The Source of Life: Exploring the Mystery of the Eucharist by Schoenborn Cardinal Christoph

Author:Schoenborn, Cardinal Christoph [Schoenborn, Cardinal Christoph]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Spiritual & Religion
ISBN: 9781586177843
Published: 2013-11-23T16:00:00+00:00

The Eucharist as Memorial of the Sacrifice of Christ

At the beginning of the third eucharistic prayer, we hear the words “so that from the rising of the sun to its setting a pure sacrifice may be offered to your name.” We believe that the Eucharist is this pure sacrifice, but what exactly does this mean? Is the Eucharist a sacrifice?

Let us look at what happens in the Mass. We have what might be called a sacrificial procession in which the gifts, especially bread and wine, are brought to the altar; in solemn liturgies, this procession is particularly elaborate. I have experienced this very vividly in Africa, where whole sacks of manioc, fruits, and a live goat—a sign of special honor for the guest from Vienna—as well as hens were brought to the altar. The high point was a live calf! We call this part of the liturgy the offertory, the preparation of the gifts. Bread and wine are offered, and if we listen attentively, we learn that it is we ourselves who are the gift: “May he make of us an eternal offering to you.” Our contribution is our own selves. But above all, the sacrificial gift is the Body and Blood of the Lord himself.

Can we offer to God in sacrifice bread and wine, changed into the Body and Blood of Christ? Is it not rather the case that the Father makes a gift to us, that God is the author of this gift? Are we permitted in the Mass to give Christ back to God as a gift? Well, this is as a matter of fact how the Church understands her prayer. No matter how the ecumenical dialogue may develop, the basic meaning of the liturgy is clear: the Church believes that she offers Christ in sacrifice to the Father.

But does not this supersede the unique sacrifice that Christ offered? Is the holy sacrifice of the Mass a new sacrifice? If we consult the Catechism, we find that the Eucharist is indeed a sacrifice; but it is a sacrifice because it is the memorial of the sacrifice of Christ.6 Memorial and sacrifice are intimately linked. The third canon prays, “O Lord, as we celebrate the memorial of the saving Passion of your Son. . . we offer you in thanksgiving this holy and living sacrifice.” In Latin, this sentence begins, Memores igitur offerimus, literally, “Being mindful, therefore, we offer. . .” Because we recall the sacrifice of Christ in the Mass, this sacrifice becomes present.

We have seen above that when we recall the Last Supper of Jesus and his death, we are present at these events. This is why the Catechism goes on to say, “The sacrifice of Christ and the sacrifice of the Eucharist are one single sacrifice”—then and now. The text continues, quoting the Council of Trent, “The victim is one and the same: the same now offers through the ministry of priests, who then offered himself on the cross; only the manner of offering is different”: then it was bloody, today it is unbloody.

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