Eucharist - body, blood, soul, and divinity of jesus christ
The Eucharist is THE center of the Catholic spiritual life. You will not find a Saint in history that was not devoted to Jesus present - Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity - in the Eucharist.
The key to faith is what we call the kerygma, which means to proclaim the central message of the good news (the gospel). St. Paul does this for us beautifully:
For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the Twelve. Then he appeared to more than five hundred brethren at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me (1Cor15:3-9).
In other words, the kerygma is the proclamation that Jesus died for our sins, was raised on the third day, and appeared to his disciples. Before Jesus sacrificially died for our sins upon the Cross, He celebrated the Passover with his disciples - the Last Supper.
At the Last Supper, on the night when he was betrayed, our Savior instituted the Eucharistic Sacrifice of his Body and Blood. He did this in order to perpetuate the Sacrifice of the Cross throughout the centuries until he should come again, and so to entrust to his beloved spouse, the Church, a memorial of his death and resurrection: a sacrament of love, a sign of unity, a bond of charity, a paschal banquet in which Christ is consumed, the mind is filled with grace, and a pledge of future glory is given to us (Sacrosanctum Concilium, Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy, §47) (CCC 1322–1419).
The Mass celebrated everyday throughout the world is the re-presentation of the bloody sacrifice of Jesus on the Cross in an unbloody manner. It is however the same sacrifice that Jesus offered once for all. Why is this? Because Jesus desired to remain with us until the end of time, and to feed us sacramentally with his divine life. The Eucharist is a sign of love, a sign of unity, and a bond of charity. If we receive him with faith we are filled with grace and a pledge of future glory.
The Eucharist is the source and summit of our Catholic faith. All of the sacraments flow from the sacrifice of the Cross of which the Eucharist is the fruit, and the sacraments lead to the Eucharist because it is Jesus Himself.
The Holy Sacrifice of the Mass is the greatest act of worship and prayer that we can participate in because it is the worship and prayer of the Eternal Son made flesh offered to His heavenly Father for our redemption.
We never neglect to nourish our bodies with food. Why would we neglect to nourish our souls with the food from heaven?
Do you want to dig deeper?
USCCB on the Eucharist.
Scott Hahn on the Institution of the Eucharist.
The Eucharist throughout Scripture.
Numerous articles on different Questions regarding the Eucharist.
7 Mysteries of the Faith Unlocked by the Eucharist.
Mass Booklet
The key to faith is what we call the kerygma, which means to proclaim the central message of the good news (the gospel). St. Paul does this for us beautifully:
For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the Twelve. Then he appeared to more than five hundred brethren at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me (1Cor15:3-9).
In other words, the kerygma is the proclamation that Jesus died for our sins, was raised on the third day, and appeared to his disciples. Before Jesus sacrificially died for our sins upon the Cross, He celebrated the Passover with his disciples - the Last Supper.
At the Last Supper, on the night when he was betrayed, our Savior instituted the Eucharistic Sacrifice of his Body and Blood. He did this in order to perpetuate the Sacrifice of the Cross throughout the centuries until he should come again, and so to entrust to his beloved spouse, the Church, a memorial of his death and resurrection: a sacrament of love, a sign of unity, a bond of charity, a paschal banquet in which Christ is consumed, the mind is filled with grace, and a pledge of future glory is given to us (Sacrosanctum Concilium, Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy, §47) (CCC 1322–1419).
The Mass celebrated everyday throughout the world is the re-presentation of the bloody sacrifice of Jesus on the Cross in an unbloody manner. It is however the same sacrifice that Jesus offered once for all. Why is this? Because Jesus desired to remain with us until the end of time, and to feed us sacramentally with his divine life. The Eucharist is a sign of love, a sign of unity, and a bond of charity. If we receive him with faith we are filled with grace and a pledge of future glory.
The Eucharist is the source and summit of our Catholic faith. All of the sacraments flow from the sacrifice of the Cross of which the Eucharist is the fruit, and the sacraments lead to the Eucharist because it is Jesus Himself.
The Holy Sacrifice of the Mass is the greatest act of worship and prayer that we can participate in because it is the worship and prayer of the Eternal Son made flesh offered to His heavenly Father for our redemption.
We never neglect to nourish our bodies with food. Why would we neglect to nourish our souls with the food from heaven?
Do you want to dig deeper?
USCCB on the Eucharist.
Scott Hahn on the Institution of the Eucharist.
The Eucharist throughout Scripture.
Numerous articles on different Questions regarding the Eucharist.
7 Mysteries of the Faith Unlocked by the Eucharist.
Mass Booklet
Below is "A Walk through the Mass" that Fr. Andrew Deitz and I presented to my parish St. Bridget's. It is about an hour and a half long. Hopefully, it will help you begin anew to appreciate the power and richness of the Mass. It is where Heaven and earth touch, where the encounter with Christ is most real and substantial, and most personal. I hope you enjoy and share it with family and friends who may have drifted away from the Church.