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Eucharist |
Mark 14:12-16; 22-26 |
| On the first day of the
Unleavened Bread, when it was customary to sacrifice the paschal lamb, his disciples said
to Jesus, "Where do you wish us to go to prepare the Passover supper for you?"
He sent two of his disciples with these instructions: "Go into the city and
you will come upon a man carrying a water jar. Follow him. Whatever house he
enters, say to the owner, 'The Teacher asks, Where is my guestroom where I may eat the
Passover with my disciples?' Then he will show you an upstairs room, spacious, furnished,
and all in order. That is the place you are to get ready for us." The
disciples went off. When they reached the city they found it just as he had told
them, and they prepared the Passover supper. During the meal he took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them. "TAKE THIS," he said, "THIS IS MY BODY." He likewise took a cup, gave thanks and passed it to them, and they all drank from it. He said to them: "THIS IS MY BLOOD, THE BLOOD OF THE COVENANT, TO BE POURED OUT ON BEHALF OF MANY. I SOLEMNLY ASSURE YOU, I WILL NEVER AGAIN DRINK OF THE FRUIT OF THE VINE UNTIL THE DAY WHEN I DRINK IT NEW IN THE REIGN OF GOD." After singing songs of praise, they walked out to the Mount of Olives. |
| As Catholics we believe the
words of Jesus Christ when he said "THIS IS MY BODY...THIS IS MY BLOOD."
Through the apostolic line of succession, the laying on of hands to every bishop and
priest since that time in the upper room, we continue to believe that at Eucharist
unleavened bread and wine become the BODY and BLOOD of Jesus Christ. At the moment the priest places his consecrated hands over the gifts of bread and wine, then does it become the Lord. Then is it possible to take the Lord in the most powerful way into who we are as people of God. This is the climax of the entire mass. This is when the faithful kneel before our God. This is a holy action, a holy event. This is when we become one with Christ and one with one another. As a family of believers in the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist are we a united assembly with our God. That is why we do not offer Eucharist to non-Catholics. Not out of some sort of arrogance, but because "they" are not united with us into the one family of God, which we pray for constantly throughout the entire mass. |
Next--Holy Orders |
