Focus Theme - April 2003 [ Part B ]

Eucharist

Suggested Prayers:

Jesus, we receive your love
poured out for us in bread and wine.
Accept this gift of our lives,
brought to the altar without conditions.
Do your work in us, and let us be, like you
taken, blessed and given for others.
Amen.

Or

Lord,
let our lives be a space
in which you can work in the world.
Clear away our inner turmoil
and fill us with your Spirit
of healing, delight and peace,
so that everything we do
may be the fruit of your life in us. Amen.

Meditation during April:

This is my body given up for you...

What connection do I see between the celebration of the Eucharist and my life as a Christian in the world?

Personal reflection:

• People in love make a sign of love, not only to express but to deepen their love: love expressed never dies.
  • What are Jesus’ signs of love for me in the Eucharist?
  • In what way do I express my love for Jesus?
• In what ways do I distinguish the ‘Lord’s Day’ from any other day?
• In the liturgy of the Mass we become more of what we already became in baptism: “the very body of Christ”.
  • How does this happen?
  • What does this mean to me?
  • In what way is Jesus the bread of life for me?
• Do some forms of participation draw me more into the action of worship? Why

Reflections on the Eucharist:

• When we gather for Eucharist we are expressing our hope and willingness to be present to Jesus contained in the mystery so that the mystery can take hold of us. Concentration on rationalisation of the mystery can make us lose sight of what nourishes and sustains us. The more open to the mystery we are, without having to contrive an explanation, the closer our awareness comes to the reality of the presence of God.
• Justin the Martyr, a Roman lay Christian, wrote this description in 150 CE to explain to the Roman authorities what Christians do.
  “On the day named after the sun, all who live in city or countryside assemble. The memoirs of the apostles or the writings of the prophets are read for as long as time allows. When the lector has finished, the president addressed us and exhorts us to imitate the splendid things we have heard. Then we all stand and pray….When we have finished praying, bread, wine and water are brought up. The president then prays and gives thanks according to his ability, and the people give their assent with an “Amen!” Next, the gifts over which the thanksgiving has been spoken are distributed, and everyone shares in them, while they are also sent via the deacons to the absent brethren. The wealthy who are willing make contributions, each as he pleases, and the collection is deposited with the president, who aids orphans and widows, those in want because of sickness or some other reason, those in prison, and visiting strangers – in short, he takes Care of all in need (“Apologia 1,” 67).
• From St Augustine – 5 CE
  If then you wish to understand the body of Christ,
  listen to the apostle as he says to the faithful:
  ‘You are the body of Christ, and his members,
  your mystery has been placed on the Lord’s table,
  you receive your mystery.
  You reply ‘Amen’ to that which you are,
  and by replying you consent.
  and you reply ‘Amen’.
  Be a member of the body of Christ so that your “Amen” may be true.
• “The flesh feeds on the body and blood of Christ that the soul may be fattened on God”….. Tertullian 2CE

April Action

• Liturgical catechesis to encourage “full and active participation” (Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy 14). For additional teaching on the importance of Sunday as “the foundation and core of the whole liturgical year” see articles #102 and #106 in the Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy.
• Review environmental and spacial arrangements.
  What does the arrangement of your worship space say?
  What impression does your space give regarding the role of the assembly in liturgy?
• Review liturgical ministries: are they effective? Can they be improved?