You must have been listening to a crackpot fake doctor who used to rant about this on these threads. I thought this was put to bed along time ago.
“Through Him, with Him, and in Him, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, all honor and glory is yours, Almighty Father, forever and ever.” Echoing Romans 11:36 this is more than a simple doxology. With these words, the Priest humbly prepares to pronounce the Words of Institution, in persona Christi, clearly stating that it is Christ, not he the priest, presiding over the miracle of the Eucharist.
For the one moment that the Eucharist is consecrated and transubstantiated the priest succeeds in becoming a perfect Imitation of Christ.
Remember, the call to be transformed and imitate Jesus is not reserved only to priests. We are all called in Scripture to imitate Christ. It is God’s desire that each of us “be conformed to the likeness of his Son” (Romans 8:29). Whenever a Christian sacrifices out of love for another, he is acting “in persona Christi”, in the person of Christ, or as an “alter Christus”. Scriptural commands are plentiful; (Matthew 16:24; Luke 6:40; 1 John 2:6; John 13:15; 1 Corinthians 11:1; 2 Corinthians 3:18, Ephesians 4:13, Galatians 4:19 and 1 Peter 2:21,22.) Yet some who claim that all of the revealed Word of God is contained in Scripture ignore and ridicule and insult Catholic priests for heeding this call.
Contrary to the disinformation, misinformation and outright lies presented like some kind of touchdown celebration on these threads, the priest does not become “another Christ”. Those assertions are either ignorant or malicious. Nowhere does the Church use the term “Alter Jesu” as some suggest or imply.
As we observe too frequentlt, rhe literal translation of Catholic dogma, written in Vulgate Latin, into modern English is a fool’s errand and there is no shortage of fools prowling the Religion Forum.
For those with no formal education in Catholic dogma, doctrine and history and no fluency in Latin non-eisegesistic translation is an impossible task. Their “Googlesterium” is at best a joke and too often it is a tool of evil and of those intent on doing evil. The attempts posted repeatedly in the Religion Forum are embarrassingly and painfully flawed. With so much disinformation, misinformation and outright lies it is important that the truth be told.
A sort of stand-in? Except for the FACT that the priest is, himself, a fallen, fallible man.
In the person of Christ, replacing Christ at that moment. Imitating Christ, acting as Christ. You don’t even see what you are really saying. >>clearly stating that it is Christ, not he the priest, presiding over the miracle of the Eucharist.<<
I can’t even begin to express the disgust at that statement.
>>For the one moment that the Eucharist is consecrated and transubstantiated the priest succeeds in becoming a perfect Imitation of Christ.<<
We’re told all about that type of “becoming a perfect Imitation of Christ” in Revelation.
Romans 8:29 For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.
“Be like unto”, NOT in the place of.
>>into modern English is a fool’s errand and there is no shortage of fools prowling the Religion Forum.<<
Matthew 5:22 But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire.
For those with no formal education in Catholic dogma, doctrine and history and no fluency in Latin non-eisegesistic translation is an impossible task. Their “Googlesterium” is at best a joke and too often it is a tool of evil and of those intent on doing evil. The attempts posted repeatedly in the Religion Forum are embarrassingly and painfully flawed. With so much disinformation, misinformation and outright lies it is important that the truth be told.
OK...where it at??? You seem to delight in always telling us were are wrong but oddly, you never correct us with the 'truth'...
Well, here is the truth from a couple of different Catholic sources and guess what??? It confirms what we already know...It's not such a big mystery as you make it out to be...
a whole bunch of Jesuses out there
By virtue of sacramental consecration, the ordained priest does not simply become a functionary. This consecration does not set him apart to simply perform certain tasks in the Church. No, by virtue of the sacramental consecration which the priest receives, he is ontologically changed. He is configured to the Person of Jesus Christ, Head and Shepherd, in a new way in his very being. "The relation of the priest to Jesus Christ, and in him to his Church, is found in the very being of the priest by virtue of his sacramental consecration/anointing and in his activity, that is, in his mission and ministry." Just as at Baptism and Confirmation the Christian is sacramentally marked on the soul, so is the man who is ordained a priest marked sacramentally and configured to Christ the Priest.
The dignity of the priestly vocation in no way diminishes the importance of the lay vocation. Both are equal in dignity and both are called to holiness. However, there is an essential difference between the two vocations. By looking at the Hypostatic Union of Christ we have seen, albeit analogously, how the ordained priest is configured to Christ in his very being. To repeat what was said above: Just as the human nature of Christ is personalized by its union with the divine Person of the Word, so is the priest, by virtue of sacramental consecration, configured in his being to Jesus Christ, Head and Shepherd. This is the only analogy by which we are able to grasp the ontological character of configuration which takes place when a man is ordained a priest.
Only by having a deep knowledge of the Person and work of Jesus Christ is the priest able to understand his own identity. John Paul says, "the priest finds the full truth of his identity in being a derivation, a specific participation in and continuation of Christ himself, the one high priest of the new and eternal covenant. The priest is a living and transparent image of Christ the priest…Reference to Christ is thus the absolutely necessary key for understanding the reality of the priesthood." The priest is called to be a man of prayer and contemplation, for it is through prayer (and study) that the priest comes to a deeper personal knowledge of the Person and work of Christ. In prayer and contemplation he is sent forth by Christ to minister to his people in pastoral charity. Possessing this understanding of his own vocation the words of Pope John Paul II will echo true in the heart of the priest: "Our priestly life and activity continue the life and activity of Christ himself. Here lies our identity, our true dignity, the source of our joy, the very basis of our life."
For some, “in persona Christi” means that the priest merely represents Jesus before the people. Others believe it means that the priest simply performs actions that are Christ-like. The true meaning of the phrase, however, is far deeper than we can imagine without the gift of faith. For it means nothing less than that a priest, in a certain metaphysical sense, is Jesus.
Don’t take that to mean that when a man is ordained he somehow becomes divine like our Lord. No, as any priest will tell you, he retains his humanity just like the rest of us – complete with the inclination toward sin that afflicts us all.
Rather, at his ordination, a man’s soul is mystically transformed and given a permanent mark – also called a “character” – that empowers him to do for the People of God what ultimately only Jesus can do, most notably change ordinary bread and wine into the Lord’s body and blood, and forgive our sins in the Sacrament of Confession.
The next time you’re looking at a priest as he’s celebrating Mass or one of the other sacraments, try to see with the eyes of faith who is really standing before you – Jesus Christ!
That's right...Try, Try, Try you little heart out...
It's no mystery what you guys believe...The only mystery is how do educated people fall for it...