Tulod, Byron Jon Reflection Paper

L-150818, 1-I Dr. James Loreto Piscos

Seminar 2 11 April 2016

Holy Eucharist: The Food of Life

In the Eucharist, we “break the

one bread that provides the medicine of
immortality, the antidote for death and
the food that makes us live forever in
Jesus Christ.”

(Saint Ignatius of Antioch)

The Catholic Church is one of the oldest of religions and claims to be the original

form of Christianity. The teachings and practices of Catholicism are believed to be

handed down from Jesus Christ himself directly to the 12 apostles. The majority of

Christian faiths share most of their practices and beliefs with the Catholic Church. Being

a Catholic myself, we believe in the Holy Trinity; the Father, the Son, and the Holy

Spirit. We also believe in the practice of contrition or confession of sins in order to

cleanse the soul. We celebrate mass at least once a week on Saturday evening or

Sunday morning, and this is when we celebrate the Eucharist which I would personally

say the most crucial sacrament in the my religion for, besides the fact that it is the food

of life that connects us with all people through God’s love and sacrifice, it also gives us

opportunity to think of our sins and mistakes before we receive it.

The Eucharist is the sacrifice of the Body and Blood of the Lord Jesus which he

instituted to perpetuate the sacrifice of the cross throughout the ages until his return in

glory. It is a sign of unity and a bond of charity. It was instituted by Jesus when he was

betrayed, as he celebrated the Last Supper with his apostles. This is when he took

bread in his hands, broke it, and gave to his disciples. Thereafter, he took the cup of
wine in his hands while uttering sacramental words. This is the significance of the bread

in my religion as the food being offered in the Holy Eucharist as it signifies the body of

Jesus Christ and its presence.

Jesus Christ is present in the Eucharist in a unique and incomparable way. He is

present in a true, real and substantial way, with his Body and his Blood. In the

Eucharist, thus, there is present in a sacramental way Christ whole and entire, God and

Man.

This sacrament is very memorial to the extent that it makes present and actual

the sacrifice which Christ offered to the Father on the cross, on behalf of mankind. The

manifestation of the Holy Eucharist today is quite the same as before, and only the

manner as to how it is offered is different. In other words, the sacrifice of the cross and

the sacrifice of the Eucharist are one and the same sacrifice. On the cross, it is offered

in a bloody manner. In the Eucharist, it is offered in an unbloody manner. With this, it is

fairly clear to say that Holy Eucharist is very important for, as I have said, we become

connected with all people through God’s love and sacrifice. We are no longer separate,

but we are united in love. The Eucharist is a celebration of God’s vision for the world to

become present. In it, we are equal, one, and called to bring forth this vision to reality.

As we receive the food of life, we also receive the Body of Christ. Is a very

special and significant act, and it should require thought or reflection. In its celebration,

the Eucharist provides us with a time and space to reflect on our sins. All of humanity is

imperfect, and we constantly make mistakes. We are all offered the opportunity to

lament and recognize this before we take in the Body of Christ. This is the process of
reflection. It gives us the opportunity to recognize our sins and reconcile with all those

around us, including God. Once we truly express sorrow and remorse for our

wrongdoings, we have the ability to take responsibility and make these reconciliations

happen. Ultimately, the Eucharist is a process of penance and forgiveness for all those

who receive it.

Source:

Compendium of the Catechism of the Catholic Church