THE EUCHARIST AND THE NEW EVANGELIZATION
Altar
Mass celebrated at Sacred Heart Major Seminary in 2016 .
Ego
Donald Wallenfang , OCDS , PhD
Have you ever wondered why God became human ? Yes , to save us , but how ? “ Unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood , you do not have life within you . . . Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me and I in him ” ( Jn 6:53 , 56 ). The eternal Word became flesh so that flesh might become embodied Word and Eucharist . By drawing near to Jesus in the Eucharist and partaking of his irrevocable gift of himself to us , we enter into the fullness of fellowship with the Most Holy Trinity and with each other as true brothers and sisters in Christ ( see 1 Jn 1:3 – 4 ). We are the family of God inasmuch as we all share one “ Father , from whom every family on earth is named ” ( Eph 3:14 – 15 ). Yet families grieve together , eat together , and feast together . How can we call ourselves “ the family of God ” if we do not gather around the table of the Lord ? And what is the Lord ’ s table if not the altar of sacrifice where bread becomes body and wine becomes blood ? On what altar do you make your offerings ? At what altar do you worship ?
6 Sacred Heart Major Seminary | Mosaic | Fall 2021