The Evangelium #14

1. The
Eucharist

2. The Eucharist
KEY DEFINITION
•
• Sacrifice. It makes present Jesus Christ’s
sacrifice on Calvary for our salvation.
• Presence. It is Jesus Christ himself under
the appearances of bread and wine.
• Food. It is the nourishment of our souls
by which we share in God’s own life.
The Eucharist is a sacrifice, a presence and
a food:

3. The Eucharist as Sacrifice
The Seven Sacraments by Weyden

4. The Eucharist as Sacrifice
The Eucharist is a sacrament
established by Christ to nourish the
life of grace in us.
Uniquely among the sacraments,
however, the Eucharist is also a
sacrifice, the sacrifice of Christ himself.

5. The Eucharist as Sacrifice
Sacrifices offer something up to
God to honour him, to thank him,
to gain communion with him and
to make expiation for sin.
The Eucharistic sacrifice of Christ
achieves all of these perfectly.

6. Sacrifices in the Old Testament
Altarpiece of the Holy Sacrament by Bouts
Old Testament sacrifices on the left prefigure the sacrifice of Christ in the centre.

7. Sacrifices in the Old Testament
Both unbloody and bloody kinds of
sacrifice were prominent in the Old
Testament.
Sacrifices without blood included
Melchizedech’s offering of bread and
wine and the yearly offering of the
first-fruits of the harvest.
The pre-eminent blood sacrifice was
that of Passover. Shedding the blood
of the Paschal lamb and eating its
flesh marked the ‘passing over’ from
sin and death to freedom and life.
Melchizedech (above)
Passover (below)
Manna (above)
Elijah (below)

8. Sacrifices in the Old Testament
These sacrifices were commanded by God
as provisional and prophetic, offsetting
some of the effects of sin.
However, these imperfect sacrifices of
fallen humanity could never achieve our
redemption or unite us to God in familial
communion.
For since the law has but a shadow of the good things to
come instead of the true form of these realities, it can never,
by the same sacrifices which are continually offered year after
year, make perfect those who draw near.
Heb 10:1

9. Sacrifices in the Old Testament
The Sacrifice of Isaac by Caravaggio

10. Sacrifices in the Old Testament This picture shows how God
tested Abraham’s faith by
asking him to sacrifice his
beloved son Isaac. However,
God sent an angel to prevent
this at the last moment and
instead provided a ram for a
sacrifice, a gift which
prefigured the sacrifice of
Christ, the Lamb of God.
Abraham
An angel
Isaac
Ram

11. The Eucharistic sacrifice of Christ
The Last Supper by Sassetta
This depicts the moment when Jesus instituted the Eucharistic sacrifice.

12. The Eucharistic sacrifice of Christ
The Eucharistic sacrifice of
Jesus renders perfect
thanksgiving to God and gains
mercy for the whole world.
‘Eucharist’ originally meant
‘thanksgiving’.

13. The Eucharistic sacrifice of Christ
When Jesus began his mission,
John the Baptist declared him
to be “the Lamb of God, who takes
away the sin of the world” (Jn 1:29).
By these words John indicated
that Jesus is the perfect sacrifice
prefigured by the Old
Testament sacrifices.
The Baptism of Christ by Piero della Francesca

14. The Eucharistic sacrifice of Christ
Jesus confirmed that
he would offer his
flesh for the life of
the world (c.f. Jn 6:51).
At the feast of
Passover, he took
bread and wine and
offered up his
imminent death for
our salvation.

15. The Eucharistic sacrifice of Christ
“Take this, all of you,
and eat it: this is my
body which will be
given up for you.”
“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.”

16. Jesus added,
Therefore the Church,
through her priests,
continues to offer the
same Eucharistic
sacrifice.
Christ’s offering on
Calvary and its salvific
effects are thereby made
present to all ages until
the end of time.
The Eucharistic sacrifice of Christ
“Do this in memory of me.”

