THCT202 MODULE 5:CELEBRATING THE EUCHARIST

IntroductionSacrament of Eucharist - General IntroductionScriptural Foundations of the EucharistExploring Eucharist as 'Meal' and 'Communion'Celebrating the Eucharistic LiturgyVideo ActivitiesConclusion

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MODULE 5: CELEBRATING THE EUCHARISTThe Eucharist is the source and summit of the Church’s life. 1 In its celebration Christians enter into the Paschal Mystery,recalling the words and actions of Jesus, offering a sacrifice of praise to the Father, and becoming holy through the power ofthe Holy Spirit. This central sacrament of the Church’s life is “an action of Christ the Priest and of his Body which is theChurch” and “is a sacred action surpassing all others; no other action of the Church can equal its effectiveness by the sametitle and to the same degree.” 2

Module 5 3 of THCT202 runs over three weeks, and investigates the sacrament of the Eucharist by introducing its scripturalorigins, exploring its theological meanings and studying the way in which it is celebrated by the Church. Because theEucharist is the most frequently celebrated of all of the sacraments, it is important to understand what it celebrates, why it iscelebrated, how it is celebrated, where it is celebrated and how to prepare Eucharistic celebrations. This module willexamine all of these aspects of the Eucharist through select readings, videos and targeted activities.

READINGS AND ACTIVITIESIn Module 5 you will find links to:

five required readings with activitiesfour video resources with activities

Completing the required readings and their related activities will enhance your understanding of the Sacrament of theEucharist and will supplement and expand on the materials presented to you in lectures.

The key concepts introduced in these Required Readings will be referenced in all of your Assessment Tasks for THCT202.

LEARNING OUTCOMESThis module will focus on the following learning outcomes:

Reflect critically on the theological, biblical and ecclesial meanings of the sacraments of initiation and reconciliation(GA4);Prepare sacramental celebrations utilising the Church’s official liturgical books, and explain their theological meaning(GA7, GA9);Identify and explain the theological meaning of the central symbols employed in the Church’s sacramental rituals(GA4,GA9).

1 SC#7, ibid., p.11.

2 Catholic Church, “Sacrosanctum Concilium: The Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy,” #10, The Liturgy Documents: AParish Resource (Chicago: LTP, 1991), 11.

3 This module and its learning activities have been authored by Clare V. Johnson.

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5.1 SACRAMENT OF EUCHARIST - GENERALINTRODUCTIONThe Eucharist is the central ritual of Christianity. It is celebrated by different Christian denominations in varying ways. Inorder to appreciate the significance of the Christian Eucharist, it is important to understand its origins and theologicaldevelopment. In “Rituals of Prayer, Worship and the Eucharist,” Cooke and Macy offer a general introduction tounderstanding the different components of the Christian ritual of celebrating the Eucharist as it was enacted in the earlyChurch, and explain that the same basic shape of the Eucharist from the first centuries of Christianity is still what Christiansenact today. Cooke and Macy refer to the Jewish origins of the Christian prayers and ritual elements of the Eucharist, andexplain how these original practices were adapted once Christianity moved into the Greco-Roman world with the spread ofthe faith beyond the Holy Land.

Cooke and Macy also explore the question of how the presence of Christ can be described as ‘real’ and what explanationshave been advanced by different groups to explain this presence of Christ in the bread and wine of the Eucharist. Thereading also investigates the question of who can legitimately lead the community in its ritual prayer and why differentChristian denominations have different rules in this area of their practice. The chapter concludes by outlining five hallmarksof all Christian rituals.

5.1.1 ANALYSE AND EXPLAIN RITUAL SIGNIFICANCE

PURPOSE:To analyse and explain the key concepts and symbolic understandings surround the Sacrament of Eucharist.

RESOURCES:Cooke, Bernard and Gary Macy. “Rituals of Prayer, Worship and the Eucharist.” Christian Symbol and Ritual: AnIntroduction. New York: Oxford, 2005, 87-107.

TASK:As you read this text, watch out for answers to the following questions:

1. How do Cooke and Macy justify the exclusion of some people from receiving the Eucharist even from theearliest days of the Christian community? How do they explain ‘excommunication’?

