From the time of the first Christians, the Church has recognized the real presence of Jesus Christ in the Eucharist.  In our celebration of the Eucharist, we give thanks to God that through the passion, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, we are united in the Body of Christ, and we are nourished with the spiritual food that gives us strength to continue God's saving work on earth.  We believe that the Eucharist is a cosmic event, that it "unites heaven and earth" and "permeates all creation."  (Ecclesia de Eucharistia)

 

In his fourteenth encyclical, Ecclesia de Euchristia (on the Eucharist in its relationship to the Church), Pope John Paul II offers a deeply personal reflection on the Eucharist as the central mystery of our faith.  The encyclical was written as a letter to bishops, priests, deacons, men and women in the consecrated life and to all the lay faithful with the hope of rekindling a sense of "Eucharistic amazement."  The goal of the encyclical is to instill in us a more profound understanding of the Eucharist and to dispel "unacceptable doctrine and practices" that have caused confusion and depreciation of the Eucharist.

 

The Institution of the Eucharist

Jesus instituted the Eucharist the night before he died while celebrating the Passover meal with his disciples.  He took bread, broke it and gave it to his disciples, saying:  "Take this, all of you and eat it:  This is my body, which will be given up for you."  (cf. Mk 14:22; Lk 22:19; 1 Cor 11:24)  Then he took the cup of wine and said to them:  "Take this, all of you and drink from it:  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.  (cf. Mt 14:24; Lk 22:20; 1 Cor 11:25)

 

The celebration of the Eucharist is not a symbolic remembrance of the Last Supper, as some Christians believe.  It is not an attempt to re-crucify Jesus.  We do not offer a new sacrifice to the Father.  The passion, death and resurrection of Jesus happened only once.  When the Church celebrates the Eucharist, we enter into that "one, definitive, redemptive sacrifice."  We return spiritually to the Last Supper and the events that followed, in a "mysterious oneness in time."  It allows people throughout the centuries to share in the grace of redemption.

 

The Real Presence

During the celebration of the Eucharist, Jesus becomes present in the fullest sense when the bread and wine are consecrated, when they become his body and blood.  St. Cyril of Jerusalem wrote, "Do not see in the bread and wine merely natural elements, because the Lord has expressly said that they are his body and blood; faith assures you of this, though your senses suggest otherwise."

 

The Eucharist is a banquet, with Christ offering himself as nourishment and giving us his Spirit.  It is a foretaste of the fullness of joy promised by Christ and an opportunity to experience eternal life while still on earth.  It increases our sense of responsibility as Christians by inspiring us to spread the Gospel message and bring the world into harmony with God's plan.

 

"The Eucharist, as Christ's saving presence in the community of the faithful and its spiritual food, is the most precious possession which the Church can have in her journey through history."  (Ecclesia de Eucharistia)

 

The Eucharist and the Church

Our baptism, which united us with Christ, is renewed by sharing in the Eucharistic sacrifice.  When we receive the body of Christ, we become one body in Christ.  The Eucharist fulfills our deepest longings for unity with God and other people.

 

"The seeds of disunity, which daily experience shows to be so deeply rooted in humanity as a result of sin, are countered by the unifying power of the body of Christ.  The Eucharist, precisely by building up the Church, creates human community."  (Ecclesia de Eucharistia)

 

"The Eucharist's particular effectiveness in promoting communion is one of the reasons for the importance of Sunday Mass...The faithful have the obligation to attend Mass...Pastors have the corresponding duty to see that it is practical and possible for all to fulfill this precept."  (Ecclesia de Eucharistia)

 

The Role of the Priest

Jesus entrusted the Eucharist to the apostles and it has been passed down through the centuries in the Sacrament of Holy Orders.  The Eucharistic celebration at Mass can only be conducted by an ordained priest.  The priest is in persona Christi (acting as the person of Christ), which makes Christ present in a special way in the priest and links the Eucharistic consecration to the Last Supper and the sacrifice of the cross.

