The Form, Matter, and Rites of the Holy Eucharist, and The Obligation Of Receiving Holy Communion
By John Gregory
Constituent
Parts of the Eucharist
THE MATTER
It is particularly incumbent on pastors to know the matter of this Sacrament, in order that they themselves may rightly consecrate it, and also that they may be able to instruct the faithful as to its significance, inflaming them with an earnest desire of that which it signifies.
THE FIRST ELEMENT OF THE EUCHARIST IS BREAD
The matter of this Sacrament is twofold. The first element of wheaten bread, of which we shall now speak. Of the second we shall treat hereafter. As the Evangelists, Mathew, Mark and Luke testify, Christ the Lord took bread into His hands, blessed, and brake, saying: This is my body; (Matthew 26: 26; Mark 14: 22; Luke 22: 19) and, according to John, the same Saviour called Himself bread in these words: I am the living bread, that came down from heaven. (John 6: 41).
THE SACRAMENTAL BREAD MUST BE WHEATEN
Theare are, however, various sorts of bread, either because they consist of different materials,—such as wheat, barley, pulse and other products of the earth; or because they posses different qualities,—some being leavened, others altogether without leaven. It is to be observed that, with regard to the former kinds, the words of the Saviour show that the bread should be wheaten; for, according to common usage, when we simply say bread, we are sufficiently understood to mean wheaten bread. This is also declared by a figure in the Old Testament, because the Lord commanded that the loaves of proposition which signified this Sacrament, should be made of fine flour. (Leviticus 24: 5)
THE SACRAMENTAL BREAD SHOULD BE UNLEAVENED
But as wheaten bread alone is to be considered the proper matter for this Sacrament—a doctrine which has been handed down by Apostolic tradition and confirmed by the authority of the Catholic Church—it may be easily inferred from the doings of Christ the Lord that this bread should be unleavened. It was consecrated and instituted by Him on the first day of unleavened bread, on which it was not lawful for the Jews to have anything leavened in their houses. (Matthew 27: 17; Mark 14: 12; Luke 22: 7)
Should the authority of John the Evangelist, (John 13: 1) who says that all this was done before the feast of the Passover, be objected to, the argument is one of easy solution. For by the day before the pasch John understands the same day which the other Evangelists designate as the first day of unleavened bread. He wished particularly to mark the natural day, which commences at sunrise; whereas they wanted to point out that our Lord celebrated the Pach on Thursday evening just when the days of the unleavened bread were beginning. Hence Saint Chrysostom also understands the first day of unleavened bread to be the day on the evening of which unleavened bread was to be eaten. [For an explanation of the time when our Lord kept His last Pasch and instituted the Holy Eucharist see Callan, The four Gospels, pages 167-171.]
The peculiar suitableness of the consecration of unleavened bread to express that integrity and purity of mind which the faithful should bring to this Sacrament we learn from these words of the Apostle: Purge out the old leaven that you may be a new paste, as you are unleavened. For Christ our Passover is sacrificed. Therefore, let us feast, not with the old leaven, nor with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth. (1 Corinthians 5: 7)
UNLEAVENED BREAD NOT ESSENTIAL
This quality of the bread, however, is not to be deemed so essential that, if it be wanting, the Sacrament cannot exist; for both kinds are called by the one name and have the true and proper nature of bread. No one, however, is at liberty on his own private authority, or rather presumption, to transgress the laudable rite of his Church. And such departure is the less warrantable in priests of the Latin Church, expressly obliged as they are by the supreme Pontiffs, to consecrate the sacred mysteries with unleavened bread only.
QUANITY OF THE BREAD
With regard to the first matter of this Sacrament, let this exposition suffice. It is, however, to be observed, that the quantity of the matter to be consecrated is not defined, since we cannot define the exact number of those who can or ought to receive the sacred mysteries.
THE SECOND ELEMENT OF THE EUCHARIST IS WINE
It remains for us to treat of the other matter and element of this Sacrament, which is wine pressed from the fruit of the vine, with which is mingled a little water.