2. Cooke and Macy summarise the meaning of transubstantiation in their discussion of ‘real presence’. Explainwhat ‘transubstantiation’ is in your own words, and note the approaches put forward by the differentreformation theologians to explain the ‘real presence’ of Christ in the Eucharist. What sets the Catholicunderstanding apart from the reformation understandings?

3. The chapter concludes by outlining five hallmarks of all Christian rituals. List the five elements and provide anexample of how they are realized in the Catholic Eucharistic ritual.

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5.2 SCRIPTURAL FOUNDATIONS OF THEEUCHARISTIn studying the sacrament of the Eucharist scholars begin with the New Testament accounts of the Last Supper, as well asinvestigating other scriptural narratives involving Jesus’ interaction, teaching and behaviour in meal-settings.

THE PASSOVER OF JESUSWhen Jesus took bread and wine at the Last Supper, a Passover meal in three of the four Gospel accounts (Mark, Matthewand Luke) these elements and this context already had some meaning, both for Jesus himself and for those around him. The bread used in the Passover meal recalled the events of the Exodus, the escape of the Israelites from slavery and deathin Egypt into the Promised Land and freedom. This multivalent symbol was what Jesus chose to employ at the Last Supperto make a different point. The bread that Jesus took in his hands at the Last Supper he identified with himself and what wasabout to occur the following day in his death and resurrection. The bread of the Exodus was now to represent ‘his bodygiven for us,’ that which would serve as the means via which freedom from the slavery and death of sin would be effected,and via which the possibility of entry into eternal life would be made possible.

THE LAST SUPPER AS A JEWISH MEMORIAL MEALThe New Testament includes four separate accounts of the Last Supper Jesus shared with his disciples (Matthew, Mark,Luke and 1 Corinthians). This text is known as the Institution Narrative – the story of how Jesus ‘instituted’ the Eucharist,and is a central part of all Eucharistic Prayers within the Catholic Mass. 4 All of the NT accounts agree that the Last Supperwas held on the night before Jesus was executed, which for the Synoptics, was the first evening of the Passover feast, whilethe lambs were being slaughtered in the Temple. There is some scholarly debate as to whether this was the night of thePassover or not, because in John’s account the supper is held on the previous night such that Jesus is executed at the timethe Passover lambs are sacrificed.

The four accounts of the institution are separated into two groups or types, Matthew/Mark and Luke/Paul, according to theiragreements or differences with one another. Liturgical scholar Fr. John Baldovin, SJ explains the origins of the Eucharist inthe New Testament in this reading, and notes some of the differences between the accounts of the Last Supper in the NewTestament.

5.2.1 ANALYSE AND COMPARE NARRATIVES

PURPOSE:To examine the origins of the Eucharist in scripture and compare the different narratives that form the foundation ofthe Sacrament.

RESOURCES:Baldovin, John. “ The Eucharist in the New Testament.” Bread of Life, Cup of Salvation: Understanding the Mass.Lanham MD: Rowman and Littlefield, 2003, 12-33.

TASK:As you are reading, consider the following key questions:

1. How does the Jewish Berakah prayer relate to the Christian Eucharistic Prayer? What does this relationship

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tell us about the actions and words of Jesus at the Last Supper and what we do in the Eucharist today?2. When you compare the Matthew/Mark accounts of the Last Supper with the Luke/Paul (1 Cor) accounts, what

differences do you notice? According to Baldovin, what is the most likely explanation for the differencesbetween the NT accounts of the Last Supper?

3. In the New Testament, Jesus uses meals to serve many different purposes and make many different points tohis disciples. What do we learn about Jesus and the kingdom of God through his behaviour at the meals (otherthan the Last Supper) recorded in the NT? What does this information teach us about the celebration of theEucharist?

4 There is an exception to the ‘rule’ that all Eucharistic Prayers by nature must contain an Institution Narrative. TheAnaphora (another term for Eucharistic Prayer) of Addai and Mari from the Assyrian Church of the East lacks an InstitutionNarrative, and yet is still considered to be an authentic and sacramentally legitimate Eucharistic Prayer. For more detailssee the Vatican web site.

