The Blessed Sacrament

Celebration at Mass,Worship outside Mass

Terms• Eucharist:

• From the Greek, meaning an act of thanksgiving, name for the Christian celebration of the Paschal mystery

• Mass:• From the Latin, meaning dismissed or sent, common name

for the Eucharistic liturgy• Liturgy:

• From the Greek, meaning a public work or service; generally, any act of Christian worship with a set structure; specifically, the celebration of the Eucharistic liturgy

• Communion:• The act of receiving the Body and Blood of Christ; the actual

Body and Blood of Christ after consecration • Consecration:

• Jesus’ words of institution of the Eucharist recited by the priest changing the bread and wine into the Body and Blood of Christ

• Blessed Sacrament:• The Body and Blood of Christ apart from the Eucharistic

liturgy, reserved in the tabernacle for special worship services and for the distribution to the sick

Scripture • 1 Corinthians 11:23-26• First account of the institution of the

Eucharist• Synoptic Gospels• Institution of the Eucharist at the Last

Supper within the celebration of the Passover meal• Jewish celebration of the flight from Egypt

• Command to remember Christ through the celebration of the Eucharist• Celebration of the Christian Passover

• Gospel of John:• Extensive discussion of Jesus as Bread of Life

• Important theological text - John 6:51-58

Brief History• Early Christians celebrated the Eucharist as a

full meal• Agape communal, active love

• Remembrance of Christ’s life, death, and resurrection within the community of believers

• Reception of the Sacraments of Initiation:• At the Easter Vigil with the bishop present

• Separation of Baptism and Confirmation:• Led to various theories as to when people should first

receive the Eucharist• Debated throughout the Middle Ages by theologians

• 19th century practice:• Normal sequence

• Baptism, Confirmation, Penance, and Eucharisto First Communion not received until young adult

Recent Liturgical Reforms• Pope Pius X (1910):

• Set the normative age for First Communion at 7• Jesus’ statement to the Apostles: “let the little children

come to me, and do not stop them” (Luke 18:16)• Maintained tradition of celebrating Penance prior to

First Communion• Vatican II:

• Addressed the issue of lack of reception of the Eucharist

• Encouraged more frequent reception• Stressed the communal nature of the celebration

• Eucharist as an act of communal thanksgiving not just a private act of devotion to God

• Post Vatican II:• Reemphasis of traditional forms of worship

• Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament• Benediction

Catechism• “Source and Summit”

• Everything we do is based on receiving Christ in the Eucharist• Eucharist as supplying us with grace and the end to which our

actions are directed• Demonstration of unity (communion)

• Through the Eucharist, we are repeatedly joined to God and the Church

• Connection to the heavenly liturgy• Each Eucharistic celebration is a part of the heavenly liturgy

• Continuous praising of God “Holy, Holy, Holy”• Gives us a glimpse, a taste, as to what awaits believers

• Anticipation of eternal life with God• “Sum and Summary” of our faith:

• Our way of thinking is attuned to the Eucharist, and the Eucharist in turn confirms our way of thinking

• Eucharist Thanksgiving• Sacrifice of praise by which the Church sings the glory of God

• Possible only through Christo “Through him, with him and in him”

Institution• Aware of his death, Jesus gathered the Apostles to share

a meal• Celebration of the Passover Last Supper• New meaning of the Passover

• Passing over from death to life• Anticipation of the final Passover of the Church in the glory

of Heaven• Eucharist as the memorial of Christ’s death and

Resurrection• Our opportunity to remember the love of God for us

• “God so loved the world…” (John 3:16)• Described by St. Paul and the Evangelists

• Stories passed down and shared by early Christian communities

• Eucharist instituted in the context of service• St. John’s account of Jesus washing the feet of the Apostles

Pledge of Glory• Eucharist as the sign of our life eternal in God

• “as we receive from this altar the sacred body and blood of your Son, let us be filled with every grace and blessing”

o Eucharistic Prayer I (Roman Canon)

• Anticipation of heavenly glory• Celebration of God’s life

• Viaticum• “food for the journey” received before death

• The sacrament of passing over from death to life, from this world to the Father

• Visible, tangible sign of Christ’s continual presence in the world and Church

Sacrament and Sacrifice• “Do this in remembrance of me.”

