Carmel Mission Basilica, Carmel-by-the-Sea, California
"The main purpose of this work is to trace elements of Eucharistic doctrine from the day our Lord Jesus Christ announced it for the first time in the synagogue in Capernaum (John, Chapter 6) down to our day." Rev. Roberto de la Vega, Archdiocese of Santa Fe, Eucharist Through The Centuries.
St. Hippolytus (died 235)
St. Hippolytus was a priest in Rome. The most important work of St. Hippolytus is called the "Apostolic Tradition." This contains the text of a Eucharistic Prayer, the oldest such text ever discovered. It was offered as a model text for Mass in Rome. Today our Eucharistic Prayer 2 is based on a model of this text which follows:
"The Lord be with you. And with thy spirit. Lift up your hearts. We have lifted them unto the Lord. Let us give thanks to God. It is right and just....taking bread and giving thanks to Thee, said: 'Take, eat, this is My Body, which shall be crushed for you.' Likewise the chalice also, saying: 'This is My Blood, which is poured out for you. When you do this, you make a commemoration of Me.' Mindful, therefore, of His death and resurrection, we offer to Thee the Bread and Chalice, giving thanks that thou has held us worthy to stand before thee and to minister to Thee. And we beg that Thou send the Holy Spirit over the oblation of the holy Church. Bringing them together, grant to all who partake of the holy Things a fullness of the Holy Spirit and the confirmation of the faith in truth, so that we may praise and glorify Thee, the Father, and the Son, together wit the Holy Spirit in Thy holy Church now and forever. Amen."
Origen (died c. 215)
Born in Alexandria on the coast of Egypt, thousands of works have been attributed to Origen that his writing has earned him the name of "man of steel." The following are two of Origen's writings on the Eucharist:
Concerning the care that must be taken when receiving Holy Communion in the hand. "You are aware that, when you assist at the divine mysteries and receive the body of the Lord, you guard it with every precaution and veneration in order that not even a particle of it falls to the floor, lest part of the consecrated gift be lost."
On the proper disposition of ones soul to receive Holy Communion. "In the first place observe that, when Jesus was about to give the loaves of benediction to the disciples to give to the multitude, 'he cured the sick,' so that having been restored to health, they partook of the loaves of benediction. Those who are sick are not capable of receiving the loaves of benediction. And further, if anyone should hear the words, 'Let each one examine himself and so eat the bread,' and he pays no attention to those words, but inconsiderately partakes of the bread of the Lord and his chalice, he becomes weak or sick or dies."
St. Cyprian (died 258 )
St. Cyprian was born into a wealthy pagan family in Carthage a city on the northern coast of Africa in what is now Tunisia. He was plagued by a constant dissatisfaction in life until he studied the Christian faith. Baptized into the Church when he was around 35 years old, he became a priest a few years later and then bishop of Carthage. St. Cyprian died a martyr during persecutions of Christians during the reign of Valerian the Elder in Rome.
The following are some of the surviving writings of St. Cyprian regarding the Eucharist:
On the custom of mixing water with wine at the Last Supper.
"In the consecration of the chalice of the Lord one cannot offer only water nor only wine. Because if one offers only wine, the blood of Christ begins to be present without us; and if there be only water, the people begin to be present without Christ."
"It is clear that there is not offered the blood of Christ, if the chalice lacks wine. Nor is the sacrifice of the Lord celebrated with proper sanctification, if the immolation and sacrifice of ourselves is not united to his suffering."
On the conduct of sacrilegious persons, who knowingly receive Holy Communion without the proper disposition of the soul.
"The person gets angry with the priests, when he cannot promptly receive the body of the Lord with contaminated hands or drink the blood of the Lord with polluted mouth."
"It is with reverential fear and with honor that the Eucharist is to be received."
A man with improper disposition of soul received the Host in his hand and when he went to place the Host in his mouth, it had turned to ash. St. Cyprian's remarks on this event: "From the testimony about that man it is clear that the Lord withdraws when he is denied, and that when one is not disposed, what he receives profits him nothing for salvation. When the Holy One withdraws, saving grace turns into ashes."
St. Cyprian's commentary on the Our Father, 'Give us this day our daily bread.' "We ask that every day there be given to us our bread, that is, Christ, so that we who remain and live in Christ do not withdraw from his sanctification and his body."
Praise and glory, honor and thanksgiving to our Eucharistic King now and forever. Amen
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