Unit Three: The Eucharist
At the Last Supper Christ instituted the sacrifice and paschal meal that make the sacrifice of the cross to be continually present in the Church when the priest, representing Christ the Lord, carried out what the Lord did and handed over to his disciples to do in his memory.
Christ took the bread and the cup and gave thanks; he broke the bread and gave it to his disciples, saying: 'Take and eat, this is my body.' Giving the cup, he said, 'Take and drink, this is the cup of my blood. Do this in memory of me.' (GIRM 48)
Since Jesus was a Jew it is important to take into account: 
What does it mean 'to bless', 'to give thanks'? 
What did Jesus ask his disciples to do?
What does it mean to do something 'in memory of'?
1. Jewish Background
Pattern of worship: temple, synagogue, home
Passover:	—structure
—concept of memorial 
Forms of prayer:	 blessing, praise
2. New Testament
The Last Supper:
What happened? Was it Passover? Does it matter? 
Compare shape: Passover, Last Supper, Eucharist
New Testament development:
Eucharist is not simply re-enactment of Last Supper (NT does not look to Last Supper for its model of eucharist)
Eucharist as fellowship with the Risen Christ
[Optional: The Eucharist in Justin (AD 150) compared with the Last Supper:
Last Supper	Justin	
Thursday (probably)	Sunday	
evening 	daybreak	
within a meal	no meal	
unrelated to synagogue	service of the word	
annual feast	weekly feast	
7 -action shape	4-action shape	
		
7-action shape:	4-action shape:	
Taking bread, taking wine	taking both together	
Blessing bread, ditto wine	blessing both together	
breaking 	(breaking)	
Distribution of b, then w.	distribution of both together]	
SUMMARY OF DEVELOPING SHAPE:
bread & MEAL & cup
c. 40: 	MEAL & bread & cup
c.50: 	MEAL & eucharist
Word & eucharist
[3. Development of Shape
(This section may be left for more advanced study.)
The development of the Mass is a development of Shape. Two examples can illustrate this:
3a. Papal Stational Mass (AD700)
Characteristics of Roman rite developing - filling out primitive shape
Model liturgy for the Roman church
3b. Medieval Mass
Decline in: participation, especially communion
eucharist as action of the assembly; influence on and from architecture
Introduction of private prayers
The use of allegory ( as a means of explaining the form of the Mass} The private mass
Forms of eucharistic piety]
4. The Council of Trent and Liturgical Reform
The council's concerns
What it did and what it did not do
Liturgical revision after Trent
Pius IV and V - return to the sources
Missal of 1570 (based on 1474) and response to issues of reform
Changes within thirty years of new Missal
The Liturgical Movement - see Unit 1
5. Vatican II
SC: general norms for revision (see Unit 1)
SC 47-58: norms relating to Eucharist
6. 1970 Roman Missal
Paul VI's Apostolic Constitution and the Introduction to GIRM 
Ongoing renewal: Vatican II as fulfilling aims of Trent
7. Order of Mass
Chapters 1 and 3 of GIRM
Ordo Missae:
•	especially the shape of the rite: 'Two Tables'.
•	emphasise the place of Music and of Environment/Art throughout unit
Introductory Rites
Purpose
Celebration
adaptation
LITURGY OF THE WORD
Lectionary: 'Opening up treasures of scripture'
•	Principles:
1. Cycles:	Sunday and feastday 3-year cycle
Weekday cycle
2. Primacy of Gospels
Year of Matthew, Mark, Luke; place of John in cycle
3. Distinguish Seasons and Ordinary Time
LITURGY OF THE EUCHARIST 
4-action shape
1.	Preparation of gifts
2.	Eucharistic Prayer - structure
3.	Breaking - its importance
4.	Communion - both kinds; same sacrifice
Concluding rites
Link: Consecration   communion  mission
8. Supplementary Rites and Directives
1.	Worship of Eucharist outside Mass 
2.	Adaptations
3.	Directory on Masses with Children
Documentation and Bibliography
Constitution on the Liturgy ch. 2
General Instruction on the Roman Missal 1-5, 7,8,48-56
D.A.Withey Catholic Worship Kevin Mayhew 1990, ch.ll
Lawrence J. Johnson, The Word and Eucharist Handbook San Jose: Resource Publications, 1986.
A.G.Martimort (ed) The Church at Prayer Vol II. Geoffrey Chapman, 1986.
 J.D.Crichton, Christian Celebration, Geoffrey Chapman 1981. Part I: The Mass.
J.D.Crichton. A Short History of the Mass. CTS, 1983
Alan Griffiths, Focus on the Eucharistic Prayer, Kevin Mayhew 1988. 
Geoffrey Cuming, He Gave Thanks: An Introduction to the Eucharistic Prayer. Grove Liturgical Study no 28, Grove Books 1981.
Johannes H. Emminghaus, The Eucharist: Essence, Form and Celebration. Collegeville: The Liturgical Press, 1978,
Ralph Keifer. To Give Thanks and Praise: General Instruction on the Roman Missal with Commentary for Musicians and Pastors, Washington: National Association of Pastoral Musicians, 1980.