Eucharist
o Jesus Christ is truly present in our midst. For Catholics, the Eucharist, or Holy Communion, (one of the three Sacraments of Initiation) is the most profound way we encounter the real presence of Jesus Christ.
o Comes from the Greek word : Eucaristia which means thanksgiving
Communion
o is a translation of the Greek koinōnía (κοινωνία), found in 1 Corinthians 10:16. The word κοινωνία is commonly translated "fellowship" in other contexts.
The signs of bread and wine
Ø signify the goodness of creation
Ø in the Offertory we give thanks to the Creator for bread and wine as gifts of the Creator
Ø In the Old Covenant bread and wine were offered in sacrifice among the first fruits of the earth as a sign of grateful acknowledgment to the Creator
