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Liturgy of the Eucharist
The following essay is a summary based on a presentation given by by J.
David Kammer at Our Lady Star of the Sea parish in New Smyrna Beach,
Florida in early February 2009
WHY SHOULD I GO TO CHURCH?
The Spirituality of the Liturgy of the Eucharist
We Catholics speak of our main communal religious service as the
Mass. We are not likely to use the more extended title of “The
Holy Sacrifice of the Mass,” nor are we likely to use the expression
of the very early Christians, “the breaking of the bread.” Both John
Paul II and Benedict XVI refer to the Mass as the “Eucharistic
Celebration” as does the current Catechism of the Catholic Church.
Within the Eucharistic Celebration we find the Liturgy of the Word
and the Liturgy of the Eucharist. Our celebration is a liturgy
through which we are fed the Word of God and we commune with
divine life. We are fed so that we may give of ourselves. Our Lord
gives of himself to nourish us. Simply put, our Mass is a banquet
and a sacrifice
Eucharist – Liturgy – Spirituality: We briefly consider key
words of our sub-title: The Spirituality of the Liturgy of the
Eucharist.
Eucharist. We are accustomed to consider Eucharist as the Body
of Christ, as the very Person of Christ. However, we hope to realize
that in the concept of Eucharist there is a depth of reality; in the
Eucharist there is the dynamism of divine life, a life that lives by
dying.
What is Liturgy? Webster defines liturgy as a rite prescribed for
public worship. Liturgy is an action that is organized with intent of
establishing and confirming attitudes and dispositions, especially
relational dispositions. In the ecclesial context the liturgy,
especially the liturgy of the Eucharist, is the action of and
participation in recalling and pondering the examples given to us
by God, especially those given us by the Word incarnate; it leads to
resolves of cooperation and imitation. The Liturgy of Eucharist, the
ritual, the action of Eucharist, is one of awareness and gratitude,
along with union and cooperation with the divine giver.
What is “spirituality? Many people set spirituality over against
religion. They may say that they relate to God and live a good life
without externals and without church attendance. They say they
are spiritual but not religious. However, if they relate to God
consciously, interiorly, they are religious, though limited, for the
word religion derives from a Latin word meaning “to tie together”
or “to relate.” Their relationship is limited unless they relate
6/29/2021
Liturgy of the Eucharist
https://academic2.marist.edu/foy/maristsall/essays/liturgy of the eucharist.htm
2/7
lovingly with others, with community. And we might consider them
limited if they do not relate to the Incarnate God, our Lord Jesus,
and take advantage of the means given by Jesus when he said, “Do
this in memory of me.”
In this essay we are concerned that we who are religious have
grown to be as spiritual as God calls us to be. Are we truly
conscious and intimate in our prayerful relationship with the Lord?
Intimacy need not be emotional! Nor need it go by way of images,
though image can be helpful. It is based on a growing awareness
of the presence of God.
Time out. We take time out to note that to relate to a person it is best
to have an awareness of “presence.” We usually have our favorite way of
taking cognizance of God’s Presence. One very important but often
neglected awareness is that of the fact that through Baptism we are
temples of the Holy Spirit. The grace of the Spirit touches us with wisdom
and with fire. It is the gift of the presence of divine life collaborating with
our thoughts; it is divine fire urging us, motivating us.
In scripture we see both the Father and Jesus taking action “by the
power of the Spirit.” Divine power is divine life; by Baptism and continued
cooperation with God divine life abides in us! ! We are not divine, but
divine life influences our human life, in fact it acts to be a strong influence
on our attitudes; divine life nudges us, motivates us, acts to be a
wondrous supporting dynamism for us. Come Lord Jesus with your Spirit
so that I may say with St. Paul, “I live, now not I, but Christ lives in me.”
Our goal: “conscious and active participation”
Within the Eucharistic Celebration we find The Liturgy of the Word
in which there is dominance given to instruction for living a good
Christian life through listening to the reading of scripture and to
the encouragement given by the homilist.
