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Last March Pope Benedict XVI published the apostolic exhortation Sacramentum Caritatis ("Sacrament of Love"). It was the concluding act of the synod of bishops held in Rome in October 2005 on the subject of the Eucharist.
The document summarizes the subjects discussed at the synod (click here»). It also offers the Pope's grand vision of what it means to say, with the fathers of the Second Vatican Council, that the Eucharist is "the source and summit of the whole Christian life" (Lumen Gentium, No. 3).
If the Eucharist is so critical to our life with God, in what practical ways can we live more truly as a Eucharistic people? The exhortation offers a number of instructions to answer that question. Here are some of them.
1. Our love for the Eucharist, the Holy Father urges, should lead us to "frequent confession" (No. 21). We must not "conclude that the mere fact of [our] being present in church during the liturgy gives [us] a right or even an obligation to approach the table of the Eucharist" (55). We must never forget "the need to be in a state of grace in order to approach sacramental Communion worthily" (20).
If it's not possible to receive sacramental communion, "participation at Mass remains necessary, important, meaningful and fruitful." We can "cultivate a desire for full union with Christ through the practice of spiritual communion" (55).
2. Since the conditions for obtaining indulgences include sacramental confession and Communion, "a balanced and sound practice of gaining indulgences, whether for oneself or for the dead, can be helpful for a renewed appreciation of the relationship be-tween the Eucharist and Reconcilia-tion" (21).
3. Since "priestly ordination is the indispensable condition for the valid celebration of the Eucharist" (23), "families should generously embrace the gift of life and bring up their children to be open to doing God's will," especially with regard to priestly vocations (25).
4. We must not forget "the importance of prayers for the dead, especially the offering of Mass for them, so that, purified, they can come to the beatific vision of God" (32).
5. "Everything related to the Eucharist should be marked by beauty" -- art, architecture, vestments, furnishings, sacred vessels and music -- "so that by their harmonious and orderly arrangement they will foster awe for the mystery of God, manifest the unity of the faith and strengthen devotion" (41).
6. "In the course of her 2,000-year history, the Church has created, and still creates, music and songs which represent a rich patrimony of faith and love. This heritage must not be lost. Certainly as far as the liturgy is concerned, we cannot say that one song is as good as another. Generic improvisation or the introduction of musical genres which fail to respect the meaning of the liturgy should be avoided" (42).
In particular, Gregorian chant should "be suitably esteemed and employed as the chant proper to the Roman liturgy" (42).
7. Catholics should rediscover the treasures of "the Liturgy of the Hours, especially Morning Prayer, Evening Prayer and Night Prayer, and vigil celebrations. By praying the Psalms, the Scripture readings and the readings drawn from the great tradition which are included in the Divine Office, we can come to a deeper experience of the Christ-event and the economy of salvation, which in turn can enrich our understanding and participation in the celebration of the Eucharist" (45).
8. Some Catholics need to exercise "greater restraint" in their expression of the sign of peace offered at Mass, so as to avoid "distraction in the assembly just before the reception of Communion. It should be kept in mind that nothing is lost when the sign of peace is marked by a sobriety which preserves the proper spirit of the celebration, as, for example, when it is restricted to one's immediate neighbors" (46).
9. "The precious time of thanksgiving after Communion should not be neglected: besides the singing of an appropriate hymn, it can also be most helpful to remain recollected in silence" (50).
10. The proper "inner disposition [toward the Eucharist] can be fostered . . . by recollection and silence for at least a few moments before the beginning of the liturgy, by fasting and, when necessary, by sacramental confession" (55).
11. "While it is most praiseworthy that the elderly and the sick participate in Sunday Mass through radio and television, the same cannot be said of those who think that such broadcasts dispense them from going to church and sharing in the Eucharistic assembly in the living Church" (57).
12. All Catholics should learn "to recite the more common prayers in Latin, and also to sing parts of the liturgy to Gregorian chant" (62).
13. All Catholics should become "more sensitive to the language of signs and gestures which, with the word, make up the rite" of the Mass; we must learn what these signs and gestures mean (64).
14. We must show "concrete outward signs of reverence for the Eucharist . . . such as kneeling during the central moments of the Eucharistic Prayer" (65).
15. The Pope and the synod "heartily recommend . . . the practice of Eucharistic adoration." Wherever possible, "specific churches or oratories" should be set aside "for perpetual adoration," and "children [should] be taught the meaning and the beauty of spending time with Jesus, and helped to cultivate a sense of awe before His presence in the Eucharist" (67).
16. Other times of collective Eucharistic adoration are also encouraged, "especially the traditional procession on the Solemnity of Corpus Christi, the Forty Hours devotion, local, national and international Eucharistic congresses, and other similar initiatives" (68).
17. The Pope and synod "reaffirmed the importance of the Sunday obligation for all the faithful. . . . It is fitting that Church groups should organize, around Sunday Mass, the activities of the Christian community: social gatherings, for the faith formation of children, young people and adults, pilgrimages, charitable works and different moments of prayer" (73). We must "remember that the day of the Lord is also a day of rest from work" (74).
18. For all Catholics, the Eucharist must "have an ever-deeper effect on their daily lives, making them convincing witnesses in the workplace and in society at large," as well as in the home (79). The Eucharist should compel us to evangelize, to work for justice and peace, to care for those in need, and to protect the environment (88-92).
19. Such a "public witness to our faith . . . is especially incumbent upon . . . Catholic politicians and legislators," who must "introduce and support laws inspired by values grounded in human nature" (83).
All these "basic directions," as the exhortation calls them, are "aimed at a renewed commitment to Eucharistic enthusiasm and fervor in the Church" (5). With these in mind, "let us encourage one another to walk joyfully, our hearts filled with wonder, towards our encounter with the Holy Eucharist" (97). TCA
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