Synod - 06Oct - The Trinitarian, Marian, and Ecclesiological dimension of the Eucharist

Vatican Press Office ^ | October 6, 2005 | Card. Ignace Moussa I DAOUD

[NYer]

- H. Em. Card. Ignace Moussa I DAOUD, Prefect of the Congregation for Oriental Chuches (VATICAN CITY)

In this intervention I will focus on the Trinitarian, Marian, and Ecclesiological dimension of the Eucharist, with reference to Nos. 28 and 77 of the Instrumentum Laboris.
But I would like to start, giving honour to the Holy Bishop Ignatius of Antioch, remarkable Eucharistic master, whose name I carry as Patriarch Emeritus, with a quote from his letter to the Ephesians. With joy I have also seen it in the Instrumentum Laboris (n. 23 and note 40). It is brief but very famous: “Every one of you, man by man, in Christian grace, in one faith and one Jesus Christ, who, after the flesh was of David’s race, Son of Man and Son of God, be intimately united in obeying the Bishop and the Presbytery College, breaking one bread, which is the medicine of immortality and the antidote that we should not die but live forever in Jesus Christ” (St. Ignatius Epistle to the Ephesians 20: 2).Of Catholic Eucharistic doctrine I will underline first of all the Trinitarian dimension.

We receive the holy Eucharist from the Heavenly Father who sent his Son; from the Son who was incarnated and offered Himself in sacrifice on the cross; from the Holy spirit who came over Mary and who sanctifies the bread and the wine in the Eucharistic celebration. Without the action of the Most Holy Trinity we would not have the Incarnation, Redemption, Eucharist nor Communion.

Then the Marian Dimension.

We receive the gift of the Eucharist from the hands of Mary also. God has disposed that, thanks to her, the Incarnation, Redemption, the Eucharist and Communion would reach us. Mary was the first to receive in her womb the Body and the Blood of Christ. The Incarnation was the first Communion of history. The first tabernacle was her immaculate heart. Syrian liturgy invokes Mary, who carries in her womb the Baby Jesus, calling her “second heaven”. Before any apostle or priest it is Mary who gives Jesus to the world. Mary and the Eucharist cannot be disassociated.
Finally, the Ecclesiological dimension of the Eucharistic mystery.

Only closely united to Mary can the Church, make the Lord Jesus present through the celebration of the Eucharist, to give Him to all “so they may have life and have it to the full” (cf. Jn 10: 10) We receive the Eucharist from the Church as well. The Eucharist is the heart of the Church, but at the same time it is the Church that celebrates the Eucharist through the Ministers ordained for this. The Eucharistic encounter with the Lord makes fraternal communion grow with those who form part of the Catholic community, gathered around the Successor of Peter and his brothers in the Episcopate, opening horizons of communion as well with the Pastors and faithful of the other Churches and Christian Communities. The Trinitarian, Marian and Ecclesiological dimensions of the Holy Eucharist are so at the heart of the Oriental traditions, that see there the surest way to the unity so longed for with all brothers and sisters in Christ.

I am delighted with and grateful for the participation of the ecumenical delegates in our Synodal journey, and I ask the Lord to fulfill the wish that opens the Instrumentum Laboris “...if the Catholic Church is said to breathe with two lungs—and for this, we render thanks to Divine Providence—she also awaits the blessed day when such spiritual richness can be extended and revived in full, visible union with those Eastern Churches, who, in the absence of full communion, profess in great part the same faith in the mystery of Jesus Christ in the Eucharist.” (Preface of the Instrumentum Laboris)”.

[NYer]

Please take a few minutes to read the presentations given by others on the Holy Eucharist. Some of these testimonies are extremely emotional and quite moving.

[NYer]

I am delighted with and grateful for the participation of the ecumenical delegates in our Synodal journey, and I ask the Lord to fulfill the wish that opens the Instrumentum Laboris “...if the Catholic Church is said to breathe with two lungs—and for this, we render thanks to Divine Providence—she also awaits the blessed day when such spiritual richness can be extended and revived in full, visible union with those Eastern Churches, who, in the absence of full communion, profess in great part the same faith in the mystery of Jesus Christ in the Eucharist.” (Preface of the Instrumentum Laboris)”.

