 |
|
|
|
|
 |
 |
 |
||
 |
||||
 |
||||
|
||||||||||||||||
|
b) COMMUNITARIAN PRAYER Groups pray together, singing hymns, sharing the Scriptures, applying their reflection on the Scriptures to the actual life situation, and interceding for the world’s many needs. The communitarian prayer of Charismatic groups to-day widely spread throughout the world has been a powerful factor in renewing the lives of many Christians. (The word “ charism” means spiritual gift for a special service). Charismatic prayer is characterised by group ejaculations such as “Jesus”, “Praise God”, and praying in tongues and healing. The Celebration of the “Eucharist”, (meaning Thanksgiving ) the highest form of worship as a Community, from its celebration by Jesus Christ himself, is what is known as the Lord’s Supper or Eucharist or the Breaking of the Bread. Its celebration in great churches and cathedrals or in humble huts, in every culture and region of the world is essentially the same “ritual”, but today the language and other symbols of particular cultural contexts are used in order to make it more intelligible and meaningful to the people of different countries. The Celebration of the Eucharist This is an act of worship, a celebration of praise and thanksgiving. It is a meal, a memorial service. It is also a sacrifice of praise, as it gratefully recalls the One sacrifice of Love. A Meal During his life Jesus taught: “I am the Bread of Life…If anyone eats of this bread he will live for ever” (Jn. 6. 51). At his last supper with his disciples before Jesus left the world, he took bread in his hands, gave thanks to the Father, broke it and gave it to his disciples saying: “This is my Body. Take ye all and eat”. He did the same with the cup of wine “Take and drink. This is my Blood which shall be shed for the salvation of many” ( Mt. 26. 26-28). Humanly speaking these words may surprise us, but with the gift of faith – or the ‘third eye’ (divya chakshu – divine eyesight) one can accept and receive this meal and believe the words of Jesus. “Whoever eats me will have life through Me” (Jn. 6. 58.- cf. Taittriya Up. “I am food, I am food”) This meal unites all who receive it; therefore it is called “Communion”. “Because there is one bread we all share, we become one body” (1 Cor. 10. 17). The Eucharistic meal forms the greatest unifying power among Christians. A Memorial Service and a Sacrifice At the Last Supper Jesus said to his disciples: “Do this as a memorial of me” (Lk. 22. 19). And St. Paul tells us: “Until the Lord comes whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup you are heralding the Lord’s death” (11 Cor. 11. 26). Therefore at each Eucharistic celebration the celebrant or priest says after the words “consecrating” the bread and wine: “Let us proclaim the mystery of faith”. And the people respond : “Christ has died. Christ is risen. Christ will come again.” Or with another similar acclamation. The Eucharistic celebration is also a sacrifice. It is a symbolic action by which Christians say that they are willing- like Christ – to give themselves to God and men, to be transformed by the power and fire of the Spirit of Christ – into him; even as the bread and wine are changed by the same power into Christ. To be transformed into Christ means we have the same mind and heart as He; we receive within us the same Love which is the source of heroism and binds us together as one human family in Christ. |
||
|