Eucharist

The sacrament of the Eucharist is when Christians remember the Last Supper.

The Eucharist is referred to by Catholics as Mass and it involves spiritually feeding participants with the body and blood of Christ.

According to the Catholic Church, the Eucharist is the source and summit of the Christian life(Catechism of the Catholic Church 1324). This means that Christian spirituality flows from the Eucharist (the source) and so Christian actions should be directed towards it (the summit). Every other sacrament is linked to the Eucharist.

Catholics, who place more importance on the bread and wine than some other denominations, may also celebrate the Eucharist more often than some other denominations, such as Methodists. This is because they see it as an essential way of sustaining their relationship with God.

Mass

During the service of Mass, prayers are said and Catholics confess their sins. They are given bread by the priest and wine from a shared cup.

Transubstantiation is a Catholic belief that the bread and the wine become the flesh and blood of Jesus Christ.

First Holy Communion

Children who are attending their First Holy Communion dress in smart clothes: the girls wear white dresses and the boys wear suits. They are usually aged about seven.

Children prepare for their First Holy Communion in school but the sacrament takes place in church and is usually followed by a party.

At their First Holy Communion, children are allowed to have bread in church for the first time. It is unusual for children receiving Holy Communion to be offered wine.

Question

Why is the Eucharist referred to as the “source and summit”?