Celebrating 150 Years, The Diocese of Hamilton

Eucharist and Scripture: Celebrating the Body of Christ

A Group Study Resource

This resource has been created to help people in reflecting on the meaning of the Eucharist with the aid of the scriptures. It is designed to be used with small groups.

The five-session series could be used over five consecutive weeks during a specific time period such as Lent, or it may be used more informally. Each session takes a particular New Testament passage and provides a simple outline with prayer and reflection questions to be used as an aid for group discussion and reflection.

Overview of each session:

• Sign of the Cross
• Hymn (optional, to be selected by facilitator)
• Opening Prayer
• Focus Question (to prompt discussion by the group in preparation for hearing the Word of God)
• Passage (the selected scripture passage is read by one of the participants)
• Reflection Questions:
  • Meaning - reflect on the meaning of the passage itself
  • Eucharist - reflect on the connection between the passage and the Eucharist
  • Action - help participants to consider some possible action
• Intercessions: People are invited to share any special intentions that they wish the group to pray for
• Lord’s Prayer
• Anniversary Prayer: The session concludes with the prayer for the 150th Anniversary of the Diocese of Hamilton. A copy of the prayer should be made available for each participant.

Set up and preparation suggestions:

• A room should be prepared with comfortable seating set up in a circle or semi-circle.
• Each participant should have a copy of the session outline.
• Have the Bible reading prepared and a reader selected. You may want to make a copy of the reading for each participant.

Other options:

• You may want to extend the fellowship with refreshments after each session, or a concluding pot luck meal after the final session.
• Participants may also decide to attend a weekday Mass together before or after each session.
• Groups who would like to continue studying together after these sessions are completed may want to use the gospels for Sunday Mass. Members of the group could prepare questions for reflection and the opening prayer could come from the Sunday Mass.

Session 1: Multiplication of the Loaves
Session 2: Washing of the Feet
Session 3: The Institution of the Eucharist
Session 4: Road to Emmaus
Session 5: The Living Bread from Heaven
Closing: Anniversary Prayer

Session 1: Multiplication of the Loaves

(Luke 9:11-17)

1. Sign of the Cross

2. Hymn (optional)

3. Opening Prayer: Lord Jesus Christ, you give us your body and blood in the eucharist as a sign that even now we share your life. May we come to possess it completely in the kingdom where you live for ever and ever. Amen. (Prayer After Communion, Feast of Corpus Christi)

4. Focus Question: Think about some major decision you had to make in your life. (Career choice, marriage, education, health, family, move, etc.) Did you pray over the decision? Were there some ways in which God provided for you? How and through whom did you experience God’s loving care and concern?

5. Passage: Luke 9:11-17 (Multiplication of the Loaves)

6. Reflection Questions:

Meaning: How does Jesus view the crowd? How do the disciples view the crowd? What is difference in how they view the crowd and why? How would you describe the crowd?

Eucharist: What actions or words in this story remind you of something in the celebration of the Eucharist?

Action: “You give them something to eat” In what concrete way in the next week are you able to “feed” the needs of someone in your family, parish or community? Is there something you can do to assist those who are hungry or needy in your parish or community?

7. Intercessions: Response - “Lord hear our prayer”

Let us present our intentions to the Living God.

For the universal Church, that the Eucharist will continue to be a source of unity building us up into the body of Christ. We pray to the Lord.

For the Diocese of Hamilton, that our 150th Anniversary will be a time of thanksgiving and that God may continue to bless us. We pray to the Lord.

For our own local parish, that we will experience the presence of the Risen Lord Jesus among us each Sunday as we gather for the Eucharist. We pray to the Lord.

People are invited to share any special intentions that they wish the group to pray for. When everyone has had time to share their intentions, the groups concludes with the Lord’s Prayer.

Lord’s Prayer

8. Anniversary Prayer

(John 13:1-15)

1. Sign of the Cross

2. Hymn (optional)

3. Opening Prayer: Lord Jesus Christ, we worship you living among us in the sacrament of your body and blood. May we offer to our Father in heaven a solemn pledge of undivided love. May we offer to our brothers and sisters a life poured out in loving service of that kingdom where you live with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen

(Alternative Opening Prayer, Feast of Corpus Christi)

4. Focus Question: When you are tired or stressed, what are some things that you like to do in order to be refreshed?

5. Passage: John 13:1-15 (Washing of the Feet)

6. Reflection Questions:

Meaning: Why was Peter upset with Jesus? What was Jesus trying to teach his disciples?

Eucharist: What is the connection between washing people’s feet and celebrating the Eucharist?

Action: What would it mean to practise foot washing: ...in your family, ... in your parish, ... at work or school, ... in your community?

7. Intercessions: Response - “Lord hear our prayer”

Let us present our intentions to the Living God.

For the universal Church, that the Eucharist will continue to be a source of unity building us up into the body of Christ. We pray to the Lord.

For the Diocese of Hamilton, that our 150th Anniversary will be a time of thanksgiving and that God may continue to bless us. We pray to the Lord.

For our own local parish, that we will experience the presence of the Risen Lord Jesus among us each Sunday as we gather for the Eucharist. We pray to the Lord.

People are invited to share any special intentions that they wish the group to pray for. When everyone has had time to share their intentions, the groups concludes with the Lord’s Prayer.

Lord’s Prayer

8. Anniversary Prayer

(1 Corinthians 11:23-29)

1. Sign of the Cross

2. Hymn (optional)

3. Opening Prayer: Father, all-powerful and ever-living God, we do well always and everywhere to give you thanks through Jesus Christ our Lord. At the last supper, as he sat at table with his apostles, he offered himself to you as the spotless lamb, the acceptable gift that gives us this memorial of his passion to bring us its saving power until the end of time. In this great sacrament you feed your people and strengthen them in holiness, so that the human family may come to walk in the light of one faith, in one communion of love. We come then to this wonderful sacrament to be fed at your table and grow into the likeness of the risen Christ.

