EUCHARIST
The Holy Eucharist is the third sacrament of initiation and is associated with the other two sacraments of initiation: Baptism and Confirmation.
When adults are received into the Church, they receive the sacraments of initiation in the traditional order: Baptism, Confirmation, and the Holy Eucharist.
The practice of the western (Latin) Church is to baptize children as infants, to allow them to receive the Holy Eucharist for the first time at about age seven and to allow them to be confirmed between the ages of twelve and seventeen.
The Holy Eucharist has several names: Breaking of the Bread, Memorial of the Lord's Passion and Resurrection, the Holy Sacrifice, the Holy and Divine Liturgy, the Most Blessed Sacrament, Holy Communion, and Holy Mass.
Christ instituted the Holy Eucharist at the Last Supper.
The Holy Eucharist is a sacramental sacrifice:
of thanksgiving and praise;
In the sacrifice of the Eucharist, through the death and resurrection of Christ the Church presents all of creation to the Father as an offering praise and thanksgiving.
The Church gives thanks to God in the Eucharist for all the blessings God has accomplished in his works of creation, redemption, and sanctification.
of Christ's death on the cross and resurrection from the dead;
The Eucharist makes present again the sacrifice of the cross in an unbloody manner.
The sacrifice of Christ and the sacrifice of the Eucharist are one, single sacrifice.
In the Eucharistic sacrifice and in the sacrifice of the cross, there is one priest and one victim: Christ.
The whole Church is always united with each and every Eucharist, including those in heaven.
The Eucharist is offered for the faithful departed who are in purgatory.
of Christ's presence.
Christ is truly, really, and substantially present in the Holy Eucharist.
The entire, whole Christ, body, blood, soul, and divinity is present in the Eucharist under the appearances of both the bread and the wine.
Christ is present under each species completely and totally in such a way that the breaking of the "bread" does not divide Christ.
We worship Christ present in the Blessed Sacrament during the celebration of the Eucharist.
We worship Christ's presence in the Eucharist outside of Mass through silent adoration, processions, and other devotions.
The presence of Christ in the Eucharist cannot be known by our senses, but only by faith.
The Holy Eucharist is also the paschal banquet.
Catholics are urged to receive the Eucharist frequently.
The faithful may receive Holy Communion each time they participate in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.
However, those who are conscious of an unforgiven mortal sin must receive the sacrament of Penance before partaking of the Eucharist.
Before receiving Holy Communion, Catholics are asked to abstain from food, liquids and solids for one hour.
Medicine may be taken.
Water may be taken.
The sick need fast only for fifteen minutes.
However, non-Christians and Christians not fully united with the Catholic Church can non received the Eucharist.
The Eucharist signifies a oneness in faith, life, and worship. Reception of the Eucharist by non-Catholics would imply a oneness which does not yet exist, for which we must all pray.
Holy Communion intensifies our union with Christ.
Holy Communion separates us from sin.
Holy Communion builds the unity of the faithful.
Holy Communion commits us to the poor.
The Eucharist is also the pledge of future glory.
The Eucharist is the sign of the fulfillment of the Kingdom of God in the age to come.
The Eucharist unites us with those in heaven who are even now experiencing the joy of complete union with God.
The essential rite of the Eucharist is the consecration of the unleavened bread and wine which is accomplished by the priest when he says the words: "This is my body which will be given up for you" over the bread and "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" over the wine.
This central act is surrounded by a fundamental structure which has its origins in the early Church.
There is the liturgy of the Word which includes the gathering, the readings, homily, and general intercessions.
The liturgy of the Word is followed by the liturgy of the Eucharist which includes the presentation of the bread and wine, the consecration with the prayers before and after the central consecratory ritual, and the communion.
The liturgy of the Word and the Eucharist constitute one, single act of worship. The table set for us in the table both of the Word and of the Body and Blood of the Lord.
The changing of the bread and the wine into the Body and Blood of Christ is known as TRANSUBSTANTIATION.
Substance is that which exists in itself.
When the Church teaches that the bread and wine are changed into the Body and Blood of Christ, it means that whatever makes bread be bread or wine be wine (the substance of the bread and substance of the wine) is gone. The substance of bread is not present after the consecration and the substance of the wine is not present after the consecration. The changing of the substance of bread and wine is called transubstantiation.
Although the substance of the bread and the substance of the wine is not present after the consecration, the outward appearances remain.
While all the baptized legitimately join in the sacrifice of the Eucharist, only validly ordained priests can consecrate the bread and the wine so that they become the Body and Blood of the Lord.
The bread and wine of the Eucharist signify nourishment and are nourishment for the soul.
But the bread and wine also signify the fruits of creation and so are symbolic of an offering of all the creation to God.
By Christ's own very words over the bread and wine at the Last Supper, we see in the two consecrations, the separation of Christ's body and blood. The Eucharist signifies and is Christ's sacrifice made present.
Jesus is really present in the Eucharist under the appearances of unleavened bread and wine as long as they remain unspoiled.
Information on this page was taken from Outlines of the Catholic Faith with permission from The Leaflet Missal Company. Click here for more information about Leaflet Missal Company publications.