Celebration of the Sacrifice
of the Eucharistic Mass
_____________________________________________
In the section, “Dogmatic
Constitution on the Church” chapter I, “The Mystery of the Church”:
Page
16: “As often as the sacrifice of the
cross in which “Christ, our Passover, has been sacrificed” (1 Cor. 5:7) is
celebrated on an altar, the work of our redemption is carried on. At the same time, in the sacrament of the
Eucharistic bread the unity of all believers who form one body in Christ (cf. 1
Cor. 10:17) is both expressed and brought about.”
Page
20: “Truly partaking of the body of the
Lord in the breaking of the Eucharistic bread, we are taken up into communion
with Him and with one another. “Because
the bread is one, we though many, are one body, all of us who partake of the
one bread” (1 Cor. 10:17). In this way
all of us are made members of His body (cf. 1 Cor. 12:27)…”
In chapter II, “The people
of God”:
Page
28: “Taking part in the Eucharistic
Sacrifice, which is the fount and apex of the whole Christian life, they offer
the divine Victim to God, and offer themselves along with it.”
In the section, “Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy,” “Preface”,
Point II:
Page
137: “2. For it is through the liturgy, especially the divine Eucharistic
Sacrifice, that “the work of our redemption is exercised.” The liturgy is thus the outstanding means by
which the faithful can express in their lives, and manifest to others, the
mystery of Christ and the real nature of the true Church.”
Page
140: “His purpose was also that they
might exercise the work of salvation which they were proclaiming, by means of
sacrifice and sacraments, around which the entire liturgical life revolves.”
Page
141: “He is present in the sacrifice of
the Mass, not only in the person of His minister, “the same one now offering,
through the ministry of priests, who formerly offered himself on the cross,”
but especially under the Eucharistic species.
By His power He is present in the sacraments, so that when a man
baptizes it is really Christ Himself who baptizes.”
Page
142-143: “The renewal in the Eucharist
of the covenant between the Lord and man draws the faithful into the compelling
love of Christ and sets them afire.
From the liturgy, therefore, and especially from the Eucharist, as from
a fountain, grace is channeled into us; and the sanctification of men in Christ
and the glorification of God, to which all other activities of the Church are
directed as toward their goal, are most powerfully achieved.”
Chapter II, “The Most
Sacred Mystery of the Eucharist”:
Page
154: “47. At the Last Supper, on the night when He was betrayed, our Savior
instituted the Eucharistic Sacrifice of His Body and Blood. He did this in order to perpetuate the
sacrifice of the Cross throughout the centuries until He should come again, and
so to entrust to His beloved spouse, the Church, a memorial of His death and
resurrection: a sacrament of love, a sign of unity, a bond of charity, a
paschal banquet in which Christ is consumed, the mind is filled with grace, and
a pledge of future glory is given to us.”
Page
156: “55. Hearty endorsement is given to that closer form of participation
in the Mass whereby the faithful, after the priest’s communion, receive the
Lord’s body under the elements consecrated at that very sacrifice.”
In the section, “Decree on
Ecumenism” chapter I, “Catholic Principles on Ecumenism”:
Page
343: “In His Church He instituted the
wonderful sacrament of the Eucharist by which the unity of the Church is both
signified and brought about.”
In the section, “Decree on
the Bishops’ Pastoral Office in the Church” chapter II, “Bishops and Their
Particular Churches or Dioceses”:
Page
418: “In discharging their duty to
sanctify their people, pastors should arrange for the celebration of the
Eucharistic Sacrifice to be the center and culmination of the whole life of the
Christian community.”
In the section, “Decree on
the Ministry and Life of Priests” chapter I, “The Priesthood in the Mission of
the Church”:
Page
535: “Through the ministry of priests,
the spiritual sacrifice of the faithful is made perfect in union with the
sacrifice of Christ, the sole Mediator.
Through the hands of priests and in the name of the whole Church, the
Lord’s sacrifice is offered in the Eucharist in an unbloody and sacramental
manner until He Himself returns.”
“The
ministry of priests is directed toward this work and is perfected in it. For their ministry, which takes its start
from the gospel message, derives its power and force from the scrifice of
Christ.”
Chapter II, “The Ministry
of the Priests”:
Page
541: “The other sacraments, as well as
every ministry of the Church and every work of the apostolate, are linked with
the holy Eucharist and are directed toward it.
For the most blessed Eucharist contains the Church’s entire spiritual
wealth, that is, Christ Himself, our Passover and living bread.”
Page
542: “Hence the Eucharist shows itself
to be the source and the apex of the whole work of preaching the gospel.”
“The
faithful, already marked with the sacred seal of baptism and confirmation, are
through the reception of the Eucharist fully joined to the Body of Christ.”
“Thus
the Eucharistic Action is the very heartbeat of the congregation of the
faithful over which the priest presides.”
Page
545: “No Christian community, however,
can be built up unless it has its basis and center in the celebration of the
most Holy Eucharist. Here, therefore,
all education in the spirit of community must originate.”
Page
560: “Priests fulfill their chief duty
in the mystery of the Eucharistic Sacrifice.
In it the work of our redemption continues to be carried out.”
In the section, “Decree on
the Missionary Activity of the Church” chapter VI, “Missionary Cooperation”:
Page
626: “By means of their own ministry,
which deals principally with the Eucharist as the source of perfecting the
Church.”