Called to be ministers!

1. Called to be ministers! A reflection on the spiritual significance of being the Eucharistic minister?

2. Introduction • You must have attended these kind of ‘days of Recollection’ many times. You must have heard a lot about: • what is Mass? • What happens when you take part in Mass? • What do you gain out of it? • What is you role as extra-ordinary ministers of Holy Communion?

3. Repetition • These questions; I believe were asked and answered many times in the past. • In fact these are the questions that need to be asked again and again? • These are the questions that need to be answered again and again. • Why? Because, • The more you reflect on these question the more you become aware of who you are and what you are called to be.

4. John 21:15-17 Do you love me?

5. Called to love or Called to feed? • Jesus asked Peter after his resurrection, ‘Simon, son of John! Do you love me more than these others do?’ • Peter answered “Yes Lord, you know I love you”. • Jesus said to him, “Feed my Lambs” • He asked him the same question three times before asking him to feed his lambs.

6. Called to feed? • So also those of you who are chosen specially to help the priests to feed the lambs • Are asked the same question again and again • Do you know ‘what is the spiritual significance of the mass and Holy Communion’? • So that you may grow in love for the Eucharist first and be the ministers of the Eucharist. • Because,

7. St. John Maria Vianney • "If we really understood the Mass, we would die of joy." • If we really understood mass, we would die of joy for being a special minister in that celebration

8. St. Padre Pio • "If we only knew how God regards this Sacrifice, we would risk our lives to be present at a single Mass."

9. Yes! Dear brothers and sisters, Mass is such an important thing for our Christian life that Vatican II document on liturgy calls it as “The source and summit of Christian life” Therefore it is important to understand more and more the spiritual significance of the mass and your role in it.

10. What is Mass or Eucharist? • Definition: Read CCC 1322-1323 • The Eucharist is the very sacrifice of the Body and Blood of the Lord Jesus • which he instituted to perpetuate the sacrifice of the cross throughout the ages until his return in glory. • Thus he entrusted to his Church this memorial of his death and Resurrection.

11. What is mass? • It is a sign of unity, • a bond of charity, • a paschal banquet, • in which Christ is consumed, • the mind and heart is filled with grace, • and a pledge of future glory is given to us. ( confer C.C.C 1322 – 1323)

12. Highlight three points from the definition • Mass as a Sacrifice • Mass as meal • Mass as Communion

13. First: Mass as sacrifice • Look at what Catechism says: • The Eucharist is the very sacrifice of the Body and Blood of the Lord Jesus • which he instituted to perpetuate the sacrifice of the cross throughout the ages until his return in glory. • Thus he entrusted to his Church this memorial of his death and Resurrection.

14. Mass is a Sacrifice • The Mass makes present the sacrifice of the Cross • it does not add to that sacrifice nor does it multiply it • But it makes it present to us

15. That is what it means when Catechism says, • ‘it is the very sacrifice of the body and blood of Christ.’ • Or ‘perpetuation of the sacrifice of the cross.’

16. Understand well • It’s important to know what the Church means by the “ very sacrifice" of the cross. • The term is easily misunderstood and has caused much strife among Christians.

17. Our separated brethren say • Quoting Hebrews 10:10 that Christ "offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins.” • So you need not do it again. • You need not crucify him again and again

18. “commemorative representation” • What we need to know is • its “commemorative representation” (memorialis demonstratio), • which makes Christ's one, definitive redemptive sacrifice • always present in time.

19. Only one sacrifice • Church teaching reiterates what Scripture states very clearly: • That there is no other sacrifice except the one offered by Jesus on Calvary.

20. Re-presented • That sacrifice cannot be repeated. • The Mass, therefore, is not a repetition; • it is a re-presentation of that sacrifice.

21. Sacrifice beyond time and space • It is Christ who is God made man, • Made his one sacrifice of the cross • To be represented beyond time and space

22. Sacrifice beyond time and space • Because Christ was a unique human being, • the sacrifice He offered on the cross once and for all is a unique act. • That which cannot be lost in time

23. As man • He lived in a particular place and time • His sacrifice was an act that took place in history • At a particular place • At a particular time • and is therefore past.

