The Sacraments

1. The Sacraments Section 3: The Sacraments of Initiation (Part 2)

2. Part 1: The Eucharist: the culmination of Christian initiation • The Eucharist is a sign and the cause of our union in Christ as He becomes one of us, and us one with Him. • In the Gospel of John, Jesus is presented to us by the Greek word Logos, which means “word.” • The Word of God became man in Jesus Christ, hence why the use of the term Word to describe Jesus from “Logos.” • The Sacrament of the Eucharist makes Christ’s Passion present to us on the altar in the bread and wine, which truly becomes His very own Body and Blood. • The Eucharist then is the central liturgical celebration that Jesus established at the Last Supper, in which Jesus’ sacrificial death are remembered and renewed.

3. Part 1: The Eucharist: the culmination of Christian initiation • At Mass, gifts of bread and wine are brought to the offer to give thanks to God for the gifts of those who made the bread and wine, the many other gifts God has given us, as well we the gift of His Son’s body and blood, which the bread and wine will become. • Melchizedek offered bread and wine as symbols of all the fist God has given to us. • Bread became a sign of God’s faithfulness and freedom as the Israelites fled Egypt with unleavened bread. • God then sent manna, or bread from Heaven, to sustain the Israelites in the desert.

4. Part 1: The Eucharist: the culmination of Christian initiation • In Jerusalem, drinking of wine was sharing in the joyful coming of the Messiah. • Jesus announced the saving presence of wine at the wedding of Cana when he turned water into wine. • Jesus became the bridegroom, and the Church, His bride, would drink the wine, which would be His blood shed on the cross. • At the Last Supper, Jesus became our very own Passover, from sin to freedom, from death into eternal life, by the sacred meal and the Passion He had to endure.

5. Part 1: The Eucharist: the culmination of Christian initiation • Jesus’ institution of the Eucharist is a sign of His love for us all. • At the Passover, a lamb would be slaughtered and be eaten to sustain the life of God’s people; Jesus, the new lamb, was crucified for the life of all people, of His holy Church. • The Eucharist is not a act of empty remembrance, but the transformation of bread and wine into the true Body and Blood of Christ. • The memorial of the Eucharist is a living memory, or anamnesis, and the words in the Eucharistic prayer that remembers God’s saving action in His Passion after the words of institution.

6. Part 1: The Eucharist: the culmination of Christian initiation • The Last Supper became the First Supper in that it would be celebrated in similar structure by Jesus’ Apostles and down through the ages of the Church for 2000 years. • The Eucharist is also a praise of thanksgiving for the saving work of Christ. • The word Eucharist it Greek literally means “thanksgiving.” • In the Eucharist we recall Christ’s death and Resurrection, yet it is also made truly present to us in the bread and wine. • We celebrate the Eucharist in union with the Pope and with all other Catholic Churches as a sign of unity in Christ. • At every Eucharist, we are joined with those alive and those in Heaven as the Eucharist is a celebration that gives us a taste of what life in Heaven is like.

7. Part 1: The Eucharist: the culmination of Christian initiation • Bread is used as a symbol of God’s love and gifts to Israel throughout the Old Testament. • After fleeing the Egyptians, the Israelites thought God led them into the desert to die after wandering for many years, so God rained down manna, or bread form Heaven to show His love for His people. • Jesus said that He was the true bread of life; the Israelites ate manna to sustain life on this Earth; Jesus’ Body, His Bread, would give life and those who ate of it would not die. • Manna prefigured the Eucharist in that it was a glimpse of Jesus Himself, food from Heaven, yet Jesus is the true life giving manna found in the Eucharist.

8. Part 1: The Eucharist: the culmination of Christian initiation • The bread used in Church is unleavened, like that of the Israelites who had no time to wait for the yeast to rise in the bread and baked it as such. • Melchizedek brought out bread and wine to greet Abraham when he called him the Father of all nations, showing that bread and wine are gifts offered to God for all His goodness. • We offer bread and wine to Christ in the New Covenant, which Christ makes as a perfect offering to the Father. • When Jesus took five loaves of bread and two fish, broke them, gave thanks, and fed over 5000 people, this prefigured the Eucharist in show Jesus feeding us by His own hands.

