Homilies on Sacraments [series 6]
Eucharist [part 1]
Eucharistic celebration in the Early Church
When we say the sacrament or the liturgy, it always means the Eucharist [Mass]. The
passover meal Jesus celebrated, his last supper is the source of Eucharist. Jesus said
that the bread and wine of the last supper is his body and blood. He gave the command,
‘do this in remembrance of me’ [only thing Jesus asked to do in memory of him].
• The earliest testimony on the Eucharist comes from St. Paul in 1Corinthians 11:23-26:
‘For I received from the Lord what I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus on the
night when he was betrayed took bread and when he had given thanks he broke it
and said this is my body which is for you. In the same way also the cup, saying this
cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this in remembrance of me’. Mathew, Mark
and Luke give the last supper account of Jesus instituting the Eucharist. These
evangelists had written down in their gospels what had already existed in oral
tradition: teachings of Jesus and traditions the first Christians followed.
• Luke 24:30 speaks of the two disciples going to Emmaus on Easter Sunday. The risen
Jesus joined them in conversation; they did not know it was Jesus and in the breaking
of the bread they recognized Jesus. Acts 2:46 says that all who believed gathered
together for breaking of the bread [breaking of the bread was known as the Eucharist].
• When John’s gospel was written [around 100 AD], the Christian community had
already been celebrating the Eucharist according to what Jesus commanded, so John
just mentions the last supper [no words of institution] and Jesus washing the feet of
his disciples in chapter 13. In chapter 6 John gives the meaning of the Eucharist:
Jesus is the bread of life. Jesus says, I am the bread that came down from heaven; he
who eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life. He who eats my blood and
drinks my blood abides in me.
• Greek word used for remembrance in the gospels is ‘anamnesis’, meaning to make
present. The last supper, Jesus’ death on the cross and resurrection are one event of
Jesus giving himself for the salvation of the world. In our celebration of the Eucharist
the Holy Spirit makes present this mystery of Christ’s death and resurrection, his risen
presence, so we confess this mystery of our faith that the Eucharistic bread and wine
are the body and blood of Christ, real presence of Christ.
Two important historical sources on Eucharist outside the New Testament:
1. Didache [around 70 AD]: this writing believed to be written by disciples of the
Apostles, speaks of what happened in church gathering for Eucharist. It contains
thanksgiving for the eucharist [spiritual food] and the prayer says: ‘we thank you our
Father for the life and knowledge, which you have made known to us through Jesus
your servant’. Here the church imitates Jesus in thanking Father for the gift of Christ in
eucharist. Praise and thanksgiving show the joyful context of resurrection in church
gathering. Through eucharist one enters into real relationship with Trinity. This follows
intercession in the gathering together of the church [prayer of the faithful] and
maranatha [come Lord Jesus] prayer, looking forward to the second coming of Christ.
Didache represents an age when eucharistic prayer did not have a fixed or developed
form.
2. Justin the Martyr [150 AD]
Justin was born in Syria. He was a pagan philosopher and converted to Christianity. He
later moved to Rome and died in Rome as a martyr. He refers to Sunday liturgy [coming
together in one place on Sunday-early Christians gathered at homes for Eucharist] in
his writings. He wrote:
• During Sunday liturgy, writings of the apostles and prophets were read at first as time
permits.
• Then the presider [bishop] gives a homily.
• people stand up together for offering prayer [intercession]
• bread, wine and water were brought up
• the presider [bishop] gave thanks to the best of his ability [no written Eucharistic
prayer]. Priests and deacons joined the bishop for Eucharist. The bishop was free to
use his own eucharistic prayer. Prayer must be solemn and sufficiently long. Bishop
offers praise and glory to the Father of all in the name of the Son and Holy Spirit.
People answer Amen.
• After this there is distribution [communion]; everyone partakes in the elements of
bread and wine, over which thanksgiving is offered; deacons took them for those who
are absent.
• wealthy people give what they choose as a collection to the bishop. The bishop helps
orphans and widows
• Sunday is the first day of the week on which God transformed darkness and matter
and made the world. And Jesus Christ rose from the dead on Sunday; he appeared to
the Apostles on this day.
• We call this food ‘thanksgiving’. This is not common food or drink; but as Jesus Christ
Word of God, being incarnate took flesh for our salvation. No one may partake of this
food unless he is convinced of the truth of our teaching and has been cleansed by
washing of forgiveness of sins and regeneration [baptism] and lives as Christ taught.
• First written Eucharistic prayer [anaphora] came from Hippolytus of Rome-235 AD. In
the 4th century church councils started limiting the bishop’s freedom to use his own
prayers for Eucharist due to fear of heretical formulations.