the Archdiocese of Milwaukee) will
  be introduced diocesan-wide for small group faith
  sharing and school and parish faith formation
• April 19 28, 2007 diocesan gatherings to
  solicit feedback and input for planning
• Advent 2007 Bishop Robert Lynch issued a
  Pastoral Letter on Eucharist
• ? Year 2 Focus Formed by Christ (February 4,
  2008)
• Conferences will introduce this focus with
  follow-up activities and resources that give
  attention to the Liturgy of the Word
  highlighting the following elements
• Gathering in Gods name
• Called to conversion
• The Word of God Being Nourished by the Good News

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• ? Year 3 Focus Becoming Christ (February 21,
  2009)
• o Conferences will introduce this focus with
  follow-up activities and resources that give
  attention to the Liturgy of the Eucharist
  highlighting the following elements
• Promote full, conscious, and active participation
  in our liturgical celebrations
• Celebrate the Eucharistic mystery thanksgiving,
  sacrifice, meal, a people transformed, and
  devotion
• ? Year 4 Focus Being Christ in the World
  (Fall/Winter 2009-10)
• o Diocesan conference will introduce this focus
  with follow-up that includes activities and
  resources that give attention to sending the
  Church forth on its mission
• Foster and promote social justice and mercy
• Go forth to love and serve the Lord Christian
  mission, stewardship and vocation
• o A diocesan-wide Eucharistic celebration will
  culminate this 4-year process launching the
  diocese and parishes into the realization,
  implementation and ongoing renewal of the
  S.E.E.D.S. objectives

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• Topic Overview

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• The Old and New Testaments provide language,
  imagery, and evidence of practices that form the
  foundation of our Churchs theology and
  celebration of Eucharist. The Old Testament
  experience of the Covenant with the Hebrews and
  the New and Everlasting Covenant of Jesus are but
  two examples. Table ritual from Old Testament
  times adopted by Jesus and done likewise in
  remembrance of him in the Mass requires an
  appreciation of the richness of the Scriptures.
  This workshop will explore these and many other
  concepts with a view to understanding rite,
  ritual, Catholic imagination and understanding of
  Eucharist. Brian Lemoi

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• Dei Verbum-Dogmatic Constitution on Divine
  Revelation
• CHAPTER VISACRED SCRIPTURE IN THE LIFE OF THE
  CHURCH
• 21. The Church has always venerated the divine
  Scriptures just as she venerates the body of the
  Lord, since, especially in the sacred liturgy,
  she unceasingly receives and offers to the
  faithful the bread of life from the table both of
  God's word and of Christ's body. She has always
  maintained them, and continues to do so, together
  with sacred tradition, as the supreme rule of
  faith, since, as inspired by God and committed
  once and for all to writing, they impart the word
  of God Himself without change, and make the voice
  of the Holy Spirit resound in the words of the
  prophets and Apostles. Therefore, like the
  Christian religion itself, all the preaching of
  the Church must be nourished and regulated by
  Sacred Scripture. For in the sacred books, the
  Father who is in heaven meets His children with
  great love and speaks with them and the force
  and power in the word of God is so great that it
  stands as the support and energy of the Church,
  the strength of faith for her sons, the food of
  the soul, the pure and everlasting source of
  spiritual life. Consequently these words are
  perfectly applicable to Sacred Scripture "For
  the word of God is living and active" (Heb. 412)
  and "it has power to build you up and give you
  your heritage among all those who are sanctified"
  (Acts 2032 see 1 Thess. 213).

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• Indeed, the word which we proclaim and accept
  is the Word made flesh (cf. Jn 114) it is
  inseparably linked to Christs person and the
  sacramental mode of his continued presence in our
  midst. Christ does not speak in the past, but in
  the present, even as he is present in the
  liturgical action. In this sacramental context
  of Christian revelation, knowledge and study of
  the word of God enable us better to appreciate,
  celebrate and live the Eucharist.
• Sacramentum Caritatis The Sacrament of Charity,
  Pope Benedict XVI, 45

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• The Liturgy of the Word and the Liturgy of the
  Eucharist form one, single act of worship. In
  the Word of God, the Covenant of Gods love is
  announced to our Jewish ancestors in faith, to
  the disciples, and to the members of the very
  early Church and to us in this present moment. In
  the Eucharist, the new and everlasting covenant
  is celebrated. All of the actions at Mass are in
  some way derived from the Word of God. A prime
  example is the institution narrative in the
  Eucharistic Prayer, (take and eattake and
  drink.) The prayers which the priest proclaims
  at each Mass, the hymns which we will sing, many
  of the actions of the priest and people and the
  signs used (water, wine, bread, even standing,
  sitting and kneeling) are in some way derived
  from scripture, from the Word of the Lord. Christ
  is always present in His word it is a living
  and effective word. Living Eucharist Gathered,
  Nourished, Sent , Bishop Lynch

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• Basic Assumption
• This topic requires looking at the role of
  Scripture as a foundation, and also, as a part of
  the living, ongoing practice of the Eucharist!

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• We are fed at the Table of the Word The
  Table of the Eucharist
• In the beginning was the Word
• Abiding Presence
• The Word of God is more expansive than the
  readings at Mass or even the Bible alone
• Ongoing Revelation
• Scripture and Tradition
• The Principle of Sacramentality
• Mass brings the Word Sacrament together

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• Topic Presentation
• Old Testament The Eucharist Prefigured
• The New Testament The Eucharist Established
• Sacrament The Eucharist Celebrated
• Joan Carter McHugh
• Eucharist God Among Us

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• Old replaced by the New is not the way to go!
• New as continuous with and fulfillment of the
  Old is the way to go!
• Affirm the continuation of Gods Covenant
  relationship with His people
• Avoid literalism
• Explore images and nuances
• Foster Catholic Imagination!

