|
SCRIPTURE
READINGS
|
Jeremiah |
31:31-34 |
| Psalm |
50 |
| Hebrews |
5:7-9 |
| John |
12:20-33 |
What
a great gift we receive in Holy Communion. We receive
Christ Our Lord sacramentally, His body and His
blood offered for our redemption, really present
under the form of bread and wine. By receiving Him
in this way we enter into His sacrifice. We share
His very life in our daily lives. We are transformed.
The
Catechism of the Catholic Church gives this explanation:
"Since Christ is sacramentally present under
each of the species, communion under the species
of bread alone makes it possible to receive all
the fruit of Eucharistic grace. For pastoral reasons
this manner of receiving communion has been legitimately
established as the most common form in the Latin
rite. But 'the sign of communion is more complete
when given under both kinds, since in that form
the sign of the Eucharistic meal appears more clearly'."
(1390)
For
some time the Church has invited those who wish
to receive from the chalice after receiving the
host. That is, when appropriate, and when there
is a desire to do so. For we are left completely
free, of course. The sign becomes more complete
if we do receive in this way because it helps us
to be united to the meaning of Our Lord's sacrifice
which His Precious Blood conveys.
It expresses the meaning of God's covenant with
us, as it did for Abraham and for Moses. It is a
sign of hope of the banquet of heaven. That was
the significance of the 'cup of blessing' in the
Jewish Passover meal which Our Lord transformed
into the Eucharist, making present His offering
on Calvary .
In
order to make it possible to receive the chalice
regularly at the 9.30 Family Mass Fr. William is
commissioning Ministers of Communion this Sunday.
They have been invited and have generously responded.
Regular members of the Family Mass congregation,
they have given time over the past weeks to prepare
themselves for this privilege of service. We have
reflected together on what the Eucharist means to
us and to our family lives. We have studied the
history and theology of the Eucharist and how it
has developed in the life of the Church. Then there
has been practical training in the reverent giving
of the chalice to those who wish to receive.
We
thank them for accepting this invitation on behalf
of the Church. Please keep them in your prayers
this weekend.
Tony
Nye SJ
|
