In this series of reflections on the Eucharist, I will explore various topics centered around the theme of the Eucharist as the “source and summit of our Christian life.” These reflections will include discussions on the Eucharist as an act of thanksgiving and as the bread of life, with a continuous interpretation of the Gospel of John, chapter six. Emerging themes will include:
- The Eucharist as thanksgiving and praise for creation; discussed here
- The Eucharist as thanksgiving and praise for redemption
- The Eucharist as thanksgiving and praise for sanctification
- The feeding of five thousand: the Eucharist and us, part I
- The feeding of five thousand: the Eucharist and us, part II
- Faith in the bread from heaven
- The Eucharist as the bread of life
- The Eucharist and life
- The Eucharist and life, Part II
- Decision point
Here, I begin with the Eucharist as a sacrifice of thanksgiving and praise to God for creation.
Thanksgiving and Praise for Creation
The Eucharist, also known as Holy Communion or the Lord’s Supper, holds a place of profound richness within the Catholic faith. Its significance is so vast that the Church has given it more than ten distinct names. Each name reveals a different aspect of this holy sacrament. From being a source of spiritual nourishment to a communal act of faith, the Eucharist captures many dimensions of divine grace.
According to the Catechism of the Catholic Church, the Eucharist serves as a sacrificial thanksgiving and praise to the Father for creation. It is also a memorial of Christ’s sacrifice and the presence of Christ by the power of His word and Spirit.
In this blog post, I discuss the role of the Eucharist as a sacrificial thanksgiving and praise to the Father. I will explore what this teaching means for us today. Also, I will suggest how we can live out this profound truth in our daily lives.
The Inexhaustible Richness of the Eucharist
Why does the Church have so many names for the Eucharist? The Catechism (no. 1328) explains and emphasizes that each name highlights a unique aspect of this sacrament’s richness:
Eucharist: Meaning “thanksgiving,” emphasizing the action of thanksgiving and praise to God the Father (CCC, 1328). W’ld explore the meaning of this name in more details in this piece.
The Lord’s Supper: Connecting it to Jesus’ Last Supper and the anticipation of the weeding feast of the Lamb in heaven (CCC, 1329).
Breaking of Bread: We learn from the Catechism that the “Breaking of Bread” originates from a Jewish meal rite that Jesus used when He, as the master of the table, blessed and distributed the bread, particularly during the Last Supper. This act became a way for His disciples to recognize Him after His Resurrection. Early Christians adopted this term for their Eucharistic gatherings, indicating that those who share in the one broken bread, Christ, enter into communion with Him and are united as one body in Him (CCC, 1329).
There are Other Names
Holy Sacrifice: Pointing to the reality that the Eucharist makes present Christ’s sacrificial death on the cross and also includes the Church’s offering to God. It is also called “holy sacrifice of the Mass, “sacrifice of praise,” spiritual sacrifice, pure and holy sacrifice” (CCC, 1330).
Holy and Divine Liturgy: This name emphasizes the sacred nature of the celebration. It is also called “Sacred Mysteries” and the “sacrament of all sacraments.” The concept highlights that in the Eucharist, “the Church’s whole liturgy finds its center and most intense expression” (CCC, 1330).
Holy Communion: Signifying unity with Christ and the Church. There are other names related to “holy communion.” They include “Bread of Angels” and “bread from heaven”suggesting heavenly origin of the Eucharist. Also, the Church uses another name for communion to the dying, viaticum (CCC, 1331), which means “provision for a journey.”
Medicine of Immortality: Highlighting its life-giving power as communion (CCC, 1331).
Holy Mass: From “missa,” meaning mission or sending forth (CCC, 1332).
The Sacrament of the Altar: Indicating its sacred setting on the altar of sacrifice (CCC, 1418).
These names speak to the many layers of meaning and depth found in this sacrament. Nevertheless, my focus today is on understanding the Eucharist as an act of thanksgiving and praise, the first on the above list of names.
The Eucharist as Thanksgiving and Praise to the Father
The Catechism tells us that the Eucharist is a sacrificial thanksgiving and praise to the Father (CCC 1358). In essence, the Eucharist fundamentally thanks God for all His blessingscreation, redemption through Christ, and ongoing sanctification through the Holy Spirit. It is a Trinitarian thanksgiving to God the Father, the Creator; God the Son, the Redeemer; and God the Holy Spirit, the Sanctifier. Here, I discuss thanksgiving to the Father for creation. A couple of subsequent articles will discuss thanksgiving to God for redemption in Christ and continuing sanctification through the Holy Spirit.
