The Eucharist

[IXOYE<><]

Hi again folks,

When Catholics celebrate the Eucharist or Holy Communion as other churches call it, What exactly, is meant by the real presence of Jesus? Many Protestant Denominations, as you know, take the bread and wine as only symbolic.

 

[StPaul]

Hi again folks,

When Catholics celebrate the Eucharist or Holy Communion as other churches call it, What exactly, is meant by the real presence of Jesus? Many Protestant Denominations, as you know, take the bread and wine as only symbolic.

Hello, and peace be with you, my friend...

What is meant by the Real Presence is pretty much what it sounds like. When the host is consecrated into the Eucharist, it becomes the actual Body and Blood of Christ.

Since the establishment of Christianity, some have wondered how a simple host can be the actual Body and Blood of Christ,... so... in defense of how it was not done, definitions arose to describe how it is done. This definition is called Transubstantiation.

God Bless!

(and click the link if you would like to know more about Transubstantiation)

 

[Andy Broadley]

Hello, and peace be with you, my friend...

What is meant by the Real Presence is pretty much what it sounds like. When the host is consecrated into the Eucharist, it becomes the actual Body and Blood of Christ.

Since the establishment of Christianity, some have wondered how a simple host can be the actual Body and Blood of Christ,... so... in defense of how it was not done, definitions arose to describe how it is done. This definition is called Transubstantiation.

God Bless!

(and click the link if you would like to know more about Transubstantiation)

All these months lurking around OBOB must be paying off. I actually knew the answer to that

 

[krstlros]

Right on Andy.

 

[IXOYE<><]

There is the temptation to go into a reactionary state, and think to ones self, "Eww Gross!! You think you're eating real flesh and blood?". But of course, this particular flesh and blood, is far far more.

 

[D'Ann]

Hi again folks,

When Catholics celebrate the Eucharist or Holy Communion as other churches call it, What exactly, is meant by the real presence of Jesus? Many Protestant Denominations, as you know, take the bread and wine as only symbolic.

How much details would you like? I have a lot of information on this topic and I'de be happy to share this with you, but I don't want to overwhelm you with too much.

Let me know or you can PM me too.

God's Peace,

Debbie

 

[Xpycoctomos]

There is the temptation to go into a reactionary state, and think to ones self, "Eww Gross!! You think you're eating real flesh and blood?". But of course, this particular flesh and blood, is far far more.

You are so right! And the reactionary state comment was the same one many disciples had when they left Christ after He told them "I tell you the truth, if you do not eat of my Body and drink of my Blood, you have no life within you." Powerful indeed... and scared away a lot of them.

 

[Roald]

There is the temptation to go into a reactionary state, and think to ones self, "Eww Gross!! You think you're eating real flesh and blood?". But of course, this particular flesh and blood, is far far more.

Welcome!

There are a lot of strange reactions that one can have contemplating the Eucharist. Catholics tend to react by going to Mass even on a daily basis, kneeling in adoration for hours before Jesus, or just crying in awe that the Lord of all creation would humble Himself so that we could contain Him in imitation of Mary. One protestant on this board said that if he believed what do about the Eucharist, he would kneel before the Eucharist and never get up. (There are some orders of monastics that do that, too.)

At first, it might seem weird; there is this tension in thinking that you will be eating flesh. But that tension is what mysteries are all about. After all, to be mystic is to be utterly at home in paradox. How else can you explain the Song of Solomon? The language there clearly points to a nuptial relationship between God and His Church, and that does not make sense on so many levels, at first.

 

[Roald]

So, long story short: Yeah, it was weird at first. Now it is transcendant.

 

[D'Ann]

You are so right! And the reactionary state comment was the same one many disciples had when they left Christ after He told them "I tell you the truth, if you do not eat of my Body and drink of my Blood, you have no life within you." Powerful indeed... and scared away a lot of them.

It also scared away some of the other followers too... and did you notice... Usually when Jesus would talk in a metorphorically way... he would then clarify his true meaning and did you notice... that Jesus did NOT do this in this particular situation... instead, he repeated it over and that was Him clarifying His EXACT meaning. Interesting.

 

[Xpycoctomos]

It also scared away some of the other followers too... and did you notice... Usually when Jesus would talk in a metorphorically way... he would then clarify his true meaning and did you notice... that Jesus did NOT do this in this particular situation... instead, he repeated it over and that was Him clarifying His EXACT meaning. Interesting.

Exactly, that's why I said that his "disciples" left him. I don't mean the twelve... I mean the many who were already following Him up until this point.

 

[D'Ann]

Exactly, that's why I said that his "disciples" left him. I don't mean the twelve... I mean the many who were already following Him up until this point.

Exactly... and amen. I liked what you wrote, sorry that I repeated what you wrote too.

 

[Xpycoctomos]

No problem.. I just wanted to make it clear that I wasn't saying that his discples (of the 12) left Him for this, lol.

John

 

[D'Ann]

Hi John,

Thanks. There is so much indepth Catholic Dogma regarding the Eucharist and I wouldn't even know where to begin explaining all of the different aspects of the Presence of the Blood and Flesh of Jesus. I love the Eucharist. That much I know.

God's Peace,

Debbie

 

[IXOYE<><]

Please all continue to reply if you wish. But, let me just say, thanks for all the information. I did click on that link, one of you gave me. It had more info than I can digest in one sitting. Again, thanks!

God bless, James

 

[D'Ann]

God bless you James... if you have more questions, please ask. I'm sure we all will do what we can do to give you the answers.

God's Peace,

Debbie

 

[Markh]

The Catholic Church is the oldest Church, the Church Jesus established.

It is this Church which has always taught that the Catholic Mass features bread becoming the body, blood soul and divinity of Christ in a process called Transubstatiation.

In fact, transubstatiation is the original doctrine. The idea that Jesus commanded only a symbolic re-acting of the last supper is a protestant invention in history.

For the first 1500 years the Catholic Church taught transubstatiation and virtually everyone accepted it, the idea protestantism that the Catholic Eucharist is symbolic not transubstatiation is new to mainstream Christianity.

Of course, outside of the Catholic Church any "eucharist" is symbolic as the people who perform the consecration have not experienced the sacrament of "Holy Orders", they have not, like the apostles did to Matthias, had hands of the other apostles laid upon them.

 

[D'Ann]

Well stated Mark H. and thank you...

 

[stray bullet]

I just don't think about it. That is, I do realize what is going on, but I can't really begin to grasp the reality of the situation.

 

[D'Ann]

I just don't think about it. That is, I do realize what is going on, but I can't really begin to grasp the reality of the situation.

Me too. Infact, when I first converted, I just by faith believed what the CC said and I didn't really think too much about it.

Then when I started to get into apologetics work (which I bearly do anymore)... and questions would come up regarding how can the Eucharist be the actual Blood and Flesh of Jesus Christ... I had to do some homework and research and give evidence to prove that the Eucharist is the Blood and Flesh and I tried to explain the Transubstantiation of this concept too.

I finally did learn how to explain the Eucharist, but not on my own but with the help of Scott Hahn and my husband and other great books. I also came across a post that Matthew posted here sometime ago that really enlightened me and all of a sudden I had what you call an Epiphany and all of the information just clicked together and it all made sense.

God's Peace,

Debbie