Breaking Open The Eucharistic Prayer
In the Book of Exodus, instructions for celebrating the Passover Meal are proscribed (Exodus 13:3-16). The Passover is observed among the Jewish People to this very day. Some Christian communities also celebrate the Passover during Holy Week, which may help us appreciate our spiritual roots in Judaism. Words of caution: 1) the Christian celebration of the Passover should never be a “history lesson” because it is the most precious meal of the Jewish People; and 2) Christians should never turn the Passover Meal into a comparison to the Eucharist. Sometimes this occurs when New Testament passages from the Last Supper are read during the Passover Meal or when “Christian songs” are sung during the Meal. We must respect the Jewish ritual – just as we would not want any other faith tradition to distort our Eucharistic celebration.
The Gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke narrate Jesus’ actions at the Last Supper. At the beginning of the meal, Jesus took bread, praised God, broke it and gave it to his disciples as a sign of their unity with him. Then at the end of the meal, he took the wine (most likely the fourth cup), gave thanks and gave it to them with the words “Take and drink; this is my blood … which is to be poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins” (See Mt 26:26-29, Mk 14:22-25 and Lk 22:19-20). Jesus’ words are often referred to as a “prophetic sign” pointing to his self-sacrifice on the cross on Good Friday.
John’s Gospel does not contain Jesus’ words over bread and wine. Some reasons may be: 1) John’s Gospel was the last to be written about 100 A.D. (Mark’s Gospel was the first about 70 A.D.), so there was no need to repeat Jesus’ words. Christians already knew what Jesus had spoken over bread and wine; and 2) John emphasizes a theological-spiritual lesson – whoever eats with me must serve! Why? Because the Last Supper pointed to Christ’s sacrifice on the Cross. This final act of Jesus’ self-love for his people exemplified Jesus’ “Servanthood” throughout his lifetime – healing the sick, feeding the hungry, teaching God’s Word, forgiving sinners, raising the dead to life, and so forth. Jesus’ death on the cross can never be seen in isolation from the totality of his life (actually beginning in his coming down from heaven’s beauty to live our human life – the beginning of his sacrificial love for us). You and I may never be called upon by God to die for another person; but we who dine with the Lord are called to serve others.
At the Last Supper, Jesus followed a particular order in praising God. Some liturgists claim that Jesus’ prayer followed the pattern of the Jewish blessing called berakah. The berakah began first with a blessing of God for his gift of creation followed by praise for God’s redemption throughout their history, ending with a supplication. Other liturgists emphasize that Jesus’ prayer at the Last Supper followed a form known as todah (see Nehemiah 9:6-37). The todah consisted of: 1) a profession of faith, 2) admission of failure, 3) a memorial of God’s deeds and 4) a petition. The todah stresses God’s great acts on behalf of His People now being recalled.
God’s people had the profound awareness that God was accomplishing them again here and now in their gathering and would be faithful to His people in the future. Whether Jesus’ prayer took the form of the berakah or todah, his prayer was a prayer of praise for God’s gifts of creation and salvation in history, recalling the Passover from Egypt, and prayers of petition.
Father Sauer continues his look at the Mass in the June 16 issue of The Message.