• We carry out this command by celebrating the memorial of Christ’s sacrifice

• Active participation in our life of grace

• Eucharist as:• Thanksgiving and praise to the Father

• Expressing our appreciation for all that God has given• The sacramental memorial of Christ and his Body

• Makes present the sacrifice on the cross• The presence of Christ by the power of his word and

his Spirit• Fulfills promise to remain with his people; we abide in

Christ and he in us through the reception of his Body and Blood

Consecration, Transubstantiation• Consecration:

• The process by which the bread and wine become the Body and Blood of Christ

• The actions of the priest in persona Christi, uniting the prayers of the people and remembering the command given at the Last Supper

• Transubstantiation:• Philosophical explanation of consecration

• Description of the change of the bread and wine• Christ as fully present in the Eucharistic species

• “Real presence”• The substance part of the bread and wine elements

changes; bread becomes Jesus' body and wine becomes Jesus' blood; but the accidental parts—sight, taste, smell, touch of bread and wine--do not.

Saint Augustine• What you see is the bread and the chalice; that is

what your own eyes report to you. But what your faith obliges you to accept is that the bread is the Body of Christ and the chalice the Blood of Christ. ... How is the bread His Body? And the chalice, or what is in the chalice, how is it His Blood? Those elements, brethren, are called Sacraments, because in them one thing is seen, but another is understood. What is seen is the corporeal species, but what is understood is the spiritual fruit. ... `You, however, are the Body of Christ and His members.' If, therefore, you are the Body of Christ and His members, your mystery is presented at the table of the Lord, you receive your mystery. To that which you are, you answer: `Amen'; and by answering, you subscribe to it. For you hear: `The Body of Christ!' and you answer: `Amen!' Be a member of Christ's Body, so that your `Amen' may be the truth.

• Sermons 38

Celebration of the Eucharist at Mass• The Eucharist:• The celebration of the Paschal Mystery

• Suffering, death, and Resurrection of Christ• Celebrated with the context of the community

o Linking the human with the divine

• Mass:• Four main parts

• Introductory Rites• Liturgy of the Word• Liturgy of the Eucharist• Closing Rites

Justin Martyr• Apologist, martyred in 165 A.D.• Described early Christian worship

• Description written to the emperor• Specifically the celebration of Eucharist• Key components:• Community gathered• Listen to Old and New Testaments

• Connection made by presider• Prayers of intercession• Sign of peace• Offering of bread and wine

• Thanks given to God• Communal reception of Eucharist

• Eucharist brought to the ill by deacons

Breaking of Bread in Community• The Eucharist as the celebration of Christian life

• Life of conversion in relationship with God• Dying to self and living in Christ (Baptism)

• From a life of sin to a life of grace • Celebrating in Community:

• Gathering as “one body” • “We are many parts, We are all one body”

• Communal Effect:• Celebrating the Eucharist as a community commits us

to continue the celebration in our lives• “Go in peace, to love and serve the Lord”

• Communal Commitment:• The Eucharist, as transformative, changes us

• Importance of bringing that “change” to the world

Eucharist and Reconciliation• Every celebration of the Eucharist involves

reconciliation• Penitential Rite at the beginning of Mass

• “Lord, have mercy…” • Reciting the “Our Father”

• “forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us”o Commits us to forgiving each other

• Reconciling / reuniting with the community• “I confess to almighty God and to you my brothers

and sisters”• Blessing and Dismissal:

• Receiving the Eucharist changes us and forces us to go out and change our lives

• Bringing healing and forgiveness to others

Eucharistic Symbols• Key Symbols:

• Bread and Wine• “Blessed are you Lord of all Creation, through your goodness

we have this bread/wine to offer”o “earth has given and human hands have made”o “fruit of the vine and work of human hands “

• Offered in the Old Testament as a grateful acknowledgment of the Creator• Bread

