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The Most Holy Sacrament of the Eucharist

Source & summit of our faith. The Most Holy Sacrament of the Eucharist. Confusion leads to checking out. Like opera, football, or another complex thing, the mass can be confusing. It’s n ecessary to understand the structure to appreciate it.

karina-robertson
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The Most Holy Sacrament of the Eucharist

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  1. Source & summit of our faith The Most Holy Sacrament of the Eucharist

  2. Confusion leads to checking out Like opera, football, or another complex thing, the mass can be confusing. It’s necessary to understand the structure to appreciate it

  3. By learning the biblical foundations of the mass (references, meaning, connections) you can: 1) Better appreciate what’s going on liturgically 2) Begin to enter into a deeper level of worship and communion with Our Lord My hope

  4. The Sign of the Cross The Introductory Rites

  5. Priest: In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit • Not a way to beginpraying, but itself a powerful prayer • Source of divine power & protection • A ‘badgeof the faithful’ and ‘a terror to the devils’ St. John Chrysostom

  6. “In all our travels and movements, in all our coming in and going out, in putting on our shoes, at the bath, at the table, in lighting our candles, in lying down, in whatever employment occupies us, we mark our foreheads with the sign of the cross.” Tertullian (160-225 ad)

  7. Never leave your house without making the sign of the cross. It will be to you a staff, a weapon, an impregnable fortress. Neither man nor demon will dare to attack you, seeing you covered with such powerful armor. Let this sign teach you that you are a soldier, ready to combat against the demons, and ready to fight for the crown of justice. Are you ignorant of what the cross has done? It has vanquished death, destroyed sin, emptied hell, dethroned Satan, and restored the universe. Would you then doubt its power? St. John Chrysostom (374-407)

  8. What do they see that we often miss? • Could somebody confuse our sign of the cross for swatting flies? • Two aspects of the Sign • The Actual Tracing • The words

  9. The Tracing • Prefiguring of the cross • Ez 9: 4-6 • God’s faithful distinguishing themselves from corrupt culture & seeking divine protection • Rev 9:4 • Saints in Heaven with a similar mark

  10. To call on the name: denotes worship, prayer, sacrifice, and assistance Name mysteriously represents the person—invoking their presence and power (e.g. “stop in the name of the king!”) We are calling God’s presence and consecrating the next hour to him We should be deliberate about the sign because we are coming in His name, not ours The words

  11. Not a greeting & response • Biblical perspective: a call to do something amazing, with Israel’s life in the balance • Gideon, Jacob, Moses, Joshua, David, Jeremiah, Mary all addressed with “The Lord is with you.” • Calling on Holy Spirit to work through the priest • “Be priest for us now.” Priest: The Lord be with youPeople: And with your spirit

  12. I confess to almighty Godand to you, my brothers and sisters,that I have greatly sinnedin my thoughts and in my words,in what I have doneand in what I have failed to do,[All strike their breast]through my fault, through my fault,through my most grievous fault;therefore I ask blessed Mary ever-Virgin,all the Angels and Saints,and you, my brothers and sisters,to pray for me to the Lord our God. Confiteor (new translation in bold)

  13. OT response to God was holy fear and awe, throwing themselves down on ground (Gn 17:2; 28:17; Ex 3:6; 19:16) • If given time, Israel would carefully prepare itself • “I confess” • Confession of sins a common practice in ancient Israel & Jesus’ day. Not surprising early Christians kept up practice Fear and trembling…

  14. Social effects of sin highlighted (God & man) • We are told to guard our thoughts (Phil 4:8; Mt 5:22; Mt 5:27-28; Mt 7:1, etc) • Our words can harm (Jas 3:5, 2 Cor 12:20; Rom 1:30; Mt 5: 22; Col 3:9, etc) • Our actions (most common idea of sin) • Our failures to do good: very challenging, Judgment encompasses failures to love as well (Jas 4:17) • Triple Fault: repetition stresses meaning biblically An Examination of Conscience

  15. Not crying “uncle!” • Biblical mercy: Misericordia “A heart who gives itself to one who suffers” • Why 3x? • JC as brother, redeemer, & God • 3 Persons of the Trinity • 3 languages on the cross • The Faith came to us Latins from the Greeks –St. Albert KryieEleisonLord, Have Mercy NOT biblical mercy

