St. Justin Martyr, on the Eucharist

• St. Justin Martyr provided one of the earliest descriptions of the Mass in his First Apology, written between 153 and 155 A.D.  See https://www.wordonfire.org/articles/contributors/st-justin-martyr-on-the-eucharist-and-the-ancient-mass/

On Mixing a Little Water with the Wine prior to the Consecration

• With joined hands, the priest moves to the Epistle corner. He takes the chalice by the stem with his left hand and wipes the inside with the purificator, which be then hangs over his left thumb. With his right hand, he takes the wine cruet and pours almost half the wine into the chalice, saying nothing.
• Making the Sign of the Cross over the water cruet, the priest begins the prayer Deus, qui humánæ substántiæ. At the words per hujus aquæ, he takes the cruet and pours a drop or two into the chalice. This custom, mentioned by St. Justin Martyr early in the second century, symbolises the union of Christ’s human and divine natures, as well as the union of Christ with the faithful. As the priest says the Holy Name, he bows towards the Cross.
  • SOURCE: https://aomoi.net/odv/tlm/rubrics_62_missal.htm

Some Statistics

• The Pew Research Center: Just one-third of U.S. Catholics agree with their church that Eucharist is body, blood of Christ
• Do we have the right to receive Holy Communion on the tongue?
  • General Instruction on the Roman Missal 161
    • 161. If Communion is given only under the species of bread, the priest raises the host slightly and shows it to each, saying, Corpus Christi (The Body of Christ). The communicant replies, Amen, and receives the Sacrament either on the tongue or, where this is allowed and if the communicant so chooses, in the hand. As soon as the communicant receives the host, he or she consumes it entirely.

Mysterium Fidei

• Mysterium Fidei (The Mystery of Faith)
  • Immediately after the Consecration, the priest proclaims the words “Mysterium Fidei”, or “The Mystery of Faith”. He does not say, “Let us proclaim the Mystery of Faith”. What does he mean?
    • MYSTERIUM FIDEI, ENCYCLICAL OF POPE PAUL VI ON THE HOLY EUCHARIST, SEPTEMBER 3, 1965
    • Mystery of Faith, Catholic News Service
  • However, from 1973-2011, the words, “Mysterium Fidei” were translated into English in the Roman Missal as “Let us proclaim the Mystery of Faith.” This was corrected in 2011. https://straymonds.org/september-25-2011/

A Short Primer on Substance and Accidents

Eucharistic Prayer II

You are indeed Holy, O Lord, the fount of all holiness. 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…

The “dewfall” is an allusion to the manna in the desert from the Book of Exodus!

¹³ In the evening, quail came up and covered the camp. In the morning there was a layer of dew all about the camp, ¹⁴ and when the layer of dew evaporated, fine flakes were on the surface of the wilderness, fine flakes like hoarfrost on the ground. ¹⁵ On seeing it, the Israelites asked one another, “What is this?” for they did not know what it was. But Moses told them, “It is the bread which the Lord has given you to eat.

Exodus 16:13-15

A few links to Eucharistic miracles

Lanciano (8th Century)
https://catholicexchange.com/the-ancient-eucharistic-miracle-at-lanciano/

Sokolka (21st Century)
https://aleteia.org/2017/09/23/the-eucharistic-miracle-of-sokolka-the-host-is-tissue-from-heart-of-a-dying-man/

20th & 21st Century
https://www.ncregister.com/features/three-eucharistic-miracles-which-cases-have-undergone-the-most-extensive-scientific-analysis?amp

Short article which includes a miracle from the 14th Century in addition to Lanciano and Buenos Aires
https://ucatholic.com/blog/3-unbelievable-but-true-miracles-of-the-eucharist/

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