• Unleavened bread from the Exodus• Manna received in the desert• Multiplication of the loaves

• Wine• “cup of blessing”• Eschatological expectation of the rebuilding of Jerusalem

• Symbolize the basic resources given to us by God• We offer them in thanks and praise in the Eucharistic

(Thanksgiving) celebration

Eucharistic Effects• Principle effect of receiving the Eucharist:

• Intimate union with Christ Jesus• “Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood abide in me and I

in them”• Growth in our life in the Spirit

• Just as material food strengthens the body, the Eucharist preserves, increases, and renews the life of grace given at Baptism

• Eucharist separates us from sin:• Cleansing us from past sins and preserving us from future

sins• Venial sins are forgiven through the proper reception of the

Eucharist• Union and graces given to resist temptation to sin

• Sacrament of unity:• As we become closer to Christ, we become closer to the

rest of the Mystical Body of Christ (Church)• Unites Christians together and recommits us to serve one

another in love

Eucharistic Adoration• Adoration:

• Prayer and reflection in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament

• “Holy Hour”o Traditional practice of personal prayer

• Benediction:• Priest blesses people with the Blessed Sacrament

accompanied by hymns of praise to God• Tabernacle:

• Vessel used for the reservation of the Blessed Sacrament

• Placed in a prominent place within the church• Signified by the “Tabernacle Lamp”

• Candle signifying the presence of the Blessed Sacrament

• Monstrance:• Vessel used specifically for Eucharistic Adoration

The Practice of Reservation

Practice of Reservation• Practice of Reservation of the

Sacrament• A divisive subject for Catholics and

Protestants• Some of the consecrated bread and wine

may be left over after Eucharist and “reserved”• Used for the later Communion of the

sick and home-bound• Used as a focus for later private or

corporate devotion

Practice of ReservationHistory

• Justin Martyr (100-165):• Deacons took Eucharistic bread to

those who were absent• The ill• Slaves who could not get to church• Prisoners

• Several days might pass before the consecrated bread could be delivered

Practice of ReservationHistory

• Tertullian (155-220)• Christians desired frequent

communion, but persecution limited Eucharistic services

• Christians began keeping some consecrated bread and wine• at home• on their person

Practice of ReservationHistory

• Irenaeus of Lyons (~150 to ~200):• Bishops sent pieces of consecrated bread

from the main diocesan church to all the parish churches• Sign that there is really but One Church and

One Eucharist (spatial continuity)• Perhaps also a sign of the jurisdiction

• Bishops kept pieces of the consecrated bread in the main diocesan church from one Eucharist to the next• Sign of temporal continuity

Practice of ReservationHistory

• Consecrated elements were treated with great, perhaps superstitious reverence

• Hippolytus (170-235), Apostolic Traditions: if consecrated bread kept at home:• Must not be allowed to fall• Must not get lost• Must be protected against mice

• Ancient sources tell of a third century Christian rebuked for carrying the consecrated bread with him to the circus (an unseemly locale!)

Practice of ReservationHistory

• Middle Ages: Adoration of God as present in the consecrated bread and wine• Elevation of the host and chalice

• Originally one elevation, at the end of the Eucharistic Prayer (“… By him, and with him, and in him, in the unity of the Holy Spirit all honor and glory is yours, Almighty Father, now and for ever.”)

• 1200’s: two additional elevations addedo Words of institution over the breado Words of institution over the wine

Practice of ReservationHistory

• Adoration of God as present in the consecrated bread and wine• Service of Benediction after the

Eucharist• Genuflecting before the “reserved”

host in the tabernacle• Corpus Christi procession: the

“reserved” host is paraded in a corporate “extra-liturgical” devotion

What do these practices imply about the nature of the Eucharist?

Practice of ReservationTheology

• Implications about the Real Presence of Jesus. Was the change of bread and wine into the real Presence of Jesus, body and blood:• A permanent change in some reality?