Eastern Catholic Ping List
Please freepmail me if you want on/off this list

Same recommendation ... follow the link to read the other presentations. This one, from H.E. Most. Rev. Manfred SCHEUER, Bishop of Innsbruck (AUSTRIA), is particularly noteworthy .......

"The difficult situation in which the Eucharist lies, is also a consequence of the lack of theological-dogmatic orientation. What is missing is a link which confers unity to the aspects of the Eucharist: epiclesis, anamnesis, koinonia and prosphora; the real presence, sacrifice and communion; forms of the presence of Jesus Christ in the Word, in the sacramental gifts, in the community and in the priest."

[Maeve]

Thank you for posting this simple, elegant, and lovely intervention of the Patriarch Emeritus.

[NYer]

- H. B. Emmanuel III DELLY, Patriarch of Babylon of the Chaldeans, Head of the Synod of the Chaldean Church (IRAQ)

A Brief word on the presence of our Lord in the Eucharist according to the tradition, the liturgy and the devotion of the faithful Chaldeans, members of the Oriental Church known as the Chaldean Church which developed in the Empire of Partho and of the Sassanids across the bank of the Euphrates River up to China, Mongolia, Tibet and then India.

This Church born in Mesopotamia and in Persia, had the grace to receive the first preaching by the Apostles and the first Disciples of Christ, already from the first century after Pentecost it teaches us the Eucharistic doctrine confirmed today by the faith and by the doctrine of the Western Catholic Church.

The Chaldean Oriental Church considers Jesus in the Most Holy Sacrament really present in the Eucharist as the “victim for our sins” source of life for men, fire that burns sins and purifies hearts, and often quotes the prophecy of Isaiah in its liturgical books - Isaiah who speaks of the “Servant of Yahweh” who bears the sins of the world.

Jesus in the Eucharist is the light that for the path that leads to Eternal life and the Master who teaches us. He is our strength and our consolation in the difficulties and persecutions, he is the living manna which gives us life and supports us. He is the nourishing food of the Banquet which the Heavenly Father made.

Jesus gave Himself to His Bride, the Church, and the Church in turn did this through the Priests. The Chaldean Church nurtures a great devotion in the Eucharist participating in the Solemn processions of the Most Holy Sacrament.

She is preparing her children to follow the tradition of their fathers and prays saying: “Merciful Lord, the gift of Yourself to us mortals is great: For water you clothed us with Your Spirit, for bread you made us eat Your Body and for Your living Blood you sanctified us, hence you united us with the Spiritual Entities and You lift us to Heaven from earth. Amen”.

[Maeve]

Syrian liturgy invokes Mary, who carries in her womb the Baby Jesus, calling her “second heaven”.

Stunningly true.

[NYer]

In keeping with the Eastern theme .....

- H. B. Nerses Bedros XIX TARMOUNI, Patriarch of Cilicia of the Armenians, Head of the Synod of the Armenian Catholic Church (LEBANON)

Born in 301, the Armenian Church found that Sunday was already called the “Day of the Lord” by all the Churches. She did the same and developed her own rich tradition based on Sunday. The Fathers of the Armenian Church severely condemned priests who did not celebrate the Eucharist on Sundays, or those who do not respect the Sunday rest. The Sunday Eucharistic Celebration in the Armenian liturgy is solemn and is, due to this, always sung. In the Armenian and Georgian villages, far from the secularization of the big cities, I saw our faithful celebrate Sunday truly as a day of great joy and festivity, with an active participation of the whole assembly in the Eucharistic Liturgy. The Feast of Easter is the central date of the liturgical calendar, in such a way that all the Sundays of the year adapt to the date for Easter, which is mobile. The great feasts are also transferred to Sundays. Thus, the Transfiguration is celebrated on the 14th Sunday after Easter, the Assumption on the closest Sunday to August 15th and the Exaltation of the Holy Cross the closest Sunday to September 14th. In the same way, no commemoration of saints is celebrated on a Sunday, which is consecrated to the Resurrection of the Lord. Another characteristic of Sundays in the Armenian liturgy: 4 Sundays of the year for the 5 feast days called of the Tabernacles, have special veneration: Easter, the Transfiguration, the Assumption of Mary, the Exaltation of the Cross, the 5th feast being the epiphany, called Theophany. They are preceded by a period of fasting and are followed, the day after, by the commemoration for the Dead. One of the Fathers of the Armenian Church exhorts the faithful in this way: “Exalt Sunday through your good works, because Sunday is the day of the Resurrection and of freedom”.

