Marana tha. [23] The grace of the Lord Jesus be with you. [24] My love to all of you in Christ Jesus.
(CCC 1130) The Church celebrates the mystery of her Lord "until he comes," when God will be "everything to everyone" (1 Cor 11:26; 15:28). Since the apostolic age the liturgy has been drawn toward its goal by the Spirit's groaning in the Church: Marana tha! (1 Cor 16:22). The liturgy thus shares in Jesus' desire: "I have earnestly desired to eat this Passover with you… until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God" (Lk 22:15). In the sacraments of Christ the Church already receives the guarantee of her inheritance and even now shares in everlasting life, while "awaiting our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Christ Jesus" (Titus 2:13). The "Spirit and the Bride say, 'Come… Come, Lord Jesus!"' (Rev 22:17, 20). St. Thomas sums up the various aspects of sacramental signs: "Therefore a sacrament is a sign that commemorates what precedes it - Christ's Passion; demonstrates what is accomplished in us through Christ's Passion - grace; and prefigures what that Passion pledges to us - future glory" (St. Thomas Aquinas, STh III, 60, 3). (CCC 1403) At the Last Supper the Lord himself directed his disciples' attention toward the fulfillment of the Passover in the kingdom of God: "I tell you I shall not drink again of this fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father's kingdom" (Mt 26:29; cf. Lk 22:18; Mk 14 25). Whenever the Church celebrates the Eucharist she remembers this promise and turns her gaze "to him who is to come." In her prayer she calls for his coming: "Marana tha!" "Come, Lord Jesus!" (Rev 1:4; 22 20; 1 Cor 16 22). "May your grace come and this world pass away!" (Didache 10, 6: SCh 248, 180).
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