The Sacrament of The Eucharist

This presentation comes in three parts:
1. The Mass - Sacrifice
2. Jesus The Bread of Life
3. Holy Communion

Part 1
THE SACRIFICE OF THE MASS -- Memorial of the Paschal Mystery and Offering.

Man's basic desire to make sacrifice to God was fulfilled in the perfect offering made by Jesus when he surrendered voluntarily his life on the cross. His selfless sacrifice was made to his Father on our behalf as we sought forgiveness for our disobedient and sinful lives. Jesus said, the night before he died, 'Do this in Memory of Me'. Through the ordained priest, at Mass, we make this same offering and for the same reasons.

"Father, we celebrate the memory of Christ, your Son.
We, your people and your ministers recall his Passion,
his resurrection from the dead, and his ascension into glory;
and from the many gifts you have given us
we offer to you, God of glory and majesty,
this holy and perfect sacrifice: the bread of life
and the cup of eternal salvation.

"Look with favour on these offerings
and accept them as once you accepted
the gifts of your servant Abel
the sacrifice of Abraham, our father in faith, and the bread and wine offered by your priest Melchisedech.

"Almighty God,
we pray that your angel may take this sacrifice
to your altar in heaven.
Then, as we receive from this altar
the sacred body and blood of your Son,
let us be filled with every grace and blessing."

The prayers from the Eucharistic Prayer 1 of the Mass are timeless and relevant in every age and for every generation. Privileged to join our ancestors in faith and to unite with our believing contemporaries, we offer perfect worship to the Almighty God of all ages. Acknowledging our unworthiness, the priest and the faithful eat the Body and drink the Blood of Christ. Priest and people are thus united intimately to Jesus. We are one with the Saviour. He is one with the Father. At the Last Supper the Saviour prayed:
" I in them, and thou in me: that they may be made perfect in one" John 17 : 23.


SCRIPTURES:
Read about Abel's offering to God in the book of Genesis, chapter 4 verses 4ff.

Read about the call of Abraham and how he built altars and worshipped God in Genesis chapter 12 , verses 11 to 26

Genesis Chapter 14, verse 18 relates how the king of Salem "and a priest of the Most High God, brought bread and wine to Abram".
(Good News Bible for these references)

PART 2 Jesus The Bread of Life