218. The right way to honor the Lord present in the bread and wine.

The right way to honor the Lord present in the bread and wine.

YOUCAT Catechism + Catechism of the Catholic Church Lesson 218

Ave Maria series

218  What is the right way to honor the Lord present in the bread and wine?

Because God is truly present in the consecrated species of bread and wine, we must preserve the sacred gifts with the greatest reverence and worship our Lord and Redeemer in the Most Blessed Sacrament.  [1378-1381, 1418]

Upper left, a tabernacle in which vessels containing the consecrated Hosts are reserved between Masses in a Catholic Church, and lower right, The Blessed Sacrament, presented in a monstrance.…..218

If there are consecrated hosts left over after the celebration of Holy Eucharist, they are kept in sacred vessels in the tabernacle.  Since the Most Blessed Sacrament is present in them, the tabernacle is one of the most venerable places in every church.  We genuflect before any tabernacle.  Certainly, anyone who is really following Christ will recognize him in the poorest of the poor and serve him in them.  But he will also find time to spend in adoration before the tabernacle and offer his love to our Eucharistic Lord.

Tabernacle (Latin tabernaculum=hut, tent): In a way reminiscent of the Old Testament Ark of the Covenant, the tabernacle developed in the Catholic Church as a prominent, richly ornamented place for preserving the Most Blessed Sacrament (Christ in the form of bread).

Monstrance (Latin monstrare=to show: a sacred object used to display Christ in the form of consecrated bread on special occasions for adoration by the faithful.  In this photo the consecrated host contained within the glass windows of the monstrance is being carried by the priest in procession.

[1378-1381, 1418]

The presence of Christ by the power of his word and the Holy Spirit

1378  Worship of the Eucharist. In the liturgy of the Mass we express our faith in the real presence of Christ under the species of bread and wine by, among other ways, genuflecting or bowing deeply as a sign of adoration of the Lord. "The Catholic Church has always offered and still offers to the sacrament of the Eucharist the cult of adoration, not only during Mass, but also outside of it, reserving the consecrated hosts with the utmost care, exposing them to the solemn veneration of the faithful, and carrying them in procession."(Paul VI, Mysterium Fidei 56)²⁰⁸ –Catechism of the Catholic Church, Second Edition

1379  The tabernacle was first intended for the reservation of the Eucharist in a worthy place so that it could be brought to the sick and those absent outside of Mass. As faith in the real presence of Christ in his Eucharist deepened, the Church became conscious of the meaning of silent adoration of the Lord present under the Eucharistic species. It is for this reason that the tabernacle should be located in an especially worthy place in the church and should be constructed in such a way that it emphasizes and manifests the truth of the real presence of Christ in the Blessed Sacrament. --CCC

1380  It is highly fitting that Christ should have wanted to remain present to his Church in this unique way. Since Christ was about to take his departure from his own in his visible form, he wanted to give us his sacramental presence; since he was about to offer himself on the cross to save us, he wanted us to have the memorial of the love with which he loved us "to the end,"(John 13:1)²⁰⁹  even to the giving of his life. In his Eucharistic presence he remains mysteriously in our midst as the one who loved us and gave himself up for us,(compare Galatians 2:2)²¹⁰   and he remains under signs that express and communicate this love:

The Church and the world have a great need for Eucharistic worship. Jesus awaits us in this sacrament of love. Let us not refuse the time to go to meet him in adoration, in contemplation full of faith, and open to making amends for the serious offenses and crimes of the world. Let our adoration never cease. (Pope St. John Paul II, Dominicae cenae, 3)²¹¹–CCC

1381  "That in this sacrament are the true Body of Christ and his true Blood is something that 'cannot be apprehended by the senses,' says St. Thomas, 'but only by faith, which relies on divine authority.' For this reason, in a commentary on Luke 22:19('This is my body which is given for you.'), St. Cyril says: 'Do not doubt whether this is true, but rather receive the words of the Savior in faith, for since he is the truth, he cannot lie.'"(St. Thomas Aquinas, Summa Theolgia III,75,1; compare Paul VI, Mysterium Fidei 18; St. Cyril of Alexandria, In Luc. 22,19:Patrologia Graeca 72,912; compare Paul VI, Mysterium Fidei 18.)²¹²--CCC

Godhead here in hiding, whom I do adore 
Masked by these bare shadows, shape and nothing more, 
See, Lord, at thy service low lies here a heart 
Lost, all lost in wonder at the God thou art.

Seeing, touching, tasting are in thee deceived; 
How says trusty hearing? that shall be believed; 
What God's Son has told me, take for truth I do; 
Truth himself speaks truly or there's nothing true.(St. Thomas Aquinas (attr.), Adoro te devote; tr. Gerard Manley Hopkins.)²¹³--CCC

IN BRIEF

1418  Because Christ himself is present in the sacrament of the altar, he is to be honored with the worship of adoration. "To visit the Blessed Sacrament is . . . a proof of gratitude, an expression of love, and a duty of adoration toward Christ our Lord" (Paul VI, Mysterium Fidei 66). –CCC

Church  Tabernacle

Church Monstrance