RCIA Session 32, November 2, 2010: Holy Communion (All Souls Day)
Opening Song: #458 O Lord, I Am Not Worthy
First Reading: 1 Corinthians 10:14-21
The Word of the Lord Response: Thanks be to God
Psalm: Ps 81:8-17 “If you will but listen to Me, I will feed you with finest wheat”
Alleluia: “I am the living bread that has come down from Heaven; if anyone eats of this bread, he shall live forever; and the bread that I give is My Flesh for the life of the world.”
Gospel: A reading from the Holy Gospel according to John (John 6:41-59) Response: + Glory to You Lord
The Gospel of the Lord Response: Praise to You, Lord Jesus Christ
Prayer: Lord Jesus Christ, we worship You living among us in the sacrament of Your Body and Blood.
May we offer to our Father in Heaven a solemn pledge of undivided love. May we offer to our brothers and sisters a life poured out in loving service of that Kingdom where You live with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever. Amen.
Blessing (in the absence of a priest): Make the sign of the cross.
May the Lord bless us, protect us from all evil and bring us to everlasting life. Amen.
Summary: When we receive Jesus’ Body, Blood, Soul and ______in Holy Communion, we are united to Him and to His ______even more ______than a bride is to her bridegroom. Jesus renews and ______the spiritual life we received in Baptism, and He strengthens us to avoid ____. CCC 1322-1419
Effects of Receiving Jesus in Holy Communion: (Blessed Imelda Lambertini)
anticipation of heavenly glory, CCC1405, (Revelation 19:9); we become one flesh with God!
we bind ourselves by a sacred oath to our Divine Bridegroom, Jesus. We can imitate the saints by adding promises of our own (run them past a priest first); St.Thérèse of Lisieux & St. Dominic Savio
we receive new life: Jesus renews, preserves, and increases the life of grace we received in Baptism
venial (minor) sins are forgiven and we’re protected against mortal (deadly) sins
Venerable Teresita Quevedo
strengthens our love for others; unites us to the Body of Christ on earth, in Purgatory & in Heaven
(ICorinthians 12:4-11); commits us to helping the poor
nourishes our soul; man does not live by bread alone: Deuteronomy 8:3, Matthew 4:4, John 6:51 & 53
Prepare to receive Holy Communion: God does most of the work
long-range preparations: God’s foreshadowings (types)
Melchizedek: Genesis 14:18-24, Psalm 110:4, Hebrews 7; sacrifice of bread and wine
Passover (Exodus 12-13); saved by the lamb;bread & wine;“passing over” from death to life
Manna (Exodus 16, John 6:31, 49-50); God’s miraculous food in the desert
Showbread (Exodus 25:23-30, 40:1-4, Leviticus 24:5-9); most sacred offering toGod, placed in His Presence, eaten only by the priests
Clean oblation from the rising of the sun to its setting, making the Lord’s Name great among the Gentiles (Malachi 1:11)
Wedding at Cana (John 2:1-11); feeding of the 5,000 (John 6), Jesus teaches, then feeds--liturgy of the Word, then Liturgy of the Eucharist. He blesses bread, breaks it His priests distribute it. Enough for all & some left over.
final touches:
Jesus gave Himself up to purify His Bride (Ephesians 5:25-27). Baptism, Confession & the
penitential Rite of the Mass.
He washed His disciples’ feet (John 13), but not all were cleansed (Judas rejected Jesus’ love)
“Host” literally means “Victim”
Receiving Holy Communion commits us to trying to live up to all that Jesus teaches through the Church. If we don’t intend to keep that commitment, we’re not ready.
Examine our consciences--serious sin must be forgiven in Sacramental Confession before we receive Holy Communion. Lesser sins can be forgiven in the penitential Rite of the Mass.
Look at our relationships with others. We’re united with them in Holy Communion (Body of Christ) Reconcile with them (Matthew 5:24) if possible (Romans 12:18)
Beauty treatments for the soul: Ephesians 1:3, bridal gown of good works (Revelation 19:8) prepared for us in advance (Ephesians 2:10). St. Thérèse of Lisieux prepared by sacrifices acts of love.
Outward signs of reverence: dress in our best (with modesty), gestures of reverence, holy hush in His house, attentiveness, participation in the Mass
Fast for an hour before receiving Holy Communion
Receiving Jesus:
sign of reverence in the Communion line (usually a bow or genuflection)
the minister (priest, deacon or extraordinary minister of Holy Communion) says, “The Body ofChrist”. We reply “Amen” (“I stake my life on it”)
receiving in the hand: make your left hand a throne for your right (reverse if left-handed), step aside, be careful not to lose even a crumb, consume Jesus right away.
receiving on the tongue: open your mouth & put your tongue a little forward (Psalm 81:11)
Communion under both species (Host and Precious Blood)--completely optional (The sign is more
complete, but not the Reality; you don’t get “more” of Jesus--He’s completely Present in either the
Host or the Precious Blood because His risen Body and Blood can never be separated again)
if the minister dips the Host into the Precious Blood (intinction), you must receive on the tongue
if the minister offers the chalice, make another sign of reverence (bow or genuflect), say “Amen” again, and take a sip. Do NOT dip the host yourself!
spend time with Jesus. He’s physically Present within you for about 15 minutes
“leftovers” reserved in the Tabernacle & taken to the homebound
worship Jesus Present in the Tabernacle (where is everybody?!)
