The Eucharist

On Wednesday of the Fourteenth week in Ordinary Time our Church invites us to first read and reflect on a scripture passage from the second book of Samuel (24:1-4, 10-18, 24b-25) entitled" The census of the people and the building of the altar". Our treasure, which follows, is from the ancient document entitled "The Teaching of the Twelve Apostles. The Didache meaning "Teaching" is the short name of a Christian manual compiled before 300AD. The full title is The Teaching of the Twelve Apostles. Some Christians thought Didache was inspired, but the church rejected it when making the final decision which books to include in the New Testament. Didache contained instructions for Christian groups; and its statement of belief may be the first written catechism. It has four parts: the first is the "Two Ways, the Way of Life and the Way of Death;" the second explains how to perform rituals such as baptism, fasting, and Communion; the third covers ministry and how to deal with traveling teachers; the fourth part is a reminder that Jesus is coming again, with quotations from several New Testament passages which exhort Christians to live godly lives and prepare for "that day." Our "treasure" from the section on the Eucharist in the Didache teaches that the Eucharist is the Church's sacred thanksgiving to God, celebrated by those who have been baptized and who are living in communion with Christ and His Church. It emphasizes approaching the Eucharist with a pure conscience, reconciling with others before offering worship, and giving thanks for the spiritual life and unity God has given through Jesus Christ. The prayers express gratitude for God's blessings and ask that, just as many grains are gathered into one loaf, believers may be gathered into one Church from the ends of the earth. The central message is that the Eucharist is both a sign and source of communion with Christ and one another, calling Christians to holiness, unity, and continual thanksgiving. Our first reading from the Second Book of Samuel teaches that pride and self-reliance lead to sin, while humble repentance opens the way to God's mercy. King David's decision to take a census reflected a temptation to place his confidence in military strength rather than in the Lord. After recognizing his sin, David accepted responsibility, sought God's forgiveness, and built an altar, refusing to offer God a sacrifice that cost him nothing. The passage reminds us that true worship requires a sincere heart and personal sacrifice, and that God's justice is always accompanied by His mercy toward those who repent. It also points forward to the importance of sacrificial worship, ultimately fulfilled in the perfect sacrifice of Christ on the Cross.