9. Part 1: The Eucharist: the culmination of Christian initiation • The most influential New Testament accounts of the Eucharist are that of the Last Supper accounts found in the Gospels. • Paul, who was originally named Saul, persecuted those who believed in Christ until one day he was knocked off his horse on the road to Damascus, heard the voice of Christ, and was converted. • Paul wrote about the Last Supper, even though he was not there, because Christ made it known to him the importance of the bread and wine, the meal, that becomes the Body and Blood of Christ.

10. Part 1: The Eucharist: the culmination of Christian initiation

11. Part 1: The Eucharist: the culmination of Christian initiation • The Eucharist is the source and summit of all Christian life. • The Eucharist is the summary of our faith and the “new and everlasting covenant” that Christ made with all humanity. • Eucharist, in Greek, means “thanksgiving,” showing why we say grace when we have a meal, and that the Eucharist is a way to thank God for His Son’s Passion. • The word blessing is also related to the Eucharist as Christ broke the bread and blessed it, showing that the Eucharist is a prayer of praise for the greatness of God, • The Lord’s Supper refers to the Last Supper, the supper of the Lamb, that is celebrated in Mass and in Heaven.

12. Part 1: The Eucharist: the culmination of Christian initiation • The Breaking of Bread shows that when Christ broke the bread and gave it to the disciples, He gave it to all people of His Church throughout the centuries, and even though it is broken into many pieces, it unities all people into the one Body of Christ. • The Eucharist is the central point our lives revolve around. • The Eucharistic Assembly refers to the Sunday on which early Christians met to celebrate together the Lord’s Supper. • The Eucharist is called the Holy Sacrifice since it is the sacrifice of Christ that is made present in the liturgy of the Mass. • The Holy and Divine Liturgy refers to the Mass since at its core is the celebration of the Eucharist, the Blessed Sacarament.

13. Part 1: The Eucharist: the culmination of Christian initiation • In Eucharist we are all united as one in Christ, made as a holy communion of people, hence the title for the Eucharist of “Holy Communion.” • The Body and Blood of Christ are known as “holy things.” • The Holy Mass refers to the entire liturgy and Eucharistic celebration. • Missa in Latin means “dismissal,” showing that the Mass is important after Holy Communion is distributed to dismiss those and send people forth to accomplish the will of God in the world, empowered by Christ’s Body and Blood.

14. Part 2: The Celebration of the Eucharist

15. Part 2: The Celebration of the Eucharist • Sunday is the day when all the Catholic community comes together to celebrate the Eucharist, which has been done since the early centuries of the Church to commemorate Christ’s Resurrection on Easter Sunday. • The first Christians were Jewish Christians, who met each day, especially on Sunday, to celebrate the breaking of bread. • Gentiles, or those who are not Jewish, gathered in people’s homes since they had no synagogue or church to go to, to read Scripture and celebrate the Eucharist as a community. • Church comes from the Greek word ekklesia, which means “an assembly.”

16. Part 2: The Celebration of the Eucharist • Church, when used, means a holy people, a chosen race, called to God’s priesthood to announce the greatness and vastness of God’s goodness. • The Church has 3 inseparable meanings, which are: • The entire People of God throughout the world • The diocese, or local Church • Assembled believers gathered at the Celebration of the Holy Eucharist

17. Part 2: The Celebration of the Eucharist • An assembly is the gathering of the baptized with Christ as the head of the assembly; simply put, a congregation. • The priest represents Christ at all liturgies, who is the invisible presider, who the priest acts in the person of Christ. • Mass usually begins with an opening hymn in which the cross, altar servers, readers, Eucharistic ministers, deacons, and priest all process into the Church. • Following that is the Introductory Rite, in which all make the Sign of the Cross and are greeted by the priest. • The Penitential Act allows us to examine our conscience before celebrating Mass with the priest and ask for God’s forgiveness.

18. Part 2: The Celebration of the Eucharist • The Gloria follows in which praise is given to God by His creatures for all that He is. • The Introductory Rite ends with the Collect, or the Opening Prayer, in which the priest extends his hands a prays a prayer designed to coincide with that day’s readings. • The next part of the Mass is the Liturgy of the Word, in which various Scripture readings and psalms, all with a similar message, are selected that can help us in our daily lives. • There are three Scripture readings at each Sunday Mass; one from the Old Testament, one from the Epistles, and one from the Gospel, showing the connectivity between Old and New Testament.