  16. Gloria in excelsisdeo! • Sudden shift from sorrowful to joyful • A biblical mosaic of titles for God & praise

  17. God is “Almighty” because He is omnipotent • But this is a ‘fatherly omnipotence’ CCC 270 • JC’s “Three Acts” • 1st Only begotten Son (divine sonship) • 2nd Redemption; Lamb’s triumph over sin/death • 3rd Seated at the right hand; Heavenly reign Gloria

  18. We come to Mass conscious of two things: that we stand greatly in need of redemption, and that we have actually been saved. When I think of the first, I recognize my own insignificance; when I realize the second truth, I perceive my strength; in the first I see my weakness and utter poverty, in the other I see my power and greatness. –Pius Parsch 1940

  19. A counter-cultural prayer • “Lord” was a title for Caesar • To claim Jesus is Lord could easily be seen as treasonous

  20. The Liturgy of the Word

  21. Sundays hit the high points, but daily mass takes us through all of Scripture in three years • No favorites or running from Scripture • We walk through the life and mission of Jesus through the seasons • We need time to grasp the mystery: Holy Days marked off • The lector isn’t just a reader: they lend God their human voice so that God’s words can be spoken to us in Mass The greatest Bible study on earth!

  22. JC is the last chapter of a great novel; the climactic scene of an epic movie • The twists and turns of the OT make sense of JC • “The Word of the Lord.” • A liturgical ‘trumpet blast,’ a ‘great shout’ • Reminder of how favored we are to hear God speak to us directly • A moment of silence • Awe & adoration part of heavenly liturgy (Rev 8:1) • We become like Mary who ‘kept all these things, pondering them in her heart’ (Lk 2:18) The First Reading

  23. Recitation/Singing helps foster an atmosphere of prayer conducive for meditation • 150 sacred hymns • Verses sung by two choirs in Temple • Antiphony: psalm, mass (The lord be with you…), liturgy/covenants of the Bible, the angelic choirs • Psalms recited/sung as early as 2nd century The Responsorial Psalm

  24. Often selected independently of the first reading and Gospel One of the epistles, Acts of the Apostles, or Revelations Reflections on the mystery of Christ, his redemptive mission, or practical applications A constant exhortation to ‘put on Christ’ The Second Reading

  25. Liturgy reflects the preeminence of the Gospel • Preparations taken before Jesus is made present to us in a profound way • Standing: the reverent posture of Judaism • Stand for the king; “All rise!” for a judge • Alleluia: Hebrew expression of joy “Praise the Lord!” The Gospel

  26. Homily “Explanation” in Greek; practice rooted in Judaism • Vatican II: Homily holds ‘pride of place’ in instruction • Homily reserved to the ordained • Not about eloquence or charisma • A guarantee that the preaching is passing on the apostolic faith, not private/individual thoughts The Homily

  27. Like the Jewish Shema Reminder that our lives are caught up in a cosmic struggle Creed will not let us be lukewarm bystanders Profession of faith plants the flag of the Kingdom of God before the congregation and God Almighty The Creed

  28. Two aspects of the Creed “I believe” • Intellectual: our free assent to the revealed truth of God. • I agree • I believe 2+2=4 • Personal: Adherence to God; entrusting of one’s life to him • I trust • I believe in you Not a mere checklist of doctrines to be checked off, but an invitation to surrender more and more of our lives to God every week

  29. A note: • For us men and for our salvation he came down from heaven, and by the Holy Spirit was incarnate of the Virgin Mary, and became man. • A bow is prescribed to reverence the incredible mystery of the Word of God taking on human flesh!

  30. Procession: taking the Book of the Gospels, candles, incense, underscore solemnity • Cleanse my heart and my lips, almighty God, that I may worthily proclaim your holy Gospel • Recalls Isaiah’s lips touched by a burning coal: sins forgiven and prophetic ministry begins • Triple Sign of the Cross: Consecrate our thoughts, words, and actions; request for God on our minds, lips, and heart The Gospel

  31. The Prayer of the Faithful • One of the most ancient parts of the mass: Justin Martyr 155 ad • Here, the laity exercise their priestly function • Intercessory prayer is “characteristic of a heart attuned to God’s mercy” CCC 2635 We’re about to enter the Liturgy of the Eucharist: It’s about to get real up in here!

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