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I wish you all had a beautiful and joyful Thanksgiving! It is a time to gather around and enjoy the gift of your families. During this time, we reflect on God’s blessings in our lives. As Catholics, may we be grateful for the gift of faith, which opens our hearts and minds to the love and truth of God, and I am especially grateful for the Eucharist, which is the source and summit of our faith.
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The word Eucharist comes from the Greek word eucharistia which means thanksgiving. During the Year of the Eucharist, we reflect on the Eucharist. As we approach the first week of Advent, I would like to touch upon the Eucharist in the Mass. We understand the Eucharist as a thanksgiving and praise to the Father. The sacrificial memorial of Christ and his Body, and the presence of Christ by the power of His word and of his Spirit.
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Thanksgiving and praise to the Father. The Eucharist as a thanksgiving and praise to the Father is a celebration of all that Christ accomplished on the Cross. In the Eucharistic Sacrifice, all of creation loved by God is presented to the Father through Christ and in return the Church can offer a sacrifice of praise for all that God has made good.
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The sacrificial memorial of Christ and his Body. The word memorial is not simply a collection of events that are recalled and took place in the past. When the Church celebrates these events, they are present to us here and now. For example, in the Old Testament, while remembering the event of the Exodus, we as a people conform our lives to this truth. The memorial takes on a new meaning in the New Testament, because Christ’s sacrifice on the Cross is made ever present, and as it is, the work of our redemption is carried out.
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The presence of Christ by the power of his word and of his Spirit. The Eucharistic presence is a work of the Holy Spirit and it begins at the moment of the consecration during the Eucharistic Prayer, and once bread and wine are transformed into the Body and Blood of Christ they do not turn back. This is called transubstantiation. All of Christ is present, Body Blood Soul and Divinity in the Eucharistic species to the point that it does not diminish by breaking the host in half.
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You can find a more detailed outline of the Eucharist in the Catechism of the Catholic Church in paragraphs 1358- 1381. Reflect this Advent on prayer and the Eucharist this season of Advent. During Advent, we prepare for the coming of Christ. God Bless you and your families!
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