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5.3 EXPLORING EUCHARIST AS 'MEAL' AND'COMMUNION'A variety of different approaches to understanding the Eucharist is required in order to explore its complexity. TheologianKevin Irwin uses the image of a mosaic to describe how to approach study of the Eucharist, explaining that “no one color orshape of one kind of glass makes up a mosaic. It takes the juxtaposition of each and every piece to make a work of art…The same is true for sacramental theology derived from the liturgy…it is multivalent. It contains and reflects a number ofmutually enriching meanings.” 5 So when we study the Eucharist, there are a number of different ways to approach it whichemphasise different aspects of it, such as studying the Eucharist as a meal, as a sacrifice, and as common-union or‘communion’.

EUCHARIST AS MEALThe most basic way of understanding the Eucharist is to study it as a meal. The Eucharist is a ritual meal in whichChristians consume consecrated bread and wine, the Body and Blood of Christ, and in so doing, ‘commune’ with Christ,receiving him physically into our bodies under the forms of bread and wine in order that we may become what it is that weconsume: the Body of Christ in the world. In this sacrament, Christians are fed with spiritual food for life’s journey in orderthat we might undertake our mission of spreading the Gospel in the world.

5.3.1 SUMMARISE AND ANALYSE SYMBOLS

PURPOSE:To enhance your understanding of why the meal is such an appropriate ritual form to serve as the central Christiancelebration.

RESOURCES:O’Loughlin, Frank. “A Meal.” The Eucharist: Doing What Jesus Did. Strathfield NSW: St. Pauls, 1997, 79-108.

Available on reserve at the campus library.

TASK:In this reading, Australian priest-liturgist Fr. Frank O’Loughlin explores the Eucharist as a meal. Before you read thisreading, prepare 2 columns on a sheet of paper or in electronic form: title Column 1: ‘Meals in general’ and titleColumn 2: ‘Eucharist’. As you read O’Loughlin’s chapter, note each characteristic of meals in general in column 1 andin column 2, explain how this meal-characteristic informs our understanding of the meaning of Eucharist. Ensure thatyou note the different symbols (bread, wine) and ritual actions (blessing, breaking of bread) used in Jewish mealsand how they influence the development and meaning of the Christian Eucharist. Complete the comparison betweenthe ritual form of meal and the Eucharist as you are reading.

5.3.2 REFLECT CRITICALLY

PURPOSE:To explore the symbolic meaning of the "meal" and how it can help us to understand our relationship with God

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through the Eucharist.

RESOURCES:Video link: YouTube

TASK:As you watch this video, consider the following questions:

1. What are the key scriptural meals Barron identifies to help to explain why the meal is such an appropriate ritualform to represent our relationship with God?

2. What are the characteristics of Jesus’ open table-fellowship in the New Testament? What does Jesus’ mealbehavior reveal about our relationship with God and what the Kingdom of God is like?

EUCHARIST AS COMMUNIONOne of the primary ways to understand the Eucharist is via the notion of ‘communion.’ At its most obvious level,‘communion’ is a description of what happens when the faithful receive the consecrated bread and wine of the Eucharist asCommunion and take into themselves the Body and Blood of Christ so that they can become what they eat and drink in thesacrament of the Eucharist. But there are also other ways in which ‘communion’ is achieved among those participating inthe celebration of the Eucharist. Bernard Cooke investigates the different facets of Eucharist as Communion in the nextreading. As you read this reading, focus on the following questions as these will help you to process and summarise thereading’s contents and understand different ways in which our celebration of the Eucharist effects ‘communion’.

5.3.3 SUMMARISE AND EXPLAIN

PURPOSE:To understand the different ways in which our celebration of the Eucharist effects ‘communion’.

RESOURCES:Cooke, Bernard. “ Eucharist as Communion.” Sacraments and Sacramentality. Mystic: Twenty-Third, 1994, 94-107.

TASK:As you read this reading, focus on the following questions:

1. What does Cooke identify as the characteristics of ‘presence’ in general? In what ways is Christ present in theEucharistic community?

2. Summarise in your own words the explanation Cooke provides for the process of ‘transubstantiation’ whichoccurs in the consecration of the Eucharist.

