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A blog of a Catholic father and husband, struggling to work out his salvation with fear and trembling in the People's Republic of Massachusetts.
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TM - Obligitory Latin Phrase for a Catholic Blog(translation)
Wednesday, May 12, 2004
A Key to the Doctrine of the Eucharist
On a recommendation from Tom at Disputations I started reading A Key to the Doctrine of the Eucharist. It was written in the early part of the 20th century by Abbot Vonier and can be ordered here. Catholic Analysis has also recently discussed this book in light of the current controversy over refusing the Eucharist to Culture of Death politicians.
I have not finished reading it yet but I want to mention two points from the book that I thought were significant. One is the explanation of a sacrament. The author explains that a sacrament is truly a symbol while not diminishing the fact that it also truly make present what is signified. It gives helpful insights for those who tend to emphasize the extremes i.e. sacrament as only symbol vs. sacrament as only what is signified.
The second point is the insight into the body and blood of Christ signified and made present in the Eucharist. Abbot Vonier explains that when the bread and wine are changed into the body and blood of Christ, it is not His body and blood as he was living and breathing in Nazareth or His body and blood now in heaven. The bread and wine are transubstantiated into Christ's body and blood as he was on Calvary, on the Cross, where His blood was separated from His Body, the true meaning of sacrifice. It is a point I hadn't given much thought before. I had this notion that the Eucharist was Christ's body and blood as he is in heaven, so it was a surprise for me to read this.
Anyway, the book is good so far, so I recommend reading it.
On a recommendation from Tom at Disputations I started reading A Key to the Doctrine of the Eucharist. It was written in the early part of the 20th century by Abbot Vonier and can be ordered here. Catholic Analysis has also recently discussed this book in light of the current controversy over refusing the Eucharist to Culture of Death politicians.
I have not finished reading it yet but I want to mention two points from the book that I thought were significant. One is the explanation of a sacrament. The author explains that a sacrament is truly a symbol while not diminishing the fact that it also truly make present what is signified. It gives helpful insights for those who tend to emphasize the extremes i.e. sacrament as only symbol vs. sacrament as only what is signified.
The second point is the insight into the body and blood of Christ signified and made present in the Eucharist. Abbot Vonier explains that when the bread and wine are changed into the body and blood of Christ, it is not His body and blood as he was living and breathing in Nazareth or His body and blood now in heaven. The bread and wine are transubstantiated into Christ's body and blood as he was on Calvary, on the Cross, where His blood was separated from His Body, the true meaning of sacrifice. It is a point I hadn't given much thought before. I had this notion that the Eucharist was Christ's body and blood as he is in heaven, so it was a surprise for me to read this.
Anyway, the book is good so far, so I recommend reading it.
Comments:
It's an interesting comment, about the Body and Blood being separated; yet at the same time, the two are mingled, and this is also signified in the Eucharist. The priest always takes a small portion of the host and puts it into the chalice to signify the unity of Body and Blood. Does the Abbot address this? I'd be curious to see how he addresses it.
I do not believe the Abbot addresses this issue, although I have not finished the book. I was able to find the following info on this practice from the catholic exchange scripture study site:
The small piece of the host added to the chalice actually dates back to nearly the beginning of the Church! As the Church grew and the bishop was no longer able to celebrate the Liturgy for everyone, he appointed presbyters (priests) to say the Liturgy for outlying groups of people (what today we would call parishes). However, to show that the bishop was still the chief priest of the diocese, he would send his deacons with a portion of the host that he had consecrated. Each priest would then add a small part of this "fermentum" to the chalice. In this way the bishop retained his connection to all the people. This action remains a part of both the Eastern and Western Liturgies for the same reason. The priest functions as an extension of the bishop -- that's why they receive "faculties" from the bishop.
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The small piece of the host added to the chalice actually dates back to nearly the beginning of the Church! As the Church grew and the bishop was no longer able to celebrate the Liturgy for everyone, he appointed presbyters (priests) to say the Liturgy for outlying groups of people (what today we would call parishes). However, to show that the bishop was still the chief priest of the diocese, he would send his deacons with a portion of the host that he had consecrated. Each priest would then add a small part of this "fermentum" to the chalice. In this way the bishop retained his connection to all the people. This action remains a part of both the Eastern and Western Liturgies for the same reason. The priest functions as an extension of the bishop -- that's why they receive "faculties" from the bishop.
Orbitrek