19. Part 2: The Celebration of the Eucharist • The First Reading draws us into the root of our faith, of the trials and tribulations of our ancestors in faith, the Israelites. • The singing of a Psalm follows, which is rooted in the Jewish worship tradition, following the reading of Scripture. • The Second Reading is after the Psalm, which is usually a letter from Saint Paul or one of the Apostles, describing different aspects of faith that can still be applied today. • The Gospel Acclamation, or Alleluia, is sung before the Gospel is read following the Second Reading. • The Gospel is read by a priest or deacon and is the high point of the Liturgy of the Word since in the Gospel, which literally means “Good News,” are the words of Jesus Christ Himself.

20. Part 2: The Celebration of the Eucharist • The Priest gives a homily, reflecting on the Scripture readings of the day and their message, making it relevant to our time, needs, and questions. • The Profession of Faith is a response to the readings in which the assembly acknowledges the truths of our faith and helps us respond to the Eucharist. • The Universal Prayer is the final part of the Liturgy of the Word, in which we pray for world, national, and local issues, as well as petitions of thanksgiving and assistance to those who may be sick or ill.

21. Part 2: The Celebration of the Eucharist • Liturgy of the Word • Introductory Rite • Penitential Act • Gloria • Collect • First Reading • Psalm • Second Reading • Gospel • Homily • Profession of Faith • Universal Prayer

22. Part 2: The Celebration of the Eucharist • There are two cycles of readings for the liturgical calendar: • Sunday Readings • Weekday Readings • The Sunday cycle is divided into three years, simply labeled Years A, B, and C. • Year A is mostly the Gospel of Matthew; Year B, Mark; Year C, Luke. • The Gospel of John is used during Easter season in all three cycles. • The Weekday cycle is divided into two years, labeled Years I and II. • Year II is read on even numbered years, but the Gospel readings are the same for both Years I and II.

23. Part 2: The Celebration of the Eucharist • Before Vatican II, or the Second Vatican Counsel, the Sunday Liturgy only had a reading from the New Testament and the Gospel; during Weekdays and Solemnities were the only times when the Old Testament texts read until Vatican II changed the structure of the Liturgy of the Word. • Following the Liturgy of the Word is the second part of Mass, called the Liturgy of the Eucharist. • Only a validly ordained priest can celebrate the Liturgy of the Eucharist since only a priest can consecrate the bread and wine to become Jesus’ Body and Blood. • Christ acts through the priest to make the gifts a perfect offering to God for the salvation of the world.

24. Part 2: The Celebration of the Eucharist • The Real Presence of Christ means that Jesus is truly present in the bread and wine when they are transformed into His actual Body and Blood. • Transubstantiation is the action of change bread and wine by the priest into the Body and Blood of Christ. • The accidents are called bread and wine since they still appear to be bread and wine after consecration, yet the substance of bread and wine changes into the Body and Blood of Jesus. • The Altar is prepared for the Liturgy of the Eucharist with a corporal, or a square white linen on which the paten (bowl) and chalice sit, the purificator, or the small linen used to whip the chalice after drinking, and the Roman Missal, or the book of prayers.

25. Part 2: The Celebration of the Eucharist • The gifts or bread and wine are brought to the priest by people from the assembly, along with money from collections, just as Melchizedek offered bread and wine to God when Abraham came to him. • The priest raises the bread and says a blessing over it, then pours the wine into the chalice, followed by a little bit of water, recalling how we will become intermingled with Christ as the water and wine now are. • The priest then raises the chalice and says a blessing over it, just as he did over the bread. • The priest then washes his hands to signify the cleansing of sin of the entire assembly before God’s table, and begins the prayers to offer not just his, but OUR sacrifice to God.

26. Part 2: The Celebration of the Eucharist • The Liturgy of the Eucharist continues with the Eucharistic Prayer, which consists of: • The Preface • The Preface Acclamation (Holy, Holy, Holy) • Thanksgiving to the Father for all His gifts, especially His Son • The Epiclesis, or Institution narrative • Anamnesis • The Offering • Intercessions • The Concluding Doxology • Amen

27. Part 2: The Celebration of the Eucharist • The Eucharistic Prayer is sometimes called anaphora, which in Greek means to “carry up” or “offering.” • The Preface Dialogue is between the priest and the assembly, in which the assembly confirms they offer up their hearts along with the gifts of bread and wine. • The Preface gives thanks to the Father for His Son through the workings of the Holy Spirit, all of whom saved and sanctify us. • There are many different prefaces for different occasions, yet they all convey the mystery, power, and glory of God, and all conclude with the Holy, Holy, Holy.

