The Eucharist is considered the source and summit of Christian life, as it embodies the Real Presence of Jesus Christ. In the modern era, belief in the Real Presence has eroded, as the Body of Christ continues to be attacked from without and within the Church. Yet, when we look at the past, when we see what the Early Church and other prior generations were willing to live and die for, we see how the origins and significance of the Eucharist form us into One Body and shape us into Christ. The importance of understanding the Eucharist and its role in our spiritual journey cannot be overstated.
The Origin and Significance of the Eucharist
The Eucharist’s roots can be traced back to the Exodus when God led the Israelites out of Egypt to form a Covenant. Covenants defined the history, boundaries, and responsibilities of family relationships through sacred celebrations. Sacrificial meals were a central focus of the sacred celebration as they asked God for His approval, enforcement, care, and protection of the Covenantal bonds
God’s Covenant with Israel, however, was unique. God wasn’t asking Israel to become just any family; God asked Israel to become His family. In making them His family, He promised to set them apart and make them Holy, and to dwell with them in a special way in the Tabernacle and then in the Temple. This dwelling of God with His people was a sign and prefigurement of His Real Presence in the Eucharist in all the churches of the world. Later God told Malachi, Isaiah, and Jeremiah He intended to form a New Covenant which would extend the gift of His family relationship to the whole world. When God formed the Covenant with Moses, Passover became the central sacrificial meal which united God’s people and made them Holy. It was no coincidence Jesus chose Passover to institute the Eucharist at the Last Supper. Understanding Passover and its significance in relationship with the Eucharist helps us understand how God continues to work in us and through us, and how He forms us together as His people.
The Eucharist as the New Passover
In ancient times, before print media, Holy Days served as a testimony and reminder to real events. These sacred celebrations were called living witnesses because they allowed participants to liturgically live through and witness the event for themselves. At Passover specifically, the Children of Israel believed God mystically allowed them to live through the real events of Exodus.
During this pivotal time, God commanded the Israelites to sacrifice a lamb, smear its blood on their doorposts, and consume its flesh as part of a sacred meal, the Passover feast. They called it Passover because the angel of death, who killed the firstborn of every Egyptian family and herd, passed over the houses of those who obeyed God’s command. During the Passover meal, as each cup is passed and the lamb is eaten with unleavened bread, participants recite a series of questions which allow them to experience being called out of Egypt to become holy, eating the Passover (Pascal) lamb, and having the Angel of Death pass over them.
At every mass, Christ’s sacrifice is made present on the altar as the priest recites scripture to take us on our own Passover journey out of sin toward redemption, allowing us to live and witness the events of Calvary. During the mass, we even state, “When we eat this bread and drink this cup, we proclaim your death, oh Lord, and profess your resurrection until you come again.” We become living witnesses, testifying to God’s work.
The Eucharist as the Body and Blood of Christ
In Exodus 12, the Israelites were not just told to spread blood on the doorframe; they were also commanded to eat the lamb in order for the Angel of Death to Passover. Just as Moses told the Israelites they would have to eat the Passover lamb, Jesus told his disciples in John 6:47-66 they would have to eat His body. The Greek uses very visceral language: eat, chew, and gnaw. Many followers grew disgusted and stopped following Him that day.
When Jesus Christ instituted the Eucharist during the Last Supper as He celebrated Passover with His disciples, He took bread, broke it, and declared, “This is my Body.” He then took a cup of wine, gave thanks, and stated, “This is my Blood.” This act established the New and Eternal Covenant, fulfilled God’s promise to David, and transformed the Passover meal into the Eucharist. He revealed by this act that the lamb slain and the Passover meal itself was a prefigurement of His sacrifice and our participation in it. The power of the blood of the lamb to save the Israelites in Egypt came from Christ Himself. 1 Peter 1: 18-19 tells us, “You know that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your ancestors, not with perishable things like silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without defect or blemish.”
