I appreciated the video!! How would you explain to a nonCatholic “you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes (1 Cor. 11:26)” means more than just recalling, preaching, teaching, or speaking about the Lord?
… I wish some of you who are clearly well-read on this subject would address this question. I can come up with a basic response, but the more info, the better.
Jupiter/Lisa,
Proclaiming the Lord’s death (“preaching Christ crucified”) does involve recalling, preaching, teaching and speaking about the passion, death and resurection of our Lord. We Catholics can agree with our separated brethren about that. BUT there is a VITAL difference in how we understand the meaning and purpose of “recalling” (or “remembering”) versus how they understand it (merely superficially).
Many non Catholic Christians “play” at the “Lord’s Supper” with crackers and grape juice, totally unaware of the ghastly mimicry that that constitutes against the Most Holy Eucharistic Sacrifice of Christ’s Passover, which He commanded us to celebrate “in remembrance” (or “in memory”) of Him. That is because they are tragically un-tutored about the deepest meaning, significance and purpose of “remembering” in Scripture.
In Scripture, “remembering”, insofar as it involves a transcendant being or event, actually means, at a deeper level, to make that being or event present again, in current time and space. For most people, “remembering” simply means “calling to mind” or “thinking about” someone or something. But not so with those who understand the full import of the word as it is used in certain places in Scripture.
When we celebrate the Eucharist, and the duly ordained ministerial priest repeats (*in persona Christi *- in the person of Christ our High Priest Himself) the words of consecration which He spoke at that definitive and ETERNAL Passover sacrifice, “in remembrance” of Christ’s very own words and actions, that time-transcending sacrifice (and Christ Himself) once again become truly PRESENT on the altar.
Here are a couple of analogies which might help to clarify the phenomenon.
When the good thief on the cross (St Dismas) said to Jesus, “Lord,
remember me when you come into your kingdom,” Jesus didn’t say in reply, “Sure, I’ll remember you in heaven… I’ll keep you in mind… I’ll think about you…” No, Jesus, responded with a very telling and intriguing assurance: “This day you shall *be with me *in paradise!” Yes, Jesus was saying, I will indeed “remember” you - by making you PRESENT to Me in heaven!
When we (Catholics) pray at Mass for the souls of the departed, we say, “Lord,
remember those who have died, and have gone before us marked with the sign of faith…” By praying thus, what are we asking God to do? Are we simply asking Him to “think about” our deceased brothers and sisters or simply keep them in His mind? Of course not! What we’re asking is that they be given to enjoy the Beatific Vision, be brought into His PRESENCE, before His throne of glory! That is why we add, “May these, and all who sleep in Christ, find in your
presence light, happiness, and peace.”
This “actualizing” (re-"present"ing) aspect of “remembering” a transcendent person or event comes to us from a deep sense of time-and-space-transcendent divine mysteries within Judaism itself. So, when Jesus says, “Do this in remembrance of me,” what He is really saying is “Celebrate the Eucharist as a ‘remembrance’ of all that I have done for you and given (up) for you. And each time you undertake that act of “remembering”, I will really and truly be
present to you in the bread and the wine, just as I am offering my body and blood right here and now to you, to partake unto eternal life! In and through the Eucharist, *all *of my disciples, unto the end of time, will have this *same *Gift, of Myself… will have me fully present to them, just as I am here fully present to you! For indeed, this is why I came: that they (all my disciples) might have LIFE (i.e. have Me, who, in myself, **am **The Life!) and have “it” to the FULL (i.e. have Me in my fullness - Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity!)”
*“Christian liturgy not only recalls the events that saved us but actualizes them, makes them present. The Paschal mystery of Christ is celebrated, not repeated. It is the celebrations that are repeated, and in each celebration there is an outpouring of the Holy Spirit that makes the unique mystery present.” *- Catechism of the Catholic Church #1104
Here’s an interesting tidbit to conclude: The very word “god” is derived from an ancient Teutonic (Germanic) expression which means “to invoke (the presence of a deity) with sacrifice”. Go figure!
God bless y’all. And 'ave a good Son-day, won’t you?
Francis
