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The Eucharist: The Body of Christ? ("Respectful Dialogue" thread)
Our Sunday Visitor (via Catholic Culture) ^ | 1/2005 | Marcellino D'Ambrosio, Ph.D.

Posted on 04/27/2008 3:36:18 AM PDT by markomalley

The Catholic Church teaches that in the Eucharist, the communion wafer and the altar wine are transformed and really become the body and blood of Jesus Christ. Have you ever met anyone who has found this Catholic doctrine to be a bit hard to take?

If so, you shouldn't be surprised. When Jesus spoke about eating his flesh and drinking his blood in John 6, his words met with less than an enthusiastic reception. "How can this man give us his flesh to eat? (V 52). "This is a hard saying who can listen to it?" (V60). In fact so many of his disciples abandoned him over this that Jesus had to ask the twelve if they also planned to quit. It is interesting that Jesus did not run after his disciples saying, "Don't go — I was just speaking metaphorically!"

How did the early Church interpret these challenging words of Jesus? Interesting fact. One charge the pagan Romans lodged against the Christians was cannibalism. Why? You guessed it. They heard that this sect regularly met to eat human flesh and drink human blood. Did the early Christians say: "wait a minute, it's only a symbol!"? Not at all. When trying to explain the Eucharist to the Roman Emperor around 155AD, St. Justin did not mince his words: "For we do not receive these things as common bread or common drink; but as Jesus Christ our Sav­ior being incarnate by God's word took flesh and blood for our salvation, so also we have been taught that the food consecrated by the word of prayer which comes from him . . . is the flesh and blood of that incarnate Jesus."

Not many Christians questioned the real presence of Christ's body and blood in the Eucharist till the Middle Ages. In trying to explain how bread and wine are changed into the body and blood of Christ, several theologians went astray and needed to be corrected by Church authority. Then St. Thomas Aquinas came along and offered an explanation that became classic. In all change that we observe in this life, he teaches, appearances change, but deep down, the essence of a thing stays the same. Example: if, in a fit of mid-life crisis, I traded my mini-van for a Ferrari, abandoned my wife and 5 kids to be beach bum, got tanned, bleached my hair blonde, spiked it, buffed up at the gym, and took a trip to the plastic surgeon, I'd look a lot different on the surface. But for all my trouble, deep down I'd still substantially be the same ole guy as when I started.

St. Thomas said the Eucharist is the one instance of change we encounter in this world that is exactly the opposite. The appearances of bread and wine stay the same, but the very essence or substance of these realities, which can't be viewed by a microscope, is totally transformed. What was once bread and wine are now Christ's body and blood. A handy word was coined to describe this unique change. Transformation of the "sub-stance", what "stands-under" the surface, came to be called "transubstantiation."

What makes this happen? The power of God's Spirit and Word. After praying for the Spirit to come (epiklesis), the priest, who stands in the place of Christ, repeats the words of the God-man: "This is my Body, This is my Blood." Sounds to me like Genesis 1: the mighty wind (read "Spirit") whips over the surface of the water and God's Word resounds. "Let there be light" and there was light. It is no harder to believe in the Eucharist than to believe in Creation.

But why did Jesus arrange for this transformation of bread and wine? Because he intended another kind of transformation. The bread and wine are transformed into the Body and Blood of Christ which are, in turn, meant to transform us. Ever hear the phrase: "you are what you eat?" The Lord desires us to be transformed from a motley crew of imperfect individuals into the Body of Christ, come to full stature.

Our evangelical brethren speak often of an intimate, personal relationship with Jesus. But I ask you, how much more personal and intimate can you get? We receive the Lord's body into our physical body that we may become Him whom we receive!

Such an awesome gift deserves its own feast. And that's why, back in the days of Thomas Aquinas and St. Francis of Assisi, the Pope decided to institute the Feast of Corpus Christi.


TOPICS: Catholic; Theology
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To: hosepipe

Oh, thanks for the explanation.


741 posted on 04/28/2008 10:36:52 AM PDT by Marysecretary (.GOD IS STILL IN CONTROL)
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To: OLD REGGIE
My goodness. You have echoed my thoughts. Careful though, you might be evolving into one of those "shudder" Unitarians who see salvation possible for all. :)

I tell what it is for me. I grew up in one Protestant denomination and switched to a different denomination when I got married. It's pretty eye-opening.
742 posted on 04/28/2008 10:37:18 AM PDT by TexasAg
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To: Petronski

Guess it depends on what religion you are.


