In honor of the Feast of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ (or Corpus Christi, the Body of Christ) celebrated this Sunday, here is a Eucharist IQ Quiz that I use in my workshops on the liturgy. You simply have to tell whether each statement is true or false. The answers are at the end. Don’t peek!
- The Eucharist is the source and summit of Christian life.
- The Mass is our highest form of worship.
- The word Eucharist means “thanksgiving.”
- Jesus gave us the Eucharist at the Last Supper. He told us to do it in remembrance of him. At Mass we remember his death and resurrection.
- At Mass the sacrifice Jesus offered at the Last Supper and on Calvary is re-presented.
- At Mass salvation goes on. Sin is atoned for, and the graces won are poured out on us.
- At the sacrifice of the Mass, Jesus is both the priest and the offering.
- At Mass we offer Jesus to the Father with him.
- At Mass we also offer ourselves to the Father.
- The sacred bread and wine are truly Jesus. This is called the Real Presence.
- Jesus is totally present in both the bread and the wine and in every part of each.
- The change of the bread and wine into Jesus (called transubstantiation) is brought about by the Holy Spirit through the words and actions of the priest.
- By consuming the food and drink that is Jesus, we become more like him.
- Jesus is present as long as the substances remain bread and wine.
- At Communion we are also united with the Mystical Body of Jesus: the Church.
- At the Eucharist we participate in heaven’s liturgy; angels and saints are present.
- The Eucharist is a sacrament of initiation. Only Church members can receive it.
- Bread and wine signify all God’s gifts of creation for which we give thanks.
- Bread and wine recall the Passover when God saved the chosen people from death by the blood of the lamb.
- The altar signifies that the Eucharist is a sacrifice and a meal.
- At Mass we feast at the table of the Word and the table of the Eucharist. It anticipates the heavenly feast.
- When we receive the Eucharist, our sins are forgiven.
- We prepare for Mass by being free from grave sin and by fasting for an hour.
24. We bow before receiving the Eucharist and respond Amen.
- The Eucharist is a gift of love from the Sacred Heart of Jesus.
Hopefully you have persevered through all twenty-five statements and you eventually realized that all of them were true. Yes, this is a trick quiz, but it also makes a fine study sheet on the Eucharist for students. The Eucharist, though, is no trick. Jesus really meant it when he said, “This is my body,” and “I will be with you always.” Isn’t his love for us outrageous? And aren’t we fortunate that we live in this century when we can receive Communion every day if we wish and not just with special permission as in former times!
Here is one of my favorite Eucharistic hymns (by David Haas):
https://youtu.be/UV6-Ib26bIQ
2 Responses
Sister Kathleen,
This is an excellent and concise explanation of the Eucharist. Each sentence helps us realize the beauty and gift Our Lord gives to us in this most holy sacrament. I am going to make a copy for my keeping file.
Thank you.
Mary Day
Thank YOU, Mary, for letting me know what this post meant to you. That encourages me to keep on writing them!