The Sacrament of Eucharist

Vatican II declared the Eucharist is the source and summit of our faith and all liturgical action. The term, Eucharist is derived from the Greek, Eucharistein, "Good Gift." St. Ignatius of Antioch said, "No Christian community can be built unless it has as a basis and center in the celebration of the Most Holy Eucharist." The theology of the Eucharist is based on the Bread of Life Discourse in John 6. If there is part of scripture that we take almost literally-almost, but not quite- it's John 6. In the Bread of Life Discourse, Christ is very clear that we are to eat his flesh and drink his blood. So vividly does he say this that the Greek, trokein, translates into "to crunch with teeth; to chomp on, to gnaw on." This would have been abhorred to many listening to Christ's message as it sounds like cannibalism. St. Augustine was a forerunner with the teaching that Flesh was not to be understood in the same context as meat from a butcher shop; it is a spiritual reality. Christ's flesh and blood is real spiritual food and drink.

St. Augustine said, "Become what we are, the Mystical Body of Christ; we become what we receive." In the Liturgy, Christ is truly present in:

• The Minister
• The Assembly
• The Word
• Most especially in the fullest possible way in the Eucharist

The Eucharist is the Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity of Christ. Christ really is present truly and completely in the Eucharist is a purely spiritual way. When we gaze at the Eucharist, we are staring into the very face of God. The Eucharist is a perfect spiritual reality and understood spiritually, the Eucharist brings eternal life. A consecrated host is God whether a person believes it or not. It is substantially changed so that it may never return to plain bread and wine. This is our faith, it is a truth of our faith, a mystery; it is not something that can be scientifically proven and nobody can give a definitive answer exactly how the bread and wine become Christ.

Transubstantiation was officially pronounced at The 4th Lateran Council in 1215 after Pope Innocent III in 1212 became the first to use the term. The Feast of Corpus Christi stems back to about the same time. The Council of Trent (1551) said, "By consecration of bread and wine, there takes place a change of the whole substance of bread into the body of Christ our Lord and the whole substance of wine into the substance of Christ's blood."

Viaticum

Viaticum means "food for the Journey" It is the Holy Eucharist that is received when one is near death. The Church strongly advises those who are near death to receive it for the journey from this world into the next. It may be given by a priest or deacon; however, a layperson may also minister Viaticum is an ordained priest or deacon is not available. Only a priest, however, may consecrate the Eucharist.

Properly speaking, it is not an "8th" sacrament, however, in this context, as Food for the Journey, when one is near death, it is also a sacrament of healing in addition to Anointing of the Sick and Reconciliation.