The Fifth Luminous Mystery

The Eucharist

By May/June 2009

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Sharing, breaking bread together

“While they were eating, Jesus took a piece of bread, gave a prayer of thanks, broke it, and gave it to his disciples. ‘Take and eat it,’ he said; ‘this is my body.’ Then he took a cup, gave thanks to God, and gave it to them. ‘Drink it, all of you,’ he said; ‘this is my blood, which seals God’s covenant, my blood poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.’” Matthew 26:26-28

Reflection

“Eucharist” derives from the Greek eucharisto, “I give thanks.” Jesus calls his disciples to share the traditional Passover meal. The Passover meal was a thanksgiving to God for liberation from the slavery of Egypt. Eating the Pas­chal Lamb together invoked centuries of spiritual strength. Jesus feels intense love for his disciples. He feels sadness too, because soon he must leave them. Soon one of them will betray him. At his last Passover, Jesus leaves a gift to his followers. He creates a new Passover. He himself becomes the sacrificial Pass­over Lamb, the Lamb of God. The bread becomes his body. The wine becomes his blood. He invites his disciples to “do this in memory of me.” The creation of this new Passover meal is his gift to them.

Each Eucharist celebration is an opportunity for us to participate in Jesus’ Passover. Boundaries fall away. The constraints of time and space are suspended. We enter into an eternal moment: we are present at Jesus’ ultimate thanksgiving. Transubstantia­tion occurs: we eat his body, we drink his blood. Jesus invites us to “do this in memory of me,” urging us not only to celebrate the Eucharist, but also to live his mission. We are invited to serve our brothers and sisters, to give our lives for them. How do I live this mission? How do I break bread with others? Am I willing to let myself be broken as bread for others?

Mission Call

Scarboro missionaries are blessed to be able to participate in the Eucha­rist in many other lands. We come to appreciate the rich and diverse cultural expressions of the Eucharist: vibrant songs, drumming, dancing, dramatic enactments of the Gospel, shared homilies... all over the world people give thanks to Jesus in unique ways.

Missionaries work at calling people to break bread together. This can mean the work of charity, such as giving out food to people in soup kitch­ens. It also means working for justice, changing economic and political structures that exploit people, and demanding just wages so that people can buy their daily bread with dignity.

During this prayer time, let us pray to deepen our sense of thanksgiv­ing for life. Let us count our blessings. Let us participate in the celebration of Mass more intensely. Let us become involved in eradicating poverty from our world.

Amazon Word

When our feet touch the ground and the dance begins,
When our hands intertwine, new life will bud.
Take, oh Father, this perfect love, for the river, the woods and the flower
That we natives carry in our hearts: praise to the Creator.
         We will have one table only;
         Mother Earth will be our altar
         Nature will provide our
         sustenance, miraculously.
Here, Lord, is the pain of this Christ-brother-sister-people,
May our cries be hymns in defense of our lands.
We dream of a new Earth where all have a place;
We search for our right to life, bread, respect and homes.

Offertory song, “Fraternity and the Native People” 2002

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