Sacrifice of Praise for Creation
“The Eucharist, the sacrament of our salvation accomplished by Christ on the cross, is also a sacrifice of praise in thanksgiving for the work of creation” (CCC 1359).
In the Eucharist, we offer back to God in and through Christ the bread and wine, which symbolize all of creation. Bread and wine come from fruits of nature combined with human effort, reflecting both raw nature and human creativity. This act acknowledges that everything good, beautiful, and just in creation is a gift from God.
Praise is due to God, for He is worthy of it all (Psalms 48:1, 96:4, 145:3; Revelation 4:11). But what praise? Does our human verbal and nonverbal praise befit the Lord Almighty? In a strict sense, absolutely not. Our praise, though an affectionate gift to God, never compares with what God truly deserves.
An Analogy
If I were to use a human analogy, consider a child in a city or town praising the president of the United States or the Holy Father. While this child’s praise is gracious, it does not carry the same weight as if the Pope praises the president or the president praises the Pope. Nevertheless, this analogy does not come close to how our praises as God’s creatures are of less great weight to God. This claim is valid no matter how lavish or poetic our words of praise to God might be.
Thus, the most deserving praise to the Father is praise from God to Himself. Only God fits the criterion of worthy praise to the Father, the Creator. At the Eucharist, we praise God on God’s terms, using God’s very lips. The Church teaches, “In the Eucharistic sacrifice, the whole of creation loved by God is presented to the Father through the death and the Resurrection of Christ” (CCC, 1359).
Praise of God to God
It means that in the Eucharist, Christ packages all creation as a praise and gift and presents it to the Father. We become participants in this thanksgiving and praise offering. The praise wins God’s acceptance because it is a divine gift to the Heavenly Father. It is complete in every sense of the word and perfect. It is complete as it brings together all of creationhuman beings, nature, planets, and angelic beingsunder the reign of Christ back to the Father. Its completeness is the Lord’s gathering of all of creation in him. The praise is perfect because it shares in the perfection of Christ who is God, the perfect one.
The worshipers are participants, being the Church, wherein this sacrifice of praise occurs. The Catechism states, “Through Christ, the Church can offer the sacrifice of praise in thanksgiving for all that God has made good, beautiful, and just in creation and in humanity” (ibid). Therefore, rather than individual praise, it is the entire praise of the body of Christ, the Church. It is our praise to God through Christ, who offers it on our behalf.
Living Out the Eucharistic Praise
Consequently, the Church invites us to actively participate in the Eucharist with full hearts and minds, in thanksgiving and praise to the heavenly Father. We give thanks for all of God’s blessings. Just as Christ offers Himself to the Father on our behalf, we too offer ourselves as living sacrifices (Romans 12:1) through our participation in the Eucharist. As rational beings, the least we can do participating in the Eucharist is show gratitude.
It is showing gratitude to Christ who offers us and all we have to the Father. We can trust that God is at work at the Eucharistic celebration even when we do not feel emotionally connected. Christ is offering our praise to God. Hence, the prioritization of the Eucharist over any other prayer of praise. The Eucharist is indeed, the “sacrament of all sacraments.”
As a priest involved in evangelization, healing, prayer, and teaching, I have learned this secret. No prayers I offer can ever come close to the praise of God through the Holy Mass. When God answers my prayers, I celebrate more Masses. It is because I know the Eucharist is the only complete praise. The Eucharist inspires my praise in other prayers, my life, and verbal and non-verbal gestures of praise to God. My private prayers show my commitment to appreciating God for who He is to me and my works.
Conclusion
Thank You, Lord Jesus, for without You, I cannot praise the Father the way He deserves. I am confident my praise is a pleasant aroma of divinely blessed assurance in You.
We are united in Christ. Through Christ, our thanksgiving and praise become a divine offering to the Father. At the Eucharist, we become partakers of Christ’s praise and His thanksgiving to the Father on our behalf. All creation is offered to God as a perfect and holy sacrifice of praise through the power and grace of Christ. This sacrifice is pleasing to God because it comes from Christ Himself. Let us actively participate in this divine thanksgiving and praise, knowing that our imperfect praises are perfected through Christ.
Next, I discuss The Eucharist as thanksgiving and praise for redemption