MARK 14, 12-16. 22-26

12 On the first day of Unleavened Bread, when the Passover lamb was sacrificed, …

16 The disciples set out and went to the city and found everything as he had told them, and prepared the Passover

22 And as they were eating he took bread, and when he had said the blessing he broke it and gave it to them. ‘Take it,’ he said, ‘this is my body.’

23 Then he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he handed it to them, and all drank from it,

24 and he said to them, ‘This is my blood, the blood of the covenant, poured out for many.

25 In truth I tell you, I shall never drink wine any more until the day I drink the new wine in the kingdom of God.’

26 After the psalms had been sung they left for the Mount of Olives.

New Jerusalem Bible

Doubleday 1984

FAITH CONVERTED

PASTORAL PRAXIS IN USE OF CURRENT NAME OF FEAST

The new name of the Body and Blood of Christ [Corpus et Sanguis Christi] alerts us to distinguish between the celebration of the Eucharist and Eucharistic adoration highlighted in the old name Body of Christ [Corpus Christi].

The old name of Corpus Christi continues to be used widely, whether out of convenience for its brevity or for another reason. In many instances both names are used in the same announcements and printed matter. Such practice would seem to confuse many of Christ’s faithful and continue to leave the impression nothing significant has changed in our understanding and praxis of the Eucharist since Vatican II.

CHURCH RENOVATION AFTER VATICAN II

In the wake of Vatican II the Religious of the Sacred Heart in Tokyo in 1964 were enthusiastic in showing exchange students their university chapel renovated according to the conciliar document on Sacred Liturgy [Sacrosanctum concilium = sacred Council].

Since the mid-sixties many parish churches following diocesan norms have made attempts to delineate the space for the celebration of the Eucharist from that of Eucharistic adoration [cf GIRM 314-315, CCL 938 for instance].

The new St Ignatius Church in Singapore dedicated in 2004 places the tabernacle to the right hand side as one faces the altar.

St Ignatius Church
Singapore

Our Lady of Perpetual Help in Bethlehem PA has a separate Reservation Chapel for Eucharistic adoration only — with the tabernacle standing on a column — to the left as one faces the altar of the celebration space.

Our Lady of Perpetual Help
Bethlehem PA
Sanctuary and Celebration Space

Our Lady of Perpetual Help
Reservation Chapel for Adoration of Blessed Sacrament

Sacred Heart Cathedral in Kota Kinabalu Sabah Malaysia — dedicated in 1981 — has no tabernacle visible in the space of the Eucharistic celebration. The cathedral was constructed with guidance by the catechist team of the Neo-Catechumenal Communities who has Pedro Farnes, Vatican II liturgy peritus, as their liturgical consultor.

The Blessed Sacrament Chapel of Adoration is located on the other side of the sanctuary wall.

Below the majestic ikon of the risen Christ and above the episcopal chair is a little door opening into the reserved sacred species of the Adoration Chapel tabernacle.

The praxis in all the three churches is in line with Canon 938.§1 which stipulates that “The Most Holy Eucharist is to be reserved in only one tabernacle of a church or oratory.”

Sacred Heart Cathedral
Kota Kinabalu, Sabah Malaysia

EUCHARISTIC ADORATION ORIGINATES FROM EUCHARISTIC CELEBRATION

While there is time and place for each of the above two emphases, Eucharistic adoration originates from and is founded on the Eucharistic celebration.

Following ancient tradition dating back to Justin Martyr in the second century a portion of the Eucharist is reserved in response to the pastoral need of the sick and dying and others absent from the Sunday celebration.

Eucharistic adoration is to help Christ’s faithful to deepen their appreciation of the Paschal Mystery of the eucharistic celebration and to enter into the dying and rising of Christ in the daily affairs of their life.

As church documents emphasize Christ’s faithful are to understand and live out more fully the importance of their full, conscious, and active participation [cf Sacred Liturgy 11] in the celebration of the Eucharist.

Vatican II characterizes every liturgical celebration as “an action of Christ the Priest and of his Body, which is the Church” [Sacred Liturgy 7]. Thus liturgy is a “sacred action surpassing all others.”

PREEMINENT WORSHIP OF EUCHARIST IS TAKING PART IN HOLY COMMUNION

The above emphasis in renewal in liturgy affirms the importance of active participation of Christ’s faithful in the celebration of the Eucharist. The participation reaches its high point in Christ’s faithful taking part in Holy Communion.

For this reason Holy Communion is to be given from the sacred species consecrated at the altar of the particular celebration and not from the tabernacle, where the reserved consecrated hosts are meant for specific pastoral needs of the sick and dying mentioned.

Over time, with proper catechesis and the people’s taking the responsibility of placing their hosts into ciboria this principle — which has been shown possible under normal pastoral situations in many places — may slowly become effectual.

OUR COVENANT WITH GOD – YEAR B LECTIONARY READINGS

The lectionary readings of Year B of the Feast of the Body and Blood of Christ emphasize this participation of the people in the new covenant of God’s salvation through Christ’s sacrifice. Partaking in the Eucharistic sacrifice as the “source and summit of the Christian life,” [The Church 11, Sacred Liturgy 10], Christ’s faithful not only offer up the Christ as sacrifice to God but themselves as well – and all for the salvation of the world.

EUCHARIST FOR THE LIFE OF THE WORLD

The Eucharist thus leads all participants to mission in the world – as the oft used name Mass demands. It proclaims the Eucharistic Christ as being present among us, the children of the Missionaries of Charity Peace Home in Cambodia, the street children of Joey Velasco’s paintings, the Matthew 25 people at the margins. In all these instances, our mission works in acts of charity, peace, and justice are also the sacrifice, veneration, and worship the Lord is pleased with as the prophets of old remind us.

FAITH CONVERTED

In celebrating the Feast of the Body and Blood of Christ,

what change is called for in my understanding and praxis of

the Eucharist as renewal in liturgy leads us to?

Resources consulted

John P Beal et al, New Commentary on the Code of Canon Law [CCL], TPI 2007.

Pierre Francois, Chapel for the Reservation of the Most Blessed Sacrament, http://www.romanliturgy.org, 2015.

Sacred Congregation for Divine Worship, General Instruction of the Roman Missal [GIRM], 2ooo.

SONG
Bread For The World

Bernadette Farrell

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f3ABJGtnZwU