KNOW TH E MASS
The Liturgy of the Eucharist – Christ is truly present PART ONE
BY FATHER KEVIN KENNEDY This article is part of the Know the Mass series. Father Kevin Kennedy is pastor of Our Lady of Fatima Russian Byzantine Catholic Church, administrator at St. MonicaSt. Thomas the Apostle Parish in San Francisco and formation adviser and spiritual director at St. Patrick’s Seminary & University.
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s we continue our series on the Mass, we provide the first of a two-part reflection on the Liturgy of the Eucharist. In order to understand more deeply the meaning of the Eucharist it is helpful to recall a miraculous event recorded in the Gospel of John that took place during a wedding feast at Cana in Galilee. The mother of Jesus was there. He and his disciples had also been invited. At a certain point, the wine ran out. Noticing this, Mary said to Jesus, “They have no wine.” He responds, “Woman, what concern is that to you and to me? My hour has not yet come.” The rest of the story is well known. Mary tells the attendants, “Do whatever he tells you.” Jesus instructs them to fill six stone water jars. When the steward draws out the contents of the jars he tastes not water, but the finest wine, normally served at the beginning rather than the end of a banquet. (Jn 2:1-11). What does Jesus mean in referring to his “hour”? This is important to understand because the Eucharist is the memorial of the “hour” of Jesus, which is the paschal mystery, the event of our redemption. Just as in the Exodus ancient Israel “passed over” from bondage in Egypt into the freedom of the promised land, so too all of humanity is freed from slavery to sin and offered the freedom of a new life by the sacrificial death, resurrection and ascension of Jesus Christ. In a new
Passover (paschal mystery), Christ is the new lamb whose blood saves and sanctifies us. By his death Christ conquers death itself, and by his resurrection and ascension he opens for us the gates of heaven.
The Eucharist is the memorial of the ‘hour’ of Jesus, which is the paschal mystery, the event of our redemption.” 38
APRIL 2022 | CATHOLIC SAN FRANCISCO
