On Facebook, I’ve been witnessing how non-Catholics ridicule the ecclesial sacrament particularly the Eucharist as foolishness and perceive it literally as a wafer.
In a separate occasion, I don't know if it's true but
I encounter a brethren asking on a Catholic website something like what if the
communicant has a severe gluten allergy (considering that the bread is with gluten content)
although the clergy could dispense such from the obligation of receiving
Communion. Pope Francis says, "It is not “progressive” to try to resolve
problems by eliminating a human life."
Just this morning, I came across with this grumble
which non-Catholic has posted, saying like:
Although this is not where the concentration of the topic should be, this needs a clarification hoping for enlightenment in the long run.
It
says in Hebrews 9:11, “But when Christ came as high priest of the good things
that have come to be, passing through the greater and more perfect tabernacle
not made by hands, that is, not belonging to this creation.”
The
above-mentioned verse does not disprove the significant provision of God’s
constant grace through the Eucharist.
“The good things that have come to be” mentioned on the first verse has the bulk of texts which is presented as "the
good things to come" (please see Hebrews 10:1)
Hebrews 10:1 Since the law has only a shadow of the good things to come, and not
the very image of them, it can never make perfect those who come to worship by
the same sacrifices that they offer continually each year.
The term shadow was used in Hebrews 8:5,(“For he says, "See that you make
everything according to the pattern shown you on the mountain"), to signify
the earthly counterpart of the Spiritual heavenly certainty. But here it denotes
a foreshadowing of what is to come in Christ, as it is used in the Pauline
narrative (“These are shadows of things to come; the reality belongs to Christ.
- Colossians 2;17.)
This illumines that the Old Testament
sacrifices did not result spiritual benefits to come but only foreshadow them
(Hebrews 10:1). For if the sacrifices had actually resulted the forgiveness of sin, there
would have been no reason for their constant repetition (Hebrews 10:2). Instead
they are a constant reminder of the
people's sins (Hebrews 10:3). It is not logical to assume that human sins could be removed by the blood of
animal sacrifices (Hebrews 10:4). Jesus, therefore, is here revealed to understand His mission in terms of Psalm 40:5-7, cited according to the Septuagint (Hebrews 10:5-7). Jesus
affirmed that the Old Testament sacrifices did not terminate humanity’s
transgressions and so Jesus offered His
body for this purpose (Hebrews 10:8-10).
With
regards to Hebrews 9:24, "For Christ did not enter into a sanctuary
made by hands, a copy of the true one, but heaven itself, that He might
now appear before God on our behalf," this figures out that, since the blood of
animals became a cleansing symbol among Old Testament prefigurements, it was
indispensable that the truths foreshadowed be brought into being by a shedding
of blood that was boundlessly more effective by objective of its significance
(please see Hebrews 9:23).
This implies that Jesus did not simply foreshadow the heavenly realities (Hebrews 9:24) by carrying out a
yearly sacrifice with a blood not His own (Hebrews 9:25); He offered
the single sacrifice of Himself as the final dissolution of transgression (Hebrews 9:26). Just as
death is the unrepeatable act that ends a person's life, so Christ's offering
of Himself for all is the unrepeatable sacrifice that has once for all achieved
redemption (Hebrews 9:27-28).
Now, concerning with the Eucharist, when
I knew nothing about its significance, I did not mind whether
I came late or left without completing the whole sacrament, which is the source and summit
of ecclesial life. This is because I
took it as something that I inherit from my parents as a symbol of my obedience
to them than a real covenant.
In connection with this, we could find a lot of passages which show the
Eucharist to be much more than a symbol very undoubtedly.
1).
John 6:25-71
This narrative where Jesus promises the Eucharist which covers 2/3 of the chapter depicts Jesus' exchange with a crowd of disciples; numbering approximately several thousand as this occasion follows the feeding of the 5,000 (most of the preceding 1/3 of the chapter) and these disciples have followed Him seeking more of this miraculous bread. After all, Moses provided bread for those who followed him on their exodus in the desert. Jesus tells them that He is the bread of life that descends from heaven and those who come to Him will never be hungry.
With
this event, the disciples did not grasp and complained because Jesus has said
that He comes down from heaven because what they knew is that He is a man and
they knew His parents.
Jesus
again put it in the picture that He is the living bread that descends from
heaven and anyone who eats this bread will have eternal life (John 6:47).
The disciples understand Him literally and start to argue among themselves
because they don't understand how He can give them His flesh to eat. Jesus then
highlights this literal analysis by affirming four times (in four successive
verses - (John 6:53-56) that
they must eat His Flesh and drink His Blood or they will not have everlasting
life.