24. As God • He is God, who is outside of time: past and future are always present to Him. • This means that His death and resurrection are eternal acts • Acts that can be made present by the power of the Spirit for all ages.

25. At the last supper • That is what he did at the last Supper • He made that one sacrifice of the cross • To be present to believers of all times and all places

26. He made it a Sacrament • At the last supper • He took the bread, said the blessing and said, • ‘Take this all of you and eat it, this is my body given up for you’

27. Later He took the cup and said the blessing and gave it to his disciples and said: 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.

28. Asked us to continue • He also commanded them saying • Do this in memory of me. • Asking us to bring to memory his death all the time.

29. So, you need to understand that • Holy mass is not a repetition • But a representation of that one sacrifice • The sacrifice that was offered 2000 years ago • It is made present for you and me • Here and now

30. At foot of the Calvary • And Every time the mass is celebrated, • the priest , • together with the Christian community which takes part in it, • is led back in spirit to that place and that hour at Calvary

31. And When you participate in Mass • You along with the priest join the multitude of angels and saints in re-living that one sacrifice of Christ • And ask the Father for the forgiveness of your sins • At the foot of the cross

32. II. Mass is a meal • Holy mass is a Holy meal you attend • It is the Holy Banquet you are participating in • And it here your role as the minister comes in

33. In the Old Testament • In the old testament, after every sacrifice there was a meal. • Every holy gathering ended up with a meal • And Jesus offered the first mass as a part of the pass-over meal

34. Luke 22:15 • And he said to them, "I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer”

35. Pass-over meal • In the Old testament, Israelites ate the pass-over meal before the passed-over from bondage to freedom • It was the pass-over lamb that was sacrificed that they ate

36. Pass-over • And they sprinkled their house with the blood of the lamb • And the angel of death passed over them • And they were saved

37. Mass a pass-over meal • So also when we participate in the holy meal at mass • The angel of death passes over us

38. Covenantal meal • In the O T, God entered into covenant with Israel • And it was ratified by a meal • By that They became his specially chosen people

39. New covenant in Jesus • Referring to his blood Jesus said, “this is the cup of my blood, the blood of the new and everlasting covenant.” That means: • With his blood he established a new covenant

40. Renew our covenant • So every time we participate in the covenantal meal of Mass • We renew our promises to him • That we will be his people and his children always

41. Mass as a meal • So when we gather for Mass • We gather for a meal • And we are fed • And it is a spiritual nourishment that is given • And you are Christ’s hands as Eucharistic minister

42. Double nourishment • Sola scriptura people has to be envious of this because • At Mass we are fed double • We are fed with his WORD • And we are fed with his body and blood

43. Jesus’ teaching • Jesus speaking about spiritual nourishment • Spoke about two kinds of nourishment: • Spoke about two types of spiritual food

44. God’ word • Quoting Deuteronomy to the devil who came to tempt him He said, “man does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God”(Dt 8:3) • God’s word is our food; our nourishment

45. Bible quotes • When your words came, I ate them; they were my joy and my heart's delight, for I bear your name, O LORD God Almighty. Jeremiah 15/16 • Ezekiel 3:3 Then he said to me, "Son of man, eat this scroll I am giving you and fill your stomach with it." So I ate it, and it tasted as sweet as honey in my mouth. • Revelation 10:9 So I went to the angel and asked him to give me the little scroll. He said to me, "Take it and eat it. It will turn your stomach sour, but in your mouth it will be as sweet as honey."

46. At Mass: Fed with the WORD • Word of God is our spiritual food • and we are fed with that food in the liturgy of the word • That is the first part of the Mass

47. 2. Body and blood of Christ • In the second part i.e. Liturgy of the Eucharist, • We are fed with the body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ which again are our spiritual nourishment

48. John 6 • In St. John’s gospel in his discourse about Eucharist in 6:53 • Jesus says "Truly I tell you, unless you eat my body and drink my blood, you will have no life”

49. John 6 • And He is the bread from heaven • His flesh is the true food • If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. • This bread is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world."

50. Jesus promised that he has come give life, life in abundance. Jn.10:10 How was he going to give life in abundance? By giving his body and blood as our food. How did he give us his body and blood then? He gave it in the form of bread and wine