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• Develop Common Themes
• Covenant
• Thanksgiving
• Sacrifice
• Memorial
• Meal
• Paschal Mystery
• Reign of God

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• Christian Scriptures
• Emphasize the growth and development of the
  scriptural tradition and Eucharistic practices
  over time
• Written Gospels
• Mark Circa 65 A.D.
• Matthew Circa 80 A.D.
• Luke (Acts) Circa 85 A.D (90 A.D)
• John Circa 100 A.D.

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Development of Teaching Practices

• Message/Teaching ?
• Worship
• Community
• Witness
• Service

• Kerygma/Didache ?
• Leitourgia
• Koinonia
• Marturia
• Diakonia

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• Differing Perspectives
• of the
• Synoptic Johannine Traditions
• Institution Narrative only in Synoptics
• Signs of Eucharist as service and love in Luke
• Washing of feet focus in John
• Eschatological (Christian Hope) focus of John
• Food for the journey perspective in John

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• Differing Perspectives
• of the
• Synoptic Johannine Traditions
• Difference in missionary initiation
• Where situated in the text
• Last Supper--Post-Resurrection Appearances--Ascens
  ion
• What emphasis/context is given
• Go out and preach the good news
• Feed my sheep, tend my lambs

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• Sacrament The Eucharist Celebrated
• Real and Living Presence
• In the elements of bread wine that become the
  body and blood of Jesus
• In the Word proclaimed
• In the assembly
• In the priest
• Become what you receive
• Go therefore Go in peace to love and serve
  the Lord and one another

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• Catechetical
• Pastoral
• Implications

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• Core TeachingsTeachable Moments
• Christocentric and Trinitarian
• Trinity (Eucharistic Prayer/Final Doxology)
• Father (Thanksgiving)
• Son (Institution Narrative/Consecration)
• Holy Spirit (Epiclesis)
• Incarnation (Offering)
• Paschal Mystery (Anamnesis)
• Unity/Community (Offering/Intercession)
• Christian Hope (Acclamation)

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• Core TeachingsTeachable Moments
• Ecumenical outlook w/o losing Catholic uniqueness
• Need to develop sacramental literacy
• Real life connections
• Connection to all sacraments
• Emphasis on the unity of Initiation
• Reign of God emphasis (already/not yet)
• Faith Sharing and Table Fellowship

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• Dyads of Dialogue
• What did you hear that encouraged, challenged,
  surprised or puzzled you?
• What for you requires further exploration and
  study?

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• Q A

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• Concluding Remarks

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• Bibliography Resources
• For
• Further Study Reflection
• The Basic Sixteen Documents of Vatican Council
  II, Austin Flannery, O.P., Costello Publishing
  Company, Inc. Northport, NY, 1996
• Book of Readings on the Eucharist, Pastoral
  Liturgy Series 3, Bishops Committee on the
  Liturgy, United States Conference of Catholic
  Bishops, 2006. www.usccbpublishing.org or
  800-235-8722, Publication 5-706
• Catechism of the Catholic Church, The Vatican,
  1994, 1997, Published by the United States
  Conference of Catholic Bishops, Especially
  Paragraphs 101-141, 1322-1419 www.usccbpublishing.
  org or 800-235-8722, Publication 5-706

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• Catholic Teaching on the Eucharist, Otto R.
  Piechowski, The Center for Learning, 1998,
  www.centerforlearning.org, 800-767-9090
• Deus Caritas Est, (God is Love), Encyclical
  Letter of Pope Benedict XVI, 2006, Published by
  the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops,
  Publication 5-758, www.usccbpublishing.org,
  800-235-8722
• Empowering Catechetical Leaders, Thomas Groome,
  Ed.D. General Editor, Michael J. Corso, Ph.D.
  Managing Editor, National Catholic Educational
  Association, 1999, www.ncea.org, 202-337-6232
• Eucharist, Stephen J. Binz, Threshold Bible
  Series, Twenty-Third Publication, 2005,
  www.twentythirdpublications.com, 800-572-0788

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• Eucharist God Among Us, Joan Carter McHugh,
  Witness Publications, Witnessm_at_aol.com, Lake
  Forest, IL, 847-735-0556
• Eucharist Source and Summit of Life and Mission
  of the Church, Maureen Gallagher and Jean Marie
  Hiesberger, 2004, Archdiocese of Milwaukee,
  published by Liturgical Publications Inc,
  www.4LPi.com, 800-950-9952 x2469
• Introduction to the Order of the Mass A Pastoral
  Resource of the Bishops Committee on the
  Liturgy, Publication 5-544 United States
  Conference of Catholic Bishops, 2003,
  www.usccb.org, 800-235-8722
• Living Eucharist Gathered, Nourished, Sent, A
  Pastoral Letter from the Most Reverend Robert N.
  Lynch, Bishop of St. Petersburg to the Church of
  the Diocese of St. Petersburg, November 25, 2007
  www.livingeucharist.org

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• Sacramentum Caritatis, (The Sacrament of
  Charity), Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation of
  Pope Benedict XVI, Published by the United States
  Conference of Catholic Bishops, 2007, Publication
  7-002, www.usccbpublishing.org, 800-235-8722
• Scripture Nourished by the Word, Margaret
  Nutting Ralph, Ph.D., Published for The National
  Conference of Catechetical Leaders (NCCL) by
  Loyola Press, Chicago, IL, www.nccl.org,
  www.loyolapress.com, 800-621-1008
• Stay Current With The Eucharistic Initiative
• of the
• Diocese of St. Petersburg
• Visit www.livingeucharist.org Regularly!