The Catechism on Thanksgiving, The EucharistThe Eucharist, the sacrament of our salvation accomplished by Christ on the cross, is also a sacrifice of praise in thanksgiving for the work of creation. In the Eucharistic sacrifice the whole of creation loved by God is presented to the Father through the death and the Resurrection of Christ. Through Christ the Church can offer the sacrifice of praise in thanksgiving for all that God has made good, beautiful, and just in creation and in humanity.
The Eucharist is a sacrifice of thanksgiving to the Father, a blessing by which the Church expresses her gratitude to God for all his benefits, for all that he has accomplished through creation, redemption, and sanctification. Eucharist means first of all "thanksgiving."
The Eucharist is also the sacrifice of praise by which the Church sings the glory of God in the name of all creation. This sacrifice of praise is possible only through Christ: he unites the faithful to his person, to his praise, and to his intercession, so that the sacrifice of praise to the Father is offered through Christ and with him, to be accepted in him.
Happy Thanksgiving to all my blogger friends and families! God is good and I thank Him for giving us all good things through Jesus Christ. Some of the folks who visit my blog don't agree with the theology presented here, but today we can all agree to be Thankful for the precious gift of Christ Jesus our Lord and Savior.
Happy Thanksgiving today to you TJ and your family, too. I noticed you mention the sacrifice of praise. That is uncanny. That is something I've been pondering now for quite a few days. I was thinking of posting something on that very thing. I wrote a friend of mine re: my pondering on the subject today as a matter of fact. I remember being addicted to the "up" and emotional high I got at our evangelical worship services, where no doubt the music was great, but how I sometimes began to focus more on that to "rev me up" than on my own "offering" of my downcast soul, or ennui, or indifference many times. Now the "holy hush" welcomes me as no amplified guitar can. I am learning so much about what all kinds of suffering means, and how there is value in all of the various ways we suffer...and how the praising our Lord, where he is present in the Eucharist, has transformed my heart, mind, soul, and life. I am in love with Holy Mother Church for teaching me how to offer ALL and to be more thankful FOR everything than I ever knew in my 51 years.
ReplyDeleteAs always, TeeJ, an excellent thought provoking post. You're the man! You're the blogger extraordinaire and I ask only that you never stop blogging. Now back to the Nebraska game. Small potatoes compared to your posts.
suie
A late Happy thanksgiving to you Susie!
ReplyDelete"Now the "holy hush" welcomes me as no amplified guitar can. I am learning so much about what all kinds of suffering means, and how there is value in all of the various ways we suffer...and how the praising our Lord, where he is present in the Eucharist, has transformed my heart, mind, soul, and life.'
So nicely put Susie! I know just what you are saying. and to think I used to play electric bass through a 100 watt amplifier during our worship services so loud that you couldn't hear yourself sing!! I had a wireless set up so i could come off the "stage" and boogie with the congregants. Yeah, just like the early Christians did! (maybe not)
I do want to say though, that those folks are certainly well-meaning and it is often our addiction as you say to the emotional lift that becomes problematic. I was guilty of that too.