 

"The Eucharist thus appears as the culmination of all the sacraments in perfecting our communion with God the Father by identification with his only-begotten Son through the working of the Holy Spirit."  (Ecclesia de Eucharistia)

 

The Celebration of the Eucharist

Throughout history there has been a rich artistic heritage, including music, painting, sculpture and architecture, associated with the celebration of the Eucharist.  People of different cultures constantly bring new vitality to the Eucharist.

 

In recent times, however, abuses have occurred as a result of a misguided sense of creativity and a reaction against formality.  The Church has established norms to regulate the celebration of the Eucharist.  "No one is permitted to undervalue the mystery entrusted to our hands:  It is too great for anyone to feel free to treat it lightly and with disregard for its sacredness and universality."  (Ecclesia de Eucharistia)

 

Who Can Receive Communion?

Because the Eucharist holds a place of such importance, the Church takes special precautions regarding the reception of the sacrament.

 

• Communion cannot be given to a person who has not been baptized or to a person who does not believe in the Eucharistic mystery.

 

• The celebration of interfaith communion is invalid and acts as an obstacle to one day reaching full communion by blurring the differences in belief among Christian denominations.

 

• Catholics should never consider ecumenical services replacement for Mass.  Because of differing beliefs, Catholics should not receive communion in other churches except in cases of genuine spiritual urgency, as described in Church Law.

 

• There are special circumstances in which the Eucharist can be given to Christians who are not in full communion with the Catholic Church, as defined in Church law, but this should occur only for the spiritual salvation of the individual and not as a sign of intercommunion.

 

• Anyone who has committed a serious sin must receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation before receiving communion.

 

• Determination of whether a person is in a state of grace involves conscience, but those who "obstinately persist in manifest sin" can be refused communion out of love for the Eucharist and for the Church.

 

The School of Mary

Our Lady is the model for deepening our appreciation of the Eucharist.  "If the Eucharist is a mystery of faith which so greatly transcends our understanding as to call for sheer abandonment to the word of God, then there can be no one like Mary to act as our support and guide in acquiring this disposition."  (Ecclesia de Eucharistia)

 

The Pope urges Catholics to meditate on events in Mary's life that parallel our own experience of encountering Jesus Christ in the Eucharist.

 

Mary's "yes" to the angel at the Annunciation (Lk 1:30-38) parallels our "Amen" when we receive the Eucharist because we, too, are inviting Jesus to come into our bodies.

 

Mary's Magnificat (Lk 1:46-55), her joyful prayer upon telling Elizabeth that she would be the Mother of God, leads us to a deeper understanding of the Eucharist as a prayer of praise and thanksgiving.

 

When we see Mary at the foot of the cross (Jn 19:25-27), we can incorporate our own suffering into the pain of Christ crucified and enter more deeply into "the sacrificial dimension of the Eucharist."

 

Ways to Increase Your Devotion to the Eucharist

The pope encourages us "to cultivate in our hearts a constant desire for the Sacrament of the Eucharist."  (Ecclesia de Eucharistia)  The practice of "spiritual communion", in which you ask the Lord to enter your heart, is an opportunity for union with God at times when you cannot receive the sacrament.  It is not a substitute, however.

 

Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament is a "priceless treasure" and “wellspring of grace."  It prolongs and increases the fruits of our communion.  It provides an opportunity to express our gratitude and love.

 

• Observation of the one-hour fast before receiving communion is a preparation for reception of the sacrament.  Before Mass, contemplate with awe and wonder the mystery that will unfold in the Eucharist.

 

• Participate in the Mass by listening carefully to the words during the Liturgy of the Word and the Liturgy of the Eucharist, by responding enthusiastically, and by singing with the congregation.

 

• Always demonstrate the utmost respect and reverence when receiving the Eucharist.  Take time after receiving communion for a few moments of private prayer and thanksgiving.

 

• Carry the Eucharist in your heart when you leave the church as an instrument of Christ's love.  Share with others the many ways in which the Eucharist touches your life.