In the scripture readings God tells us about himself and what we
should do and not do. The Gospels emphasize the life, example,
and teaching of Jesus, how we should imitate Jesus and live a
Christian life, what we should do. Less emphasized is the fact that
Jesus kept in touch with the Father, went off alone to relate, to
pray, to maintain his intimacy with his Father. In his commentary
the homilist may easily become more the moralist than the
evangelist who seeds a faith in and reliance on the abiding grace of
divine presence and divine life.
We try to live a good life and by and large we do. We observe the
commandments and the beatitudes; we are kind and charitable to
our fellow human beings. We may consider such a life an implicit
love of God, and so it may very well be. We might wonder,
however, if our motivation is all it might be.
6/29/2021
Liturgy of the Eucharist
https://academic2.marist.edu/foy/maristsall/essays/liturgy of the eucharist.htm
3/7
Once again, we might recall the Fiddler on the Roof in which Tevye
repeatedly asks his wife if she loves him, as she reminds him of all
the chores she does for him. I believe Tevye is probing for
intimacy and depth.
We would do well to remember Jesus asking Peter three times if he
loves him, even asking him if he loves him “more than these.” Is
Jesus here asking for more than the action of service to neighbor?
At times there is so much emphasis on the follow through in love
that we neglect the love.
After the Resurrection our Lord appeared and mingled with his
followers, ate and conversed with them; he wanted to be with his
people, he wanted community (koinonia), he wanted intimacy.
Christian life supported by the Liturgy of the Eucharist
In October of 2008 Pope Benedict XVI called a representative
group of Bishops together for a synod on the theme of the Word of
God. One of their recommendations was that homilists and
catechists should be cautioned not to imply a disconnection
between the Liturgy of the Word and the Liturgy of the Eucharist
but should take steps to strengthen the relationship between the
two. The Christian life we are taught to live in the Liturgy of the
Word is prayerfully supported by the Liturgy of the Eucharist.
There is a profound connection.
While the Liturgy of the Word tells us what we should do, what our
action should be, it is in the Liturgy of the Eucharist we enter into
intimate relationship with Jesus and the Father through the life of
the Spirit, the “power of the Spirit.”
In the Liturgy of the Eucharist we call to mind, we remember, and
we react with awe and gratitude. We stop to ponder the divine
Presence and we pledge our cooperation and service. It behooves
us to understand and appreciate the value of the Liturgy of the
Eucharist. We need to be nourished by it as much as we need to
be nourished by Holy Communion … and by the Liturgy of the
Word.
Many people who do not recognize a need for the intimacy at the
heart of the Mass -- especially if they are “bored with the homily” -
- simply do not attend Mass, or they go off elsewhere in search of
nourishment and/or entertainment to find better preaching.
THE LITURGY OF THE EUCHARIST
After the recitation of the Creed the Liturgy of the Eucharist begins
with the presentation and offering of the gifts of bread and wine,
as well as financial help for the expenses of the celebration, of
parish and church, and for the poor. “Blessed are you, Lord God;”
you are so good in giving us these gifts to offer. These gifts are
6/29/2021
Liturgy of the Eucharist
https://academic2.marist.edu/foy/maristsall/essays/liturgy of the eucharist.htm
4/7
important elements of the ritual into which we are entering. We
are about to remember. We are about to enter into a memorial.
We begin the Liturgy of the Eucharist attentively and prayerfully.
In his exhortation at the end of the Synod of the Eucharist in March
of 2007, Pope Benedict XVI said: “The spiritual life of the faithful
can benefit greatly from a better appreciation of the richness of the
Eucharistic prayer.”
We may note how the celebrant prays; at times he prays as
designated/ordained leader of the congregation and at times he
prays “in persona Christi,” that is, in the person of Christ, as
Christ. We hear the Son of God speaking to the Father, and we
hear our Lord, as one of us, praying to the Father.
When preparations are complete, the celebrant leader calls for our
attention. “May the Lord be with you.” “Let us give thanks to the
Lord our God.” We begin what is known as the Preface. As we
listen, we are surprised and in awe of the multitude and significant
importance of the blessings that are at our disposal.
The celebrant leads us in gratitude to God …
… for his “being the source of life and light,”
… for “never ceasing to call us to a new and more abundant life,”
… gratitude for “Jesus through whom you made universe and whom
you
sent to redeem us,” that is, to release and restore.
