Hope to correct a misunderstanding here: Have you heard of the phrase, “source and summit of the Christian life”? It’s in the Catechism, quoting a document of Vatican II.

What’s it about?

Is your answer "the Eucharist"? You’re right! But wait. What do you mean by "Eucharist"?

A lot of folks take this phrase to mean that either a) the Presence of Christ in the Consecrated Species, or b) the reception of Christ in Holy Communion, is the source and summit. Now, these are related to the right answer: but these are not what the phrase primarily refers to.

What else could it be? Let’s look at the Catechism paragraph first. That phrase has a footnote: it’s a quote from Lumen Gentium §11. Nevertheless, it should be clear from the whole context that “Eucharist” here means more than just the True Presence or Holy Communion.

Looking at Lumen Gentium §11 it is clear what the phrase means: “the Eucharistic Sacrifice,” which is called the “fontem et culmen,” the “font and apex” or “source and summit.” Note how it is distinguished from Holy Communion: together with the “offering” they make the “liturgy.”

Lumen Gentium was itself quoting the earlier Vatican II document, Sacrosanctum Concilium. In §10 there, it is the whole “liturgy” that is described as the “summit” and “font.” There, as elsewhere, “the Eucharist” means the “Sacrifice,” the greatest part of the liturgy.

Why then the common confusion over the word “Eucharist”? Like many words, “Eucharist” has come to mean several things by a common name. Those meanings are causally related: the Consecration and True Presence make possible the Sacrifice, the fruit of which is Holy Communion.

But it is first and foremost the Holy Sacrifice that deserves the name “Eucharist,” for it is “most of all,” as Sacrosanctum Concilium says (§2), “in the divine sacrifice” that “the work of our redemption is accomplished.” Accordingly, some principles of right order follow.

We should not place the True Presence nor Holy Communion above the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. How would that be possible? For instance, by making Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament more important than the Mass: e.g., using better vestments and more candles than we would at Mass.

Or by circumventing the priority of the Holy Sacrifice by trying to obtain Holy Communion at any cost: e.g., by widely permitting Communion Services, by regularly distributing Holy Communion outside of Mass, or by skipping Mass and not showing up until Holy Communion.

But this order is not a reason to set up false dichotomies! The Holy Sacrifice is meant to conclude in the consummation of Holy Communion, where we receive the graces obtained by the Holy Sacrifice in the most fitting way, anticipating the heavenly Wedding Feast of the Lamb.

And the True Presence is the great gift and miracle that makes possible our own sacramental participation in Christ’s perfect offering of his life to the Father, just as it signifies his abiding presence in us, and ours in him, most perfectly in Holy Communion.

So let us be careful with our words, especially when talking about the most sacred mysteries. For by lack of care, we could, for the sake of obtaining some great spiritual good, forget a more excellent good, perhaps even the very source and summit of the Christian life itself!