(Catholic, Orthodox, Anglican view)• An impermanent change in some

objective reality, a change that exists only with the physical presence of a Eucharistic community and the proclamation of the Eucharistic words? (the Lutheran view)

Practice of ReservationTheology

• Taking the consecrated bread and wine to the ill and shut-ins• Catholics, Orthodox, Anglicans: they receive

the body and blood of Christ• Lutherans: they receive the body and blood

of Christ if the distribution is accompanied by Eucharistic prayers and a small Eucharistic community

• Protestants who do not believe in the “real presence” (that is, there is no change in the bread and wine in some objective reality) –it’s just bread and wine. Could be symbolic part of a small prayer service

Practice of ReservationTheology

• Using the “reserved” consecrated bread and wine as a focus for private or corporate devotion• Catholics, Orthodox, Anglicans:

theologically justifiable• Protestants who don’t believe in the

Real Presence: it’s just bread and wine, period, and hence it’s idolatry!

Practice of ReservationTheology

• Using the “reserved” consecrated bread and wine as a focus for private or corporate devotion• Catholics, Orthodox, Anglicans:

theologically justifiable• Catholics: devotion to the reserved

elements at times has been almost a cult• Orthodox: have reverence for the reserved

elements, but few devotions (perhaps because of iconography)

• Anglicans: some find spiritual value in the consecrated elements reserved in a tabernacle

Practice of ReservationTheology

“The tabernacle on the altar or the aumbry set into the wall, veiled and with a light burning perpetually in front of it, is a most powerful symbol of Christ’s abiding presence. No doubt there is a temptation to linger there, as Mary of Bethany lingered, listening to the teachings of Jesus while her sister Martha got on with the work. The church will always have activists and contemplatives, and it needs both. . .”

- Ralph Macquarrie

Practice of ReservationTheology

“It is as impossible for devout faith, contemplating Christ in this sacrament, as it is for a loving mother, looking earnestly at her child, not to love it. The mother’s consciousness of her love, and her outward manifestation of it, may vary; scruples, interruptions, bewilderments may occur; but there it is in her heart, you cannot suppress it. So must there be special adoration and worship in the heart of everyone seriously believing a special, mysterious, presence, of Christ, God, and man, expressed by the words, ‘This is my body’.- John Keble (1792-1866). On Eucharistic Adoration (Professor of Poetry, Oxford University, member of

the “Oxford Movement” of Anglican history)

Eucharistic WorshipOutside Mass: Forms and Etiquette

Eucharistic Worship• Holy Communion Outside Mass

• Long Rite with Celebration of the Word• Short Rite with Celebration of the Word• Short Form with Reading of the Word

• Distribution almost never separated from the Gospel• Viaticum

• Given to the dying• Includes readings as above, and prayers for the sick

• Exposition and Benediction:• As distinct from the actions of the Mass itself• Regulations govern “brief” and “lengthy” periods• Perpetual Adoration requires permission from bishop

• Eucharistic Processions• Often done on Solemnity of Corpus Christi• Distinct from procession on Holy Thursday

Exposition and BenedictionDistinct from the Mass

• Celebration of Mass is prohibited from taking place in the same space where the Blessed Sacrament is exposed to view (either in a monstrance or in a ciborium).

• Lengthy periods of adoration (“for a day or several successive days”) should be interrupted with celebration of Mass (Eucharistic Worship Outside Mass, 82-3)

Exposition and BenedictionSome General Norms

• “(Brief) Exposition merely for the purpose of giving Benediction is prohibited” (89)

• “It is recommended that solemn exposition…for an extended period of time should take place once a year” (86)

• The ordinary minister for exposition is a priest or deacon. An instituted acolyte may expose/repose the Sacrament, but not give the Eucharistic Blessing (91)

Exposition and BenedictionSome General Norms

• For lengthy periods of exposition, the Blessed Sacrament to be exposed “should be consecrated in the Mass which immediately precedes” it, with the concluding rites omitted (94)

• “It is recommended that solemn exposition…for an extended period of time should take place once a year” (86)

• The ordinary minister for exposition is a priest or deacon. An instituted acolyte may expose/repose the Sacrament, but not give the Eucharistic Blessing (91)