why the sacrament of the holy eucharist important

"So live that you may receive every day." Adoration also aids the faithful to be inserted more deeply into the communion of the Mystical Body. Quora - A place to share knowledge and better understand the world Chapter One: The Sacraments of Christian Initiation. A Jew or Mohammedan might, indeed, materially receive the Sacred Host, but there could be no question in this case of a sacramental reception, even though by a perfect act of contrition or of the pure love of God he had put himself in the state of sanctifying grace. Eucharist WebBoth recognized the centrality of the Eucharist to Christian life, yet they broke not only with Roman Catholic teaching but also with fellow reformer Martin Luther, who maintained belief in Christs real presence. WebFollowers of the Catholic faith see the Eucharist as important because as the Eucharist is being performed, Jesus Christ is not symbolically present, but literally present in the Holy WebThe Eucharist is holy, a sacred celebration that brings us into close contact with the holiness of God. These sacraments are performed once because their effects are permanent. Each time a bishop or priest repeats these words of consecration in the Mass, the substance of the bread and wine is changed into the Body and Blood of Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit. . In addition to this, uninterrupted tradition, whether it be the testimony of the Fathers or the practice of the Church, shows wheaten bread to have played such an essential part, that even Protestants would be loath to regard rye bread or barley bread as a proper element for the celebration of the Lord's Supper. The second requisite, the immediate deduction from the first, is that the recipient be still in the "state of pilgrimage" to the next life (status viatoris), since it is only in the present life that man can validly Communicate. Were the Greeks justified in maintaining this position, the immediate result would be, that the Latins who have no such thing as the Epiklesis in their present Liturgy, would possess neither the true Sacrifice of the Mass nor the Holy Eucharist. The Holy Eucharist, in which the faithful receive the Body and Blood of Christ, is the ultimate sign of our sharing in the divine life of Christ as well as of our status as one Body in Christ. Indeed, in the Eucharist the definition of a Christian sacrament as "an outward sign of an inward grace instituted by Christ" is verified. Eucharistic adoration helps us to nurture our desire so that we grow in hunger and thirst for the Bridegroom who feeds His Bride on His own Flesh and Blood so that she may share ever more in His divinity. (Catechism, 1398). Their purpose was to show forth the gratitude of the twelve tribes to the Lord, their sustenance and strength. Harnack ["Texte und Untersuchungen", new series, VII, 2 (1891), 115 sqq. 1 iSTOCK | FAABI This column, Faith Fundamentals, is intended to help Catholics gain a better understanding of the core beliefs of our faith. WebWe answer: The Eucharist is not only a sacrament. Just as food and drink delight and refresh the heart of man, so does this "Heavenly Bread containing within itself all sweetness" produce in the soul of the devout communicant ineffable bliss, which, however, is not to be confounded with an emotional joy of the soul or with sensible sweetness. Against these errors the Fourth Lateran Council (1215) confirmed the ancient Catholic teaching, that "no one but the priest [sacerdos], regularly ordained according to the keys of the Church, has the power of consecrating this sacrament". He alone can properly estimate the precious boon which Catholics possess in the Holy Eucharist, who knows how to ponder these ideas of Holy Communion to their utmost depth. Any remaining hosts are placed in the tabernacle, a beautiful box that reminds us of the tabernacle of the Old Testament where God visited his people. The Sacrament of Holy Communion: The reception of the God the Son in the Holy Eucharist; the body, blood, soul, and divinity of the Incarnate Jesus Christ. In the early Christian Era the Peputians, Collyridians, and Montanists attributed priestly powers even to women (cf. This is my blood of the covenant (Mt 26:27-28). Holy Communion is thus a rich symbol of our unity in Christ and of Christs presence dwelling within us. He has given us a wonderful gift in his enduring presence in the Holy Eucharist and invites us to visit him often to find peace in his presence and give him our adoration and thanks. iv) and declares that the custom of the primitive Church of giving Holy Communion to children was not based upon the erroneous belief of its necessity to salvation, but upon the circumstances of the times (Sess. May 1, 1909. The contents of this page are Copyright 2014 Rev. Presupposing what is self-evident, that there is question neither of a conscious sacrilegious Communion nor a lack of imperfect contrition (attritio), which would altogether hinder the justifying effect of the sacrament, theologians incline to the opinion, that in such exceptional cases the Eucharist can restore the soul to the state of grace, but all without exception deny the possibility of the reviviscence of a sacrilegious or unfruitful Communion after the restoration of the soul's proper moral condition has been effected, the Eucharist being different in this respect from the sacraments which imprint a character upon the soul (baptism, confirmation, and Holy orders). Passing over the Institution, which is discussed elsewhere in connection with the words of Institution, the only essentially important points remaining are the outward sign (matter and form) and inward grace (effects of Communion), to which may be added the