In Holy Eucharist does the consecrated elements become body and blood of Christ?
By achilles2010
@achilles2010 (3051)
India
June 8, 2010 12:17am CST
Holy Eucharist is a re-enactment of the Last Supper, the final meal that Jesus Christ shared with his disciples before his arrest and crucifixion, during which he gave them bread, saying, "This is my body", and wine, saying, "This is my blood". There are different interpretations of the significance of the Eucharist.
Roman Catholics and Eastern Orthodox Church believe that the consecrated elements truly become the body and blood of Jesus Christ. They give a metaphysical explanation to this phenomenon and call it transubstantiation.
Lutherans believe that the body and blood of Jesus are present "in, with and under" the forms of bread and wine. This concept they call as the sacramental union.
The Reformed church believes in an immaterial, spiritual (or "pneumatic") presence of Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit, which one can receive by faith.
Anglicans adhere to a range of views although the Anglican Church officially teaches the real presence. Some Christians reject the concept of the real presence, believing that the Eucharist is only a memorial of the death of Christ.
Why did Jesus call his body, the bread and blood as the wine? Definitely, the bread and wine has some relevance to His body and blood. May be while the bread is being baked a crust is formed to protect its elements. Similarly, sufferings too bake humanity for one complete age to form a crust over it; and that crust is Christ.
There is yet another explanation to it. Jesus’ body was made of the consecrated elements of his ancestors. Like bread, first Egyptians ground and kneaded them and then they wandered in the desert for 40 years. As if, it was not enough they were baked again. Babylonians and Romans held them captive for 1000 years. That is the reason while giving bread to his disciples Jesus said this is my body, which is being given up for you.
Jesus’ blood too had the same significance. His ancestors were crushed like grapes. They fermented in the desert for 40 years and then again under captivity for 1000 years. Their juice flowed in his veins like wine. That is the reason while giving wine to his disciples Jesus said this is my blood, which is being given up for you. His blood (consecrated wine) had boiled in passions on the cross. In passions, it had changed into Holy Spirit.
Jesus wanted to be memorialized. When we remember Jesus while participating in Holy Eucharist, He as Holy Spirit comes and abides in us. It is the Holy Spirit, which saves us from committing sins. This is how Jesus’ blood had saved us from sin.
2 people like this
5 responses
@6precious102 (4043)
• United States
9 Jun 10
Jesus bore our sins in His body. -I Peter 2:24
The blood of Jesus cleanses us from sins. -I John 1:7
If you read Jesus explanation recorded in John 6 regarding eating His body and drinking His blood, you'll see that Jesus taught His disciples that the flesh counts for nothing. It's the spirit that gives life. Therefore, one must come to the conclusion that when Jesus said, "Take, eat this is My body..." and "This is My blood..." He was not taking about literal human flesh and blood, but His Spirit. Besides, He was there with His disciples in the flesh when He made this declaration, so they could not have been eating and drinking His actual flesh and blood.
@achilles2010 (3051)
• India
11 Jun 10
Yes, I agree they could not have been eating and drinking His actual flesh and blood.
@barehugs (8973)
• Canada
8 Jun 10
You are free to believe anything imaginable (this is your right and far be it from me to blow it!) But! as Far as I'm concerned, Religion is wind blowing off the desert.
Fewer are fewer people are going along with the Mysteries, the different Interpretations, the Myths, and the B.S. of Organized Religion. Churches the world over, are empty, or in financial trouble. Yet the world is a much better place than it was just half a century ago. This improvement in life style, health, education, and equality of race and gender, has absolutely nothing to do with religion. If anything, religion has held up these wonderful virtues of life that we all enjoy today. (Need I go into Gender inequality, child molestation, Holy wars, millions of innocent witches murdered, etc?) Religion has been, (and still is) holding firm to ancient traditions, and beliefs for which there is not, and never was, a shred of physical evidence. The Scam (called Religion) is the Grandest, Greatest Richest and most Powerful, that has ever been perpetrated on the Human race. As the world becomes educated, and people begin to take control of their own lives (rather than asking a Priest) this fad will gradually die out, and the empty facade that was Religion will fade into the dust of time.