743 posted on 04/28/2008 10:37:35 AM PDT by Marysecretary (.GOD IS STILL IN CONTROL)
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To: pgyanke

Why was I pinged to this one?


744 posted on 04/28/2008 10:39:18 AM PDT by Marysecretary (.GOD IS STILL IN CONTROL)
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To: OLD REGGIE
You seem determined to take a tangent. I have no desire to go with you as it will completely side track the rest of the discussion. You may find your answers here.
745 posted on 04/28/2008 10:39:27 AM PDT by pgyanke ("Huntered"--The act of being ignored by media and party to prevent name recognition)
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To: Petronski

Well, all I can say is that the road goes two ways on these threads.


746 posted on 04/28/2008 10:40:20 AM PDT by Marysecretary (.GOD IS STILL IN CONTROL)
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To: Marysecretary

:-)


747 posted on 04/28/2008 10:40:33 AM PDT by pgyanke ("Huntered"--The act of being ignored by media and party to prevent name recognition)
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To: big'ol_freeper; Dr. Eckleburg; Quix; hosepipe
***It is not the “Roman” Catholic Church, it is the Catholic Church. I am offended by a misnaming of the faith I hold so dearly.****

Ya know, I was a supporter of the entire respectful dialoge thread idea, until I can across your post.

HOW are we Prods supposed to know that you would be offended, especially when countless Catholic churches use Roman as a descriptor, as do who know how many Catholic websites.

Two thoughts:

1. Police Rome before you become offended by someone from the outside using a term you find offensive,
2. Doc's tagline just may be right.

748 posted on 04/28/2008 10:41:31 AM PDT by Gamecock ("I find your lack of faith-disturbing" Darth Vader)
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To: wagglebee

I have a prayer language. I don’t speak in tongues in the congregation. There I would need an interpreter. Mine is used exclusively for my own prayers. That’s the difference. I’ve never had it in church.


749 posted on 04/28/2008 10:43:27 AM PDT by Marysecretary (.GOD IS STILL IN CONTROL)
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To: Petronski

Were Matthew, Luke, John, Paul, etc. Catholics? I think not. They wrote under the inspiration of the HS, who is also not Catholic.


750 posted on 04/28/2008 10:44:36 AM PDT by Marysecretary (.GOD IS STILL IN CONTROL)
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To: Petronski

P.S., I use the New King James version.


751 posted on 04/28/2008 10:45:08 AM PDT by Marysecretary (.GOD IS STILL IN CONTROL)
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To: wagglebee

And why is that???


752 posted on 04/28/2008 10:46:40 AM PDT by Marysecretary (.GOD IS STILL IN CONTROL)
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To: Iscool
Thank you so much for your encouragements, dear brother in Christ!
753 posted on 04/28/2008 10:47:17 AM PDT by Alamo-Girl
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To: Marysecretary
You do, every time somebody says something you don’t like, it’s disrespectful...

Exodus 20:16

...or at least that certainly is how it looks.

A wise retreat.

754 posted on 04/28/2008 10:47:23 AM PDT by Petronski (When there's no more room in hell, the dead will walk the earth, voting for Hillary.)
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To: Petronski

I’m not in the least bit sad (LOL). Wrong is also in the eye of the beholder.


755 posted on 04/28/2008 10:48:08 AM PDT by Marysecretary (.GOD IS STILL IN CONTROL)
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To: 1000 silverlings
Thank you for sharing your concerns, dear 1000 silverlings!
756 posted on 04/28/2008 10:48:25 AM PDT by Alamo-Girl
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To: Religion Moderator

You have strong shoulders...


757 posted on 04/28/2008 10:48:44 AM PDT by Marysecretary (.GOD IS STILL IN CONTROL)
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To: Marysecretary
Were Matthew, Luke, John, Paul, etc. Catholics?

Of course.

758 posted on 04/28/2008 10:49:42 AM PDT by Petronski (When there's no more room in hell, the dead will walk the earth, voting for Hillary.)
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To: TexasAg
I tell what it is for me. I grew up in one Protestant denomination and switched to a different denomination when I got married. It's pretty eye-opening.

I hope you didn't misunderstand my intent. It was rather an admiring response. I used the "Unitarian" example because it is where I have evolved after a long and crooked journey.
759 posted on 04/28/2008 10:50:13 AM PDT by OLD REGGIE (I am most likely a Biblical Unitarian? Let me be perfectly clear. I know nothing.)
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To: OLD REGGIE

Yeah, I know.


760 posted on 04/28/2008 10:50:29 AM PDT by Marysecretary (.GOD IS STILL IN CONTROL)
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