This is so important for all Catholics to know and understand!
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It’sthe“sourceandsummitoftheChristianlife”!
TheMassisextremelyimportanttotheChristianlife.Assuch,theChurchhasdevelopedanumberofdifferentnamestorefertoit,allofwhichcapturesomeimportantaspectofit.
TheCatechismoftheCatholicChurchlistsandexplains11suchnames(CCC1328-1332).Morenamesarepartofourtradition,butthefollowingareparticularlyimportant.
Herearethe11namestheCatechismgivesfortheMass:1)EucharistTheGreekwordthiscomesfrommeans“thanksgiving.”TheMassisanactofthanksgivingtoGod–thebestwecangive!
2)Lord’sSupperTheCatechismprovidestwoexplanationsofthisname:first,becauseoftheMass’connectiontoChrist’s“LastSupper”;second, becausetheMassanticipatestheweddingfeastoftheLambinHeaven.
3)BreakofBreadFirst,JesususedapartoftheJewishPassovertraditioninvolvingthebreakingofbreadtoinstitutetheEucharist.Second,hisdisciplesontheroadtoEmmaus“recognizedhiminthebreakingofthebread”(cf.Luke24.35).Lastly,thisishowearlyChristiansrefer