3. Beyond the faithful receiving the Body and Blood of Christ as Communion, what are the 4 other ways in which‘communion’ occurs in the celebration of the Eucharist?

4. Why are people the most important symbolic element in any celebration of the Eucharist?

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5 Kevin W. Irwin, Models of the Eucharist (New York: Paulist, 2005), 33.

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5.4 CELEBRATING THE EUCHARISTIC LITURGYThe Mass or the celebration of the Eucharistic liturgy is made up of two major sections with an introduction and aconclusion:

Introductory Rites

Entrance Procession [antiphon]GreetingPenitential ActKyrieGloria in excelsisOpening Collect

Liturgy of the Word

First ReadingResponsorial Psalm [gradual]Second ReadingGospel Acclamation [Alleluia; alters during Lent]GospelHomilyCreedThe Universal Prayer or Prayers of the Faithful(Collection)

Liturgy of the Eucharist

Preparation of the Gifts (including the Offertory Procession)Prayer over the OfferingsEucharistic PrayerDialoguePrefaceSanctusEpiclesis, Institution Narrative, ConsecrationMystery of Faith/Memorial AcclamationAnamnesis, Oblation, Intercessions, DoxologyGreat AmenCommunion RiteThe Lord’s PrayerThe Rite of PeaceThe Fraction Rite (including the Agnus Dei)CommunionPrayer after CommunionBrief Announcements

Concluding Rites

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GreetingBlessingDismissal(Recessional hymn - optional)

In order to understand how to prepare to celebrate the Eucharist, it is important to appreciate the purpose of each elementof the Eucharistic liturgy. In the next reading, John D. Laurence lists and explains the various components of the part of theMass known as the Liturgy of the Eucharist.

The Missal (in Latin: Missale Romanum, which also used to be called the Sacramentary) is the book used by the priest topreside at the Mass. Laurence references the General Instruction of the Roman Missal ( GIRM) to explain what theChurch’s official expectations are for how the Mass is to be celebrated. For those who are preparing celebrations of theEucharist, having an understanding of how the Church expects the Mass to be celebrated is essential.

5.4.1 IDENTIFY AND SUMMARISE RITUAL ACTIONS

PURPOSE:To examine the theological meaning surrounding each element of the Eucharistic liturgy and understand the Church'sexpectations.

RESOURCES:Laurance, John D. “ The Liturgy of the Eucharist.” The Sacrament of the Eucharist. Lex Orandi Series. Ed. John D.Laurance. Collegeville: Liturgical, 2012, 150-187.

TASK:As you read this text:

write a brief summary of what occurs during each of the ritual moments comprising the Liturgy of the Eucharistidentify what theological meaning is attached to the ritual actions completed by the priest-presider and theassembly.

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VIDEO ACTIVITIESHOW TO SET UP FOR MASSUnderstanding how to set up the church or worship-space for the celebration of Mass is a very useful skill to have foranyone involved in preparing Eucharistic liturgies in school or parish settings. This video has been specially produced toteach you the practicalities of preparing for the celebration of the Eucharist. It will introduce you to the different items whichmust be arranged for use in the celebration, where they must be located in the church, and why particular reverence is to beshown to certain parts of the church both during the setting-up process and during the liturgy of the Eucharist itself.

5.4.2 ASCERTAIN SYMBOLIC MEANING

PURPOSE:To learn how to practically set up a worship space and understand the symbolism of the Eucharist celebration.

RESOURCES:Video link: YouTube

TASK:Watch this video now, and as you watch, keep an eye out for the following:

1. What must be placed on the altar for the celebration of the Eucharist? List the items.2. What items are to be placed on the credence table ahead of the celebration? What is the purificator used for?3. What is the Lectionary? How does the Ordo relate to the Lectionary when setting up for Mass?4. What does the water that is mixed with the wine before the consecration symbolize?5. When are purple vestments worn during the Liturgical Year? What do they symbolize?

