**So SOME things can change in the rite, nothing else.**
Change?
If partaking of the mass gives eternal life, then why is it taken over and over and over?
If once gives eternal life, then there is no more need to partake.
If it wears off, does one know when it wears off?
The conversion instructions found in Acts 2:38,39 has no mention of the mass.
Holy Communion is Jesus' gift to us. It's the holiest of food for our long-long journey to Him in heaven. Life is a work in progress and Jesus gives us hope with His heavenly gift of His Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity.
All journeys take more than ONE meal. One must be fed continually over life's journey.
There is MORE to being a Catholic besides the ONE book. The early Church Fathers will attest to that.
If you really care to read about the beginnings of the Catholic Church, you might read:
FOUR WITNESS, The Early Church in Her Own Words.
Those words are from
Clement of Rome, writing during the decade of the 90's A.D.
Ignatius of Antioch, who starts his history with "Today is December 20, A.D. 107."
Justin Martyr, "Justin of Neapolis, a man not far separated from the apostles either in age or excellence." He lived during the reign of Marcus Aurelius Antonius, 161 A.D.
Irenaeus of Lyons, a Greek who preached the good news in France. He received a letter from home addressed to "all communities of the holy and Catholic Church..." and it was regarding the martyrs...and this case, "in particular, of blessed Polycarp, martyred."
The Introduction of the FOUR WITNESSES The Early Church in Her Own Words. starts out:
The early Church is no mystery. As a matter of fact, most believers would be astonished to learn just how much we do know about the first three hundred years of Christian history.
My point is that there was a huge amount of documents written in those days. SCRIBES were very important for writing those documents dictated to them...and reading them to the recipients.
That was the only means of communication between villages, cities and countries. Those documents describe the events of those first three hundred years of the Catholic Church.
There is more to being Christian than just what is in the Bible. One needs ONLY to look at early Church history to read about the thousands of men and women who DIED for their faith in Jesus Christ over all those years. They are our models on how to live (and die) as well....MUCH more than the slim volume of the New Testament.
Those early Christian martyrs gave TESTIMONY to Jesus' life. Jesus didn't write His words to us. He gave them to His Apostles to spread as the Good News.
The Mass is a HOLY MEAL. It's the Last Supper celebrated every day for Catholics.
John 6:53
52 At this, the Jews began to argue among themselves, “How can this man give us His flesh to eat?”
53 So Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I tell you, unless you eat the flesh and drink the blood of the Son of Man, you have no life in you.
54 Whoever eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day.…
John 6:26-27
Truly, truly, I say to you, you are seeking me not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves. Do not labor for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you. For on him God the Father has set his seal.
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There are our "instructions" about Holy Communion, His divine meal. We can only get that at holy Mass. When I did a lot of traveling over this planet, it was always the same in EVERY Catholic Church on the planet.
We traveled in Eastern Europe and I went to Mass in Belgrade. I couldn't understand ONE word in Serbian, but I KNEW what was going on and was able to receive Holy Communion, the Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Jesus there.
I went to midnight Mass at St. Joseph's in Cairo one Christmas. I went with my mother and my husband, non-Catholic, stayed at the hotel and watched "Miracle on 42nd Street"!!
That midnight Mass was celebrated in Arabic, French, Italian, German and, thanks be, the "Pater Noster," the "Our Father," the Lord's prayer, was in ENGLISH. I said it loud and clear because it was so nice to say something I KNEW.
I don't know about YOU but I sure need the gift of Jesus' Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity...every chance I can get. I go to Mass Sundays through Fridays.