Christian Perspective

The Real Presence of Jesus Christ in the Blessed Sacrament

E WEERAPPERUMA

There were a number of controversies over the Real presence of Jesus Christ in the Eucharist over many centuries, the Church stood firm in her teaching and she was triumphant in her conviction.

It is claimed that in the second century Tertullian used the correct words to explain the Triune God. He said that the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, were three persons in one Substance or Nature. (that which makes God what He is). In other words three Divine Persons only differ in their relationship to one another as Persons: otherwise they are absolutely one and the same God.)

Tertullian, a convert to Catholicism since 197 AD, was a great ecclesial writer in Latin, but subsequently lost contact with the Church with his joining the Montanism, a kind of religious extremism, which denied the Divine Nature of the Church and her power to forgive sins.

The controversy over the Real Presence of Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament rose in the 9th century, (around the year 844 ) involving the writings of Abbot Paschasius Radberts Ratramnus Mouries and had been revived by Berengarius of Tours (999-1088).That occasioned the development of the terminology regarding the doctrine of the Real Presence.

A book written by the above mentioned Abbot concerning the Body and Blood of Lord gave rise to the controversy over the Nature of the Real Presence of Our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament. While Abbot Radbert denied the doctrine of transubstantiation, the Church found that his book had erred on Holy Eucharist. The controversy went on for years and that required the establishment of the Truth.

In the eleventh (11th) century, around the year 1055 Berengarius’ teaching on Holy Eucharist was condemned in around the year 1079 and the Council of Rome condemned once more the errors in respect of the Eucharistic teachings (Denial of the Real Presence of Christ under the appearances of bread and wine) of Berengarius, who retracted.

In the 12th century a most serious revival of the Manichean heresy in the district of Albi in France emerged with the teaching of Albigenses, and in common parlors that was referred to as ‘The Albigensian’ heresy. Those who spread this heresy called themselves ‘Cathari’ which means pure.

They rejected all Catholic doctrines and practices, declared marriage to be an evil and encouraged suicide by fasting to death.

In the 13th century Pope Innocent III (1198-1216) conveyed the 12th Ecumenical Council which was also referred to as the 4th Lateran, met in Lateran Palace in around the year 1215.

That Council using the term “Transubstantiation” for the first time defined the Doctrine of the Real Presence of Christ in the Holy Eucharist.

The Council used the term “Transubstantiation” to explain the total change of the substance of bread into the Body of Christ and the wine into His Precious Blood. That Council also issued directives for the practice of the annual reception of Penance and Holy Communion. This affirmation increased the devotion towards the Blessed Sacrament.

In England John Wyclif - a Doctor of Divinity of Oxford and Rector of Lutterworth cum English poet and scholar (1320- 1384) had reforming ideas 200 years before Martin Luther. He gave a new and popular English translation of the Bible, and while encouraging people to read same, he made nothing but the Bible, the rule of faith, and the Apostolic tradition or the teaching of the Church had no place. He proceeded to attack almost all the traditional doctrines of Christianity.

In his book written in the year 1380 he denied the Real and Substantial Presence of Christ in the Holy Eucharist; the ‘Blessed Sacrament’; denied the necessity for Confession and Extreme Unction and denied the divinely commissioned spiritual authority of the Pope and the Bishops.

This had led to the condemnation of him by the Oxford University. While Pope Gregory XI condemned, his writings 1377, the 16th Ecumenical Council at Constance in Germany condemned it in the 1455, as well.

The Council of Trent in the year 1551 AD under the Pope Julius III, defined the Real Presence of the Lord in the Blessed Sacrament by means of Transubstantiation, which was officially used for the first time at the 12th Ecumenical Council during the Pontificate of Pope Innocent III.

Transubstantiation means the total change of the substance of bread into the Body of Christ and of the substance of wine into His Precious Blood. This affirmation increased the devotion towards the Blessed Sacrament.

This same Council declared that the Holy Sacrifice, Mass offered at the altar of the Catholic Church was authentic and true.

The Holy Mass, instituted by Christ Himself, the victim and the celebrant is the Sacrifice of His Body and Blood; the Soul and Divinity under the appearances of Bread and Wine.