When we participate in Mass, God knits us together as His Covenantal family while providing our Passover sacrifice. This is why Jesus is frequently referred to as our Passover (Pascal) Lamb throughout the New Testament. We become His people who are called out of the world of sin to become God’s children, brothers and sisters in Christ. Through the sacrificial meal, we receive Jesus: Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity. We become holy as He is holy. Paul urges in First Corinthians 10:17, “Because there is one bread, we who are many are one body, for we all partake of the one bread.” The Mass fulfills the New Covenant role of unifying us as the Body of Christ.
Since the Eucharist is not a mere symbol or metaphor but the actual Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity of Christ, when we partake of the Eucharist, we consume the glorified Body and Soul of Christ. His body becomes part of ours, and His soul unites with ours. In this encounter, we also become a part of him. We unite with Him and abide in Him. In John 15:4, we are told, “Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me.”
This divine union strengthens our faith, fills us with divine grace, and draws us closer to Christ. In the Eucharist, Christ offers deliverance from sin and the promise of eternal life. As the Israelites were strengthened for their journey to the Promised Land by consuming the flesh of the Passover lamb, so are Christians fortified by partaking of the Body and Blood of Christ in the Eucharist on the journey to Heaven. John 5:56 tells us, “Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me and I in him”
The Eucharist in Today’s Church
Just like the Passover meal was a recurrent Holy Day, the Eucharist is a recurring observance in the Church, and every Sunday’s Mass is considered a Holy Day of Obligation. From the early days of Christianity, the Eucharist has been celebrated as a regular part of worship. St. Irenaeus wrote of it on his way to martyrdom, “[Jesus] taught the new sacrifice of the new covenant, of which Malachias, one of the twelve prophets, had signified beforehand: “‘You do not do my will,’ says the Lord Almighty, ‘and I will not accept a sacrifice at your hands. For from the rising of the sun to its setting My name is glorified among the gentiles, and in every place incense is offered to My name and a pure sacrifice; for great is my name among the gentiles,’ says the Lord Almighty.”1 By these words He makes it plain that the former people will cease to make offerings to God; but that in every place sacrifice will be offered to Him, and indeed a pure one; for His name is glorified among the gentiles.2
That pure sacrifice is Christ in the Eucharist. In our day and time, we have the privilege of seeing the fulfillment of this prophecy since the sacrifice of the mass is offered every day in every time zone and every nation throughout the world within the Catholic Church. Yet too many have turned away from this great honor. They have debased and discredited the work of God with their scorn and impiety.
The Importance of Receiving the Eucharist Worthily
The Church emphasizes the importance of receiving the Eucharist in a worthy manner. Since the word Eucharist means thanksgiving, we are to receive in gratitude for the work Christ accomplished for us and continues in us. Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 11:27-29, “So then, whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord. Examine yourselves, and only then eat of the bread and drink of the cup. For all who eat and drink without discerning the body, eat and drink judgment against themselves.”
In order to prepare ourselves for receiving the Eucharist we should:
- Reaffirm our faith in the Real Presence
- Strive to receive with humility, reverence, and gratitude.
- Go to Confession if we have committed a mortal sin
This involves self-examination and repentance of sins before partaking of the body and blood of Christ. Those who partake of the Eucharist while in a state of mortal sin profane the body and blood of the Lord and bring judgment upon themselves.
The Crisis of Faith and the Eucharist
Jesus states in Matthew 16:18 that He is forming a Church. The word for Church in Greek is the word ecclesia which actually means, “a people who are called out.” It is the same word used throughout the Greek Old Testament to describe the people God called out of Egypt to form the Mosaic Covenant. Later the apostles frequently refer to Christians, members of the Body of Christ, as participants of the New Covenant.
Today, the Church faces a crisis of faith related to the Eucharist. Many have strayed from true understanding and reverence for this, the Holiest of Sacraments. Some have even started to view the Eucharist as a mere symbol rather than the Real Presence of Christ. This has led to a decline in Mass attendance and a loss of faith among believers.
When we disregard Mass and neglect the Eucharist, we turn our back on what God is trying to give us, what He is trying to do in us, and what He wants to do through us. He wants to form us into one family. He wants to make us holy. He wants to impart to us His Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity, infusing us with the grace to live in communion with Him and each other.
