Published in the bulletin of Holy Ghost Catholic Church in Knoxville, TN, on Palm Sunday.

My dear Parishioners,

Peace! There are fourteen (14) *In Brief8 passages in the Catechism of the Catholic Church regarding the Sacrament of the Most Holy Eucharist. The following is a reflection on article 1407.

Citing the Dogmatic Constitution on the Church, Lumen Gentium, 11, the Catechism highlights six (6) important points about the Eucharist for our consideration:

First, the Eucharist is the heart and summit of the life of the Church. The Eucharist is the source of the life of the Church because Christ, the Founder of Mother Church, is present in the Eucharist. The Eucharist is the summit of the life of the Church because the One we adore and receive in the Eucharist, Christ Himself, is the same who is at the Father’s right hand in Heaven.

Second, through the Eucharist Christ associates His Church to His one only sacrifice of the Cross (cf. 1 Peter 3:18). The one only sacrifice of Good Friday is made present throughout the ages each time the Holy Mass is offered. Only the manner of offering is different, now through the ministry of priests, sacramentally, present under the appearances of bread and wine.

Third, through the Eucharist Christ associates all His members to His one only sacrifice of the Cross. Because the one only sacrifice of the Cross is made present through the mystery of the Mass, all of the faithful are able to be present and be united to Christ in His self-offering.

Fourth, Christ’s one only sacrifice of the Cross was offered to the Father both in praise and thanksgiving. The Eucharistic Sacrifice continues the praise and thanksgiving which Christ initiated on Good Friday. In the Eucharistic Sacrifice we praise and thank God who saves and loves us.

Fifth, it is through the Eucharistic Sacrifice that Jesus Christ spreads the graces of salvation. The graces of salvation flow from Jesus’ one only sacrifice on the Cross which is made present thorough the mystery of the Mass. The Eucharistic Sacrifice enables us to receive the Lord of Glory as our holy food, His grace and power in our lives, and unites us with Our Lady and Saint John at the foot of the Cross with faith and devotion and love.

Sixth, the Eucharist, the Body of Christ, nourishes the Church, the Body of Christ. The phrase ‘Body of Christ’ embodies for believers precious doctrine. The Church is the Mystical Body of Christ (cf. Ephesians 5:30). The Eucharist is the Sacramental Body of Christ (cf. John 6:55). Christ Himself was born of Mary in Bethlehem, His body was wrapped in swaddling clothes (cf. Luke 2:7). In His saving Passion, the Body of Christ was nailed to the Cross (cf. John 19:17). On Easter and in His Ascension Christ rose bodily in triumph and glory not only from the dead but to the Father’s right hand in Heaven. All of this and more makes up our Eucharistic Faith, which daily strengthens us for living holy lives

　

　

God bless you!

Father John Arthur Orr