With wonder and in worship we realize our indebtedness. Earlier
Christians were so overwhelmed by awe and gratitude that they
exploded audibly with “amazing, wonderful, what goodness”
expressed as “sanctus, sanctus, sanctus.” We continue the
tradition today in our worship and gratitude with “holy, holy, holy …
heaven and earth are full of your glory,” full of the manifestation
and radiance of your goodness.
Another time out. We take time out from the flow of our essay to
mention that the most recent Catechism of the Catholic Church says that
the Preface is a “sacrifice of praise” and a “sacrifice of thanksgiving.”
Those phrases occasion consideration of what we might very well
understand by the word sacrifice. Unlike our ingrained attitude that
sacrifice is something that hurts, it is better understood as a giving of
ourselves. Giving thanks is giving of ourselves but it does not hurt or kill
us. Giving attention and recognition to someone does not negate us, but
it is giving of ourselves. True, give ourselves does take something out of
us. Jesus’ giving of himself killed him.
The celebrant picks up the theme of the preface: “Lord, you are
holy indeed, the fountain of all holiness.” With those words we are
led further into the anaphora, the Eucharistic prayer. There are
several optional prayers; essential to each is the epiclesis, calling
6/29/2021
Liturgy of the Eucharist
https://academic2.marist.edu/foy/maristsall/essays/liturgy of the eucharist.htm
5/7
on the power of the Holy Spirit, “Let your Spirit come upon these
gifts to make them holy, so that they may become for us the body
and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
Pope Benedict XVI: “Eucharistic spirituality is enriched if we
contemplate the profound unity between the invocation of the Holy
Spirit and the institution narrative.” Exhortation (#147) ending the
Synod of the Eucharist, March 2007.
With the words of institution we recognize the Divine Presence; we
recognize our Lord’s willingness to give his body and to be broken
for us, we recognize in the shed blood the divine covenantal pledge
of everlasting communion with us.
Contemplating the Eucharistic Presence
What thoughts might we have as we ponder and worship the
“lifted” Lord? There before us is Jesus, the risen Lord, alive! The
Jesus who showed himself in the upper room and again on the
shore of Lake Galilee preparing breakfast for his disciples now
chooses to show himself to us under transformed bread and wine.
We worship Jesus, alive, risen, conscious … conscious with
attitudes disposed to love, to give of himself no matter the cost,
even at the cost of death. The same self-giving love that Jesus
manifested throughout his earthly life extends to the cross, is alive
before us on the altar, and comes to us in Communion.
In his encyclical Ecclesia de Eucharistia (Church of the Eucharist)
John Paul II wrote: “In the Eucharistic Presence the paschal
mystery is gathered up and concentrated. There is a mysterious
‘oneness in time.’” Thus, we say that the Mass is a re-presentation
of the sacrifice of the Cross, and we have heard it said that the
Mass is “the unbloody sacrifice of Calvary.”
At the awareness of the divine Presence, the Church in Latin gasps
“Mysterium Fidei!” (Mystery of Faith). Mystery that our Lord so
loves us as to die for us … yet has been raised by the Father and is
alive. The mystery is a revelation that we live by dying!
Mysterium Fidei is translated for us blandly in English: “Let us
proclaim the mystery of faith.” And we reply with the words of our
memory: “Christ has died, Christ has risen, Christ will come
again.” By the power of the Spirit the Kingdom will come!
Serving in Christ
Time out: What does it mean to be “in Christ?”
6/29/2021
Liturgy of the Eucharist
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6/7
We are in awe and are inspired to be confident and to love and
serve in return. The celebrant leads us on with: “We thank you for
allowing us to stand in your presence and serve you.” We sense
that there is a shift from a prayer of contemplation to a prayer of
action, a shift to a disposition of self-giving, a disposition of
sacrifice on our part. Pope Benedict has said that at the Holy
Sacrifice “we enter into the very dynamic of self-giving.”
A theme of communion in service prevails to the end of Mass when,
nourished and fortified by the Eucharistic banquet, we hear: “Go in
peace to love and serve the Lord.”