The
Greek verb used in these four verses for "eat" is much solid than the
verb used earlier in this sermon; in this case it literally means "chew,
gnaw"; hardly a word to be taken figuratively.
Jesus
then tells the disciples that the "Spirit gives life, the flesh counts for
nothing". In other words, stop worrying about food for the flesh and start
worrying about food for the Spirit (notice that He talks about "the flesh"
and not "My flesh"; He is talking about the flesh of John 3:6.
Subsequently,
many of His disciples left Him - the only portion of the Bible where people stopped to follow Him for a reason of doctrine brought by their literal comprehension,
and Jesus, who understands perfectly, does not seek to change their
understanding; because there is no misunderstanding.
Jesus
then asks His apostles if they wish to leave too, but Peter speaking for the
rest tells Him that although they don't understand, they will continue to
follow Him because they know that He has been sent by God for their salvation.
It
is attention-grabbing that this is the first time in the Scripture where it is
noted that Judas Iscariot would later leave to hand Him over. Judas did not
believe that Jesus could give His Flesh to eat and His Blood to drink and so
departed at the Last Supper when the Eucharist was established.
2).
Mark 14:17-26
This
account is where the promise of John 6 to give His Body and Blood is
accomplished and it commences by identifying that Judas would leave to betray
Him, the second time in the Bible that Judas' betrayal was pointed out.
During
the Passover liturgy the presiding elder makes clear the significance of these
facets. Following this custom, Jesus
takes the bread, and later the cup, and after giving thanks leaves from the
customary significance and instead says " This is my body."...
"This is my blood of the covenant, which will be shed for many.
It's interesting to note that whatever God pronounces comes into being, as in when God said "Let there be
light and there was light". Jesus then says that His Blood is the blood of
the covenant which is poured out for many; the only time in Jesus' documented
life where He uses the word "covenant", which is a word used in the
Jewish liturgical sense that emphasizes the forming of an unalterable sacred family
bond.
Just
as during the original Passover the blood denoted the homes of the members of
God's family, so now, drinking His Blood features the members of His family.
St.
Paul narrates that partaking of the bread and the cup is participating in
Jesus’ Body and Blood and that everyone is united because of taking the same
loaf which is Jesus. "Partaking of" and
"participating in" something which is only symbolic than real is
terribly difficult.
St.
Paul recaps that although he was absent at the Last Supper he obtained
revelation directly from the Lord. He then provides the same account of the
occurrences at the Last Supper with the clarification from Jesus to "do
this in remembrance of Me."
Remembrance
for a Jew is beyond looking back warmheartedly on a past episode. When a
memorial sacrifice is offered, the partakers are made present at the original
event and participate in that significant occasion. At this point, Jesus tells His apostles to institute a perpetual memorial sacrifice for Him.
St.
Paul then continues to warn the Corinthians wherein most of whom believed that
the Eucharist is truly the Body and Blood of Christ, that they are to exclude
themselves from partaking in the meal if they do not recognize that it is the
real presence of the Lord or they will eat and drink damnation upon themselves.
That
is why the Catholic church takes the Eucharist faithfully and reverently to keep the brethren be reminded/proscribed not to
receive Communion if one is conscious that she/he is in a state of serious sin without
receiving the sacrament of penance before
going to Communion. That is why with
utmost reverence, everyone when passing by where the Blessed Sacrament is kept
carefully genuflect
or, at
least to make a deep bow of respect. And it’s extreme disrespect and sloppy
language calling the Eucharist as wafer or "bread" or the
"wine" rather than as "the Body of Christ" and "the
Blood of Christ."
That
is why as the highest respect for the Eucharist, the Church also encourages the
communicants for an hour fasting before Communion, arriving on time for Mass,
and not leaving early.
That
is why as supreme esteem for the Eucharist, everyone is encouraged to make visits to
the church to pray before the Blessed Sacrament, which is one of the most
fruitful forms of prayer for a Catholic, praying before the Lord who is present
in the tabernacle.
"For as often as we eat this bread and drink the cup,
we proclaim the death of the Lord. If we proclaim the Lord's death, we proclaim
the forgiveness of sins. If, as often as His blood is poured out, it is poured
for the forgiveness of sins, I should always receive it, so that it may always
forgive my sins. Because I always sin, I should always have a remedy." St. Ambrose
References:
- Catechism of the Catholic Church, St. Charles Borrmeo
- The New American Bible, http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_INDEX.HTM
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment