So, what is the Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist. This sacrament is normally seen or better yet, experienced in Mass. If you attend Mass every Sunday, then you've at least have an idea. So what really is the Eucharist? According to the Catechism of the Catholic Church, the Eucharist is the very sacrifice of the body and blood of Jesus which he instituted to perpetuate the sacrifice of the cross throughout the ages until his return in glory.
The sacrament was instituted on the night Jesus was betrayed, when he celebrated the Last Supper with his Apostles. Jesus took bread in his hands. He broke it and gave it to them saying, "Take this and eat it, all of you; this is my Body which will be given up for you." Then he took the cup of wine in his hands and said, "Take this and drink this, all of you, this is the cup of my Blood, the Blood of the new and everlasting covenant. It will be shed for you and for all so that sins may be forgiven. Do this in memory of me."
Amazing and powerful words. Important that you know this. Jesus did not say, "This is a symbol of my body." Jesus said, "This is my body, This is my blood!" That piece of bread we partake is really Jesus. As Catholics, we believe that the bread is actually the Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Jesus Christ. We're consuming God!!! Aren't you geeking out?!? God is so merciful enough that he would give himself to us. And we don't even deserve it.
We know and believe that it is the body of Jesus because of the Gospel. In John 6, Jesus proclaims, that he is the bread of life and all who comes to him will never hunger. (John 6: 35) He repeats this again in verse 51, "I am the living bread which came down from heaven; if any one eats of this bread, he will live forever; and the bread of which I shall give for the life of the world is my flesh." The Jews could not believe this... but instead of saying, "No, no, no! You're mistaken," Jesus reinforces what he said for a third time! He said, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of man and drink his blood, you have no life in you..."
An obstacle to this might be verse 63. Our Protestant brothers and sisters might shove this in our face. Verse 63 says, "It is the spirit that gives life, the flesh is of no avail; the words I have spoken to you are spirit and life." They will say that Jesus was speaking of spiritual bread. Unfortunately, this really cannot hold water. The spirit being spoken here is God's revelation. Whoever listens to Jesus' words will receive God's revelation... which are spirit and life. If you prayerfully read the entirety of chapter 6, you will understand what I am talking about. Jesus' words are spirit and life and if he says his flesh is food indeed and his blood is drink indeed, then it must be so. Remember that Jesus is God... He is the eternal Word. Remember in the beginning of the Gospel of John, In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God. Whenever God says something, something incredible happens... Just like when he said, "Let there be light."
The Eucharist is celebrated in Mass. Communion is where we receive the Eucharist. During Mass, the wafer changes into the Body and Blood of Jesus during consecration. When the priest says, "This is my Body... and this is my Blood." What happens is transubstantiation. Transubstantiation means that the ordinary wafer and wine changes in substance. However, the outward characteristics remain the same. Jesus was kind enough to leave it like this... So we can use our faith. Imagine a slab of fresh raw meat being handed during communion. We'd be mistaken for cannibals outright.... Nnnnassteeee!
We celebrate the Eucharist in Mass simply because Jesus commanded us to do it in remembrance of him. "Remember me" is what he was saying. I mean, who wants to be forgotten for one?
What are the requirements to receive Communion? We have to be worthy to receive the body and blood of Christ. Otherwise, they won't give us life, they will give us death. In order to receive communion worthily, we need to be a baptized Catholic, in a state of grace and fasted for one hour before communion.
The requirement for Catholics is to receive communion at least once a year during Easter. But then again, the Eucharist increases sanctifying grace. Remember the past lesson. Sanctifying grace weakens. The Eucharist can increase its power or effect.
The Sacrament of Holy Eucharist
- Also known as Holy Communion, Breaking of the Bread, or Lord's Supper
- Instituted at the Last Supper
- Cannot be received in state of mortal sin; sacrilege.
- Strengthens Sanctifying grace
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