17. The Eucharistic sacrifice of Christ
This Eucharistic sacrifice
is called the Mass.
The Mass is the centre
of the Church’s worship,
“the source and summit of
the Christian life”
(Lumen Gentium n. 11).

18. The Eucharistic sacrifice of Christ
This Eucharistic sacrifice
is called the Mass.
The Mass is the centre
of the Church’s worship,
“the source and summit of
the Christian life”
(Lumen Gentium n. 11).
The Cross and
the Mass
This shows that the
offering of Christ
on the cross is re-
presented in the
Mass.

19. Summary
Questions
to reinforce
key points
Discussion
questions
Practical
activities
Presentation Part II
Summary Activities I
Please select an activity or go immediately
to part II of the presentation

20. Summary
Activities Menu Presentation Part II
• The Eucharist is a sacrifice, the sacrifice of
Christ himself. The Eucharistic sacrifice of
Jesus renders perfect thanksgiving to God
and gains mercy for the whole world.
• At the feast of Passover, Jesus took bread
and wine and offered up his imminent death
for our salvation.
• Jesus added, “Do this in memory of me.”
Therefore the Church, through her priests,
continues to offer the same Eucharistic
sacrifice. This is called the Mass.

21. Questions to reinforce key points
A Sacrifice
A Presence
A food
What is the Eucharist?
Activities Menu Presentation Part II
1
2
3
Click on a box to reveal one
of the answers

22. Discussion questions
Activities Menu Presentation Part II
• Discuss why the Eucharist is also
called the ‘Sacrifice of the Mass’.
• Discuss how the Old Testament
sacrifices, especially the Passover,
prefigure the Eucharist.
• Discuss how the Last Supper, the
crucifixion and the Mass are
connected.
Select one or more of the following:

23. Practical activities
Activities Menu Presentation Part II
• Read the Compendium of the Catechism
questions 271 - 281.
• Read through the institution of the
Eucharistic sacrifice in Matthew 26:26-
29; Mark 14:22-25; Luke 22:14-22.
• Visit a church and note any objects or
symbols which indicate Calvary or the
sacrificial nature of the Mass.
Select one or more of the following:

24. The Eucharist as Presence
The Communion of the Apostles by Fra Angelico
This shows the apostles recognising the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist.

25. Is Jesus really present in the Eucharist?

26. Is Jesus really present in the Eucharist?
Jesus promised to give food from
heaven that would be his flesh and
blood (Jn 6:51-56).
He fulfilled this promise at the Last
Supper, when he took the bread and
said explicitly,
“this is my body”
and when he took the wine and said
“this is the cup of my blood”

27. Is Jesus really present in the Eucharist?
This gift is also made present to us
today. When the priest speaks the
words of consecration in the Mass,
the bread and wine truly become
the body and blood of Jesus
Christ.
The Church calls this change
‘transubstantiation’ because the
substance of bread and wine are
really changed, becoming the
substance of Jesus Christ himself.

28. Is Jesus really present in the Eucharist?
For this reason,
uniquely of all things
present to our
senses in this world,
we worship the
Eucharist as God.
The Mystic Lamb by Jan van Eyck

29. Is Jesus really present in the Eucharist?
Jesus said before his Ascension
to the Father,
“I am with you always;
yes, to the end of time”
(Mt 28:20).
This promise is fulfilled in the
Real Presence of the Eucharist
in the tabernacle of every
Catholic church.The Ascension of Christ by Garofalo

30. Is Jesus really present in the Eucharist?
We therefore honour Jesus
Christ by genuflecting, kneeling
and praying before the
tabernacle.
Sometimes the Eucharistic host
is placed in a monstrance so
that we can see the host and
offer him adoration.
The Ascension of Christ by Garofalo

31. The Eucharist as Food
The Institution of the Eucharist by Joos van Wassenhover

32. The Eucharist as Food
Following Jesus’
command
“Take this, all of you, and
eat it ... Take this…and
drink from it”
the Eucharist has
always been celebrated
as a sacred meal.

