The Eucharist - Gathering in Loving Unity

It is often said that the Eucharist really begins not with the Entrance hymn, but rather at the moment Christians decide to gather together for the Eucharistic celebration. At best, this is a half-truth, as anyone can see. The Eucharist begins with our decision to gather together if, and only if, we want to celebrate the Eucharist as a community of loving brothers and sisters, united in faith and love. Should a person decide to go to the Eucharist but merely to 'get peace of mind for myself', or to obtain some particular individual favour - that is not 'the Lord's Supper' at all, as Paul would say to the Corinthians (1 Cor. 11:17-37). Drawing on his wide experience in matters liturgical, J. Haughey remarks: "What we need is not to devise alternative forms of worship, but to … worship according to the alternative we have become in Christ." What have we become as a result of the transformation Jesus has worked in and for us? Until we see this clearly, we will not really know how we ought to celebrate the Eucharist in a fitting manner.

New Creatures in Christ

The newness we are called to involves several things. For a start, it means that we see ourselves in a new way: as truly God's children, 'born of God' and not merely as sinners in exile, 'mourning and weeping in this valley of tears!' We don't deny the fact that we are fragile and fail every so often; yet God loves us in our weakness; we are precious in his sight as we are. Further, it entails experiencing God not just as a Creator or task-master, a faithful Provider or One who maintains order in the universe - but specifically, as a loving Father. We now to relate to him not out of fear but in love. Once we truly taste God's love we begin to respect ourselves and others too as God's own children. There is no more striving to perform, or to earn the Father's love for we are convinced that his love is always ours and will never be taken back. Our sins and failings do not deter us from coming to God with sincere repentance, knowing that we are accepted and loved, no matter what.

Again, being 'new' requires that we see ourselves not as individuals, isolated and each fending for himself, but rather as members of one body, people whose destinies and lives are interlocked with one another. Whatever a Christian does impacts on all his fellow-Christians, not just externally, but from deep within. Thus concretely: when one Christian participates in the Eucharist and communes with the Lord in Word and Sacrament, it is not s/he alone who receives the 'grace' of this communion. The entire Church benefits from the fresh infusion of God's life that the Eucharist provides. Similarly, when any Christian sins gravely, the entire Church Body bleeds inexorably to death unless that mortal wound is healed through God's forgiveness sought and received. Thus, 'No one goes to heaven alone; neither does one to go hell alone - we always take a host of others along with us!'

So, our Eucharist begins only when we realize more deeply what we are as Church: the gathering of God's holy people as one Body in which all are united with Christ and equally members of one another. The Church is not just individual Christians more or less bunched together in one place; Church is not like a collection of marbles in a glass jar. These marbles are each a unit, individual, self-contained; they just happen to be in the same jar. Rather, the correct way of understanding 'Church' is to consider each individual Christian as being one of the ingredients that goes to make a cake. Each ingredient is different from the other - the butter is not the same as sugar and so on. Yet, if we want to have a cake, then all these ingredients must be thoroughly mixed together and baked. Once the cake is ready, there is no way of distinguishing the sugar from the butter or flour - the entire cake is sugar, the whole of it is flour - the cake is simply 'one.' It is thus that as we gather to celebrate Eucharist, we actually experience ourselves as one. Further, this one body of Christians is God's beloved possession, cherished by him and covenanted in the blood of Christ. Eucharist is the gathering of God's family in unity and love. They are at home with God and with one another as they celebrate God's goodness and gracious gifts given freely to them.

Practical implications

While we grieve with the unfortunate all over the world, we also joyfully celebrate with everyone who is blessed. We celebrate the triumph of love over self-centredness when reading the report of the young lad daring to risk his life to save a friend from drowning. We exult when truth triumphs over falsehood especially in our courts of justice; we are thrilled with joy when a hardened social miscreant reforms and spends his life in selfless service of the needy. We breathe a sigh of relief on hearing of medical and other scientific discoveries that will bring health, solace and comfort to millions. The important point behind all these considerations is that we have learnt more and more to think not in terms of 'I', but of 'We.'

That is the kind of transformation that the Eucharist presumes and brings about. We come to the Eucharist not so much to see ordinary bread and wine changed into Christ, but rather that our sinful, self-centred selves get transformed into self-giving, caring, loving, sacrificing persons who are ready even to die for the other. A Christian is "one who lives not for himself but for others." And he does this not out of a sense of duty, or for some personal profit, but simply because he has himself experienced the tremendous love of Christ, "who loved me and gave himself up for me."

Against this background, then, we find ourselves becoming more conscious of others at Eucharist! The Entrance hymn which is the first action we do together at Eucharist is meant precisely to draw the entire congregation into one solid, united and loving family. Ideally it should remind us of our Christian identity and right at the start make us want to be united in love and peace. A good example of such a hymn would be: 'Come in, pilgrim lay your burden down, we're all brothers as we travel on the way. We share a common gift, our brotherhood in Christ, and we're going to celebrate today: we will sing and celebrate his love today.' If we experience the hymn doing this for us, we will notice that our participation in that Eucharist will be on a different level altogether.

We would also find ourselves wanting to pray more for others than for ourselves. We would discover that we can grieve at the sufferings of others more than for our own. Our repentance would lead us to ask pardon for the sins of others as much as we ask pardon for our own sins. We would spontaneously praise and bless God for his goodness to others more than for the blessings we ourselves have received. All this calls for tremendous selflessness - and to many it might even appear as unreal behaviour if not totally idealistic fantasizing. Yet, that is what we have become in Christ Jesus: an altogether new creation that does not allow itself to be shackled by the past, or drowned in its present failings!

Further, we would come to regard ourselves as God's beloved children. "Do not be afraid, little flock, for it is your father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom." And this kingdom is ours already now - though it will reach its fullness at the end of time. For too long have we focused negatively on our weaknesses and sins - as if these were a great big barrier between God's love and ourelves. We share in his joy in having us all back together as one flock under one shepherd, just as the father of the prodigal son rejoiced and called for a party when his wayward son returned home.

Conclusion

Since it is true that the Eucharist begins the moment we seek to gather as a family, this moment cannot be just any moment; it will have to be a moment we prepare for and work towards all through the day and week. Each time we work to build bridges and break down all kinds of social and other barriers, we make ourselves more equipped to really celebrate Eucharist. Conversely, each time we foster divisions, foment misunderstandings, set people up one against another, or consciously cut ourselves off from others, we make our Eucharist that much more of a sham, an outward show only. So, finally, when all is said and done, Eucharist begins when our hearts and lives change and we see ourselves as God's children, brothers and sisters to one another and express this in our joyful coming together! That ultimately is what provides us with the real reason to rejoice and celebrate!

"Can you make room for me in your lives?" - Jesus