Replies

Dear mlizzy - Like you, I was taught that the Eucharist is the real presence, the real flesh and blood of Jesus. I recall that great lengths were taken to ensure that no particle of the sanctified bread or wine was ever dropped or contaminated in any way. I can understand and appreciate Roman Catholic theology based on Jesus saying, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of man and drink his blood, you have no life in you"; and "Take and eat; this is my body..". My understanding of scripture and my experience tells me that spiritual life in Christ comes through His Word and Holy Spirit indwelling the believer but not through ingesting corruptible elements. I don't say this to offend you. I'm simply answering your question. I believe Jesus fully explains to His confused disciples what He meant by 'eating His body and drinking His blood'. He does this in John 6:63 when he says, "It is the spirit that gives life, the flesh is of no avail; the words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life." This is the conclusion of the matter for me. Having said this, know that I do not take receiving communion lightly. Communion is the recognition and remembrance of Christ'ss broken and bloodied body - given for me and for my salvation. In communion, I vicariously recall the exchange of my life for His. Let me ask you something. What does receiving the Eucharist do for you that's different from what the Holy Spirit does in and through the believer?

The Body of Christ (the Eucharist) is my everything. It's why I get out of bed in the morning. Prior to converting to Catholicism, my sins were like scarlet.

I have a good friend, in fact my MS-Synod Sunday School teacher, who is over 80 now, and still has her same fervent belief in Jesus (and Luther). But she never really sinned all that much in her life, and although I feel she'd be a saint if she was a Catholic, she doesn't seem to *need* the power of the Eucharist to get on. Maybe you are of the same mold?

But you can be certain that the Body of Christ IS the Body of Christ. All the saints and blesseds have said so, and they led lives that most of us couldn't live for even one single day, much less a lifetime. That strength came from somewhere, right? And they all have reiterated time and time again, this power came from the Eucharistic Lord. And since I am not smarter than Mother Teresa of Calcutta, nor Pope John Paul II, nor Father John A. Hardon, nor Padre Pio, nor even St. Bernadette, I not only have listened to them (and all the other saints as well) I now, because of it, receive the same "power" that they did (through the Most Holy Eucharist).

For over 1,500 years, the whole church believed and taught the Real Presence. The words of Jesus and St. Paul are very clear and the testimony of the early church fathers is unanimous. One example, St Ignatius was taught the Faith by St. John. Do you think if you were taught personally by St. John over a number of years and were thought trustworthy enough in doctrine to be chosen a leader after the death of St John, that you would understand what the Eucharist is? St. Ignatius wrote around 100AD, the Gnostics abstain from the Eucharist since they don’t believe it’s the Body of Christ. Now you can say you still don’t believe, but i know i would be very afraid denying a central doctrine of orthodox Christianity. But this is an area where we both are correct in our doctrine, the Catholic receives Jesus in the Eucharist and you in your service merely are receiving bread. I’ll take Jesus every time. This is the Apostolic Faith that the Holy Spirit guided the Church into for almost 2,000 years. The Bible does say there will be a time when sound doctrine will not be listened to and there will be a general falling away from the Faith. I think we may just be in that time.
You ask what the Eucharist does for the believer that the Holy Spirit does in the believer? It is the most intimate way Jesus instituted for the believer to receive grace for the soul after properly confessing our sin and publicly stating we are not worthy to receive Him. I think about His dying for my sins and thank Him for this sacrifice and reconciliation with the Father. Jesus blesses this Faith, because we are following His command, just like the Apostles did, the Church Fathers did and all Christians for 2,000 years. The peace it brings me can not be described, each week I receive Jesus thru the Word and Sacrament just as the Church, the pillar of truth has always taught. Can’t you see it is the Holy Spirit that moved the Apostles and early Church to accept this doctrine. You believe the Holy Spirit is moving you to the opposite belief, really? You privately interpret Scripture against the direct words of Christ and then add in your experience to come to a different conclusion than all of Christendom for 1,500 years. Does that make any sense at all?