[NYer]

"Mary was the first to receive in her womb the Body and the Blood of Christ. The Incarnation was the first Communion of history. The first tabernacle was her immaculate heart."

This is the awesome beauty reflected upon in the East! What a magnificent thought to ponder in prayer.

[RKBA Democrat]

One thing I noticed was that, proportionately, there appears to be an unusually large number of eastern Catholics being represented both numerically and with regards to comments.

I liked the comments of the Romanian Metropolitan Muresan.

[NYer]

- H.E. Most. Rev. Joseph Mohsen BÉCHARA, Archbishop of Antélias of the Maronites (LEBANON)

A small paragraph is dedicated to the epiclesis in no. 49 of the Instrumentum Laboris.

I would like to draw the attention on two points:

1. We would gain a lot if we would give more space to the Eucharistic prayers which are utilized, and they are so many, in the Oriental liturgies, in order to be able to present a comprehensive vision of the theme of the Synod.

2. To shed some light on the conception of Epiclesis in the Syro-Maronite tradition, especially on St. Ephrem.

In this tradition, Consecration and Epiclesis are intimately linked, because they emerge from a global conception of the redeeming economy that has developed, from Creation till the Parousia.

Eucharistic prayers give an important place to the role of the Holy Spirit, who vivifies and deifies, not only the bread and the wine, but also the whole Christian Assembly celebrating the Saint Mysteries.

More precisely, the role of the Spirit in the Eucharistic celebration is linked to His role in the resurrection of Christ. In fact, the altar symbolizes the tomb, the species of the bread and wine, the body and blood of Christ delivered to the cross and buried. In the same way that Christ was resurrected by the force of the Spirit, thus are the species: bread and wine become body and blood of the Risen Christ. The Eucharistic prayer by St. Jacob, IV century, is enlightning enoug on this point.
It is clear that the dynamics of the Epiclesis is not bound by certain limitations; it has a more infinite ecclesial dimension.

St. Ephrem is more explicit when addressing the Church: “... eat the Fire in the bread; drink the Spirit in the blood; dress tourself with the Fire and the Spirit and enter the room of lights”.

Fire and Spirit are associated to the Eucharistic bread and wine because they translate the same pneumatic reality, acting throughout the Bible, especially at the Baptism of Christ, at His Resurrection and at the Pentecost. In the eyes of Ephrem, it is the same “pneuma” that acts also at the level of Christian life, personnel as well as community.

To receive the Spirit in receiving the Eucharistic body of Christ, is to constitute and to edify the Body of Christ, which is the Church, animated by the Spirit. Hence the Eucharist contains, at the same time, Christic, pneumatic and ecclesial dimensions.

Placing the emphasis on the Epiclesis shows that the Church admits pluralism and draws from her tradition, Oriental as well as Western, the richness of her multiform patrimony.

[NYer]

One thing I noticed was that, proportionately, there appears to be an unusually large number of eastern Catholics being represented both numerically and with regards to comments.

Not sure their "numbers" even approach those of the Latin Church however, as Kolokotronis pointed out on another thread, their voices are strong and clear. May they be heard!

[Maeve]

The first tabernacle was her immaculate heart.

A truth that draws forth such strong emotion from me. Of love.

