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Doctrine: Baptism | Confirmation | Matrimony | Anointing | Holy Orders | Reconciliation | Justification
LETTER DOMINICAE CENAE OF THE SUPREME PONTIFF JOHN PAUL II TO ALL THE BISHOPS OF THE CHURCH ON THE MYSTERY AND WORSHIP OF THE EUCHARIST My venerable and dear brothers,ENCYCLICAL LETTER ECCLESIA DE EUCHARISTIA OF HIS HOLINESS POPE JOHN PAUL II TO THE BISHOPS PRIESTS AND DEACONS MEN AND WOMEN IN THE CONSECRATED LIFE AND ALL THE LAY FAITHFUL ON THE EUCHARIST IN ITS RELATIONSHIP TO THE CHURCH
CONGREGATION FOR DIVINE WORSHIP AND THE DISCIPLINE OF THE SACRAMENTS THE YEAR OF THE EUCHARIST SUGGESTIONS AND PROPOSALS
MYSTERIUM FIDEI ENCYCLICAL OF POPE PAUL VI ON THE HOLY EUCHARIST SEPTEMBER 3, 1965
APOSTOLIC LETTER MANE NOBISCUM DOMINE OF THE HOLY FATHER JOHN PAUL II TO THE BISHOPS, CLERGY AND FAITHFUL FOR THE YEAR OF THE EUCHARIST OCTOBER 2004 and OCTOBER 2005
The Eucharistic Prayer.
The Eucharistic Prayer or Canon of the Mass is the central prayer of the entire celebration.
The Sacrament of the Eucharist
By Frederick Pogorzelski
Holy Communion, receiving the Body and Blood of Christ in the Eucharist, is one of the three sacraments of Christian initiation. It was explicitly instituted by Christ ( Mt 26:26-29 ) ( Mk 14:22-25 ). The Eucharist, or thanksgiving offering, is rich in symbolic themes of Christian teachings. Saint Paul says, "For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lords death until he comes". It also symbolizes Christian unity as a common meal by members of the church ( Acts 2:46-47 ) ( 1 Cor 10:17; 11:17-33; 12:27 ). Saint Luke includes Passover Supper and Institution Traditions and memorial reenactment ( Lk 22:15-20 ). The rite existed from the very beginning of the church ( Acts 2:42 ). The Eucharist has themes of the Christian Passover in which the Lamb is consumed sacramentally as a covenant sacrifice. Saint John shows the sacrament as a principal of eternal life and atonement made for the salvation of the world ( Jn 6:27-71 ). Jesus, as the bond of the new covenant through His death, is the victim of the covenant sacrifice ( 1 Cor 10:14-22; 11:23-29 ). The Old Testament foreshadowed that Jesus would offer a true sacrifice to God as bread and wine after the order of Melchizedek ( Gen 14:18 ) ( Ps 110:4 ) ( Heb 7:1-28 ). "In every place and time let there be offered to me a clean sacrifice. For I am a great king, says the Lord, and my name is wonderful among the gentiles" ( Mal 1:11 ).
When we share the bread and wine, Jesus unites us with himself in his offering of himself to God, our Father. We offer ourselves to God, along with Jesus at Mass, as a "living sacrifice"... "so we, though many, are one body in Christ" ( Rom 12:1-5 ). When we receive the Eucharist, Jesus gives himself to us in the food of life; his Body and Blood, to help us grow in goodness and love, and be more like him. We receive the gift of grace. We join Jesus in praising our Father at Mass. We celebrate the memorial of his sacrifice, and we celebrate, too, Jesus alive and mysterious, really present among us ( 1 Cor 5:7 ) ( Heb 9:14; 9:24-28 ).