The Eucharist..It Is More Than A Symbol

Most Non-Catholic Christians attacks on the Catholic Church often focus on the Eucharist. This demonstrates that opponents of the Church—mainly evangelicals and fundamentalists—recognize one of Catholicism’s core doctrines. What’s more, the attacks show that Fundamentalists are not always literalists. This is seen in their interpretation of the key biblical passage, chapter six of John’s Gospel, in which Christ speaks about the sacrament that will be instituted at the Last Supper.

They often like to take a very literal interpretation of scripture giving themselves authority. 

When it comes to the Eucharist however, they render those passages as symbolic and ignore thousands of years of Church history and the early Church fathers.

Jesus said: “‘I am the living bread which came down from heaven; if anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever; and the bread which I shall give for the life of the world is my flesh.’ The Jews then disputed among themselves, saying, ‘How can this man give us his flesh to eat?’” — John 6:51–52.

His listeners were stupefied because now they understood Jesus literally—and correctly. He again repeated his words, but with even greater emphasis, and introduced the statement about drinking his blood: “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you; he who eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. For my flesh is food indeed, and my blood is drink indeed. He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me, and I in him” — John 6:53–56.

Don’t forget to read John 6 in the light of Isaiah 49. Read Isaiah 49:26 & there is no way John 6 could be interpreted as symbolic.

 

 

The Mass-The Source of All Grace

We can sometimes take the Mass for granted. It becomes just something we do on Sundays, a time to see friends,  maybe have a little prayer. The Mass however, is the source of all grace. In the Mass, Jesus, the source of all grace, comes down from heaven and becomes truly present in the Eucharist. You can’t have a more personal relationship that that. Only the Catholic Church believes as Jesus taught:

Whoever eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. For My flesh is real food, and My blood is real drink. Whoever eats My flesh and drinks My blood remains in Me, and I in him  John 6:54-56

 

 

That Time When Sting & Pavarotti Sang About The Eucharist

Panis Angelicus was written by Saint Thomas Aquinas for the Feast of Corpus Christi. In 1872 Cesar Franck set it to music for a tenor voice.

Panis angelicus
fit panis hominum;
Dat panis cœlicus
figuris terminum:
O res mirabilis!
Manducat Dominum
Pauper, servus et humilis.

Te trina Deitas
unaque poscimus:
Sic nos tu visita,
sicut te colimus;
Per tuas semitas
duc nos quo tendimus,
Ad lucem quam inhabitas.
Amen.

May the Bread of Angels
Become bread for mankind;
The Bread of Heaven puts
All foreshadowings to an end;
Oh, thing miraculous!
The body of the Lord will nourish
the poor, the servile, and the humble.

You God, Three
And One, we beseech;
That You visit us,
As we worship You.
By Your ways,
lead us where we are heading,
to the light that You inhabitest.
Amen.