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49. A culture of sharing: truthful Eucharist
Ever since apostolic times, the Sunday gathering has in fact been for Christians a moment of fraternal sharing with the very poor. "On the first day of the week, each of you is to put aside and save whatever extra you earn" (1 Cor 16:2), says St Paul, referring to the collection organized for the poor churches of Judea. In the Sunday eucharist, the believing heart opens wide to embrace all aspects of the church. But the full range of the apostolic summons needs to be accepted: Far from trying to create a narrow 'gift' mentality, Paul calls rather for a demanding culture of sharing, to be lived not only among the members of the community itself but also in society as a whole. DD 70
In the early Church every Christian came to Sunday Eucharist with something to share: bread or wine, oil or clothes. Everyone, that is, except the widows and orphans or an itinerant or stranger who had nothing to give. These poor became the beneficiaries of the gifts - gifts that were brought to the table along with the bread and wine that would be blessed, broken and shared in Eucharistic communion. At the end of Eucharist the gifts not consumed were given to those in the community who needed them in the coming week. Sometimes these gifts were collected and given to other neighbouring needy communities. In this way the 'collection' referred to in the writing of Paul, was integral to the ritual action of the 'Lord's Supper' or 'Breaking of the Bread'.
Being aware of the needs, concerns, joys and hopes of others, has always found its source and meaning for Christians in the Sunday Eucharist. We gather to remember with praise and thanksgiving, the One who liberated us all through his death and resurrection. Our response is to liberate others as the sacrament of Christ in our world today. Our bishops offer us an annual reminder of this responsibility in the form of a social justice statement. This year they speak of Jesus, light for the world, and our call to live as bearers of that light. They remind us that it is our Christian responsibility to feed the hungry, clothe the naked, to visit the sick and imprisoned. This is our gospel call. This is also the only truthful and authentic response to Christ's invitation to 'do this in memory of me.'
Sunday Eucharist is authentic when it challenges us to serve others in the way of Christ. Throughout history, when a community did not witness to truthful eucharist: when the community was fragmented, or neglected its responsibility to serve Christ in the poor and the outcast, only then did church leaders need to intervene.
Each year we celebrate Social Justice Sunday and I ask myself: why is it that we have to dedicate one Sunday each year to social justice when the action of Eucharist calls us to justice every Sunday? Why is it that there is a small group in our community who dedicate their lives to caring for and serving the poor and disadvantaged under the banner of St Vincent de Paul, when all Christians are compelled by our Eucharistic memorial, to reach out and serve the needs of our sisters and brothers?
The early church did not need to dedicate a special Sunday to social justice. Neither did the early church need the St Vincent de Paul Society. The early church realised its responsibility Sunday after Sunday by gathering to take, bless, break and share the Body and Blood of Christ with the body of Christ.
49. A culture of sharing: truthful Eucharist
Dies Domini: Year of the Eucharist © 2005 by Carmel Pilcher rsj - Liturgy Office
Dr. Carmel Pilcher RSJ is Director of Liturgy for the Archdiocese of Sydney, consultant to the National Liturgical Commission of the Australian Catholic Bishops' Conference and President of the Australian Academy of Liturgy.
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