Paul urges us to humble ourselves to the work of the Eucharist in Hebrews 9:13-14, “For if the blood of goats and bulls, with the sprinkling of the ashes of a heifer, sanctifies those who have been defiled so that their flesh is purified, how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify our conscience from dead works to worship the living God!”
Recovering Faith with Reverence
To counter this crisis of faith, we need a deep, authentic understanding of the Eucharist. We as Catholics need to recognize the Eucharist for what it truly is: the real Jesus Christ, Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity. We need to approach it with reverence, humility, and a deep sense of its sacredness. To accomplish this, it is very beneficial to observe these simple but effective habits:
- Fasting before mass for at least one hour
- Turning off our cell phones or leaving them at home.
- Kneeling and assuming postures of reverence
- Dressing for mass with care, as if we were about to see a King we loved
- Veiling – This is not a requirement but it is a traditional sign of reverence and many still find it a helpful practice to remain prayerful during the liturgy
- Remaining silent with meditative attention (socializing outside, not before the Eucharist)
The Role of the Eucharist in Spiritual Growth
Once we understand that the Eucharist is essential for spiritual growth and participate with an attitude of reception and gratitude, this sacrament strengthens our faith, fills us with divine grace, and draws us closer to Christ. Galatians 2:20 assures us, “And I live, now not I; but Christ liveth in me. And that I live now in the flesh: I live in the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and delivered himself for me.”
St. Irenaeus, on his way to martyrdom, wrote, “For as the bread from the earth, receiving the invocation of God, is no longer common bread but the Eucharist, consisting of two elements, earthly and heavenly, so also our bodies, when they receive the Eucharist, are no longer corruptible but have the hope of resurrection into eternity.”3 He also admonished, “But He [Christ] also counseled His disciples to offer the first fruits of His creatures to God, not as if God needed anything, but that they [the people] might not be unfruitful or ungrateful.” We cannot expect to grow and bear fruit in the life of Christ if we do not join in the life of Christ through the Eucharist.
Becoming Apostles of the Eucharist
As Catholics, we are called to become apostles of the Eucharist, recognizing its importance in addressing the problems of the world and the Church. Peter said in 1 Peter 3:15, “But in your hearts sanctify Christ as Lord. Always be ready to make your defense to anyone who demands from you an accounting for the hope that is in you.” But how do you cultivate a deep devotion to the Eucharist and draw attention to its value and importance?
The Call to Eucharistic Adoration
As apostles of the Eucharist, we are called to adore Christ’s Real Presence in the Eucharist. This involves spending time in prayer and contemplation before the Blessed Sacrament. Eucharistic adoration is a powerful way to deepen our relationship with Christ and grow in our understanding of this holy sacrament. When we spend time in adoration, we hide ourselves in the deepest part of His Sacred Heart. This is a powerful way to communicate with God and honor His sacrifice.
Eucharistic Processions
Eucharistic Processions were common in ages past and are being brought back into practice. In a procession, the priest brings the Eucharist out of the Church and parades it through the streets. We process behind it in prayer, song, and adoration. This practice allows Christ to be brought to the people during times of famine, war, and plague. It strengthens evangelization efforts as a means of spiritual warfare. It is often combined with processions honoring the Virgin Mary and other saints. Eucharistic processions in today’s world have been expanded to cross-country treks and can be a powerful reminder that Christ is with us even in these modern times.
The Call to Eucharistic Evangelization
We are also called to evangelize about the Eucharist. This involves sharing the truth about the Eucharist with others and helping them understand its significance. Through our words and actions, we can lead others to a deeper appreciation of the Eucharist and invite them to partake of its graces. Here are some easy ways to stay ready:
- Keep books and pamphlets on hand to give out.
- Collect links to online resources to send to people who may ask.
- Memorize scripture to defend yourself when challenged.
- Commit yourself unapologetically to attending mass even if attendance offends or interferes with work, travel, or extended family plans.
If we are to bring about a reformation in the Church and a revival of faith in the Eucharist, it must start with us. Through our devotion to the Eucharist and our commitment to evangelize, we can make a difference in the Church and the world. In fact, if we strive we are promised victory through the Precious Blood of Christ in Revelation 12:11, “But they have conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, for they did not cling to life even in the face of death.”