Christ instituted Holy Mass at the Last Supper. The words of consecration are: “This is My Body”; “This is the Cup of My Blood” (According to the traditional usage of the Roman Rite).

The words of the celebrant are the same and reminiscent of the words uttered by the Lord and Master Jesus Christ at the Last Supper: (John 6:53 - 88), Once consecrated the host /bread and from then onwards it is no more the mere host but the Body and Blood of Christ.

Christ gave the Apostles, the power to consecrate the work of human hands ‘bread and wine’ to His Body and Blood to perpetuate and renew the sublime Sacrifice He made on the Mount Calvary saying “Do this in Memory of Me”.

The Eucharistic Prayer, the central and the Essential Act of Consecration, gives effect to the transubstantiation and this could only be done by priests duly ordained to officiate at the sacrificial meal.

The Church is the Body of Christ, the worldwide family of faith and love united under the Holy Father with his authority received from Jesus Christ. The bishops and the Holy Father are the successors to the Apostles to whom Jesus entrusted His saving message, The Lord says: (He who hears you hears Me.)

Jesus Christ who established His Church on earth with Peter as Head and the Apostle, gave His disciples the power to forgive sins, offer Holy Mass which is both a Sacrifice and a Sacrament, and also the chief Catholic rite of worship.

The powers given to the Apostles come down from ages to the present day and to the end of times to the duly ordained bishops and priests through the succession of the Apostles (sent forth).

The successor of St Peter, the one among the equals, is the Pope.

The belief in the need for a Supreme Head on earth never left the Church as proved by the fact that all peoples of the Catholic-world acknowledge the primacy of Pope.

Had the Church being a mere human institution she would have been wrecked by the catastrophe but the schemes of the West clearly showed that the Hand of God sustained her all through the crisis, safeguarded the unity of the kingdom of Christ on earth and the authority of the See of Peter.

The Pope the Vicar of Jesus Christ, the successor of Peter, Prince of the Apostles, and also the Bishop of Rome. Pope has the primacy of jurisdiction and not mere honour over the Universal Church. He is the Patriarch of the West: Primate of Italy; Archbishop and Metro-politician of the Roman Province; the sovereign of the State of Vatican City. He, ‘the Servant of God’. Wearing of the Pall or Pallium, a stole like vestment symbolizes the Union with the Apostolic See and the plenitude of the archiepiscopal office.

The receiver swears: “to be faithful and obedient to St Peter and the Holy Church of Rome; to my Lord the Pope and his successors canonically succeeding.....

This oath was taken from about 860 AD onwards. The Council of Sardica 147 AD declared that in cases of difficulty the prelates of the Lord from every province should refer to the Head that is to the See; to the Apostle Peter.

The Holy Apostolic See and the Roman Pontiff hold the primacy over the whole world and that the Roman Pontiff is the successor of Blessed Peter and the true Vicar of Christ, Head of the Whole Church.” Cardinal Bessgrcon (Council at Florence in 1439 AD).

The decade of the Blessed Sacrament will be a source of strength to the devotees to cling on to Jesus and His Church and worship the Triune God to the best of their abilities. It also gives them the courage to announce from roof-tops -

We are Proud to be Catholics and show the sign of brotherhood doing the Will of the Father as they are taught by Christ ‘the Lord’s Prayer’. Let us as Catholics born and bread in this soil, dedicate ourselves to create a better world through our committed work to our nation and the country.

Weekly Devotions

So, we have entered the month of December in the year 2011! This month’s devotions, I feel, should surround the meaning of Christmas.

I am sure it is common knowledge that Jesus was not born on the 25th of December, however this is the day that has been set aside to celebrate His birth - God has permitted it to be so. We must remember and respect our Lord’s birth - as in God’s calendar, this is an important event. If you are a spiritual person you too will recognize this as Jesus came into this world in order to make way for man to finally have peace with God. Let us go back - to the time that Jesus was born and learn from it some aspects of how one could really please God, the way we celebrate this wonderful day. May what I describe to you, make your Christmas different from the past and bring about a blessing to you and all who are around you this blessed season.