@opalina143 (1240)
• Morristown, New Jersey
9 Jun 10
I am by far not a religious person, to be honest I feel that the bible is a collection of fables and religion is a crutch to help the weak, but I agree with you. We see that in societies goverened by religion there have been atrocities done in the name of God. But when you look at atheistic societies like China under Mao Tse Tung and Russia under Stalin, you see the same widespread cruelty and slaughter, just justified a different way.
Evil is not caused by religion, it is caused by human nature. Religion can inspire people to do evil things or good things, depending on how sincere the individual is and what choices they make in their life. Those who want to do evil will always find a justification for it, and those who want to do good will find inspiration where they can, often in the teachings of others.
2 people like this
@achilles2010 (3051)
• India
9 Jun 10
If we look at the brighter side of things people in Christian groups have fed, clothed and educated billions of people in developing nations, not to mention individuals we know them now for their kind acts.
How can we forget Christian groups like Salvation Army, World Vision International, Operation Blessing, God’s Pit Crew, Med Air, Samaritans Purse, etc. Can we forget individuals like Mother Theresa, Martin Luther King Jr., Abraham Lincoln, Jimmy Carter, George Washington, Isaac Newton, Johnny Cash, Robert E. Lee, etc.
Christianity took care of the morals of its followers. It brought about a sobering effect on the masses.
You say there would be:
No crusades.
No inquisitions.
No witch burnings,
Well, actually, most of this stuff would still happen, they would just have to use something other than ‘christianity’ to justify it.
@allknowing (130066)
• India
8 Jun 10
What is the percentage of catholics in this world and now with so many factions adding to those already existing that do not think on the same lines as you have brought out where is this going to take us? Honestly achilles it is the hour and the moment that we were born that has placed us in situations that make us believe in the various interpretations. What if you were born an Anglican or some other sect. I don't go too much into any of these things as your kind of people who spend so much time in analysing are in the minority and so what happens to those like me?
@achilles2010 (3051)
• India
8 Jun 10
allknowing, I am a catholic but the interpretation I gave here is not one bit in line with Catholic interpretation. Had I been born into any other sect, my interpretation would remain the same.
Religions interpret mysteries with one single purpose. The purpose is to present the mysteries as riddles wrapped in an enigma. They always seem to add magic into mysteries. They hide the truth rather than reveal it. They strike at emotions rather than the intellect. They are afraid that the religion would die if it were proved true.
You asked, "What would happen to people like me." I cannot tell you that but I will tell you what would happen to me. God will judge me according to my devotion and not according to my knowledge. It is the devotion, which is most important in sight of God. I quest after God and His word written in the bible out of devotion and not for the sake of knowledge.
@allknowing (130066)
• India
8 Jun 10
That is what religion is all about. Understand nothing but believe. The way our religious teachings are now embroiled in materialism, and commercialization the less we talk about it the better. Those that were doing business in 'temples' I mean churches Jesus drove them away. But now every church has its set up with business in mind. There is no church that does not have a marriage hall!!!
@allknowing (130066)
• India
8 Jun 10
How can you remain a catholic if you do not believe what it teaches?
@allknowing (130066)
• India
8 Jun 10
What is the percentage of catholics in this world and now with so many factions adding to the those already existing that do not think on the same lines as you have brought out where is this going to take us? Honestly achilles it is the hour and the moment that we were born that has placed us in situations that make us believe in the various interpretations. What if you were born an Anglican or some other sect. I don't go too much into any of these things as your kind of people who spend so much time in analysing are in the minority and so what happens to those like me?
@avani26 (1518)
• India
8 Jun 10
Thanks achillies for explaining it so well.
The Sacrament of Holy Eucharist involves a sacramental covenant, an exchange of persons. When Jesus gives His body, blood, soul and divinity to us, we give our body, blood, soul and humanity to Him. We give ourself to Jesus by preparing for heaven, by truly loving God with all our heart and soul and mind and strength, and by truly loving one another.
