Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Vatican City (Fides Service) - This month’s missionary intention is focused on the Eucharist. No one can be possibly ignorant of the fact that the Eucharist has occupied the attention of the Church in a very striking way since the Second Vatican Council promulgated its first Constitution, Sacrosanctum Concilium on the Sacred Liturgy 4, 1963. The conciliar teaching is entirely centred and focused on the Most Sacred Mystery of the Eucharist.
In 1964 Pope Paul VI travelled to India to participate in the International Eucharistic Congress in Bombay. On September 3, 1956 he published his encyclical on the Eucharist entitled Mysterium Fidei. From the time he became Pope John Paul II used Mandy Thursday for his Annual Letter to Priests who at the Eucharist act ‘in persona Christi’. On February 24, 1980 he wrote his Apostolic Letter Dominicae Coenae in which he ‘discussed some aspects of the eucharistic Mystery and its importance for the life of those who are its ministers”. In 1998 he wrote another Apostolic Letter “Dies Domini” stressing the fundamental importance of Sunday the Lord’s Day for the life of the Church and that of individual believers. This was again emphasised in one more Apostolic Letter Novo Millennio Ineunte” in 2001.
Then in 2003 came the Encyclical “Ecclesia de Eucharistia”. On December 4, 2003 (the 40th anniversary of the Sacrosanctum Concilium) the Apostolic Letter Spiritus et Sponsa calls on the Church to develop a ‘Liturgical Spirituality”. This was followed on March 25, 2004 by an Instruction “Redemptionis Sacramentum”. The Holy Father subsequently wrote the Apostolic Letter Mane nobiscum Domine for a special year dedicated to the Eucharist which began with the International Eucharistic Congress on October 17, 2004 at Guadalajara in Mexico and will come to an end on October 29, 2005 with the closing of the Eleventh Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops on the theme of “The Eucharist, source and summit of the Life and Mission of the Church”. Special provisions have been made for the gaining of Plenary Indulgences as well.
All this will certainly convince us to join the Holy Father and the entire Church during the month of June in fervent prayer that the Sacrament of the Eucharist may be more and more perceived and recognised as the heartbeat of the Church’s life.
All the faithful need to become vividly aware of the face that the saving and life-giving mystery of the death and resurrection of Jesus is being represented in our midst around the clock throughout the world, giving us the opportunity to unite ourselves with Him. It is this mystery alone that can energise and empower each individual, each family, community and people to reach the fullness of life. This of course requires active participation in the Eucharistic celebration and reception of the Holy Spirit. We need that fire of love to burn within us because if it doesn’t it dies out.
Let us become aware of the living and life-giving real presence of the uninterrupted heartbeat of Jesus, the fountain of our salvation. How marvellously he has arranged to be with us always. He is truly “Emmanuel” God with us. Let us adore Him. Let us contemplate Him and meditate on all that is written concerning him in the Scriptures. Centred on the sacred heartbeat of Jesus, the way, the truth and the life, the ecclesial community will definitely become effective as the salt of the earth, the leaven in the dough and the light of the world. (Card. Telesphore Toppo) (Fides Service 31/5/2005 lines 48 words 620).
