CatholicTheologicalSocietyofAmerica

Liturgy/SacramentsTopicSession AnEatenChurch:CelebratingtheEucharistasFragments Takingitspromptfromtheuseofklasmata(fragments)intheeucharisticprayerofthe didache,thispaperwilllooktothesixgospelaccountsofthefeedingmiracles(Mt14:1321,Mk 6:3144,Lk9:1017,Jn6:515Mk8:19andMt15:3239)assourcesforconstructingan ecclesiologyandatheologyofministrythatarerootedintherelationshipbetweenliturgyand ethics.Byidentifyingthechurchwiththefoodeatenandidentifyingtheministerialpriesthoodwith theapostleswhodistributebrokenbreadandgathertheremainingfragments,thesacramental relationshipbetweenthechurchandtheworldisseentohaveanintrinsicethicalcomponent. Eucharisticcelebrationsareunifyingmomentswhenfragmentsaregatheredtogetherandmade intoawhole.However,thisunificationisonlypossiblebecauseeucharisticcelebrationsarealso momentsoffragmentationwheretheunifiedbodyisbrokensothatitcanfeedthosehungering forChrist. Examinationofthefeedingmiraclesallowsustoidentifysomenecessarycharacteristics ofauthenticeucharisticcelebration.First,ecclesiologicallyspeaking,thesestoriesemphasize thenecessarilyhistoricalandculturalparticularityofauthenticeucharisticcelebrations.Jesus asksHowmanyloaveshaveyou?Goandsee.(Mk6:38,cf.Mk8:5,Mt15:34)Second,the natureofeucharisticsacrificeisintrinsicallyethical.ThedidachesidentificationofGodsPeople withklasmata(cf.chapter9)impliesanintrinsicrelationalitytotheChurchsbeing.Weare gatheredtogetheraseatenfragments.TouseChauvetswords,thechurchsesseisan adesse. Further,inlightoftheseecclesiologicalinsights,weareabletoidentifysomenecessary characteristicsoftheministerialpriesthood.Thevocationoftheministerialpriesthoodisto facilitatetherelationshipbetweenthechurch(thefood)andtheworld(thehungry).Such facilitationiscarriedoutintwoprimaryways:gatheringanddistribution.Theactofgatheringis analogoustotheadintrapastoralcareneededtoformanassemblyoutofbrokencommunities. GatheringfacilitatesthePeopleofGodsjourneytowardstheunifyingaltarwherewearemade onebyChrist.Theactofdistributionisanalogoustotheadextrasocialleadershipwherebya pastorhelpstoformthecommunityintotheauthenticallyevangelicalpresenceofChristtothe world.DistributionfacilitatesthePeopleofGodsjourneyfromthealtarasabodybrokenforthe world.Togetherthesefundamentalactionsoftheministerialpriesthoodconstitutethecontext fromwhichthefourfoldsacramentalactionsperformedinpersonaChristi(i.e.take,bless, break,give)derivetheirsignificance. Thispaperseekstounderstandwhatitmeanstoliveandcelebrateasaperpetually fragmentedchurch.Toovercomeourfragmentationduringtheeucharist,evenifonly momentarily,wemustconfrontthepluralityofourhistorical/culturalcontextsandthedemands withwhichtheyconfrontus.Thescandalofpluralityisnotaccidental.Itisonlyincelebratingour fragmentationthatweareabletocelebrateourunity.