You are right. So, then, the communion wafer itself, no matter whether it is administered in Catholic, Episcopalian, Lutheran, any church or denomination is not the ticket to eternal life, is it?
When it is the Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Our Lord and Savior (not just a "communion wafer" in substance anymore) and is received in a state of grace, it is. Yes. It is the Bread of Life and "he who eats of it shall live forever."
If you don't believe that, then you speak for you. When Christ the Lord speaks that and I believe Him, I believe because He told me.
As Mad Dawg, says (only in many fewer words herewith), your "take" doesn't shake mine.
That's certainly my understanding.
Where you goin'?
The communion wafer is NOT the same in a Catholic Mass as it is in Protestant services. Following the Bible, we partake of the Body and Blood of Christ, as He directed.
Eating a symbolic wafer and drinking symbolic grape juice isn't the same.
Now, Communion with Him by itself isn't enough. We have to prepare ourselves through the Sacraments that He has left for us beginning with Baptism. He is the Way and the Sacraments are the means to follow the Way.