Eucharist - A Memorial

Of the several angles from which we can look at the Eucharist, the Memorial is perhaps the most central. We reflect on the Eucharistic command of Jesus: “Do this as a Memorial of Me.

DO: Eucharist is an action, not primarily a thing; a Verb and not a noun. Some characteristics of this action:
- Action of the entire Church: Church celebrates, consecrates, communes
- Action/not passivity; No spectators at Eucharist
- Hierarchically ordered action – yet all contribute at the basic level
- Symbolic action

MEMORIAL: not mere remembrance or memory [only in the mind] but objective
Memorial = re-PRESENT-ation, a making present again [not do it again]. Jesus needs us today since while he is really present, he does not have a physical body. Asks us: Can YOU be my body? Through us as his instruments, he will make present again

THIS: Jesus did two sets of actions – with bread / and with the Cup. Meaning is the same… Why duplication? Every action has two aspects: external form and internal meaning.
What he did is : TOOK the bread, SAID the blessing, BROKE the bread, GAVE it to his disciples saying: Take and eat; this is my body which is given for you.

Jesus at Last Supper We at Eucharist

Took the Bread Present ourselves through gifts
Said the Blessing Eucharistic prayer of praise
Broke the bread Fraction rite: breaking of bread
Gave it … Communion rite

Meaning: Surrender; Your will be done Praise, thanks, offer, petition …

ME: We are asked to make present again JESUS, in a living, flesh-and-blood manner. Jesus is really present not only in the Sacred Host, but in each baptized, whole Church.

Lk: 4:16-22 Jesus sent as the Messiah – to do “works”
7: 18-22 Doing “works” indicates that Jesus is Messiah
Jn. 14:12 - If you believe – you will do the works I do. To believe = be a living Jesus
Job 29:15-16 I became eyes to the blind, feet to the lame …
Acts 4:32-35 – Not a single person who was in need.
To do the memorial therefore, means to make Jesus present in our own life … BE a living Jesus and continue the work of redemption … through Obedience to God’s will.

Further Material on
EUCHARIST AS MEMORIAL

Introduction: A few random thoughts on Sacraments :

* God, not out there, but present to us each moment
* Sacraments are not the primary and only ‘place’ where we come to receive grace – God graces us at each moment
* Grace (the effect of Sacraments) is not a thing, but a relationship – trace out how a relationship develops: encounter … discovery of likeable qualities and attraction … sharing of prime time together … exchange of gifts symbolizing self … doing what the other likes, surrender … eventually, total self-gift to each other
* Heaven, hell etc. are not ‘places’ up there … but states of being, content, fulfilled, ‘perfect’ or complete.
* In the Sacraments, we use symbolic language … What is a symbol? Importance of symbolic language in effectiveness of Sacraments
* In Sacraments as in all matters, it is God who takes the initiative; ours is only to respond
* Sacraments produce their effects in the doing, in our responding – they are verbs, not nouns. They do not produce their effects magically, but through personal involvement. The more of myself I invest in any given Sacrament, the more I get out of it.
* Sacraments are actions, not things; actions done by the Community, the whole Christ, not by individual persons alone; generally they are hierarchically organized
* There are no passive spectators at any Sacrament … they are encounters with Christ who is today a living person, even though we cannot ‘touch, feel, hear’ him as we would when dealing with another human being.
* Sacraments as a process …
* Sacraments as a celebration … What are the elements needed for a celebration?

In Eucharist, what do we celebrate?
* The dying-rising of Jesus
* God’s gratuitous, unsolicited gift of his love – in human form: Jesus. New Covenant
* Forgiveness – freely and repeatedly … no trace or remembrance of past offences
* Church … guidance
* See Eucharistic Prayer – Preface and the Prayer itself
* Other blessings daily received

Before beginning Eucharist, we need to become aware of our personal reasons for celebration.

How: * Joyful attitude… Have a song in your heart … Jesus has risen and is with us
* Wholehearted response – both external and internal * Unqualified acceptance of the others celebrating with me … entering into and sharing their reasons too * Openness to share my blessings with others 1 Jn. 3: 1-3; Eph. 1:3-10; Romans 8:31…What can separate us from the love of Christ …?

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