That in the institution of this Sacrament our Lord and Saviour made use of wine has been at all times the doctrine of the Catholic Church, for He Himself said: I will not drink from henceforth of this fruit of the vine until that day. (Matthew 26: 29; Mark 14: 25) On this passage Chrysostom observes: He says, "Of the fruit of the vine," which certainly produced wine not water; as if he had it in view, even at so early a period, to uproot the heresy which asserted that in these mysteries water alone is to be used.
WATER SHOULD BE MIXED WITH THE WINE
With the wine, however, the Church
of God has always mingled water. First,
because Christ the Lord did so, as is proved by the authority of Councils and
the testimony of Saint Cyprian; next, because by this mixture is renewed the
recollection of the blood and water that issued from His side, Walters, also,
as we read in the Apocalypse, (Apocalypse 17: 15) signify the people; and
hence, water mixed with the wine signifies the union of the faithful with Christ
their Head. This rite, derived as it is
from Apostolic tradition, the Catholic Church has always observed.
Again as in the sacred mysteries priests must be mindful to mingle water with wine, so, also, must they take care to mingle it in small quantity, for, in the opinion and judgment of the ecclesiastical writers, that water is changed into wine. Hence these words of Pope Honorius on the subject: A pernicious abuse has prevailed in your district of using in the sacrifice a greater quantity of water than of wine; whereas, according to the rational practice of the universal Church, the wine should be used in much greater quantity than the water.
NO OTHER ELEMENTS PERTAIN TO THIS SACRAMENT
These, then, are the only two elements of this Sacrament; and with reason has it been enacted by many decrees that, although there have been those who were not afraid to do so, it is unlawful to offer anything but bread and wine.
PECULIAR FITNESS OF BREAD AND WINE
We have now to consider the aptitude of these two symbols of bread and wine to represent those things of which we believe and confess they are the sensible signs.
In the first place, then, they signify to us Christ, as the true life of men; for our Lord Himself says: My flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed. (John 6: 55) As, then, the body of Christ the Lord furnishes nourishment unto eternal life to those who receive this Sacrament with purity and holiness, rightly is the matter composed chiefly of those elements by which our present life is sustained, in order that the faithful may easily understand that the mind and soul are satiated by the Communion of the precious body and blood of Christ.
These very elements serve also somewhat to suggest to men the truth of the Real Presence of the body and blood of the Lord in the Sacrament. Observing, as we do, that bread and wine are every day changed by the power of nature into human flesh and blood, we are led the more easily by this analogy to believe that the substance of the bread and wine is changed, by the heavenly benediction, into the real flesh and real blood of Christ.
This admirable change of the elements also helps to shadow forth what takes place in the soul. Although no change of the bread and wine appears externally, yet their substance is truly changed into the flesh and blood of Christ; so, in like manner, although in us nothing appears changed, yet we are renewed inwardly unto life, when we receive in the Sacrament of the Eucharist the true life.
Moreover, the body of the Church, which is one, consists of many members, and of this union nothing is more strikingly illustrative than the elements of bread and wine; for bread is made from many grains and wine is pressed from many clusters of grapes. Thus they signify that we, though many, are most closely bound together by the bond of this divine mystery and made, as it were, one body.
Form
of the Eucharist
The form to be used in the consecration of the bread is next to be treated of, not, however, in order that the faithful should be taught these mysteries, unless necessity require it; for this knowledge is not needful for those who have not received Holy Orders. The purpose (of this section) is to guard against most shameful mistakes on the part of priests, at the time of the consecration, due to ignorance of the form.
FORM TO BE USED IN THE CONSECRATION OF THE BREAD
We are then taught by the holy Evangelists, Matthew and Luke, and also by the Apostle, that the form consists of these words: This is my body; for it is written: Whilst they were at supper, Jesus took bread, and blessed it, and brake, and gave to his disciples, and said: Take and eat, This is my body. (Matthew 26: 26; Mark 14: 22; Luke 22: 19; 1 Corinthians 11: 24) This form of consecration having been observed by Christ the Lord has been always used by the Catholic Church. The testimonies of the Fathers, the enumeration of which would be endless, and also the decree of the Council of Florence, which is well known and accessible to all, must here be omitted, especially as the knowledge which they convey may be obtained from these words of the Saviour: Do this for a commemoration of me. (Luke 22: 19) For what the Lord enjoined was not only what He had done, but also what he had said; and especially is this true, since the words were uttered not only to signify, but also to accomplish.
