The Eucharist: A Bible Study Guide for Catholics

by Mitch Pacwa

""They devoted themselves to the teachings of the apostles and to the communal life, to the breaking of the bread and to the prayers"" -- Acts 2:42It is called the "source and summit" of our Catholic faith - The Holy Eucharist. But do we really understand its true meaning? In Fr. Mitch Pacwa's The A Bible Study Guide for Catholics you will see the essential connection between the Eucharist and the Scriptures, and through reflection and discussion you'll learn to apply the principles in your own life.In this study you will find answers to these questions and Where do we see symbols of the Eucharist in the Old Testament?How do the Old Testament sacrifices prefigure Christ's sacrifice?What did Jesus mean when he said "Do this in remembrance of me"?Why is Jesus called the Lamb of God?How do we meet Jesus in the breaking of the bread?

Perfect for group or individual study, The Eucharist will change the way you look at the Mass and allow you to meet Jesus as transformed by his gift of life.

Genres: Catholic, Faith

106 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 22, 2013

About the author

Fr. Mitchell "Mitch" Pacwa , S.J., is a Jesuit priest. He is bi-ritual, meaning that he can celebrate liturgy in both the Roman and Maronite rites. He is President and Founder of Ignatius Productions. He has taught at the University of Dallas and Loyola University and is now the Senior Fellow of the St. Paul Center for Biblical Theology.

Fr. Pacwa earned his Ph.D. in Old Testament from Vanderbilt University. He also holds a Master of Divinity and S.T.B. from the Jesuit School of Theology at Loyola University. He is an accomplished linguist speaking several ancient languages, including Latin, Koine Greek, Hebrew, Aramaic, and Ugaritic, as well as the modern languages of German, Spanish, Polish, Hebrew, Arabic, French, and Italian.

Father Pacwa is author of Catholics and the New Age: How Good People Are Being Drawn into Jungian Psychology the Enneagram and the Age of Aquarius (1992), Forgive Me Father for I Am Frustrated: Growing in Your Faith Even When It Isn’t Easy Being Catholic (1997), published by Servant Books. Holy Land Prayer Book (2004) published by Ignatius Productions and co-authored with Sean Brown, Go In Peace: Your Guide to the Purpose and Power of Confession (2007) published by Ascension Press, and Saint Paul: A Study Guide for Catholics (2008) published by Our Sunday Visitor, Saint Paul on the Power of the Cross (2008)

Reviews

[May It Glorify Christ · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed it.

I have a new understanding and appreciation for the Mass and Eucharist celebration that I never would have gotten without this book. This is a book that I will probably read a second time. Father Mitch Pacwa is a great writer and easy to read.

[Tom Wascoe · Rating 2 out of 5]

Dry, not inspiring at all. To be fair, the subtitle of the book is "A Bible Study Guide for Catholics". It is definitely a study guide for group discussion. Be sure you have your Bible.

[Joan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fr. Mitch Pacwa is my favorite priest and teacher. I will read anything he writes. I hang on his every word.

[Stuart · Rating 5 out of 5]

Most people probably know Fr. Pacwa from one of his numerous shows on EWTN. However, he is also the author of several other Bible study books including one on The Year of Faith and another on St. Paul. In "The Eucharist," Fr. Pacwa helps us understand the true meaning of this Blessed Sacrament. We first start by seeing how it compares to the Old Testament sacrifice and then move on to the actual words of sacrifice used in both the New Testament and the Mass.

This book also discusses the parallels between the Eucharist and Passover while also explaining Christ's priesthood. The most fascinating part to me, though, was the section devoted to Jesus' words, "Eat my Body and Drink my Blood." This Biblical passage is definitely a stumbling block for many today and was in Jesus' day as well. I definitely believe that the Eucharist becomes the actual Body and Blood of Jesus, but this section helped me appreciate the Scriptural evidence of it even more.

I love Fr. Pacwa's Bible studies. They are straightforward and, unlike other studies, all you need is his book and a Bible. Divided into six sections, one could easily complete this study in a week. However, you could also choose to only do one section a week if you are crunched for time. If you want to understand the Jewish roots of the Eucharist, this book is for you. If you are friends with a bunch of Protestants who say the Eucharist is a symbol and not the actual Body and Blood of Jesus, then reading this book will provide you Biblical examples for next time they say this. In reality, any Catholic with a pulse would benefit from this 5 star book. Pick it up from Our Sunday Visitor and deepen your appreciation of the Eucharist during The Year of Faith.

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

I got this book from a Bible study at church. I did not actually read all of it during the group, but finished it later. It is a hard-to-comprehend book. Over my head, but I tried.

[Jen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this study. I learned things I never knew before despite getting a degree in bible from a Protestant school. The parallels between the Jewish customs and Christ were profound