Eucharistic Communions as a Christian Contribution to Society
- 4
- Charles Morerod, OP
- St. Paul Center for Biblical Theology
- Steubenville, OH
- 2006 AD
Charles Morerod asks how the Eucharist contributes to society beyond building the Church and rejects reducing it to a social or aesthetic experience. Drawing on Saint Thomas Aquinas, he presents its spiritual effects: communion with Christ, healing of the roots of sin, reconciliation, and a foretaste of eternal life. The Eucharist makes Christ's sacrifice present and unites the Church on earth with saints and angels in heaven. Because God desires human unity, Eucharistic communion counters divisions caused by sin and forms citizens who can place the common good above immediate self-interest. It transforms culture by cultivating dialogue, gratitude, and service, and strengthens the capacity for sacrifice. The discussion contrasts Catholic sacramental and anthropological perspectives with Reformation-era views and considers Protestant concerns raised by ecumenical documents in the 1980s. Divine action works through human instruments, while the sacraments provide spiritual help in harmony with human nature.
Read more