28. Part 2: The Celebration of the Eucharist • The Epiclesis, in Greek meaning invocation, the priest stretches out his hands over the bread and wine and asks the Father to send His Holy Spirit upon the gifts “like the dewfall.” • The Institution Narrative follows, in which the priest speaks the exact words that Jesus spoke at the Last Supper when he Himself consecrated the bread and wine, making them His Body and Blood. • This is the point of transubstantiation, when the accidents of bread and wine change in substance to the Body and Blood of Christ. • The Eucharist is NOT a symbol of Jesus’ Body and Blood; it IS His Body and Blood.

29. Part 2: The Celebration of the Eucharist • The Anamnesis begins with the Mystery of Faith, recalling Christ’s death, Resurrection, and second coming. • Another Epiclesis follows calling on the Father to make all His holy Church one, and then Intercessions are prayed for the entire Church. • The Eucharistic Prayer ends with the Concluding Doxology of “Through Him, with Him, in Him…” with a response of Amen. • The Liturgy of the Eucharist ends with the Communion Rite, which begins with the Our Father. • After another prayer, the assembly is invited to extend a sign of peace to one another as Christ gave His peace to His Apostles before ascending into Heaven.

30. Part 2: The Celebration of the Eucharist • The priest breaks the large host into smaller pieces, called the Breaking of the Bread or the Fraction, followed by the singing of the “Lamb of God.” • The priest intermingles a small piece of Jesus’ Body into the chalice of His Blood. • The assembly then prays the prayer of the centurion from the Gospel of Matthew who asked Jesus to heal his servant, saying “Lord, I am not worthy that you should enter under my roof…” • The Eucharist is distributed, followed by a moment of silence, then the Concluding Prayer, which ends the Liturgy of the Mass.

31. Part 2: The Celebration of the Eucharist • Ministry means “to serve,” and both ordained and lay ministers take part in the Eucharistic celebration of the Mass. • Every liturgy affects the entire life of the Church and all its individuals, in which every person is called to some sort of office or service to God. • In every Eucharist we are united with the Pope as a sign of unity. • We pray for the Pope and our diocese’s bishop since the bishop is responsible for the offering of the Eucharist, even if a priest does it. • The Priest is the head of the congregation whose office it is to untie all God’s people to God at the Lamb’s Supper of the Eucharist.

32. Part 2: The Celebration of the Eucharist • Deacons assist the bishop and priests and are also ordained such as a priest is, just not to the same degree. • Deacons may proclaim the Gospel, give a homily, announce the Universal Prayer, pour the water into the chalice of wine, and dismiss people; they CANNOT consecrate bread and wine for only a priest can do so. • The Laity in the assembly are also called to partake in the Liturgy through prayer and actual ministries that they can perform during the Mass, such as a reader or Eucharistic minister or altar server. • Altar servers hold the Roman Missal for the priest, dress the altar, carry candles and the processional cross, amongst other things to make the Mass flow easier.

33. Part 2: The Celebration of the Eucharist • Readers are the people who read from the ambo, where the book of readings is kept, and are formed by understanding what reading they are asked to do, how to pronounce certain words, and what way to speak and use tone. • Eucharistic Ministers distribute the Body and Blood of Christ to the assembly, as well as take Communion home to the sick who could not attend Mass. • Cantors, or the people who sing in Church, are usually laity; ushers, organists, and master of ceremonies can also be lay persons. • The Assembly are called to offer themselves to God, even if they do not partake in lay ministries, as a sign of unity with one another and with God to form the Body of Christ.

34. Part 3: The Eucharist in daily life • The Concluding Rites are the ending part of the Liturgy, in which announcements are made to communicate with the people, along with: • The Greeting • Final Blessing • Dismissal • The Greeting at the end of Mass is “The Lord be with you,” or God be with you, from which we get the term “good-bye.” • The Priest gives the Greeting at the Concluding Rites, the same person who brought Christ to us in the Eucharist only moments before.

