The Eucharist Is About Life
In the Churchs liturgy, the Eucharist is the most significant celebration. The Eucharist has become the beginning of all Catholics life which contains the life, death and resurrection of Jesus in one celebration. Through this celebration, we praise and give thanks to the Father as we remember and celebrate Jesus actions. The Eucharist is believed to be a sacrifice in which has made Jesus life, death a resurrection present in the form of bread and wine.
The Eucharist in the Early Church has its earliest reference coming from the first letter of Paul to the Corinthians. This letter was written before the development of the gospel texts around AD 55, in the middle of the first century. In the letter written to the Corinthians, Paul proves that the “breaking of the bread” or now called the Eucharist was the early Christian communities identity and central of life. With this letter, Paul corrects the Corinthians by asking angrily: “Surely you have homes for eating and drinking in?” This is because as people celebrate the Eucharist, many are separated into in-groups and out-groups. For some people in the community, they would make themselves alcoholics and overeat whilst sharing the community meal. Paul states that if the Body and Blood of the Lord are consumed in an invaluable way, the person would then be carrying the Lords Body and Blood.
In the Middle Ages, the Eucharist gradually changed from the early Church. Many everyday citizens began to be more like audiences to the Eucharist whilst having mixed emotions. Some were confused and apprehensive with the feeling of not being valuable enough to receive it. Instead of receiving the Eucharist frequently, many Catholics stopped and limited accepting the bread and wine to special feasts only. Until children were twelve or fourteen years old, they would not receive the Eucharist as well as adults who would only receive it once a year. But for some, they would only receive the Eucharist only if they had gone to confess on the same day. In addition, the scriptures as well as the whole mass was read and sung in Latin with those who could not understand turning to other commitments.
The Second Vatican Council altered the Church which made changes to the Eucharist. Some changes include the altar being brought to the front, the Mass being celebrated in the language of people, both bread and wine being given for communion, the communion being able to be received with their hands and not just their tongue as well as the sign of peace being done prior to the communion.
The Church today is divided into four parts in which the Eucharist is celebrated. These include the Introductory Rites, the Liturgy of the Word, the Liturgy of the Eucharist and the Concluding Rites. The Introductory Rites is the first part of the celebration which brings people together as it helps them provide and prepare a proper beginning