The Eucharist 101

The Church is in one of my favorite liturgical seasons right now. As season of hope and new, of celebration, and on our cute kiddos. It's First Communion season, a unique practice to only us and few other denominations. I can't think of better time to explain the Eucharist then now, as we get to see it through young, excited eyes.

Starting with the basics, the Mass is divided into two parts: the Liturgy of the Word, when we read the Bible and the Liturgy of the Eucharist, which begins with the priest prepared the altar for the bread and wine before the gifts are brought to him. The Eucharist is most commonly recognized as a remembrance of Christ's sacrifice of Himself for us. This is why prayers throughout this part of the Mass are familiar, you've heard them before from the Gospels! Most faiths stop here with their Eucharistic celebrations; they "do this memory of me" and break bread together, but the Catholic Church believes more is going on than an act of remembrance. 

When Jesus died for our sins, He was the final sacrifice. Before this, the Jewish religious community atoned for their sins through animal sacrifice, offering unblemished lambs, goats, and even turtledoves. The idea was relatively simple, God wanted more from us than physical sacrifices, He wanted us to join Him in heaven, which is where Jesus stepped in. Jesus (God's ONLY son) came to Earth, lived a fully mortal life, which was ended when He died on the Cross, as a completely willing and unblemished sacrifice. As the Son of God, Jesus had never sinned, He lived only to do His Father's will, which made Him the perfect and final sacrifice. 

This perfect and final sacrifice gave us clear instructions at the Last Supper, "This is Body". "This is my Blood", holding bread and wine. This, paired with His commands that we must eat the "Living Bread" to have eternal life shows us that the Bread and Wine we consume is not just bread and wine, but this is actually, spiritually Jesus Himself (JN 6:44-51). When the bread and wine is presented to the priest, it's just that, bread and wine. But at a critical moment in the Mass, when servers traditionally ring the bells, during the Eucharistic prayer when the priest repeats Christ's words that I mentioned earlier. "This is My Body, given up for you"

 ***bells ringing***

That mystical, holy moment is known as "transubstantiation". It literally means the change the bread and wine experience to the spiritual forms of Christ's Body and Blood. This is one of the greatest Mysteries of the Church, and something we choose to believe, although there's all kinds of proof if you look hard enough. It may look like bread and wine, it may taste like bread and wine, but spiritually, those two simple things have become Christ incarnate. 

Which is why we wait until an "age of reason" to receive our first communions. And why there this such a specific cleaning ritual for the chalice and pall, Jesus was literally there. Literally. And I can totally hear you not buying it, I know it sounds bizarre. But let's be clear hear, the God who flooded the entire Earth, and saved only Noah and his family, the God that empowered Moses to split the Red Sea, the God who spoke to Isaiah, Elijah, Elisha, and John the Baptist, who through His Son, was resurrected on the third day, and you're choosing to find this one a little strange? 

If God can do all that, then why can't His spiritual substance join us in the Mass? Why can't He nourish us with His very Self? 

Tota tua. 

P.S. Want that proof I mentioned? Check back Friday, I'm writing a follow-up with some saintly examples!