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THE PLACE FOR EUCHARISTIC CELEBRATIONThe liturgical space where the Sacraments are celebrated is filled with symbols, images and furnishings deliberatelyarranged in a particular and meaningful order. Understanding the theological meaning of that order and learning what isunique about the different sections of a liturgical space can greatly enhance the worshipping experience. The video: “God atthe Centre: Liturgical Spaces in the Chapels of ACU” has been specially produced in ACU’s liturgical spaces to teach youabout the various aspects of the chapels in which we celebrate our liturgies and to explain why certain areas of our liturgicalspaces are considered to be sacred.

5.4.3 CONSIDER LITURGICAL SPACES

PURPOSE:To understand the purpose of the physical spaces used in the Eucharist ritual and identify their specific meaning andsacredness.

RESOURCES:Video link: YouTube

TASK:Watch this video now, and listen for answers to the following questions:

Why is the altar venerated? What does it represent in a church/chapel?What is represented by the sanctuary lamp?What purpose does the tabernacle serve?What does the stoop serve as a reminder of in a chapel?What is the name of the part of the church/chapel which is reserved for the clergy?

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EXPLORING THE STRUCTURE OF THE EUCHARISTIC PRAYERThe Eucharistic Prayer is the high point of the celebration of the Mass. In the Eucharistic Prayer, the Church gathered inChrist’s presence, does what Jesus did at the Last Supper, taking bread and wine, pronouncing prayers of blessing overthem, and distributing the consecrated gifts to community. Through the Eucharistic Prayer the Church offers to God a prayerof praise and thanksgiving and is gifted by God with the sacrament of the Body and Blood of Christ for our sanctification (sothat we might become holy in the presence of God as we take God into our bodies in Communion). The Church teaches that“the meaning of this Prayer is that the whole congregation of the faithful joins with Christ in confessing the great deeds ofGod and in the offering of Sacrifice.” 6 The Eucharistic prayer is made up of 11 elements, which can sometimes appear in aslightly different order from what listed is below, depending on which of the 10 Eucharistic Prayers 7 of the Roman Missal isprayed:

Preface DialoguePrefaceAcclamation (Sanctus)EpiclesisInstitution NarrativeMystery of Faith (Memorial Acclamation)AnamnesisOblationIntercessionsConcluding DoxologyGreat Amen

5.4.4 IDENTIFY KEY ELEMENTS

PURPOSE:To identify the various different parts of the Eucharistic Prayer and understand the definition of each part.

RESOURCES:Video link: YouTube

TASK:As you watch this video, make a list of each of the parts of the Eucharistic Prayer she describes and how to define it,as this will help you to understand what it is and remember its purpose within the prayer overall.

6 Catholic Church, "General Instruction of the Roman Missal," #78, The Roman Missal (London: Catholic TruthSociety/Strathfield: St. Pauls, 2011), p. 49.

7 The Roman Missal includes Eucharistic Prayers I, II, III, IV; Eucharistic Prayers for Reconciliation I and II, EucharisticPrayers for Various Needs I, II, III, IV. The Eucharistic Prayers for Masses with Children I, II and III can also be used whenthe majority of the assembly is comprised of children under the age of 10 years, but these do not appear in the RomanMissal, rather they are published in a separate book.

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5.5 CONCLUSIONModule 5 has explored the Sacrament of the Eucharist, investigating its scriptural origins, exploring its theological meaningsand studying the way in which it is celebrated by the Church. Understanding the biblical background, historical development,and major theological aspects of the Eucharist is essential for appreciating the vital importance of the source and summit ofthe Christian life. This module has provided opportunities for you to learn how to set up for Mass and understand thedifferent features of the place in which the Eucharist is celebrated which are essential skills for anyone charged with theresponsibility of preparing and celebrating Eucharistic liturgies.

Module 6 will focus on the Sacrament of Reconciliation, which is also known as the Sacrament of Penance. This healingsacrament offers a way for Christians to consider their behaviour toward God and toward other people, and to makeamends for when our actions, attitudes or omissions have led to breaches of our relationships with God, with other peopleand with the world.

CHECK YOUR PROGRESSWhen you have completed the Required Reading and activities for Module 5, you will be ready to undertake the Short Quizwhich will provide an opportunity for you to check on your learning progress in Module 5, and prepare you for completingyour Assessment Tasks for THCT202.

Now return to Module 5 of THCT202 in LEO to complete the short quiz.

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