The Eucharist
The Source and Summit of Christian Life
 The Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of
Jesus Christ
 All other Sacraments are directed toward
it
 Completes Christian Initiation
 Instituted at the Last Supper


Was a Passover meal
Passover
Meal
• Historical Background:
– 10 Plagues of Egypt: Final plague = death of 1st born
– Only way to escape death was to offer up a Passover
Meal which required:
• Sacrifice of a male lamb without blemish and no broken
bones
• The heart was pierced by a high priest, and the people
placed the blood over the doorway with a hyssop branch and
ate the lamb
– God keeps his Covenant with the people to love them
and give them eternal life
Passover
Meal
• Hebrew (Jewish) people celebrated this every year
(once a year) to renew the Covenant with God
• God’s wrath and justice would “pass- over” those who did
this
• Those who ate the lamb would be spared
• When Jesus was celebrating this Passover meal
with his disciples, he reminded them that He was
the Lamb of God
• It was HIS flesh, not a lamb’s, that would need to be eaten
• Lamb isn’t just sacrificed, it is consumed as well
John 6: Bread of Life Discourse
• “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me will
never hunger, and whoever believes in me will never
thirst.” –Jn6:35
• Jews are shocked and murmur among themselves
• Jesus says to stop murmuring and goes on to say:
• “I am the living bread that came down from heaven; whoever eats
this bread will live forever; and the bread that I will give is my flesh
for the life of the world” –Jn6:48-51
• Jews quarrel again and say: How can this man give
us his flesh to eat?!
• Jesus responds:
• “Unless you eat of the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood,
you do not have life within you. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks
my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him on the last day. For
my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink.” –Jn6:53-55
He’s not
kidding!
As a result, many left and no longer
accompanied him”- Jn6:66
When Jesus taught, he always
clarified; he wanted to make himself
understood
i.e. Nicodemus: Jesus corrects
him, telling him that he does not
mean to go back into womb, but
be born from above
In Original translation, Greek word
used here is
“Phago”: to consume/eat
Clearly, they are taking him
literally here
In Original translation, Greek word
used here is
“Trojo”: to crunch with one’s teeth
He does not say “Wait, I don’t really
mean that, you don’t quite have it
right.” He reinforces what he says to
them in a more graphic way!
Eucharist
• The Mass is not a re-killing of Jesus
“Do this in remembrance of me”
– Mt 26
To Jews that did not mean to think
about. Meant to make alive and
present here and now
– Is not a new sacrifice
– Just as Passover was celebrated to renew covenant, The
“Lamb’s Supper” (MASS) is celebrated regularly
– It is a re-presentation (it again is made present) of the
Sacrifice (that was made once for all) of the sacrifice
• Doctrine of Transubstantiation
– It is a bloodless sacrifice
– “Accidents” stay the same
– Substance changes
• It is True Presence of Christ
• Not a Symbol or Sign
Accomplished ONCE for ALL
Officially defined at
the Council of Trent
If Jews ate “signs” of lamb, but not
real lamb during Passover, they
would not have been spared
– The whole Christ is present
even if the parts are divided
– Presence of Christ endures as long
as what remains appears to be bread
and wine, recognizable as such, and uncorrupted
Eucharist: Requirements & Effects
• Must…
–
–
–
–
–
Be a baptized Catholic
Be of age seven
Have received first reconciliation prior to first reception of the Eucharist
Fast from food and drink except water or medicine one hour prior to reception
Have no mortal sin present on soul
• Effects:
– When we receive Eucharist in state of grace, our intimate union with Christ is
strengthened
– Removes venial sins
– Strengthens against temptation
– Decreases purgatorial debt
– Reduces drives of concupiscence
Eucharistic Miracles
• Lanciano, Italy:
• 700 AD. 1250 years ago!
Eucharistic Miracles
http://www.therealpresence.org/eucharst/mir/engl_mir.htm
LANCIANO, ITALY
• Tests were performed in 1574 (equal weights of
various sized coagulated clumps)
and 1970 (found:
– The Flesh is real Flesh. The Blood is real Blood.
– The Flesh and the Blood
• belong to the human species
• consist of the muscular tissue of the heart
• have the same blood-type: AB (Blood-type identical to that
which Prof. Baima Bollone uncovered in the Holy Shroud of
Turin)
SIENNA, ITALY
1789- placed in sealed
container next to sealed
container of unconsecrated
hosts; those deteriorated
and the consecrated hosts
stayed intact and can
still be seen today
Santarem,
Portugal
Woman stole the
host and wrapped
it up. It bled and
she hid it in a
drawer, and it bled
for three days
after she gave it to
a priest when her
husband
discovered it. Can
visit it there
today.
Cascia, Italy: 1300s
Priest irreverently placed the consecrated
host in his breivery, only to open it up to
discover bloody pages. The page can be
seen today (left) in Cascia
(also the home of St. Rita’s incorrupt body!)