35. Part 3: The Eucharist in daily life • Following the Greeting, the priest gives a Final Blessing, which may be simple and short, or more complex. • A Solemn Blessing is a three fold petition after the assembly is told to bow their heads by the deacon. • A Prayer Over the People is another option and is similar to a Solemn Blessing, but instead of having three petitions, the Prayer Over the People only has one petition that ends in “Through Christ Our Lord.” • The priest or deacon then dismisses the people with either: • Go in peace, glorifying the Lord by your life. • Go forth, the Mass is ended. • Go and announce the Gospel to the of the Lord. • Go in peace.

36. Part 3: The Eucharist in daily life • The people in the assembly respond “Thanks be to God” at the end of one of the four dismissals. • We say “Thanks be to God,” since we are thankful for all the graces we receive in the sacraments, especially of the Eucharist; for Jesus Christ’s life; for God’s gift of life; for the Holy Spirits guiding presence in that life. • The priest and deacon kiss the altar to show reverence to the place where Christ is present in Body and Blood, then bow to the altar with other ministers as the recessional procession goes out of the Church.

37. Part 3: The Eucharist in daily life • The Eucharist has five powerful effects on those who receive it, which are: • It strengthens our union with Christ • It strengthens our union with the Church • Encourages our pray for unity of all Christians • Separates us from sin • Commits us to the poor

38. Part 3: The Eucharist in daily life • The principal effect of receiving communion is to strengthen our relationship with Jesus Christ. • We are the branches and Christ is the vine; without the vine, the branches wither and die. The Eucharist is what connects us braches to the vine that is Christ. • Eucharist is a viaticum at the end of life, or food for the journey from this life into eternal life. • The Eucharist is what makes the Church and when we partake of the Blessed Sacrament, we unite ourselves with the Church. • Not all Christians share the same Lord’s table, meaning some do not come from Apostolic Succession, such as the Protestant church.

39. Part 3: The Eucharist in daily life • Non Catholics therefore cannot receive communion in the Catholic Church and Catholics cannot receive communion outside the Catholic Church (unless in Eastern Orthodox Churches, which are Eastern Churches not in full communion with the Catholic Church, who still have Apostolic Succession and true Sacraments.) Apostolic succession is what allows for priests to be ordained and given the ability to consecrate bread and wine. • The Eucharist does not wipe away sin, but brings us closer to God, which allows us to avoid sinning more and more. Since the Body and Blood of Christ were shed for our sins, the Eucharist distances us from sin itself. • In Saint Paul’s time, some people would have the Eucharist with entire meals, leading to some people having more food and others nothing. We must share our food and our gifts with one another and for the glory of God, recalling that there are less fortunate out there with no home, family, or food but that which they can get for themselves.

40. Part 3: The Eucharist in daily life • Sunday is the day around which the Church revolves, the day on which Christ rose from the dead. • The Sabbath recalls the completion of creation by God, and our Sunday, our Sabbath, recalls the renewal of creation by Christ’s life, death, and Resurrection. • Deliberately skipping Sunday Mass is a grave sin since it is the pinnacle of Catholic life and practice. • Sunday is the day we rest and show our faithfulness to Christ, which is why it is so pivotal to attend Mass.

41. Part 3: The Eucharist in daily life • Eucharistic Worship is performed in three main ways: • Reverence in Mass and toward the Sacrament of the Eucharist • Respect shown toward the tabernacle • Adoration of the Eucharist • We bow our heads before receiving the Body and Blood of Christ to acknowledge His true presence before us and that we are about to receive Him in our bodies, becoming living tabernacles of Christ. • The remaining consecrated hosts leftover from Mass are placed in a tabernacle and a lighted candle nearby shows that Christ is present in the tabernacle, which is why people kneel or bow before the tabernacle when the candle is lighted.

42. Part 3: The Eucharist in daily life • In Adoration, the Eucharist is placed on the altar in a vessel called a monstrance, allowing people to see Christ and spend time with Him right before their eyes, as opposed to Christ in the tabernacle. • The Eucharist commits us to live for Christ, which in turn calls us to serve the poor. • In the Eucharist, Christ gives us His Body and Blood; surely, we can then give something of ourselves for the poor and homeless, who have nothing but the clothes on their back and the little they can carry with them. For as little as you may feel you have, there are people around the world who have so much less.

43. Part 3: The Eucharist in daily life