The Catechism and The Eucharist

Part 2

During the months of November and December we will be on a spiritual journey sharing what the Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches each of us about the Eucharist.

The Eucharist – Source and Summit of Ecclesial Life

1324 "The Eucharist is “the source and summit of the Christian life.” The other sacraments, and indeed all ecclesiastical ministries and works of the apostolate, are bound up with the Eucharist and are oriented toward it. For in the blessed Eucharist is contained the whole spiritual good of the Church, namely Christ himself our Pasch.

1325 “The Eucharist is the efficacious sign and sublime cause of that communion in the divine life and that unity of the People of God by which the Church is kept in being. It is the culmination both of God’s action sanctifying the world in Christ and the worship men offer to Christ and through him to the Father and the Holy Spirit.

1326 Finally, by the Eucharistic celebration we already unite ourselves with the heavenly liturgy and anticipate eternal life, when God will be all in all.

1327 In brief, the Eucharist is the sum and summary of our faith; “Our way of thinking is attuned to the Eucharist, and the Eucharist in turn confirms our way of thinking.”

Jesus told the apostles he would be with us until the end of the age. It is in the Eucharist that his body, blood, soul, and divinity are present with us until the end of the age. How wonderful it is that we are consumed as much as we consume our Lord at communion. We truly become one body in and through Christ, his bride, his Church, all of us his adopted Sons and Daughters.

The Eucharist strengthens us in our journey towards God, but to receive the full effects of this grace par excellence, we need to be ready to receive him worthily. The Lord does not like lukewarm, he wants us totally. Are you ready to give him all of yourself? Something to ponder while we are on this journey of life.