33. The Eucharist as Food
When Christ publicly
declared that all must
eat his flesh and drink
his blood, many were
shocked (Jn 6:60). These
actions are fitting,
though, because of
what a spiritual and
sacred meal implies.

35. Sanctuary lamp
indicating the presence of Christ.
Chalice and hosts
The body and blood of Christ
on the altar of sacrifice.
The table
resembles the shape and
position of an altar in the
apse of a church.
Contemporary figures
remind us that the Mass is for
all times and places.
The jug
used for the
washing of the
disciples’ feet
reminds us of the
need for self-
giving, humility
and purification.
Jesus feeds his
disciples with Holy
Communion.

36. The Eucharist as Food
Union
By consuming his life we become
like him, and he dwells within us.
For this reason the Eucharist is
also called Holy Communion.
As a meal, it also expresses
intimacy with Christ and unity
with the whole Church (1 Cor 10:17).

37. The Eucharist as Food
Strength
By consuming divine food, we
gain nourishment in the divine life
that Christ has shared with us. The
form of bread under which it
appears is a sign that the Eucharist
gives us strength for the spiritual
journey through life, and at the
approach of death.

38. The Eucharist as Food
Promise
By receiving the risen Jesus, we
also receive in the Eucharist the
power of his Resurrection within
us. As he promised,
“He who eats my flesh and drinks my
blood has eternal life, and I will raise
him up at the last day” (Jn 6:56 and 6:40).

39. The Eucharist as Food
The Mass as a sacred banquet
on earth is also our sharing in
something far greater in
heaven. Scripture refers to a
heavenly wedding feast,
“Blessed are those who are called to
the Marriage Feast of the Lamb”
(Rev 19.9).

41. The Lamb of God
on the altar
whose sacrifice is ever
before the Father.
This reminds us of the greater reality of the Eucharist in heaven.
Instruments of the Passion
remind us of the link between
Calvary and the Mass.
The chalice
symbolises the blood shed
for our salvation.
Incense
reminds us that this is an
offering and a liturgy.
The saints
are gathered in heaven
because of the Mass.

42. Summary
Questions
to reinforce
key points
Discussion
questions
Practical
activities
Summary Activities II
Please select an activity or go immediately
to the concluding prayer
Concluding Prayer

43. Summary
Activities Menu
• Jesus promised to give food from heaven
that would be his flesh and blood. He
fulfilled this promise at the Last Supper and
this is also made present for us in the Mass.
• When the priest speaks the words of
consecration in the Mass, the bread and
wine truly become the body and blood of
Jesus Christ. The Church calls this change
‘transubstantiation’.
• We celebrate the Eucharist as a sacred meal
in which we consume his flesh and blood.
This gives us communion with him, spiritual
strength and the promise of eternal life.
Concluding Prayer

44. Questions to reinforce key points
Union
Strength
Promise
What are the effects of receiving the Eucharist?
Activities Menu Concluding Prayer
1
2
3
Click on a box to reveal one
of the answers

45. Discussion questions
Activities Menu
• Discuss how we should treat the
Eucharist, given that this is the
sacred body and blood of Jesus
Christ.
• Discuss some personal experiences
of Communion or Adoration of
the Blessed Sacrament.
Select one or more of the following:
Concluding Prayer

46. Practical activities
Activities Menu
• Read the Compendium of the Catechism
questions 282-294.
• Read the Gospel of John chapter 6
on the Eucharist.
• Visit a church and locate the
tabernacle. Pray for a few minutes
before the presence of Jesus in the
tabernacle.
Select one or more of the following:
Concluding Prayer

47. Final Prayer
Anima Christi
Soul of Christ, be my sanctification; Body of Christ,
be my salvation; Blood of Christ, fill all my veins;
Water of Christ’s side, wash out my stains; Passion of
Christ, my comfort be; O good Jesu, listen to me; In
thy wounds I fain would hide; Ne’er to be parted from
thy side; Guard me, should the foe assail me; Call me
when my life shall fail me; Bid me come to thee above,
With thy saints to sing thy love, World without end.
Amen.