The Eucharist: Catechism

Met with my priest last night as well as with a group of other Eucharistic Ministers – a couple of long-standing ministers, plus a couple brand new ones, just like me – for an hour and a half going over the theology of the Blessed Sacrament. Some handouts, a short lecture, some Bible readings, some personal disclosures. All in all informative and welcoming, and I left feeling very pleased that I had made a good decision.

I asked Father where the definitive teaching on the Eucharist was. Was there a papal encyclical, or some early writing of the Church Fathers, something that would have it all spelled out, theory and practice, for the concerned seeker? He said that there was, and it turns out it is in a place I had neglected to review for my little series on the Eucharist. The Catechism of the Catholic Church.

For my thoughts on the CCC, see here.

I am remiss in not consulting the Catechism. As a matter of fact, I just slapped my palm to my forehead, like I do when I realize I could have had a V8. Anyway, opening up the CCC and looking briefly at the table of contents, I see 130 pages are devoted to explaining the teaching and reasoning behind the Church’s seven sacraments. 28 pages on the Eucharist. That seems comprehensive enough.

If you happen to be really, really interested, the relevant part can be found online here.

The parts that speak most strongly to me are the following:

1373 “Christ Jesus, who died, yes, who was raised from the dead, who is at the right hand of God, who indeed intercedes for us,” is present in many ways to his Church: in his word, in his Church’s prayer, “where two or three are gathered in my name,” in the poor, the sick, and the imprisoned, in the sacraments of which he is the author, in the sacrifice of the Mass, and in the person of the minister. But “he is present … most especially in the Eucharistic species.”

1376 The Council of Trent summarizes the Catholic faith by declaring: “Because Christ our Redeemer said that it was truly his body that he was offering under the species of bread, it has always been the conviction of the Church of God, and this holy Council now declares again, that by the consecration of the bread and wine there takes place a change of the whole substance of the bread into the substance of the body of Christ our Lord and of the whole substance of the wine into the substance of his blood. This change the holy Catholic Church has fittingly and properly called transubstantiation.”

Next Sunday we all meet again to go over the mechanics and logistics of what is involved. I am nervous, excited, and am very much looking forward to it. I am finally convinced that it is an honor to be called to such a duty, and even though I am not worthy of it, none of us is, not even my priest, nor my bishop, not even the Pope. There is only One who is worthy, but we are all called to serve Him in whatever ways he makes known to us.