Meanwhile, we pray for unity, again with an epiclesis calling on the
power of divine life: “May we be brought together in unity by the
Holy Spirit.” May we serve harmoniously together with the help of
divine life. “May we become one body, one spirit in Christ.” We
want to serve “through Him and with Him and in Him.”
After the Great Amen, the great affirmation that we live and serve
together as one in Christ, we focus on the goal of Christian living;
it is the Kingdom! “Our Father … thy Kingdom come …” Our
cooperation with divine life will lead to the fulfillment of God’s plan,
to our eternal happiness, and to the completion of all of creation in
Christ … through whom all things were originally made! Christ will
come again! The Kingdom will come!
We go to the table of the Lord for the banquet of nourishment and
support for our journey of union and service, support for living the
Christian way of life advocated by the scripture and the homily of
the Liturgy of the Word.
Hopefully we are now in a position to see the value of the Mass and
of the Eucharistic prayer in particular; we are in a better position to
appreciate our need of getting apart from the crowd and from the
activity of everyday life to be better motivated in following the
Liturgy of the Word through which we are instructed on how to live
a good Christian life. We not only know what to do; we are
imbedded in the power of the Spirit with Christ.
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Source and references:
1. Ecclesia de Eucharistia: Encyclical by John Paul II, 4-17-03 [Google]
2. Message of the Synod of Bishops on the Eucharist, 2007 [Google]
3. Sacramentum Caritas: Synodal Exhortation by Benedict XVI, 2-22-07
[Google]
4. Timothy Radcliff O.P., Why go to Church? Continuum, 2008
5. Eugene LaVerdiere S.S.S., Dining in the Kingdom of God, LTP-Liturgy
Training Publications, 1994
6/29/2021
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6. ---------------------------, The Eucharist in the New Testament and the Early
Church, Liturgical Press, 1996
7. ---------------------------, The Breaking of the Bread, LTP - Liturgy Training
Publications. 1998
most recent revision : 30 April 2009
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1/7
Liturgy of the Eucharist
The following essay is a summary based on a presentation given by by J.
David Kammer at Our Lady Star of the Sea parish in New Smyrna Beach,
Florida in early February 2009
WHY SHOULD I GO TO CHURCH?
The Spirituality of the Liturgy of the Eucharist
We Catholics speak of our main communal religious service as the
Mass. We are not likely to use the more extended title of “The
Holy Sacrifice of the Mass,” nor are we likely to use the expression
of the very early Christians, “the breaking of the bread.” Both John
Paul II and Benedict XVI refer to the Mass as the “Eucharistic
Celebration” as does the current Catechism of the Catholic Church.
Within the Eucharistic Celebration we find the Liturgy of the Word
and the Liturgy of the Eucharist. Our celebration is a liturgy
through which we are fed the Word of God and we commune with
divine life. We are fed so that we may give of ourselves. Our Lord
gives of himself to nourish us. Simply put, our Mass is a banquet
and a sacrifice
Eucharist – Liturgy – Spirituality: We briefly consider key
words of our sub-title: The Spirituality of the Liturgy of the
Eucharist.
Eucharist. We are accustomed to consider Eucharist as the Body
of Christ, as the very Person of Christ. However, we hope to realize
that in the concept of Eucharist there is a depth of reality; in the
Eucharist there is the dynamism of divine life, a life that lives by
dying.
What is Liturgy? Webster defines liturgy as a rite prescribed for
public worship. Liturgy is an action that is organized with intent of
establishing and confirming attitudes and dispositions, especially
relational dispositions. In the ecclesial context the liturgy,
especially the liturgy of the Eucharist, is the action of and
participation in recalling and pondering the examples given to us
by God, especially those given us by the Word incarnate; it leads to
resolves of cooperation and imitation. The Liturgy of Eucharist, the
ritual, the action of Eucharist, is one of awareness and gratitude,
along with union and cooperation with the divine giver.
