[CynicalBear]

>>This encounter with Christ visibly takes form as drinking His blood and eating His flesh<<

"thou shalt not eat the blood" - God

"abstain from eating blood" - as given to the apostles by the Holy Spirit

"It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing" - Jesus

[terycarl]

thou shalt not eat the blood" - God "abstain from eating blood" - as given to the apostles by the Holy Spirit

wow, you eat all your meat extra well done???...the red stuff coning out of your rare steak is.......blood

[annalex]

The Church does not follow uncritically the Old testament prohibitions. It was in fact the first act of the Catholic Church to abolish the a number of restrictions of the Mosaic Law (Acts 15).

The Blood of Christ is of course, physically bloodless precisely not to offend the early Christians, and besides it is commanded by Him that we drink it.

Except you eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, you shall not have life in you. He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath everlasting life: and I will raise him up in the last day. (John 6:54-55, your verse numbering is probably off by one)

It is also true that the Holy Eucharist feeds the spirit and not the flesh, just like Jesus explains.