The Sacrament of the Eucharist

The Sacrament of the Eucharist.—This is the chief Sacrament, for, while the other Sacraments produce the grace or the grace and the character of Christ, this one contains Christ Himself; and, while the other Sacraments are means that prepare man to consecrate or to receive the Eucharist or at least symbolize it, the Eucharist is the end of them all. The Eucharist may be defined as follows: “The body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ present through the words of consecration under the appearances of bread and wine to be offered to God and to be received by man.” Thus, we may distinguish various aspects of the Eucharist.

(a) It is a sacrifice, since the Mass is the supreme act of worship and is one with the sacrifice of the cross (see 2178 sqq.).

(b) It is a permanent Sacrament, since unlike the other Sacraments it does not consist in the passing application of a sacred sign to a recipient, but in the abiding presence of a thing absolutely sacred contained under sensible forms.

(c) It may be considered in its passing phases of beginning, in which it is consecrated by the priest (performance of the Sacrament), and termination, in which it is received by the communicant (application, dispensation of the Sacrament).