That these words constitute the form is easily proved from reason also. The form is that which signifies what is accomplished in this Sacrament; but as the preceding words signify and declare what takes place in the Eucharist, that is, the conversion of the bread into the true body of our Lord, it therefore follows that these very words constitute the form. In this sense may be understood the words of the Evangelist: He blessed; for they seem equivalent to this: Taking bread, he blessed it, saying: "This is my body." (Matthew 26: 26)
NOT ALL THE WORDS USED ARE ESSENTIAL
Although in the Evangelist the words, Take and eat, precede the words (This is my body), they evidently express the use only, not the consecration, of the matter. Wherefore, while they are not necessary to the consecration of the Sacrament, they are by all means to be pronounced by the priest, as is also the conjunction for in the consecration of the body and blood. But they are not necessary to the validity of the Sacrament, otherwise it would follow that, if this Sacrament were not to be administered to anyone, it should not, or indeed could not, be consecrated; whereas, no one can lawfully doubt that the priest, by pronouncing the words of our Lord according to the institution and practice of the Church, truly consecrates the proper matter of the bread, even though it should afterwards never be administered.
FORM TO BE USED IN THE CONSECRATION OF THE WINE
With regard to the consecration of the wine, which is the other element of this Sacrament, the priest, for the reason we have already assigned, ought of necessity to be well acquainted with, and well understand its form. We are then firmly to believe that it consists in the following words: This is the chalice of my blood, of the new and eternal testament, the mystery of faith, which shall be shed for you and for many, to the remission of sins. Of these words the greater part are taken from Scripture; but some have been preserved in the Church from Apostolic tradition
Thus the words, this is the chalice, are found in Saint Luke and in the Apostle; (Luke 12: 20; 1 Corinthians 11: 25) but the words that immediately follow, of my blood, or my blood of the new testament, which shall be shed for you and for many to the remission of sins, are found partly in Saint Luke and Partly in Saint Matthew. (Luke 22: 20; Matthew 26: 28) But the words, eternal, and the mystery of faith, have been taught us by holy tradition, the interpreter and keeper of Catholic truth.
Concerning this form no one can doubt, if he here also attend to what has been already said about the form used in the consecration of the bread. The form to be used (in the consecration) of this element, evidently consists of those words which signify that the substance of the wine is changed into the blood of our Lord. Since therefore, the words already cited clearly declare this, it is plain that no other words constitute the form.
They moreover express certain
admirable fruits of the blood shed in the Passion of our Lord, fruits which
pertain in a most special manner to this Sacrament. Of these, one is access to the eternal
inheritance, which has come to us by right of the new and everlasting
testament. Another is access to righteousness by the mystery of faith; for
God hath set forth Jesus to be a propitiator through faith in his blood, that
he himself may be just, and the justifier of him, who is of the faith of Jesus
Christ. (Romans 3: 25) A third effect is the remission of sins.
EXPLANATION OF THE FORM USED IN THE CONSECRATION OF THE WINE
Since these very words of consecration are replete with mysteries and most appropriately suitable to the subject, they demand a more minute consideration.
The words: This is the chalice of my blood, are to be understood to mean: This is my blood, which is contained in this chalice. The mention of the chalice made at the consecration of the blood is right and appropriate, inasmuch as the blood is the drink of the faithful, and this would not be sufficiently signified if it were not contained in some drinking vessel.
Next follow the words: Of the new testament. These have been added that we might understand the blood of Christ the Lord to be given not under a figure, as was done in the Old Law, of which we read in the Epistle to the Hebrews (9: 18) that without blood a testament is not dedicated; but to be given to men in truth and in reality, as becomes the New Testament. Hence the Apostle says: Christ therefore is the mediator of the new testament, that by means of his death, they who are called may receive the promise of eternal inheritance. (Hebrews 9: 15)
The word eternal refers to the eternal inheritance, the right to which we acquire by the death of Christ the Lord, the eternal testator.