What is “spirituality? Many people set spirituality over against
religion. They may say that they relate to God and live a good life
without externals and without church attendance. They say they
are spiritual but not religious. However, if they relate to God
consciously, interiorly, they are religious, though limited, for the
word religion derives from a Latin word meaning “to tie together”
or “to relate.” Their relationship is limited unless they relate
6/29/2021
Liturgy of the Eucharist
https://academic2.marist.edu/foy/maristsall/essays/liturgy of the eucharist.htm
2/7
lovingly with others, with community. And we might consider them
limited if they do not relate to the Incarnate God, our Lord Jesus,
and take advantage of the means given by Jesus when he said, “Do
this in memory of me.”
In this essay we are concerned that we who are religious have
grown to be as spiritual as God calls us to be. Are we truly
conscious and intimate in our prayerful relationship with the Lord?
Intimacy need not be emotional! Nor need it go by way of images,
though image can be helpful. It is based on a growing awareness
of the presence of God.
Time out. We take time out to note that to relate to a person it is best
to have an awareness of “presence.” We usually have our favorite way of
taking cognizance of God’s Presence. One very important but often
neglected awareness is that of the fact that through Baptism we are
temples of the Holy Spirit. The grace of the Spirit touches us with wisdom
and with fire. It is the gift of the presence of divine life collaborating with
our thoughts; it is divine fire urging us, motivating us.
In scripture we see both the Father and Jesus taking action “by the
power of the Spirit.” Divine power is divine life; by Baptism and continued
cooperation with God divine life abides in us! ! We are not divine, but
divine life influences our human life, in fact it acts to be a strong influence
on our attitudes; divine life nudges us, motivates us, acts to be a
wondrous supporting dynamism for us. Come Lord Jesus with your Spirit
so that I may say with St. Paul, “I live, now not I, but Christ lives in me.”
Our goal: “conscious and active participation”
Within the Eucharistic Celebration we find The Liturgy of the Word
in which there is dominance given to instruction for living a good
Christian life through listening to the reading of scripture and to
the encouragement given by the homilist.
In the scripture readings God tells us about himself and what we
should do and not do. The Gospels emphasize the life, example,
and teaching of Jesus, how we should imitate Jesus and live a
Christian life, what we should do. Less emphasized is the fact that
Jesus kept in touch with the Father, went off alone to relate, to
pray, to maintain his intimacy with his Father. In his commentary
the homilist may easily become more the moralist than the
evangelist who seeds a faith in and reliance on the abiding grace of
divine presence and divine life.
We try to live a good life and by and large we do. We observe the
commandments and the beatitudes; we are kind and charitable to
our fellow human beings. We may consider such a life an implicit
love of God, and so it may very well be. We might wonder,
however, if our motivation is all it might be.
6/29/2021
Liturgy of the Eucharist
https://academic2.marist.edu/foy/maristsall/essays/liturgy of the eucharist.htm
3/7
Once again, we might recall the Fiddler on the Roof in which Tevye
repeatedly asks his wife if she loves him, as she reminds him of all
the chores she does for him. I believe Tevye is probing for
intimacy and depth.
We would do well to remember Jesus asking Peter three times if he
loves him, even asking him if he loves him “more than these.” Is
Jesus here asking for more than the action of service to neighbor?
At times there is so much emphasis on the follow through in love
that we neglect the love.
After the Resurrection our Lord appeared and mingled with his
followers, ate and conversed with them; he wanted to be with his
people, he wanted community (koinonia), he wanted intimacy.
Christian life supported by the Liturgy of the Eucharist
In October of 2008 Pope Benedict XVI called a representative
group of Bishops together for a synod on the theme of the Word of
God. One of their recommendations was that homilists and
catechists should be cautioned not to imply a disconnection
between the Liturgy of the Word and the Liturgy of the Eucharist
but should take steps to strengthen the relationship between the
two. The Christian life we are taught to live in the Liturgy of the
Word is prayerfully supported by the Liturgy of the Eucharist.
There is a profound connection.
While the Liturgy of the Word tells us what we should do, what our
action should be, it is in the Liturgy of the Eucharist we enter into
intimate relationship with Jesus and the Father through the life of
the Spirit, the “power of the Spirit.”