We adore and praise you for ever. Amen. (See Preface of the Holy Eucharist II)

4. Focus Question: Remember back to your own first Holy Communion. What do you remember of that experience (positive and/or negative)? How did your family celebrate?

5. Passage: 1 Corinthians 11:23-29 (Institution of the Eucharist)

6. Reflection Questions:

Meaning: What message is St. Paul giving to the Corinthians? What is his concern about how they gathered for the Lord’s Supper? When St. Paul speaks of those who “eat and drink without discerning the body,...” (1Cor. 11:29), who or what is the “body” to which he is referring?

Eucharist: How do you “examine yourself” in preparation for the Lord’s Supper? How does the Eucharist build up the body of Christ?

Action: What do I need to do or change so that I do not eat the bread of the Lord in an unworthy manner? Who within your community, parish or family are forgotten or ignored? How can you or your parish reach out to them?

7. Intercessions: Response - “Lord hear our prayer”

Let us present our intentions to the Living God.

For the universal Church, that the Eucharist will continue to be a source of unity building us up into the body of Christ. We pray to the Lord.

For the Diocese of Hamilton, that our 150th Anniversary will be a time of thanksgiving and that God may continue to bless us. We pray to the Lord.

For our own local parish, that we will experience the presence of the Risen Lord Jesus among us each Sunday as we gather for the Eucharist. We pray to the Lord.

People are invited to share any special intentions that they wish the group to pray for. When everyone has had time to share their intentions, the groups concludes with the Lord’s Prayer.

Lord’s Prayer

8. Anniversary Prayer

Session 4: Road to Emmaus

(Luke 24:13-35)

1. Sign of the Cross

2. Hymn (optional)

3. Opening Prayer: Lord Jesus Christ, you gave us the eucharist as the memorial of your suffering and death. May our worship of this sacrament of your body and blood help us to experience the salvation you won for us and the peace of the kingdom where you live with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. (Opening Prayer, Feast of Corpus Christi)

4. Focus Question: Many mystics speak of the “dark night of the soul.” Other spiritual writers speak about being “in the desert.” Have you worked and believed in some project that came to an abrupt and painful end? Have you ever experienced the absence of God, a sense of being lost or hopeless? (eg. Lost a job, divorce, sickness, death, betrayal, etc.) What helped you to overcome your despair and start over again?

5. Passage: Luke 24:13-35 (Road to Emmaus)

6. Reflection Questions:

Meaning: Why do you think the disciples did not recognize Jesus? What opened their eyes to recognize him?

Eucharist: “Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?” Do you have a favourite passage of scripture that you would turn to if you were facing difficult times? What could you do to allow the Liturgy of the Word at the Sunday Eucharist touch you more powerfully?

Action: “Stay with us Lord” The disciples invited Jesus to come in with them. In what practical ways can you “invite” Jesus to stay with you in the coming week?

7. Intercessions: Response - “Lord hear our prayer”

Let us present our intentions to the Living God.

For the universal Church, that the Eucharist will continue to be a source of unity building us up into the body of Christ. We pray to the Lord.

For the Diocese of Hamilton, that our 150th Anniversary will be a time of thanksgiving and that God may continue to bless us. We pray to the Lord.

For our own local parish, that we will experience the presence of the Risen Lord Jesus among us each Sunday as we gather for the Eucharist. We pray to the Lord.

People are invited to share any special intentions that they wish the group to pray for. When everyone has had time to share their intentions, the groups concludes with the Lord’s Prayer.

Lord’s Prayer

8. Anniversary Prayer

(John 6:51-59)

1. Sign of the Cross

2. Hymn (optional)

3. Opening Prayer: Lord, you renew us with the food and drink of salvation. May the blood of our Saviour be for us a fountain of water springing up to eternal life. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen (Prayer After Communion, Votive Mass of the Precious Blood)

4. Focus Question: Describe what would be your favourite meal? With whom would you want to share that meal? What is your own personal understanding or image of Heaven?

5. Passage: John 6:51-59 (The Living Bread from Heaven)

6. Reflection Questions:

Meaning: In our world today, what are some main reasons people have for following Jesus? What is your main reason for following Jesus?

Eucharist: What is your daily spiritual food? What do you find to be the most satisfying aspect of the Sunday Eucharist?

Action: In what ways will you plan to spend time with Jesus? Where, when, how?

7. Intercessions: Response - “Lord hear our prayer”

Let us present our intentions to the Living God.

For the universal Church, that the Eucharist will continue to be a source of unity building us up into the body of Christ. We pray to the Lord.

For the Diocese of Hamilton, that our 150th Anniversary will be a time of thanksgiving and that God may continue to bless us. We pray to the Lord.

For our own local parish, that we will experience the presence of the Risen Lord Jesus among us each Sunday as we gather for the Eucharist. We pray to the Lord.

People are invited to share any special intentions that they wish the group to pray for. When everyone has had time to share their intentions, the groups concludes with the Lord’s Prayer.

Lord’s Prayer

8. Anniversary Prayer

Diocese of Hamilton 150th Anniversary Prayer

We rejoice, O God,
that you have called us to be your Church
in the Diocese of Hamilton.

We thank you for the abundant blessings
you have bestowed upon us
during the past one hundred and fifty years.

Confirm us in the faith
of those who have gone before us.

Empower us by your Spirit
to meet the challenges of our day.

Continue to sustain us on our journey,
with the Body and Blood of your Son,
until we come at last to our eternal home
in the company of Mary, Mother of the Living.

We ask this through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen.

(c) Diocese of Hamilton - 2005