I have already discussed the celebration of the Paschal (Passover) Mystery in the Mass (HERE). But again briefly, Christ calls us to "pass over" from sin and selfishness to a new life of sacrificial, self-giving love. He has made this passover from Death to Resurrection for us and this we call his Paschal (Passover) Mystery. The heart of this Mystery is the Dying and Rising of Christ.
"The Paschal mystery has two aspects: by his death, Christ liberates us from sin; by his Resurrection, he opens for us the way to a new life." (Catechism #645)
We are immersed in his Paschal Mystery at our Baptism and the pattern of our Christian life is to die to sin and selfishness and rise up to live a life of sacrificial love. (The word "Baptism" means "immerse" or "wash" in the original Greek)
"Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? Therefore we have been buried with him by baptism into death, so that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life." (Romans 6:3-4)
Now we are unable by our own power to live the Paschal Mystery. We find it very hard to die to sin and selfishness. But the good news is that living the Dying and Rising of Jesus is not meant to be accomplished on our own. Baptism unites us to Christ and the Holy Spirit is given to us to empower us to live the life of Christ. As the Catechism reassures us:
"Christ enables us to live in him all that he himself lived, and he lives it in us... We are called only to become one with him, for he enables us as the members of his Body to share in what he lived for us in his flesh as our model:
"We must continue to accomplish in ourselves the stages of Jesus' life and his mysteries and often to beg him to perfect and realize them in us and in his whole Church. . . For it is the plan of the Son of God to make us and the whole Church partake in his mysteries and to extend them to and continue them in us and in his whole Church. This is his plan for fulfilling his mysteries in us." (#521)
The life of Christ is both a gift and a task given to us. A gift in that Christ lives in us. A task on our part to be continually cooperative with his life in us. Even in this "the Spirit helps us in our weakness." (Romans 8:26)
Now it makes sense that when we receive the Crucified and Risen Christ in Holy Communion, we are also receiving his life, his Paschal Mystery within us. As quoted already, the Catechism associates the Paschal Mystery with the liberation of sin and the opening up of a new life. (Catechism #645) In the words of Consecration over the wine, recall that the blood of Christ is "poured out for you and for many for the forgiveness of sins." This is one of the "fruits" of Holy Communion, as taught by the Church:
"Holy Communion separates us from sin. The body of Christ we receive in Holy Communion is "given up for us," and the blood we drink 'shed for the many for the forgiveness of sins.' For this reason the Eucharist cannot unite us to Christ without at the same time cleansing us from past sins and preserving us from future sins:
" ‘For as often as we eat this bread and drink the cup, we proclaim the death of the Lord. If we proclaim the Lord's death, we proclaim the forgiveness of sins. If, as often as his blood is poured out, it is poured for the forgiveness of sins, I should always receive it, so that it may always forgive my sins. Because I always sin, I should always have a remedy.’(St. Ambrose)" (Catehism#1393)
Note: If one is in serious sin, one should go to Confession before receiving Holy Communion." (For more on this go HERE)
When we receive Holy Communion, therefore, we can call to mind that we are being put in communion with the Dying and Rising of Christ, his Paschal Mystery, which includes the forgiveness of sin and the beginning of the new life, the Risen life, of Christ in us.
Next week: The Communion Rite Part 6: Communion in the Love of God.
