The Liturgy of the Eucharist
Recalling the Divine Command of our Lord Jesus Christ at the Last Supper, the Eucharistic Celebration remains the source and summit of the Christian life. It is through the Holy Eucharist that we are united as the Family of God on pilgrimage, nourished by the Body and Blood of Christ, strengthened in faith, healed in spirit, and accompanied on our journey toward eternal life.
At the Last Supper, Jesus commanded His Apostles:
“Do this in remembrance of me” (Luke 22:19).
For this reason, the Eucharist occupies a central place in the life of every parish and in the spiritual life of every Catholic.
The Second Vatican Council teaches:
“The Eucharist is the source and summit of the Christian life” (Lumen Gentium, 11).
Consequently, the parish must not take for granted the proper preparation of the faithful to receive this Most Blessed Sacrament worthily. Likewise, the Church expects priests to celebrate the Eucharist and the other sacraments with reverence, dignity, devotion, and fidelity to the liturgical norms of the Church.
As pastors, let us be careful not to rush through the celebration of Holy Mass merely to finish quickly. While brevity can sometimes be pastorally necessary, the Eucharist should never be treated as a routine obligation or hurried exercise.
The faithful deserve a prayerful and well-prepared liturgical celebration through which they may truly encounter Christ.
As Sacred Scripture warns:
“Whoever, therefore, eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of profaning the body and blood of the Lord” (1 Corinthians 11:27).
This calls for proper catechesis on the Eucharist, frequent reception of the Sacrament of Penance, and reverent participation in the Sacred Mysteries.
Care of the Blessed Sacrament
In some places, one may observe that the altar wine, the sacred hosts, and the sacred vessels are not properly cared for or preserved.
This should never be the case.
The Blessed Sacrament deserves the highest reverence because Catholics believe that the Eucharist is truly, really, and substantially the Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity of Jesus Christ.
The Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches:
“In the most blessed sacrament of the Eucharist the body and blood, together with the soul and divinity, of our Lord Jesus Christ and, therefore, the whole Christ is truly, really, and substantially contained” (CCC 1374).
Pastors and those entrusted with liturgical responsibilities must therefore ensure the proper storage of the Blessed Sacrament, the worthy care of sacred vessels, and the faithful observance of liturgical norms.
Reverence in the Celebration of the Liturgy
Let us celebrate the Sacred Liturgy with devotion, dignity, and reverence.
A well-functioning Parish Liturgical Committee can greatly assist the priest in preparing liturgical celebrations and ensuring that parish liturgical life is orderly and prayerful.
Good liturgical preparation contributes significantly to the active and fruitful participation of the faithful.
As the Church teaches:
“Mother Church earnestly desires that all the faithful should be led to that full, conscious, and active participation in liturgical celebrations” (Sacrosanctum Concilium, 14).
Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion
In some communities, Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion are assigned responsibilities without adequate formation or a clear understanding of the Church’s norms.
The Church teaches that the ordinary ministers of Holy Communion are Bishops, Priests, and Deacons.
Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion assist only when there is a genuine pastoral necessity, such as a large number of communicants or the inability of the ordinary ministers to distribute Holy Communion adequately.
Therefore, their ministry should be understood as extraordinary rather than ordinary.
The Instruction Redemptionis Sacramentum states:
“This function is supplementary and extraordinary” (Redemptionis Sacramentum, 151).
When Extraordinary Ministers are authorised to bring Holy Communion to the sick and homebound, they should do so in accordance with the norms established by the diocesan bishop and the Church’s liturgical discipline.
Their ministry should always reflect reverence, humility, and obedience to ecclesiastical authority.
TO BE CONTINUED
By: Rev. Fr. Albert Kyei Danso
Chaplain, Holy Family Ghanaian Catholic Community Church,
Italy.
