Sacrament of the Eucharist

Possibly the most important idea in theology, is to understand that Jesus was Jewish, and He was raised in Jewish theology and perspective. Memory was very important to the Jewish people, which isn’t to say that they have difficulty remembering their history. They heard God speak to them in two great saving events: the Exodus, and the giving of the covenant at Mount Sinai. Both of these were great saving events for the Jewish people, which for them transcend time and history, because each was a divine act of the saving power of God.

The Jewish people today believe that these events really happened, and if they really happened, how can they personally connect to these events? The answer was and is to gather the people in community, and proclaim what happened, such as when they celebrate the Seder Meal together. God said, “I will be truly present” and you will encounter the original event. The Jewish people believe that they will experience the same saving power of God, even if it looks different for them today. Their saying, “Our ancestors walked through the red sea and our feet are wet” is an example of this idea. It is God, who is divine, who initiated these events.

The English language is a bit weak in understanding this idea of memory. The Hebrew word zikkaron is translated into two separate English words, memorial and remembrance, which miss the importance of this idea. Both of these words seem to suggest thinking about what happened in the past. For the Jewish people, to make memorial is to participate in and encounter the event today, not to think about it as a past event.

Our Eucharist came from a family table with family dynamics; where one presider and the others celebrated the meal, which today is celebrated as a memorial of the Paschal Mystery. This is the full saving event of Jesus Christ’s passion, death, resurrection, and ascension, which might also include his conception and birth. Christ’s Paschal Mystery is what we encounter as the saving event.

This is our saving event which actually happened in history. We as Christians believe that these things really happened. On the night that Jesus introduced the Eucharist to His disciples, He changed everything. He used this idea of memorial, not thinking about it or being nostalgic about it but truly encountering it. The question is how are we going to be transformed by this saving event? The Jewish pattern of memory is the same for us as Christians. The challenge is that it looks different today, because the world around us is different. Nevertheless, we too gather the faithful to proclaim the Word to the community. We encounter, participate in, and proclaim what happened; Jesus’ saving event transcends time and we can be saved and transformed by it.

This is the saving event of our own lives, and the full power of that event is present in our midst. The body and blood of our savior is a true sacrifice, and although it isn't physical because it only happened once, it is nevertheless real. It is the same sacrifice brought to us in sacramental form, to perpetuate the sacrifice of the cross as a memorial of his death and resurrection. This is what saves us, and the challenge is that it looks different because it is us encountering it today. Within this sacrament, we truly encounter the saving reality of the original event. Christ is truly in our midst, even though Jesus died 2000 years ago. This event is present, alive, active, healing, and reconciling each of us every week.

Mass is necessary because of this encounter, but every Christian needs a personal relationship with Christ. There are lots of ways to encounter Christ, such as prayer, mission work, community, supporting each other, and scripture, etc. As a Church, we don't always present Jesus well. He said, “This is my body”, my whole self, my entire person. In this broken bread is everything that I am which is for you. “This is the cup of my blood”, the cup of suffering, the cup of my covenant, which is the new and eternal covenant for all. Sealed by my death and poured out for you, so that sins may be forgiven.

Jesus’ question for each of us is “Will you drink this cup”, die with me, and be ready to give up your life for me? Will you gather together as my people, claiming God's word, and “Do this in remembrance of me”? What you are encountering is not the first covenant, but what you are encountering is the eternal covenant; filling you with peace and joy. We need to do a better job of including the people in this celebration, and of expressing the significance and power of who is truly present. Both the body and blood are used because He asked us to. The bread symbolizes the unity that we all share with each other and Christ, and the Blood symbolizes how that unity with Christ and life comes to us; through his death.

In addition to the familiar traditions of the Last Supper found in the three Gospels, John’s Gospel is slightly different. In John, Jesus washes the disciple’s feet, and then says, “As I have done so you must do for each other”. We must be the Eucharist for others, as we go out at the end of mass we go out to wash the feet of those we meet; family, friends, co-workers, and strangers. Eucharist means thanksgiving, and we must be especially thankful for the saving deeds of Jesus Christ, our savior. As lectors, ministers, presiders, and deacons convinced of the teaching, we must be washed and live as it is handed down; we must call this food thanksgiving and be what we have received.

You are a member of the body of Christ and if you are not present you scatter the body. You, owe it to the community as a member of the body of Christ to be present, really present. How you talk, sing, walk, and gesture, etc speaks volumes to those around you, because it’s about the community connection.

Those who are made partners with the paschal mystery will go forward to the hope of the resurrection. All this holds true, not just for Christians only, but for all people whose hearts are active and visible. Christ died for all, and all people are called to the same destiny; to be divine. We Catholics must proclaim with others as partners, the saving justification of Jesus Christ. Catholics see the Eucharist as a celebration of those who already hold an understanding of what it means. It is the saving Body and Blood of Jesus Christ.