When do they celebrate the eucharist

In the Sacrament, the very essence or substance of the bread and wine is completely changed. Because the Eucharist is Christ Himself, we say that the Eucharist is "the source and summit" of the Christian life.

The liturgical life of the Church revolves around the sacraments, with the Eucharist at the center National Directory for Catechesis, We believe that the Risen Jesus is truly and substantially present in the Eucharist. The Eucharist is not a sign or symbol of Jesus; rather we receive Jesus himself in and through the Eucharistic species. The priest, through the power of his ordination and the action of the Holy Spirit, transforms the bread and wine into the Body and Blood of Jesus.

This is called transubstantiation. Under the consecrated species of bread and wine Christ himself, living and glorious, is present in a true, real, and substantial manner: his Body and his Blood, with his soul and his divinity. The New Covenant. In the gospels we read that the Eucharist was instituted at the Last Supper. This is the fulfillment of the covenants in the Hebrew Scriptures. In the Last Supper narratives, Jesus took, broke and gave bread and wine to his disciples.

This reminds us of the blood ritual with which the covenant was ratified at Sinai Ex 24 -- the sprinkled the blood of sacrificed animals united God and Israel in one relationship, so now the shed blood of Jesus on the cross is the bond of union between new covenant partners -- God the Father, Jesus and the Christian Church.

The Catechism teaches that all Catholics who have received their First Holy Communion are welcome to receive Eucharist at Mass unless in a state of mortal sin. Anyone who desires to receive Christ in Eucharistic communion must be in the state of grace.

Anyone aware of having sinned mortally must not receive communion without having received absolution in the sacrament of penance. Think about it like this If they say "I love you", and put their arms round you and give you a great big hug, you get the truth of what they're saying in a different and more powerful way.

A hug is an outward sign of the love they have inside. Or take some of the saints of old who gave their lives for others. Saying that you love all humanity is one thing. Dying to save others is a very powerful way of acting out the truth of your words. Search term:. Read more. This page is best viewed in an up-to-date web browser with style sheets CSS enabled.

While you will be able to view the content of this page in your current browser, you will not be able to get the full visual experience. Please consider upgrading your browser software or enabling style sheets CSS if you are able to do so. This page has been archived and is no longer updated. Find out more about page archiving. Eucharist Last updated What happens The Eucharist is a re-enactment of the Last Supper, the final meal that Jesus Christ shared with his disciples before his arrest, and eventual crucifixion.

Understanding the Eucharist A new covenant The Eucharist symbolises the new covenant given by God to his followers. According to the Synpotic Gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke, the Eucharist was instituted by Jesus, who said the following: Take, eat, this is my body Take, drink, this is my blood Do this in remembrance of me. Believers today still remember and celebrate the Last Supper on Holy Thursday. For Jews, this time is the beginning of the Jewish Passover Festival.

The bread and wine are symbols of nourishment and food for the Christian journey. Believers take part in the Eucharist to give thanks to God, and share this meal as a community. In community believers gain strength from each one who has gathered. This obligation is based on two commands:. The Eucharist deepens union with Christ and calls us into communion with one another. The Eucharist remits sin and calls us to a deeper conversion in Christ.

John — When people see a gathering of Church members, such as at Mass, they see the Body of Christ. This is a sign of the invisible reality that these people are in spiritual union with Christ.