400 years of silence- the Jews were in captivity They had been for some time in this situation. Their rulers “The Romans. A very well organized Government. Their life unlike the time of the exodus, when Moses was around to remind them of God and His mercy and the fact that they were the chosen populace was fast dissolving into one of worldliness.

Dead silence

Although God had raised up leaders and kings and prophets in the past, it all seemed to cease For 400 years now there had been a dead silence from God “ No prophets spoke “ not even a prophet of doom!

The Jewish mentality was such, as we see from the Scriptures, that unless God kept constantly reminding them of what He had done, they easily forgot Him and slid back into worldly ways.

God had done many miracles, as He led them from Egypt to the Promised Land He led them as a Pillar of Light during the night and a Pillar of Cloud during the day shielding them from the intense heat of the desert. He looked after them and revealed Himself to them as much as their limitations as a human being could take. Some times even exceeding it!

God was very much aware of their forgetful nature and therefore had passed a decree that they sanctify the first born to Himself, and kept up the Feast of the unleavened Bread to remind the new generations to come of His actions.

Ex 13:3-10 (please read)

The main topic of discussion at that time was ˜when is the Messiah coming to take us out of captivity? As they stopped reading the scriptures and started focusing on their situation, their faith dwindled, so much so that even the scriptures were misinterpreted

Although they awaited the Messiah, they expected him to be a mighty King, arriving in pomp and glory to match that of the Roman Caesars! The Christmas message for the few who awaited God revealed that the Messiah is Arriving in humility, and the handmaiden selected in the line of David was very poor.

These people who received the message of Christ’s birth, were themselves very humble, the rich and the pomp were passed by and the hosts of angels led by Gabriel were sent to the humble few.

Christmas Message

The point that I am trying to get across to you, this week, in my Christmas Message is that the majority of the Jews missed out on the birth of Christ as they took away their focus from God to their situation. They busied themselves with their day to day life, not heeding to the scriptures or even trying to understand them as they had become so worldly, living with a lustful race “We are expected to wait patiently for His promises to be fulfilled. With a promise comes a period of testing too, usually wrapped up in delay. That seems to be God’s way. Take the life of Abraham, Joseph and Jacob to mention a few - they had to trustingly wait! Now during this period of waiting, Jesus

expects us to draw close to Him through prayer and devotions not turn to the world and live it up, and distance ourselves from Him as the scriptures clearly teaches us that FRIENDSHIP WITH THE WORLD IS ENEMITY WITH GOD/

We too seem to miss out on the message of Christ’s birth on Christmas. Many of us go spending money partying, buying new clothes, feasting and very often drinking and misbehaving!! Christmas day, if it is set apart to celebrate Christ’s birth on the other hand should be a spiritual exercise of meditation and being in God’s presence with the

Word of God and attending the church to show respect to the Son of God for the great sacrifice He made on the cross to save the world . If you want to spend money it should be spent sacrificially to the poor and needy and not in self-indulgence.

Love and affection

So are we doing the right thing, especially in a land that needs love and affection poured out? If our thinking has been wrong, let us humble ourselves, and put it right so that the real meaning and purpose for our Lord’s birth and time on this earth is reflected. John 3: 16 says that God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life’

The mission has been accomplished, so let us seriously search for the truth and find it.

Let us learn from the mistakes that the Jewish people made during the first advent of Christ as we await His second advent. Let us not think that the Bridegroom is getting late and therefore one has time to mingle with the world.

Time is precious, we are wwexpected to draw close to Jesus and be prayerful and spiritual, learning the scriptures and spending time profitably by being in His presence and serving the King of Kings.

Have a peaceful and meaningful Christmas - May God draw close to you as you desire to know Him more.

Prayer

My Father, who art in heaven, I want to
bless your name for the mighty, joyful act you performed in sending your Son
Jesus Christ to save the world. Help me
to understand the true meaning of Christmas and meditate on your word, the
Bible , and truly seek to find you Your
word assures me that if I truly search for you I will find you. Please Lord,
reveal yourself to me so that I can follow you and not miss out on the many
eternal blessings you have for me .Help me to celebrate Christmas respecting
your name and not just celebrate it in a worldly way, not understanding
that it
was a great sacrifice on your part to come to this world . Help me to
grasp the true peace of
Jesus’ birth given as a gift to the whole world. I submit my requests
unto you my Lord and
Saviour, Jesus Christ. Amen.