Spiritual Communion
Spiritual Communion
by Donna Cori Gibson
My God I believe
That You are truly Present
In the most holy
Eucharistic Host
Above all things
I love You and I desire
To receive You into my soul
Since at this moment
I cannot receive You sacramentally
Come now at least
Into my heart spiritually
I embrace You as if already there
And unite myself completely to You
I embrace You, Your divine life to share
Never permit me to be parted from You
In the Chapel: Name those for whom we want to pray
Our Father
Apostles’ Creed
I believe in God, the Father almighty,
Creator of Heaven and earth,
and in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord,
Bow
who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,
born of the Virgin Mary,
End bow
suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died and was buried;
He descended into hell;
on the third day He rose again from the dead;
He ascended into Heaven,
and is seated at the right hand of God the Father almighty;
from there He will come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the holy catholic Church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and life everlasting. Amen.
Prayer for the Holy Souls in Purgatory
Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord,
and let perpetual light shine upon them.
May they rest in peace. Amen.
Bringing the Faith to Life
(RCIA Session 32:Eucharist: Holy Communion)
Suggested Activity: Start decorating your “wedding gown” with sacrifices and acts of love for Jesus--doing the good works God has prepared for you in advance (Ephesians 2:10)--the way St. Thérèse of Lisieux did.
Treasure Hunt: When you receive Holy Communion, think about the fact that you’re receiving Jesus’ Precious Blood, Soul and Divinityin addition to Hissacred Body. Tell us what difference that made to you.
Questions for Discussion & Reflection
(Please fill out the questions, ask at least one & return this sheet next week)
1) Who comes to us in Holy Communion? To whom are we united? (more than one Person)
2) How is receiving Holy Communion like consummating a marriage?
3) What does it mean to be in communion with Jesus? (hint: What does it mean to be in communion with His Church?--they can’t be separated)
4) What effects does Holy Communion have on our soul?
5) What does Jesus do to prepare us for Holy Communion?
6) What can we do to prepare to receive Holy Communion? What must we do?
Your Question(s): (If you like, you can ask us one we just asked you!)
Prayers For Holy Communion
Prayer Before Holy Communion (adapted)
Almighty and ever-living God,
as I prepare to approach the sacrament of Your only-begotten Son, our Lord Jesus Christ,
I come sick to the medicine of life,
unclean to the fountain of mercy,
blind to the radiance of eternal light,
and poor and needy to the Lord of Heaven and earth.
Therefore, I ask that from the abundance of Your immense generosity, You give what is needed
to heal my sickness, wash away my defilement, enlighten my blindness, enrich my poverty,
and clothe my nakedness.
I ask all of this so that I might receive
the Bread of Angels, the King of Kings
and Lord of Lords,
with the humble reverence, the purity and faith,
the repentance and love, and the determined purpose
that will aid the salvation of my soul.
Allow me, I plead, to not only receive the sacrament of Your Body and Blood,
but also the reality and power of this sacrament.
O most gentle God, allow me to receive
the Body of Your only-begotten Son,
our Lord Jesus Christ,
Who was born of the Virgin Mary,
so that I might be worthy to be united
with His Mystical Body
and counted among His members.
O most loving Father, give to me Your beloved Son, Whom I intend to receive in this hidden form
but hope to contemplate face to face for all eternity.
Who lives and reigns with You
in the unity of the Holy Spirit for all ages of ages.
Amen.
-St. Thomas Aquinas (1225-1274)
Act of Contrition (Before Holy Communion)
O my Savior,
I am truly sorry for having offended You
because You are infinitely good
and sin displeases You.
I detest all the sins of my life
and I desire to atone for them.
Through the merits of Your Precious Blood,
wash from my soul all stain of sin,
so that, cleansed in body and soul,
I may worthily approach
the Most holy Sacrament of the Altar. Amen
Act of Faith (Before Holy Communion)
Lord Jesus Christ, I firmly believe
that You are Present in this Blessed Sacrament
as true God and true Man,
with Your Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity.
My Redeemer and my Judge,
I adore Your Divine Majesty
together with the angels and saints.
I believe, O Lord; increase my faith.
Prayer After Holy Communion
Lord, Father all-powerful and ever-living God,
I thank You, for even though I am a sinner,
your unprofitable servant, not because of my worth but in the kindness of Your mercy, You have fed me with the precious Body and Blood of Your Son,
our Lord Jesus Christ.
I pray that this Holy Communion may not bring me condemnation and punishment but forgiveness and salvation. May it be a helmet of faith
and a shield of good will. May it purify me from evil ways and put an end to my evil passions.
May it bring me charity and patience, humility
and obedience, and growth in the power to do good. May it be my strong defense against all my enemies, visible and invisible, and the perfect calming
of all my evil impulses, bodily and spiritual.
May it unite me more closely to You,
the one true God, and lead me safely through death to everlasting happiness with You. And I pray that You will lead me, a sinner, to the banquet
where You, with Your Son and Holy Spirit,
are true and perfect light, total fulfillment, everlasting joy, gladness without end,
and perfect happiness to Your saints.
Grant this through Christ our Lord. Amen
-St. Thomas Aquinas (1225-1274)
Anima Christi
Soul of Christ, Sanctify me.
Body of Christ, save me.
Blood of Christ, inebriate me.
Water from the side of Christ, wash me.
Passion of Christ, strengthen me.
O good Jesus, hear me.
Within Your wounds, hide me.
Separated from You let me never be.
From the malignant enemy, defend me.
At the hour of death, call me.
To come to You, bid me, that I may praise You
in the company of Your saints for all eternity. Amen