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The Mass and Sacraments

By Annie Vining MTh, President TOBET

The Mass and Sacraments was a reflection given to high school students from the Community of God’s Delight charismatic movement as part of a day of reflection on Pope John Paul II’s Theology of the Body. Annie gave this talk at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Richardson TX on November 22, 2003.

© 2003

  1. The Sacramentality of the Body
    1. The TOB helps us see that our bodies are not a glove, but rather the physical and outward sign of a person (i.e. Eucharist)
    2. In this way we learn about the body as a ‘sacrament’ of the person, it makes visible an invisible reality, which is exactly what all the sacraments do
    3. In fact, the Pope writes that it alone is capable of making visible what is invisible.
  2. The Body and Sacraments
    1. In each sacrament we see how God draws the entire person, body and soul, through tangible and intangible features. Since a sacrament is technically an outward sign instituted by Christ to bestow grace.
    2. In addition to this, it is the human body in every sacrament that is the instrument God uses to bestow this grace: explain each
      1. Baptism,
      2. Eucharist,
      3. Confirmation,
      4. Recon,
      5. Marriage (not only does the couple say “I do” give myself to you and I receive your gift of self with their lips but also with their bodies on their wedding night… sex is a part of this sacrament.)
      6. Holy Orders (through the gift of the man’s body to the Lord in service to His Bride, the Church, the man is transformed in a certain sense into the person of Christ)
      7. Anointing of the Sick.
  3. The Mass and the Eucharist:
    1. I want to dwell a little more on the Eucharist, since it is the source and summit of our faith (exp)
    2. The Eucharist is the body of Jesus, sacrificed on the cross (recommend Scott Hahn), which is the high point of revelation.
    3. On the cross, Christ gave up His body for the Church, that is why the Church is called His Bride.
    4. This should not be surprising since all throughout the OT God kept telling us that He wanted us to be joined to Him so closely that the best analogy is like a husband to a wife.
    5. This is precisely what Heaven is all about: union with God
    6. But we don’t have to wait for heaven! We have the Mass, which God has given us in order to bring heaven to earth!
    7. In the Mass we are transported beyond the bounds of time to the foot of the cross. It is here that Jesus reveals to us the love of the Father (review the four F’s) and he also reveals man to Himself, that we are called to love as God does since we have been made in his image.
    8. We are also transported ahead to the “Wedding feast of the Lamb” that Revelation talks about.
    9. How does this happen? Through Christ’s body which is in both time and eternity.
    10. On the cross, Jesus made the ultimate gift of Himself that was full, free, faithful, and fruitful. (exp each)
    11. In the Eucharist is embodied eternally this gift.
    12. When we receive Jesus’ body into ours, we are united with Him no only spiritually, but physically too. We are made into one body with Him. You could even say “one flesh” as it does in Genesis.
    13. This gift purifies us from our sin, and since it makes us into the one Body of Christ (give time to think about his) it makes us fit for union with God: heaven, which we can begin to have even here on earth!
  4. What does this mean for my life?
    1. I should keep my body pure when receiving the sacraments (thus we have recon)
    2. I should take time to prepare myself for each Mass so that I can be ready to participate in a manner that shows thanksgiving (Eucharistia) for the gift of God’s own self


Annie Vining can be contacted at avining@tobet.org

The Theology of the Body Evangelization Team can be reached at info@tobet.org
 

© 2005
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