Sunitha Sahayam

‘Stepping in to a meaningful Christian life’

Dudley Jansz

St. Mary’s Church, Mattakkuliya which has stood the ravages of time has been spruced up to celebrate its 150th Jubilee on December 10.

The parish priest, Rev. Fr. Calistus Fernando, himself a silver jubilarian who completed 25 years of his priesthood has made elaborate arrangements to celebrate this landmark event in the church’s calendar in a spiritual and fitting manner under the above theme.

Dry rations

He said the church feast was an opportune time for divine intervention and the Jubilee is a unique occasion. He exhorted the faithful to attend the daily Novenas to reflect on God’s word and live accordingly. A good confession was vital in this regard, he said.

He called upon the faithful to bring dry rations for the Offertory to be distributed among the poor. Decorations, he said, should be simple and meaningful avoiding the use of polythene. Monetary contributions should be channelled for charity purposes rather than spending large sums of money on fire crackers. He appealed to the parishioners to dress modestly and desist from using mobile phones during the church procession.

150 scholarships

The award of 150 scholarships for needy students, healing services and distribution of dry rations are some of the programs that have been organised. An eye camp for cataract patients was held on December 4.

The flagstaff was hoisted on Friday at 4.30 p.m. The Sinhala Novenas which began on December 3 will continue till December 9 at 6.30 p.m. daily while the Tamil Novenas will be held at 4.30 p.m. daily. The preachers are Rev. Frs. Daya Darshana (Sinhala), Wimal (OMI) and Philip (OMI) (Tamil).

Vespers will be sung on Saturday, December 10 at 7 p.m. presided over by the Episcopal Vicars of the Archdiocese Very Rev. Frs. Bonney Fernandopulle, Ivan Perera and Gamini Fernando.

His Eminence Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith will officiate at the concelebrated Jubilee mass on Sunday, December 11 at 8 a.m.

Jubilee procession

The Jubilee procession will wend its way through St. Mary’s Lane, Jubilee Mawatha, Fergusion Road, Church Road, Kelani Ganga Mills Road, Sri Kalyani Gangarama Road, Pransawatte, Sri Wickrama Road, Farm Road, Kaderanawatta, Ekamuthupura, Vystwyke Road, St. Mary’s Road and return to the church.

St. Mary’s church dedicated to our Lady of the Immaculate Conception had its origins in 1861. The builder was Rev. Fr. Pedro Ilari, an Italian Secular priest, a reputed church builder who was also responsible for building St. James’ Church at Mutwal and St. Joseph’s Church, Grandpass.

St. Mary’s Church, at the time was a small church built of wattle and daub and it was registered as a place of worship on March 8, 1867 (No. 82) while Dr. Sillan (OSB) was Vicar Apostalic of Colombo.

In 1920 when the existing church could not accommodate the growing Catholic population, Rev. Fr. J. M. Lagathu (OMI), the parish priest took it upon himself and planned to build a new church. In September of that year, Rev. Fr. Theodore Laboure (OMI) was sent to assist him. He was a man whom Providence itself sent to Mattakkuliya to be a source of great spiritual value at the time and of this generation who will always hold his name in awe.

New edifice

Fr. Laboure was a man with a mission and moreover, a vision. He earnestly set about the task of collecting money to build a new edifice.

The front portion of the old church was soon demolished and the foundation stone of the new church was laid on February 21, 1921. He was ably assisted by K. Marku Dias, a parishioner of St. Mary’s Church and a man who has to his credit several churches and Convents designed and built by him.

The choristers, today, play an integral part at the 8 a.m. English mass on Sundays and blend their lilting voices in sweet harmony. The Sinhala and Tamil choristers too are equally outstanding in their own right.

For any parish, therefore, such a commemoration is blessed with the record of painstaking efforts on the part of the pioneers, loyal and unfailing collaboration between the faithful, apart from its spiritual values.