Fifth Gospel, Part 5

Understanding the discipline of the secret

07/09/2024

As we continue our journey though the Fifth Gospel, the land that serves as the stage of the drama of salvation, perhaps a worrisome question keeps nagging at you, like it does me. If the Eucharist is truly the “source and summit of Christian life” as Vatican II teaches, why does this Sacrament of sacraments remains rather obscure, almost as an after-thought, in the inspired pages of the Bible? That is, apart from the gospel accounts of the Lord’s Supper, and a few fleeting mentions first Corinthians, the Scripture on the whole is conspicuously quiet about the Mass. Why is there so little information, and indeed inspiration, on this sine qua non sacrament of the Eucharist?

I found a helpful answer in Jean Danielou’s marvelous book The Bible and the Liturgy. Every Christian should read it after they read the Bible. Danielou explains why the early Church Fathers, like Tertullian, gave lengthy expositions about the other sacraments while remaining remarkably reticent on the Eucharist: "It may seem astonishing that there is nothing like [Tertullian’s expositions on Baptism] to be found in relation to the Eucharist, but the reason is that the discipline of the arcana, of secrecy, forbade the revelation of the Mysteries. The only teaching given on the subject, therefore, could not be preserved for us in writing.” The Latin “arcana” is the root of the English word “arcane” meaning “secret,” not to be confused with the word “archaic” meaning “old.”

Incidentally, we continue to preserve remnants of this disciplina arcana today, for example, when we dismiss the RCIA candidates after the homily. They are not fully initiated into the divine Mysteries until the glorious Easter Vigil Mass, the granddaddy of them all. In other words, the inspired authors of Scripture deliberately disguise the sacraments, most especially the Eucharist, so the careful reader of the Bible must read between the lines to detect the discipline of the secret. After all, Jesus urged: “It is not fair to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs” (Mt 15:26).

Perhaps now we can see how St. Luke is really practicing this disciplina arcana as he carefully constructs the story of the road to Emmaus as a literary liturgy, maintaining the mystery of the Mass. How so? Well, Luke 24:13-35 can be easily divided into two distinct halves. First, on Easter Sunday Jesus walks seven miles with Cleopas and another unnamed disciple. They strike up a conversation about the events of the last three days. Then, we read in verse 27, “And beginning with Moses and all the prophets, he interpreted to them all in the Scriptures the things concerning himself.” Those two lucky disciples participated in the very first Bible study with Jesus as the Facilitator! Can you perceive in that pericope the first half of the Mass, the Liturgy of the Word?

Then, from verses 28-35, the two disciples invite Jesus to dine with them and this literary liturgy moves from the “table of the word” to the “table of the sacrament.” We read in verse 30: “When he was at table with them, he took bread and blessed and broke it, and gave it to them.” That deliberate action-sequence described by four particular verbs – take, bless, break, and give – were precisely the actions Jesus performed at the Last Supper in Mt 26:26, Mk 14:22, and two chapters earlier in Lk 22:19.

The Ignatius Catholic Study Bible provides the proper liturgical interpretation of the whole Emmaus story in Luke 24:13-35: “The structure of the Emmaus episode reflects the structure of the eucharistic liturgy, where Jesus gives himself to the Church in word and sacrament, in the proclamation of the Scripture (24:17) and in the eucharistic Bread of Life (24:30, 35).” As we can see, St. Luke, inspired by the Holy Spirit, used his literary artistry to teach a liturgical lesson, namely, the mystery of the Mass.

Let me add a word about a pregnant phrase we find recurring in the New Testament that serves as more code language for the Eucharist, further evidence of the discipline of the secret. Luke ends the Emmaus episode recording: “Then they told what had happened on road, and how he was made known to them in the breaking of the bread” (Lk 24:35).

Pope Benedict explains the monumental significance of the term “breaking of the bread”: “This gesture of Jesus has thus come to symbolize the whole mystery of the Eucharist: in the Acts of the Apostles and in early Christianity generally, the ‘breaking of bread’ designates the Eucharist.” That is, wherever you find the phrase “breaking of bread” in the Bible, you are hearing an oblique reference to the Eucharist, the Scriptures maintaining the mystery of the Mass.

In 1999-2000, I was assigned as pastor of St. Joseph and St. Thomas Aquinas parishes in Fayetteville. Dc. Paul Cronan, a holy and humble deacon, served at both parishes. One day before Mass he suggested, in his very obsequious, demur way: “Fr. John, when you get to the Fraction Rite (that is when the priest breaks the Sacred Host), please hold up the Eucharist so everyone can see you break the bread.” I remember feeling a little offended.

I thought: “Who is this upstart deacon to tell me, a priest, how to celebrate Mass? I just finished my degree in canon law, and I don’t need anyone to teach me the rubrics of the Mass.” That is what I thought, but thank goodness that is not what I said. Instead, I replied, “Hey, that’s a good suggestion!” And I have held up the Sacred Host at the Fraction Rite at every Mass I have celebrated since then. Why? So that people today, like the two disciples in Emmaus, can see the “breaking of the Bread” and recognize Jesus.

My friends, it does not take a ton of imagination to see what a privileged position the land occupied in this Emmaus liturgy. Those rocks on the road to Emmaus eavesdropped on the most comprehensive and compelling Scripture study in history, delivered by the Word of God himself. And after the disciples eyes were opened at the breaking of the Bread, the same rocks rejoiced as they two ran back breathless to Jerusalem to share their eucharistic encounter with the risen Lord.

For two thousand years that road to Emmaus has guarded the discipline of the secret and kept quiet about the mystery of the Mass that they once beheld. But one day they will break their silence, because in the end, “even the stones will cry out” (Lk 19:40), and the Holy Land will shine forth in all its glory as the Fifth Gospel. On that day, there will be no more secrets.

Praised be Jesus Christ!