A Protestant minister, who visited Mother Theresa in Calcutta, admired the heroism and wonderful success of the holy sisters in caring for the sick and unfortunate. He was desirous of starting a similar work of charity. He made an appointment to visit with Mother Theresa for information. Sister sent him off in the company of a member of her community to visit a number of their institutions. He gathered all the necessary information and explanation concerning their work. When the minister was about to leave he visited once again with Mother Theresa. When he outlined his plan to her, she informed him, “I am sorry to say, you will not succeed in serving as we serve.” “Why not?”, he queried. “Because,” she said, although you can imitate the machinery of these institutions, but you do not have the fuel to make it go.” Pointing to the tabernacle of her little chapel, she continued: “There is where our Sisters obtain the courage and strength you desire. It is Jesus Himself who gives them the ability to meet the needs of all these people.

CELEBRATION - Growth in love- 4th stage
MEDITATION- SACRAMENTS-55-EUCHARIST 29

After the prayers of the faithful, everyone sits, and prepares to present themselves as a sacrifice to the Lord. A collection is taken up, to provide support of the poor, the naked, hungry, imprisoned, sick and homeless of the community and the material needs of the Church. Each person contributes to the collection. As the monetary support is taken to the altar, it represents each person in the community, being presented as a gift at the altar. As this presentation is made, one recalls the commandment of Jesus, “if you bring your gift to the altar, and there recall that your brother has anything against you, leave your gift there at the altar, go first and be reconciled with your brother and then come and offer your gift.” (Matthew 5:23-24)

This commandment offers us an opportunity to realize the wondrous event to which our Lord is inviting us. First the gift we present at the altar is not our money, it is not just our livelihood that we share with the Church and the poor. Our gift is our self. We are individually and collectively to be the gift of the altar. We are invited to enter into he sacrifice of Christ on Calvary in such a way that when the bread and wine are transfigured into His body and His blood by the words and action of consecration, we individually and collectively are transfigured as well to be his living body and blood for the world.

This relationship to the Eucharistic celebration is expressed well in a small prayer spoken by the Priest or the Deacon prior to the consecration. There is a small amount of water added to the wine as the prayer is expressed; “Lord, as you have shared in our Humanity, give us a share in your divinity.” The implications of this prayer are beyond our understanding.

We know through the teachings of Scripture and of the Church that Jesus shared fully and completely in our humanity. He was fully human as the author of Hebrews expressed when he wrote; “We do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who has similarly been tested in every way, yet without sin.” (Hebrews 4:15) The New Catholic Catechism (article 464) explains, “The unique and altogether singular event of the Incarnation of the Son of God does not mean that Jesus Christ is part God and part man, nor does it imply that he is the result of a confused mixture of the divine and human. He became truly man whole remaining truly God. Jesus is true God and true man.” This mystery is beyond our understanding, but even more wondrous is that we are invited through participation and understanding of what is happening to enter fully and completely into His humanity, revealed to us in the consecrated bread become His flesh and wine become His blood. During the consecration, each participating member of the Church is on the paten with the bread and in the cup with the wine. At the consecration, we, like the water poured into the wine becomes immolated into the glorified, resurrected, ascended Body and Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ!

NEW CATHOLIC CATECHISM
ARTICLE NO. 1356

If from the beginning Christians have celebrated the Eucharist and in a form whose substance has not changed despite the great diversity of times and liturgies, it is because we know ourselves to be bound by the command the Lord gave on the eve of his Passion: “do this in remembrance of me.” (1 Cor 11:24-25)

ARTICLE NO. 1357

We carry out this command of the Lord by celebrating the memorial of his sacrifice. In so doing, we offer to the Father what he has himself given us: the gifts of his creation, bread and wine which, by the power of the Holy Spirit and by the words of Christ, have become the body and blood of Christ. Christ is thus really and mysteriously made present.

ARTICLE NO. 1358

We must therefore consider the Eucharist as:

--Thanksgiving and praise to the Father;

--the sacrificial memorial of Christ and his Body;

--the presence of Christ by the power of his word and his Spirit.

IN REMEMBRANCE

Deacon Jim Breazile. OCDS

Since remembering make past things real

That have been important in our lives

His body and blood that memory reveals

By the gift of Eucharist His presence revives

By our remembering, we join His contribution

Bread and wine with power of Holy Spirit

Words of Christ through transubstantiation

Becomes body and blood, grace without limit

Celebrating thanksgiving and praise to the Father

Sacrificial memorial of Christ’s Body and Blood

Provides the presence of Christ on our Altar

Through which His grace pours forth in a flood