The Paschal Meal Hippolytus brings out the link between the sacraments of initiation and the Eucharist being the summit. Also, the sacrament of penance reaches its peak in the Eucharist, hence, the central sacrament is the Eucharist. The understanding of the Passover for the primitive church and the Jewish paschal ritual has to be clarified. Roland de Vaux thinks that the origin of the Passover ritual is from the nomadic shepherds who offered young animal for the well-being of their flocks. The Israelites used this ritual to commemorate their exodus from Egypt. This ritual in Exodus 12 is outlined as a family feast/meal to strengthen family and tribal union. Specific symbols were;
…show more content…
The biblical notion depicts Gods love for His people in the past, present and will always be and God’s love for His people is reciprocal. The Christian perception of the incarnation is in many ways that God worked in Jesus. For Christians, Jesus righteousness means, God rule in His life; God rule in his death meaning, Jesus was “obedient unto death” (Phil 2:8). These two characteristics spur the Christians to call Jesus the righteous servant found in the prophet Isaiah, (53:5). Jesus is prophecy as the righteous servant who was wounded for our sins and gave up His life to free everyone. The righteous God raised Jesus from the dead “for our Justification” (Rom.4:25), and invited to Himself a new people which in Greek Ekklesia meaning Church in …show more content…
The people of Israel symbolically offered themselves to God, and God in return offer Himself, hence establishing a covenant and communion with His people. This for the Jews was a complete sacrifice. Jesus saw the paschal meal as such a communion sacrifice. It was this meal, with its essential sacrificial nuances, that Jesus established as the memorial of his paschal sacrifice. The Eucharist is essentially a meal. But a simple meal; rather a highly formalized ritual meal, a memorial of the paschal Passover of Jesus from historical life to life at the right hand of the Father. Therefore, this meal is a memorial of Jesus presented in a symbolic manner. At the last supper, Jesus offers His body and blood not in the literal sense, but His entire self, His totality as a living being. At this point the sacrificial Jesus who is Spirit-filled is in communion with the church, made present at consecration. The meal is sacrificial because it symbolizes the sacrificial Jesus as present. As such the sacrifice of the mass and Calvary is one action represented in a symbolic actuality. The sacrifice and the sacrament (Eucharist) are both mysteries and cannot be separated. The faithful full involvement at mass, requires full participation in the meal, thus, perfecting their union with God and with their brothers and sisters. According to Aquinas, the Eucharist is a sacrifice and the
The biblical notion depicts Gods love for His people in the past, present and will always be and God’s love for His people is reciprocal. The Christian perception of the incarnation is in many ways that God worked in Jesus. For Christians, Jesus righteousness means, God rule in His life; God rule in his death meaning, Jesus was “obedient unto death” (Phil 2:8). These two characteristics spur the Christians to call Jesus the righteous servant found in the prophet Isaiah, (53:5). Jesus is prophecy as the righteous servant who was wounded for our sins and gave up His life to free everyone. The righteous God raised Jesus from the dead “for our Justification” (Rom.4:25), and invited to Himself a new people which in Greek Ekklesia meaning Church in …show more content…
The people of Israel symbolically offered themselves to God, and God in return offer Himself, hence establishing a covenant and communion with His people. This for the Jews was a complete sacrifice. Jesus saw the paschal meal as such a communion sacrifice. It was this meal, with its essential sacrificial nuances, that Jesus established as the memorial of his paschal sacrifice. The Eucharist is essentially a meal. But a simple meal; rather a highly formalized ritual meal, a memorial of the paschal Passover of Jesus from historical life to life at the right hand of the Father. Therefore, this meal is a memorial of Jesus presented in a symbolic manner. At the last supper, Jesus offers His body and blood not in the literal sense, but His entire self, His totality as a living being. At this point the sacrificial Jesus who is Spirit-filled is in communion with the church, made present at consecration. The meal is sacrificial because it symbolizes the sacrificial Jesus as present. As such the sacrifice of the mass and Calvary is one action represented in a symbolic actuality. The sacrifice and the sacrament (Eucharist) are both mysteries and cannot be separated. The faithful full involvement at mass, requires full participation in the meal, thus, perfecting their union with God and with their brothers and sisters. According to Aquinas, the Eucharist is a sacrifice and the