Let us see what St. Ignatius (a student of St. John) had to say about it:
St. Ignatius became the third bishop of Antioch, succeeding St. Evodius, who was the immediate successor of St. Peter. He heard St. John preach when he was a boy and knew St. Polycarp, Bishop of Smyrna. Seven of his letters written to various Christian communities have been preserved. Eventually, he received the martyr's crown as he was thrown to wild beasts in the arena.
"Consider how contrary to the mind of God are the heterodox in regard to the grace of God which has come to us. They have no regard for charity, none for the widow, the orphan, the oppressed, none for the man in prison, the hungry or the thirsty. They abstain from the Eucharist and from prayer, because they do not admit that the Eucharist is the flesh of our Savior Jesus Christ, the flesh which suffered for our sins and which the Father, in His graciousness, raised from the dead." - "Letter to the Smyrnaeans", paragraph 6. circa 80-110 A.D.
"Come together in common, one and all without exception in charity, in one faith and in one Jesus Christ, who is of the race of David according to the flesh, the son of man, and the Son of God, so that with undivided mind you may obey the bishop and the priests, and break one Bread which is the medicine of immortality and the antidote against death, enabling us to live forever in Jesus Christ." - "Letter to the Ephesians", paragraph 20, c. 80-110 A.D.
"I have no taste for the food that perishes nor for the pleasures of this life. I want the Bread of God which is the Flesh of Christ, who was the seed of David; and for drink I desire His Blood which is love that cannot be destroyed." - "Letter to the Romans", paragraph 7, circa 80-110 A.D.
"Take care, then who belong to God and to Jesus Christ - they are with the bishop. And those who repent and come to the unity of the Church - they too shall be of God, and will be living according to Jesus Christ. Do not err, my brethren: if anyone follow a schismatic, he will not inherit the Kingdom of God. If any man walk about with strange doctrine, he cannot lie down with the passion. Take care, then, to use one Eucharist, so that whatever you do, you do according to God: for there is one Flesh of our Lord Jesus Christ, and one cup in the union of His Blood; one altar, as there is one bishop with the presbytery and my fellow servants, the deacons." - Epistle to the Philadelphians, 3:2-4:1, 110 A.D.
I had no idea that ca. 100 AD is 13th century. Thanks to all for the education.
thanks to: http://www.therealpresence.org/eucharst/father/a5.html
Ah yes.. One of my favorite sites after my return to the Church.
Father John Hardon's writings from that site have been such an inspiration to me.
Father Hardon wrote volumes upon volumes on the teaching s of the Church on his knees in the Presence of the Blessed Sacrament.
Pray for the canonization of this Holy,humble Jesuit Priest
A little CONTEXT please! Ignatius, if you recall, was speaking to the Gnostics who argued Jesus was not present in a physical, human body. He was telling them what we ALL who are Christians believe, that Jesus Christ came in the flesh and that his body was broken for us and his blood shed to redeem us from the penalty of our sins. They no more believed they were eating and drinking REAL human flesh and REAL human blood than anyone else who partakes in the observance of the Lord's Supper. It is ALWAYS a spiritual truth that Jesus is the Bread of Life. When we receive him in faith, we are one with him and participate in a Communion service to remind us of what he has done for us, and not in order to receive him physically in order to be infused with a weekly does of grace.