The words mystery of faith, which are subjoined, do not exclude the reality, but signify that what lies hidden and concealed and far removed from the perception of the eye, is to be believed with firm faith. In this passage, however, these words bear a meaning different from that which they have when applied also to Baptism. Here the mystery of faith consists in seeing by faith the blood of Christ veiled under the species of wine; but Baptism is justly called by us the Sacrament of faith, by the Greeks, the mystery of faith, because it embraces the entire profession of the Christian faith.
Another reason why we call the blood of the Lord the mystery of faith is that human reason is particularly beset with difficulty and embarrassment when faith proposes to our belief that Christ the Lord, the true Son of God, at once God and man, suffered death for us, and this death is designated by the Sacrament of His blood.
Here, therefore, rather than at the consecration of His body, is appropriately commemorated the Passion of our Lord, by the words, which shall be shed for the remission of sins. For the blood, separately consecrated, serves to place before the eyes of all, in a more forcible manner, the Passion of our Lord, His death, and the nature of His sufferings.
The additional words for you and for many, are taken, some from Matthew, some from Luke, (Matthew 26: 28; Luke 22: 20) but were joined together by the Catholic Church under the guidance of the Spirit of God. They serve to declare the fruit and advantage of His Passion. For if we look to its value, we must confess that the Redeemer shed His blood for the salvation of all; but if we look to the fruit which mankind have received from it, we shall easily find that it pertains not unto all, but to many of the human race. When therefore (our Lord) said: For you, He meant either those who were present, or those chosen from among the Jewish people, such as were, with the exception of Judas, the disciples with whom He was speaking. When He added, And for many, He wished to be understood to mean the remainder of the elect from among the Jews or Gentiles.
With reason, therefore, were the words for all not used, as in this place the fruits of the Passion are alone spoken of, and to the elect only did His Passion bring the fruit of salvation. And this is the purport of the Apostle (Hebrews 9: 28) when he says: Christ was offered once to exhaust the sins of many; and also of the words of our Lord in John: I pray for them; I pray not for the world, but for them whom thou hast given me, because they are thine. (John 17: 9)
Beneath the words of this consecration lie hid many other mysteries, which by frequent meditation and study of sacred things, pastors will find it easy, with the divine assistance, to discover for themselves. (Catechism of Trent [CoT] pages 219 - 225)
The
Obligation of Receiving the Eucharist
Jesus took the loaves, and when he had given thanks, he distributed to them that were sat down (John 6: 11)
HOW OFTEN MUST COMMUNION BE RECEIVED?
Lest any be kept away from Communion by the fear that the requisite preparation is too hard and laborious, the faithful are frequently to b reminded that they are all bound to receive the Holy Eucharist. Furthermore, the Church has decreed that whoever neglects to approach Holy Communion once a year, at Easter, is liable to sentence of excommunication. [This was decreed in the Fourth Lateran Council, 1215. In the New Cod it is found in can. 859.]
THE CHURCH DESIRES THE FAITHFUL TO COMMUNICATE DAILY
However, let not the faithful
imagine that it is enough to receive the body of the Lord once a year only, in
obedience to the decree of the Church.
They should approach oftener; but whether monthly, weekly, or daily,
cannot be decided by one fixed universal rule.
Saint Augustine, however, lays down a most certain norm: Live in such
a manner as to be able to receive every day.
