The Sacrament of the Eucharist

1. The Sacrament of the Eucharist By:Steve Flores, Dave Cea, Kyle Merrill, Salvador Meza, & Michael Han

2. What does the Eucharist Celebrate? • The Eucharist serves as a reminder that God nourishes us and loves us unconditionally. • It also signifies the love poured out to us giving us new life. • The Eucharist got its origin from a sacred Jewish meal called “Passover Seder” Passover Seder Meal

3. The Passover Seder was a ritual meal that Jews celebrated when Moses was leading them out of Egypt. It is a meal in which they give thanks to God for freeing them from slavery. • Jesus used this meal and put new meaning into, he identified the bread and wine. He made them symbolic symbols of his own body and blood. • The bread symbolizes that Jesus’ body that is given to us for nourishment and his blood that gives us new life. • The word Eucharist is derived from the Greek word of “thanksgiving”

4. The Eucharist symbolizes how human relationship should be, which is that we should all be reconcile, we need to make peace, support one another, and if needed give our life for another person. • Jesus Christ although now in heaven is still present with us when we receive the Eucharist this is known as Real Presence.

5. How is he present with us? • Catholics says that Jesus is present in four ways: • The presiding priest who offers us Jesus • In the scriptures that are being read • The people surrounding us • The eucharistic species that is the bread and wine that is consecrated to be Jesus’ body and blood.

6. The consecration of the bread and wine is the most sacred moment throughout mass. • In Catholic theology this is known as transubstantiation. • For Jesus to be truly present in the Eucharist so must be the participants they have to be “truly present” otherwise it is a meaningless ritual. • Not only do we have to receive the body and blood of Christ we have to be like Christ in our lives and its possible because Jesus is with us.

7. The Ritual of the Eucharist: Symbolic actions and words • Eucharist is a term Catholics use in a variety of ways • The whole Mass is also called Eucharist • The second part of mass that is known as liturgy of the Eucharist • Communion which is the consumption of the bread and wine • The Blessed Sacrament(the consecrated bread that is kept in the Tabernacle) is also called the Eucharist Tabernacle in church

8. In Mass or The Eucharist is composed of 4 parts • The gathering rite this is the beginning of Mass • The liturgy of the word is next it is the proclaiming of the word of God through Scriptures • The liturgy of the Eucharist is after it includes the consecration and communion of the bread and wine • The dismissal rite is the conclusion of Mass and is when the celebration ends

9. There are 4 essential actions in Mass is • Liturgy of the Word: the scriptures • Thanksgiving: thanking God for everything in creation • Concentration: changing the bread and wine into Jesus’ body and blood • Communion: is receiving Jesus’ body and blood

10. Only ordain priest can preside over the Eucharist • Communion Services are similar to mass because they have liturgy of the word and the rite of communion but it lacks a ordain priest so it lacks the full participation of the Eucharist

11. Liturgy of the Word • In the Liturgy of the Word it is an opportunity to encounter God • There the Lectionary the book that is raised high in the air during procession and kissed by the priest • There is usually 3 reading • One from the Old Testament • The second from a epistle from St. Paul • The third is a reading from the Gospel • The last part of the liturgy is the prayer of the faithful or general intercessions Lectionary used in church

12. Symbolism of the Bread • The bread often represents life so it is an appropriate symbol for Eucharist • The bread is both a gift of God and a work of human hands • In the ritual of Eucharist the bread is transformed. • It becomes Christ offered up, broken, and given up to his people • The gathered people are reminded that they too are Christ- meant to be bread that is offered up, broken and given to others.

13. Symbolism of the Wine • The wine is also a gift from God and the works of human hands • It is also considered a symbol life because humans can’t live long without water to drink it is a “staff of life” • It is a symbol that Christ willingly shed his blood to free humanity from sin and death • For many centuries before the II Vatican Council, the priest was the only one who could drink from the cup • The cup like the bread is meant to be shared by all believers.

14. The Eucharist History • In the beginning of the history of the church the Eucharist was celebrated as a fellowship meal or “love feast” known as agape • The Christians shared the food that each of them brought it was eventually broken down to just the bread and wine • The feast came to be the same in all different communities it consisted of an offering , a thanksgiving, breaking of the bread, and people receiving the bread and wine.

15. After religion was legalized in the fourth century the practices went public. • The place of worship moved from homes to church buildings • The priest would start saying the mass while people watched in silence • The Eucharist became less of a part of the community • Less and less people received the communion, the church required that the faithful receive communion once a year

16. During that time the Masses were being said in Latin, it eventually changed to the vernacular of the area after II Vatican Council • Also the altar and the priest now faced the people • These changes help bring people together, which is the purpose of the Eucharist