[RKBA Democrat]

Percentage-wise, eastern Catholics are in the vast minority in the universal Catholic church. Looks to me like we're being very well represented.

Maximos IV would be proud.

[Maeve]

St. Ephrem!!!!!!!!!!

[NYer]

The first tabernacle was her immaculate heart.
A truth that draws forth such strong emotion from me. Of love.

Sadly, many of the Protestant denominations have relegated Mary to the role of an ordinary woman. They lack the profound reflection of countless theologians and simple christians who have reflected on the role Mary played in our Salvation. Indeed, she was the first to carry the "Bread and Wine" of our Salvation. Her womb was the first Tabernacle.

[gamarob1]

Mary played NO ROLE in our salvation. She was blessed among women for giving birth to the Messiah, but beyond that, she does NOTHING.

The last spoken words of Mary in the Bible: "Whatever He (Jesus) says, do it"

[NYer]

Mary played NO ROLE in our salvation. She was blessed among women for giving birth to the Messiah, but beyond that, she does NOTHING.

You really need to spend more time reflecting on Scripture. Perhaps it has eluded you ... but, for what it is worth ....

Gen. 3:15 - we see from the very beginning that God gives Mary a unique role in salvation history. God says "I will put enmity between you and the woman, between your seed and her seed." This refers to Jesus (the "emnity") and Mary (the "woman"). The phrase "her seed" (spermatos) is not seen elsewhere in Scripture.

Gen 3:15 / Rev. 12:1 - the Scriptures begin and end with the woman battling satan. This points to the power of the woman with the seed and teaches us that Jesus and Mary are the new Adam and the new Eve.

John 2:4, 19:26 - Jesus calls Mary "woman" as she is called in Gen. 3:15. Just as Eve was the mother of the old creation, Mary is the mother of the new creation. This woman's seed will crush the serpent's skull.

Isaiah 7:14; Matt. 1:23 - a virgin (the Greek word used is "parthenos") will bear a Son named Emmanuel, which means "God is with us." John 1:14 - God in flesh dwelt among us. Mary is the Virgin Mother of God.

Matt. 2:11 - Luke emphasizes Jesus is with Mary His Mother, and the magi fall down before both of them, worshiping Jesus.

Luke 1:35 - the child will be called holy, the Son of God. Mary is the Mother of the Son of God, or the Mother of God (the "Theotokos").

Luke 1:28 - "Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with you." These are the words spoken by God and delivered to us by the angel Gabriel (who is a messenger of God). Thus, when Catholics recite this verse while praying the Rosary, they are uttering the words of God.

Luke 1:28 - also, the phrase "full of grace" is translated from the Greek word "kecharitomene." This is a unique title given to Mary, and suggests a perfection of grace from a past event. Mary is not just "highly favored." She has been perfected in grace by God. "Full of grace" is only used to describe one other person - Jesus Christ in John 1:14.

Luke 1:42 - "Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb, Jesus." The phrase "blessed are you among women" really means "you are most blessed of all women." A circumlocution is used because there is no superlative in the Greek language. Note also that Elizabeth praises Mary first, and then Jesus. This is hyperdulia (but not latria which is worship owed to God alone). We too can go through Mary to praise Jesus. Finally, Catholics repeat these divinely inspired words of Elizabeth in the Rosary.

[gamarob1]

Oh for God's sakes, you missed on every point. Way to go being indoctrinated into catholicism, instead of just the pure simple milk of the Word.

[NYer]

Oh for God's sakes, you missed on every point. Way to go being indoctrinated into catholicism, instead of just the pure simple milk of the Word.

On the contrary. You have glossed over everything that God planned for your salvation! Please spend some time reflecting on Mary and her role in the salvation of mankind. Mary’s life and role in the history of salvation is prefigured in the Old Testament, while the events of her life are recorded in the New Testament.

[John O]

The first tabernacle was her immaculate heart."

I agree with all of your quoted statement but this. the above contradicts the bible.

Ro 3:23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; (KJV. Emphasis mine)