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Section 3: The Upper Room
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Do this in memory of me: the institution of Holy Orders
Dear brothers and sisters, we cannot meditate on the mystery of the Holy Eucharist without meditating on another great mystery: holy priesthood. The truth is that the simple words – “Do this in memory of me” – had the power to institute not just one Sacrament but two! As Monsignor Vaghi reminds us, the Sacrament of Holy Orders was also born in the Upper Room:
There is an inseparable link between the Eucharist and Holy Orders – these two wonderful gifts of the Lord Jesus from the Upper Room. At the altar, the priest reminds us daily of Christ’s ultimate act of love for us on the cross... There could be no greater gift from our Lord Jesus than the privilege and vocation of the priesthood – this service for his holy people.
By the power of the Holy Spirit, the priest prays the words of consecration at every Mass – in the person of Christ – “Make holy, therefore, these gifts, we pray, by sending down your Spirit upon them like the dewfall, so that they may become for us the Body and Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ.” As such, without the priest, there can be no Eucharist – this bread of life and cup of eternal salvation. It is at once the priest’s most unique privilege and obligation – the celebration of the Eucharist, which is the source and summit of our lives as Catholic Christians.
The priesthood and the Eucharist are thus truly lasting legacies of the Upper Room.
It is for this reason that I call on all priests to help me respond to the appeal of the Synod Members to promote the “beauty, form and meaning” of the Mass among all God’s holy people. As you know, this also goes to the heart of your priestly vocation: “Let priests take care so to foster a knowledge of and facility in the liturgy, that by their own liturgical ministry Christian communities entrusted to their care may ever more perfectly give praise to God, the Father, and Son, and Holy Spirit” (Decree on the Ministry and Life of Priests Presbyterorum Ordinis 5).
Perhaps, therefore, it would be good to meditate together briefly on the aforementioned dimensions of the celebration of the Eucharist according to the mind of the Church and especially as expressed by Pope Francis.
(Source: archspmmainsite/Synod_Pastoral+Letter)
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