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    Taste and see: the Eucharist as a meal


    Catholic News Service | Father Michael Van Sloun | March 19, 2019 | 0 Comments
    Like 0 Save Share 10

    One of the most distinctive aspects of the Eucharist is that it is a meal. It is readily
    apparent by the con�guration of the Church: The focal point is the table in the
    center of the sanctuary.

    And it is not just an ordinary table. It is an altar. It is taller and larger than the dining room table. It is
    covered with a fine linen, the altar cloth, and it is set with the finest tableware — a paten and chalice
    made with precious materials.

    The Eucharist is not like an ordinary meal. For breakfast or lunch, we commonly grab a few items,
    gobble them down, eat alone or with a few others, chat a little and move on with the day. Then there are
    major dinners like Thanksgiving or Christmas when family and friends gather joyfully, have extended
    conversations and partake in delicious foods. The Eucharist takes dining to another level — it is a
    banquet feast.

    2 of 9 09/03/21, 2:34 pm
    Taste and see: the Eucharist as a meal - TheCatholicSpi... https://thecatholicspirit.com/faith/focus-on-faith/faith-f...

    At a sit-down dinner, the family reminisces about the many events they have shared over the years, and
    at the eucharistic meal the community reminisces about Jesus and retells his story during the Liturgy of
    the Word. Then the family shares food and drink, and at the eucharistic meal the community shares the
    body and blood of Christ.

    A meal is a time of togetherness. The members of the Christian community include old and young, men
    and women, boys and girls, upper-class and common folk — all held together in a holy Communion,
    united in their belief in Jesus, their Catholic faith, in the true presence of Christ in the Eucharist, and in
    their common sharing of the one bread and the one cup.

    The eucharistic meal is inclusive. When Jesus fed the crowd of 5,000, “all ate and were satisfied” (Lk
    9:17); no one was left out. In the Parable of the Great Feast (Lk 14:15-24), the master extended his
    invitation to those in the streets and the alleys, along the highways and hedgerows, the poor and the
    crippled, the blind and the lame. All are welcome.

    A meal provides nourishment. At the eucharistic meal, Jesus feeds us with his flesh, which is “true food”
    (Jn 6:55a) and his blood which is “true drink” (Jn 6:55b). Just as physical food sustains the life of the
    body, the one who receives the Eucharist receives sustenance for the soul. Jesus said, “The one who
    feeds on me will have life because of me” (Jn 6:57b).

    A meal is an occasion for forgiveness. If there have been disagreements or hostilities, those who share
    a meal lay down the hatchet, reconnect, heal and move ahead together. Jesus regularly ate with sinners,
    befriended them, forgave them and offered them a new beginning. At every eucharistic meal, Jesus
    forgives us and re-emphasizes his faithful friendship with us.

    The meal is about service. At the eucharistic meal, believers are seated at the table, and Jesus is the
    one who waits on them (see Lk 12:37). Jesus explained, “Who is greater: the one seated at the table or
    the one who serves? I am among you as the one who serves” (Lk 22:27). At Mass, the priest serves in
    “persona Christi capitis” — that is, in the person of Christ the head — and the priest serves the meal in
    the name of Jesus. The eucharistic meal is an invitation for believers to serve others.

    Lastly, the meal is a foretaste. The banquet of the Eucharist on earth prefigures the eternal banquet in
    heaven. As Jesus promised, “Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life” (Jn 6:54).
    “Whoever eats this bread will live forever” (Jn 6:58).

    Father Van Sloun is pastor of St. Bartholomew in Wayzata. This column is part of an ongoing series on
    the Eucharist. Read more of his writing at CatholicHotdish.com.

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    3 of 9 09/03/21, 2:34 pm

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