Death and Resurrection of Jesus Proclaimed in the Eucharist

Fr. Stanley says that the "indivisible character of Jesus' death and resurrection is not easily grasped by our western, modern mentality." D.M. Stanley, A Modern Scriptural Approach to the Spiritual Exercises (Chicago 1967) at 251. In the Eucharistic liturgy "we proclaim of the death of Lord until he comes" 1 Cor 11:26. But it is a liturgical proclamation of the death of the "risen" Lord. The "indivisible unity of the death and resurrection of the Church's Lord ... made the kerygma good news." Stanley at 251. Scholars agree that the earliest pre-Gospel written accounts of Jesus were compositions to be proclaimed in the Eucharistic liturgy. The recital began with Jesus' words at the first such liturgy at the Last Supper. Stanley at 251. Then, in the first churches when the narratives of Jesus' death and resurrection "were proclaimed in the 'the breaking of the Bread,' they were believed to possess a reality far beyond that of historical recall of significant past events." Stanley at 150. Such a liturgical anamnesis was, in some mysterious way a real occurrence. Stanley at 150. The idea of anamnesis (remembering) comes from the"event-character" of Jewish feasts, especially that of the Passover. Next post I will say more about anamnesis.