And does anyone think it's a little weird?
2006-06-16 11:05:53 · 22 answers · asked by Tonizzy22 2 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
At the Last Supper, Jesus said, “Take this bread. It is my body.” Then he said, “Take this and drink. This is my blood. Do this in memory of me.”
Catholics believe this was the First Eucharist, that through some miracle the bread and wine actually became the body and blood of Jesus Christ.
Catholics reenact the Last Supper during every Mass, where the priest, acting in place of Christ, changes the bread and wine into the body and blood of Jesus Christ.
This is a great sacrament of thanksgiving and unity of Catholics.
With love in Christ.
2006-06-16 18:52:17 · answer #1 · answered by imacatholic2 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
First of all, Catholics do not think it is symbolic. We believe that is the actual Body and Blood of Christ.
Second, when we say "body" and "blood", we do not mean flesh and plasma+water. This is the divine body and blood of Jesus (remember, Jesus is 100% God and 100% human). Honestly, it cannot be the human flesh and blood of Jesus because a human body is finite. There would be no way that we could have communion for 2000 years and still have more Jesus to go around.
Third, a couple people have already mentioned it already, but when we consume the Body and Blood of Christ, we physically become one with Christ and his Church, past and present. It is a celebration of the Eucharist that is communal that makes Mass unique from regualr prayer.
2006-06-17 00:53:10 · answer #2 · answered by the_alliance47 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Great question! I have two points on this you might find interesting.
First, on the trans bit. I think that culturally, Catholicism tries to make spiritual things physical. Instead of the view that your spirit and soul become part of Christ when you accept Him as the sacrifice (body and blood) and that is what is necessary, there is some need for a physical representation. My opinion is that there is a cultural tradition of religiosity inherent in the Catholic Church, and this is one manifestation. Most egregious of which would be ignoring the reality of Christ as the head of the Church and following a man (the Pope). No offense to the current Pope, who I find a fascinating and brilliant scholar.
Second, as to the likelihood of a physical part of the body of Christ being apart of you, the probability is pretty high. What you say? Yep, the nature of organic life is constant recycling. And the human body is constantly producing material that gets spread around in the environment. We shed about 10,000 particles per minute. Remember Avogadro's number (6.2x10^23)? Take a single mole of carbon and water and the like from Christs body released during his lifetime and the likelihood of a couple of those molecules being inside of you at some point in your life are pretty high.
Now that is interesting.
2006-06-16 18:56:19 · answer #3 · answered by Karman V 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
LOL... catholics don't think they are eating Jesus. The bread and the wine is meant to represent the body and blood of Jesus. Since thats what he gave at the last supper.
2006-06-16 18:08:21 · answer #4 · answered by *karasi* 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
"Transubstantial" - Yes we believe that the bread is Jesus' body and the wine is his blood. What could be more nurishing to feed us than God?
It is belived that the bread is turned into Jesus' body, and the wine his blood when the priest prays over it. Further, when we take the communion, all time - all people - all creature of God join in one moment and one time.
The Bible addresses many of the discomfort you have in: John 6: 41-70 ... "Let me solemnly assure you, if you do not eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. He who feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood has life eternal and I will raise him up on the last day. For my flesh is real food and my blood real drink. The man who feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in him ..." <1>
Additionally, Jesus gave us the "Institution of the Eucharist" (communion) "And he took bread, and when he had given thans He broke it and gave it to them, saying, "This is My body which is given for you" ... And likewise the cup after supper, saying, "This cup which is poured out for you is the new covenant in My blood" <2>.
2006-06-16 18:10:19 · answer #5 · answered by Giggly Giraffe 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It's a symbolic thing. I'm not a Catholic, but I know that the bread and wine (or grape juice) "become" the body and the blood during Communion. (Not literally, but symbolically)
2006-06-16 18:16:20 · answer #6 · answered by cj_justme 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The "transubstantiation" has long been a controversial part of Catholicism. They're is one specific scripture at the last supper, that Catholic doctrine takes literally. Many other people take it as metaphorical.
2006-06-16 18:08:42 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
The wafer and red beverage are just symbolic of the blood and body of Jesus Christ. It is what has been taught in churches for centuries. How awful! Call it tradition. I call it depressing.
2006-06-16 18:17:55 · answer #8 · answered by Kasha 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Strange; yes. But their Scripture/doctrines teach Jesus said, "Unless you eat My flesh & drink My blood, you have no part in the kingdom of Heaven."
It's known as transubstantiation.
2006-06-16 18:08:07 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
It is now really eating Jesus but accepting him as to be part of us. It is a figurative term.
2006-06-17 06:32:52 · answer #10 · answered by coolblueacid 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