In the Liturgy of the Eucharist we call to mind, we remember, and
we react with awe and gratitude. We stop to ponder the divine
Presence and we pledge our cooperation and service. It behooves
us to understand and appreciate the value of the Liturgy of the
Eucharist. We need to be nourished by it as much as we need to
be nourished by Holy Communion … and by the Liturgy of the
Word.
Many people who do not recognize a need for the intimacy at the
heart of the Mass -- especially if they are “bored with the homily” -
- simply do not attend Mass, or they go off elsewhere in search of
nourishment and/or entertainment to find better preaching.
THE LITURGY OF THE EUCHARIST
After the recitation of the Creed the Liturgy of the Eucharist begins
with the presentation and offering of the gifts of bread and wine,
as well as financial help for the expenses of the celebration, of
parish and church, and for the poor. “Blessed are you, Lord God;”
you are so good in giving us these gifts to offer. These gifts are
6/29/2021
Liturgy of the Eucharist
https://academic2.marist.edu/foy/maristsall/essays/liturgy of the eucharist.htm
4/7
important elements of the ritual into which we are entering. We
are about to remember. We are about to enter into a memorial.
We begin the Liturgy of the Eucharist attentively and prayerfully.
In his exhortation at the end of the Synod of the Eucharist in March
of 2007, Pope Benedict XVI said: “The spiritual life of the faithful
can benefit greatly from a better appreciation of the richness of the
Eucharistic prayer.”
We may note how the celebrant prays; at times he prays as
designated/ordained leader of the congregation and at times he
prays “in persona Christi,” that is, in the person of Christ, as
Christ. We hear the Son of God speaking to the Father, and we
hear our Lord, as one of us, praying to the Father.
When preparations are complete, the celebrant leader calls for our
attention. “May the Lord be with you.” “Let us give thanks to the
Lord our God.” We begin what is known as the Preface. As we
listen, we are surprised and in awe of the multitude and significant
importance of the blessings that are at our disposal.
The celebrant leads us in gratitude to God …
… for his “being the source of life and light,”
… for “never ceasing to call us to a new and more abundant life,”
… gratitude for “Jesus through whom you made universe and whom
you
sent to redeem us,” that is, to release and restore.
With wonder and in worship we realize our indebtedness. Earlier
Christians were so overwhelmed by awe and gratitude that they
exploded audibly with “amazing, wonderful, what goodness”
expressed as “sanctus, sanctus, sanctus.” We continue the
tradition today in our worship and gratitude with “holy, holy, holy …
heaven and earth are full of your glory,” full of the manifestation
and radiance of your goodness.
Another time out. We take time out from the flow of our essay to
mention that the most recent Catechism of the Catholic Church says that
the Preface is a “sacrifice of praise” and a “sacrifice of thanksgiving.”
Those phrases occasion consideration of what we might very well
understand by the word sacrifice. Unlike our ingrained attitude that
sacrifice is something that hurts, it is better understood as a giving of
ourselves. Giving thanks is giving of ourselves but it does not hurt or kill
us. Giving attention and recognition to someone does not negate us, but
it is giving of ourselves. True, give ourselves does take something out of
us. Jesus’ giving of himself killed him.
The celebrant picks up the theme of the preface: “Lord, you are
holy indeed, the fountain of all holiness.” With those words we are
led further into the anaphora, the Eucharistic prayer. There are
several optional prayers; essential to each is the epiclesis, calling
6/29/2021
Liturgy of the Eucharist
https://academic2.marist.edu/foy/maristsall/essays/liturgy of the eucharist.htm
5/7
on the power of the Holy Spirit, “Let your Spirit come upon these
gifts to make them holy, so that they may become for us the body
and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
Pope Benedict XVI: “Eucharistic spirituality is enriched if we
contemplate the profound unity between the invocation of the Holy
Spirit and the institution narrative.” Exhortation (#147) ending the
Synod of the Eucharist, March 2007.
With the words of institution we recognize the Divine Presence; we
recognize our Lord’s willingness to give his body and to be broken
for us, we recognize in the shed blood the divine covenantal pledge
of everlasting communion with us.
Contemplating the Eucharistic Presence
What thoughts might we have as we ponder and worship the
“lifted” Lord? There before us is Jesus, the risen Lord, alive! The
Jesus who showed himself in the upper room and again on the
shore of Lake Galilee preparing breakfast for his disciples now
chooses to show himself to us under transformed bread and wine.
