CHAPTER FIVE

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CHAPTER FIVE
The Eucharist
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Glimpses of the Mystery

• Eucharist--The source and summit of the
  Christian life
• Wonder of Eucharist is beyond description
• God enters our lives in profound way

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What is the Eucharist?

• The Eucharist is a Blessing
• We experience Gods transcendence
• Church praises and thanks God for wonders of
  creation
• Eucharist means thanksgiving
• We praise and thank God

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What is the Eucharist?
The Eucharist is a Blessing cont.
- We offer blessing like Christ did through his
life, death, and resurrection
- God redeems us from sin and leads us to
freedom
- Church blesses God for great events of
salvation
- Time of liberation, redemption, and creation
are now
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What is the Eucharist?

• The Eucharist is a Memorial
• Do this in memory of me
• When we remember Gods works of salvation we
  experience Gods blessing and respond by doing
  Gods will
• Events of salvation are imprinted upon our
  memories through the Eucharist

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What is the Eucharist?

• The Eucharist is the Presence of God Within and
  Among Us
• Jesus present in many ways in celebration of the
  Eucharist
• Real presence
• Consecration bread and wine become Christs body
  and blood

In community
Scripture
Person of the priest
Bread and wine
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What is the Eucharist?

• The Eucharist is the Presence of God Within and
  Among Us cont.
• Transubstantiation--change from bread and wine to
  the body and blood of Christ
• Nourishment of Eucharist is nourishment of Christ
  himself
• Tabernacle--where consecrated hosts are kept

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The Eucharist is the Perfect Sacrifice

• Sacrifice to make holy- Sharing in Gods life
  and love
• Eucharist is sacrifice instituted by Jesus at
  last Supper
• Eucharist memorializes Christs sacrifice on the
  cross
• Eucharist is the sacrifice of the entire Church

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The Eucharist is the Perfect Sacrifice

• Eucharistic prayer contains intercessions for the
  Pope, bishop, priests and deacons, and the
  faithful
• Spiritual sacrifice of Church united with
  sacrifice of Christ

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The Eucharist is a Sacred Family Meal

• Sacred banquet of communion with the Lords body
  and blood
• Significance of altar
• Eucharist instituted by Christ in context of a
  Jewish ritual meal
• Eucharist sacrament of self-giving love and
  sacrifice

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The Eucharist is a Sacred Family Meal

• Jesus time
• Meals involve rituals with bread and wine
• Food is reminder of dependence on God
• In early Church Eucharist was accompanied by
  larger shared meal
• Eucharist is sign and source of our unity
• We are also united with those already in heaven

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The Eucharist is a Sacred Family Meal

• Eucharist a foretaste of the heavenly banquet
• Jesus used images of feasts when speaking of
  Kingdom of God
• Future and present are the same in the
  Eucharist--Gods great feast has begun

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Historical Development of the Liturgy of the
Eucharist

• Basic format of Jewish meal which Jesus followed

Taking the cup
Taking the bread
Offering prayer of blessing
Speaking prayer of blessing
Sharing cup with those present
Breaking and distributing bread
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Historical Development of the Liturgy of the
Eucharist

• Celebration of the Eucharist today
• - Two great parts are Liturgy of Word and Liturgy
  of Eucharist
• Gathering Rites
• Preparation to encounter the Lord
• Liturgy of the Word
• Readings of Old and New Testament, prayers of the
  faithful, homily

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Historical Development of the Liturgy of the
Eucharist
Celebration of Eucharist today cont. -
Presentation of the Offerings Bread and wine
offered as sign of gratitude and offering of
ourselves
- Eucharistic Prayer Heart and summit of
Mass, prayer of thanksgiving and consecration,
offering, intercessions, communion rite
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Eucharist Sends us into the World

• Aim of Eucharist is to dismiss us out in the
  world to be like Christ
• Eucharist
• Unites us with Jesus, separates us from sin
• Draws us back to God
• Sends us out in world ready to love more
  completely--to care for those most in need

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Eucharist Sends us into the World

• We must be prepared to receive Eucharist
• Reflect on our relationship with God
• Reconciliation for mortal sin
• Period of fast

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Eucharist is Pledge of Our Future Glory

• We celebrate Eucharist while waiting for Jesus
  coming
• Foretaste of heaven and long for eternal life