necessity of Communion for salvation. After the Greek Patriarch Michael Crularius of Constantinople had sought in 1053 to palliate the renewed rupture with Rome by means of the controversy, concerning unleavened bread, the two Churches, in the Decree of Union at Florence, in 1439, came to the unanimous dogmatic decision, that the distinction between leavened and unleavened bread did not interfere with the confection of the sacrament, though for just reasons based upon the Church's discipline and practice, the Latins were obliged to retain unleavened bread, while the Greeks still held on to the use of leavened (cf, Denzinger, Enchirid., Freiburg, 1908, no, 692), Since the Schismatics had before the Council of Florence entertained doubts as to the validity of the Latin custom, a brief defense of the use of unleavened bread will not be out of place here. Thus considered, the Epiklesis refers us back to the Consecration as the center about which all the significance contained in its words revolves. The destruction of venial sin and of all affection to it, is readily understood on the basis of the two central ideas mentioned above. The Sacraments Web1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 The Eucharist The Eucharist, also known as Holy Communion, is a sacrament that commemorates the Last Supper. It is seen as a representation of Jesus' sacrifice and a reminder of his presence in the world. MLA citation. Holy Communion increases our union with Christ and with his Church. The most important sacrament - TheCatholicSpirit.com Fortunately, however, the Greeks can be shown the error of their ways from their own writings, since it can be proved, that they themselves formerly placed the form of Transubstantiation in the words of Institution. 1364). viii). Importance of Eucharist (Cf. ii). In spite of the principles just laid down, the question might be asked, if the Blessed Sacrament could not at times per accidens free the communicant from mortal sin, if he approached the Table of the Lord unconscious of the sinful state of his soul. Trent, Sess. WebImportance of the Eucharist Receiving the Eucharist is one of the most important things we can do as a catholic. Through this miracle the same Jesus who was crucified and rose from the dead may be received by Catholics today. the eucharist: at the center of catholic life It is true, that Pope Innocent III (De Sacro altaris myst., IV, vi) before his elevation to the pontificate did hold the opinion, which later theologians branded as "temerarious", that Christ consecrated without words by means of the mere "benediction". Why the Eucharist is Important - CatholicMom.com Every tabernacle is not only the heart of the church building but also contains the head and heart of the Mystical Body; it is the dwelling of the Bridegroom with His Bride. The Eucharist is the means for this to happen. Neither of the two suppositions holds in the case of a priest who really intends to celebrate Mass. Imprimatur. WebIn the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church), the Holy Sacrament of the Lord's Supper, [1] most often simply referred to as the sacrament, is the ordinance in which participants eat bread and drink water in remembrance of the body and blood of WebThe Eucharist is the most distinctive event of Orthodox worship because in it the Church gathers to remember and celebrate the Life, Death, and Resurrection of Christ. They have the power to bring heaven to earth, rip the veil between all things seen and unseen, and allow humanity and eternity to commingle in mysterious, yet palpable ways. The further discussion as to whether some "physical quality" (Contenson) or a "sort of germ of immortality" (Heimbucher) is implanted in the body of the communicant, has no sufficient foundation in the teaching of the Fathers and may, therefore, be dismissed without any injury to dogma. Neither supposition is correct. Since Christ has left us no definite precept as to the frequency with which He desired us to receive Him in Holy Communion, it belongs to the Church to determine the Divine command more accurately and prescribe what the limits of time shall be for the reception of the sacrament. It is evident that tradition has understood the mandate of Christ in this sense and in no other. This is only possible because of the gift of Christs abiding presence. Seven sacraments Not all Christians celebrate this XIII, can. Sacrament of the Eucharist What Are the Benefits of Receiving On the other hand, Communion is prescribed for adults, not only by the law of the Church, but also by a Divine command (John 6:50 sqq. Epiphanius, De hr., xlix, 79); and in the Middle Ages the Albigenses and Waldenses ascribed the power to consecrate to every layman of upright disposition. In regard to the persons concerned, we distinguish between the minister of the Eucharist and its recipient or subject. The doctrine of the Church regarding the effects or the fruits of Holy Communion centres around two ideas: (a) the union with Christ by love and (b) the spiritual repast of the soul. Whether or not the Holy Eucharist is directly conducive to the remission of the temporal punishment due to sin, is disputed by St. Thomas (III:79:5), since the Blessed Sacrament of the Altar was not instituted as a means of satisfaction; it does, however, produce an indirect effect in this regard, which is proportioned to the communicant's love and devotion. Jesus' Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity are fully present in the smallest drop from the chalice (what appears and tastes like wine) or the smallest crumb from a host (what appears and tastes like bread). "The Blessed Eucharist as a Sacrament." the Sacrament
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