We worship Jesus, alive, risen, conscious … conscious with
attitudes disposed to love, to give of himself no matter the cost,
even at the cost of death. The same self-giving love that Jesus
manifested throughout his earthly life extends to the cross, is alive
before us on the altar, and comes to us in Communion.
In his encyclical Ecclesia de Eucharistia (Church of the Eucharist)
John Paul II wrote: “In the Eucharistic Presence the paschal
mystery is gathered up and concentrated. There is a mysterious
‘oneness in time.’” Thus, we say that the Mass is a re-presentation
of the sacrifice of the Cross, and we have heard it said that the
Mass is “the unbloody sacrifice of Calvary.”
At the awareness of the divine Presence, the Church in Latin gasps
“Mysterium Fidei!” (Mystery of Faith). Mystery that our Lord so
loves us as to die for us … yet has been raised by the Father and is
alive. The mystery is a revelation that we live by dying!
Mysterium Fidei is translated for us blandly in English: “Let us
proclaim the mystery of faith.” And we reply with the words of our
memory: “Christ has died, Christ has risen, Christ will come
again.” By the power of the Spirit the Kingdom will come!
Serving in Christ
Time out: What does it mean to be “in Christ?”
6/29/2021
Liturgy of the Eucharist
https://academic2.marist.edu/foy/maristsall/essays/liturgy of the eucharist.htm
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We are in awe and are inspired to be confident and to love and
serve in return. The celebrant leads us on with: “We thank you for
allowing us to stand in your presence and serve you.” We sense
that there is a shift from a prayer of contemplation to a prayer of
action, a shift to a disposition of self-giving, a disposition of
sacrifice on our part. Pope Benedict has said that at the Holy
Sacrifice “we enter into the very dynamic of self-giving.”
A theme of communion in service prevails to the end of Mass when,
nourished and fortified by the Eucharistic banquet, we hear: “Go in
peace to love and serve the Lord.”
Meanwhile, we pray for unity, again with an epiclesis calling on the
power of divine life: “May we be brought together in unity by the
Holy Spirit.” May we serve harmoniously together with the help of
divine life. “May we become one body, one spirit in Christ.” We
want to serve “through Him and with Him and in Him.”
After the Great Amen, the great affirmation that we live and serve
together as one in Christ, we focus on the goal of Christian living;
it is the Kingdom! “Our Father … thy Kingdom come …” Our
cooperation with divine life will lead to the fulfillment of God’s plan,
to our eternal happiness, and to the completion of all of creation in
Christ … through whom all things were originally made! Christ will
come again! The Kingdom will come!
We go to the table of the Lord for the banquet of nourishment and
support for our journey of union and service, support for living the
Christian way of life advocated by the scripture and the homily of
the Liturgy of the Word.
Hopefully we are now in a position to see the value of the Mass and
of the Eucharistic prayer in particular; we are in a better position to
appreciate our need of getting apart from the crowd and from the
activity of everyday life to be better motivated in following the
Liturgy of the Word through which we are instructed on how to live
a good Christian life. We not only know what to do; we are
imbedded in the power of the Spirit with Christ.
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Source and references:
1. Ecclesia de Eucharistia: Encyclical by John Paul II, 4-17-03 [Google]
2. Message of the Synod of Bishops on the Eucharist, 2007 [Google]
3. Sacramentum Caritas: Synodal Exhortation by Benedict XVI, 2-22-07
[Google]
4. Timothy Radcliff O.P., Why go to Church? Continuum, 2008
5. Eugene LaVerdiere S.S.S., Dining in the Kingdom of God, LTP-Liturgy
Training Publications, 1994
6/29/2021
Liturgy of the Eucharist
https://academic2.marist.edu/foy/maristsall/essays/liturgy of the eucharist.htm
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6. ---------------------------, The Eucharist in the New Testament and the Early
Church, Liturgical Press, 1996
7. ---------------------------, The Breaking of the Bread, LTP - Liturgy Training
Publications. 1998
most recent revision : 30 April 2009