It will therefore be the duty of the pastor frequently to admonish the faithful that, as they deem it necessary to afford daily nutriment to the body, they should also feel solicitous to feed and nourish the soul every day with this heavenly food. It is clear that the soul stands not less in need of spiritual, than the body of corporal food. Here it will be found most useful to recall the inestimable and divine advantages which, as we have already shown, flow from sacramental Communion. It will be well also to refer to the manna, which was a figure (of this Sacrament), and which refreshed the bodily powers every day. (Exodus 16: 21, 22, 4) The Fathers who earnestly recommended the frequent reception of this Sacrament may also be cited. The words of Saint Augustine, Thou sinnest daily, receive daily, express not his opinion only, but that of all the Fathers who have written on the subject, as anyone may easily discover who will carefully read them. [Frequent Communion is recommended by the following: Augustine, Ignatius, Basil, Cyril, and others at the time this Catechism was first published in 1566]
That there was a time when the faithful approached Holy Communion every day we learn from the Acts of the Apostles. All who then professed the faith of Christ burned with such true and sincere charity that, devoting themselves to prayer and other works of piety (Acts 2: 42, 46), they were found prepared to communicate daily. This devout practice, which seems to have been interrupted for a time, was again partially revived by the holy Pope and martyr Anacletus, who commanded that all the ministers who assisted at the Sacrifice of the Mass should communicate—an ordinance, as the Pontiff declares, of Apostolic institution. It was also for a long time the practice of the Church that, as soon as the Sacrifice was complete, and when the priest himself had communicated, he turned to the congregation and invited the faithful to the Holy Table in these words: Come, brethren, and receive Communion; and thereupon those who were prepared advanced to receive the holy mysteries with the most fervent devotion.
THE CHURCH COMMANDS THE FAITHFUL TO COMMUNICATE ONCE A YEAR
But subsequently, when charity and devotion had grown so cold that the faithful very seldom approached Communion, it was decreed by Pope Fabian [236 – 250], that all should communicate thrice every year, at Christmas, at Easter and at Pentecost. This decree was afterwards confirmed by many Councils, particularly by the first of Agde.
Such at length was the decay of piety that not only was this holy and salutary law unobserved, but Communion was deferred for years. The Council of Lateran, therefore, decreed that all the faithful should receive the sacred body of the Lord, at least once a year, at Easter, and that neglect of this duty should b chastised by exclusion from the society of the faithful.
WHO ARE OBLIGHED BY THE LAW OF COMMUNION
But although this law, sanctioned by the authority of God and of His Church, concerns all the faithful, it should be taught that it does not extend to those who on account of their tender age have not attained the use of reason. For these are not able to distinguish the Holy Eucharist from common and ordinary bread and cannot bring with them to this Sacrament piety and devotion. Furthermore (to extend the precept to them) would appear inconsistent with the ordinance of our Lord, for He said Take and eat (Matthew 26:26)—words which cannot apply to infants, who are evidently incapable of taking and eating.
In some places, it is true, an ancient practice prevailed of giving the Holy Eucharist even to infants; but, for the reasons already assigned, and for other reasons in keeping with Christian piety, this practice has been long discontinued by the authority of the Church.
With regard to the age at which children should be given the holy mysteries, this the parents and confessor can best determine. To them it belongs to inquire and to ascertain from the children themselves whether they have some knowledge of this admirable Sacrament and whether they desire to receive it. [Regarding the Communion of children see Code, can. 854]
Communion must not be given to persons who are insane and incapable of devotion. However, according to the decree of the Council of Carthage, it may be administered to them at the close of life, provided they have shown, before losing their minds, a pious and religious disposition, and no danger, arising from the state of the stomach or other inconvenience or disrespect, is likely. (CoT pages 249 – 251)
Conclusion
The Most Holy Eucharist is the flesh and blood of God. Pause a moment and let that resonate a bit. The whole purpose of our existence is to know, love, and serve God in this life so that we may be happy with Him forever in the next. Salvation is everything. Christ did so much to make it possible to be saved, but we must do the rest. He doesn't give us a free ride. But due to our fallen human nature (Original Sin), salvation is impossible apart from the grace of God and difficult with it. This should motivate us to do everything we can to ensure our eternal salvation such as always being in the state of grace and receiving the Eucharist devoutly as often as possible as the great Saint Augustine alluded to. When we receive the Eucharist daily with devotion, we are storing treasures and increasing the grace of God within us, fortifying our souls against future temptations and enabling us to fight the good fight until the end, persevering in the state of sanctifying grace until our dying breaths. Is there anything more we should demand from the Lord before we start acting as we should?
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