How can Catholics believe that the hosts and wine are the ACTUAL body and blood of Jesus Christ?

Question

I'm a Catholic, but I don't see how it is possible. Isn't that what all Catholics believe? I can understand that the hosts and the wine are symbolic of the body and blood, but that's not what Catholics believe.
Can someone please tell me, simply, what Catholics actually believe?
Thanks.

I love how I haven't heard a reasonably serious answer yet.
You guys are awesome.

Answer 1

Catholics believe it due to a misterpretation of various passages such as Luke 22:19 where Jesus said "this is my body". He clearly is speaking in allegory since he follows it up by saying we should do it in remembrance of him.

As to why this misinterpretation has lasted so long and has been so widely believed, is something for a biblical historian to answer.

However, I don't think that believing it is the literal or symbolic body of Christ makes a lot of difference to salvation.

A bigger problem is the belief that priests can absolve someone of sin, which is clearly non-biblical.

Answer 2

A person who believes in the Teachings of the Catholic Church, the Infallibility of the Pope, the Resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary,and that Jesus Christ is Son of God and son of Mary- Spouse of the Holy Spirit, [there are other requirements, so Google "Nicene Creed"] also the belief in the Bread & Wine being changed into the Body & Blood or Our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ,and has the intention to carries out the directives and requirements of the Catholic Church can be called a true Catholic.
In ages past, people who could not agree with all I have just typed, were, and are called Protestants, out of which many non- catholic groups and sects have come.
Why we believe in the bread and wine being changed into the Body & Blood of Jesus at the Consecration, through the words of the Catholic Priest,can be found in the Tradition of the Early Church Fathers, and then the following written details in the Bible of Jesus saying "This is my Body" and "This is my Blood".
Matthew 26. 26-30
Mark 14.22-26
Luke 22.14-20
1 Corithians 11.23-25

Answer 3

they believe in transubstantiation

the Roman Catholic church teaches that once an ordained priest blesses the bread of the Lord's Supper, it is transformed into the actual flesh of Christ (though it retains the appearance, odor, and taste of bread), and when he blesses the wine, it is transformed into the actual blood of Christ (though it retains the appearance, odor, and taste of wine). This is a decidedly unbiblical doctrine. The Scriptures are wholly silent on the notion of the transubstantiation of the elements of the Lord's Supper. The Scriptures declare that the Lord's Supper is a memorial to the body and blood of Christ, not the actual consumption of His physical body and blood

The most serious reason transubstantiation should be rejected is because it is viewed by the Roman Catholic Church as a "re-sacrifice" of Jesus Christ for our sins. Jesus died "once for all" and does not need to be sacrificed again (Hebrews 10:10; 1 Peter 3:18).

This doctrine destroys the nature of the institution as set forth by the apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians 11:23-29. The Lord's Supper is a memorial, a "sign" of something signified. The false doctrine of Transubstantiation destroys the memorial and the "sign." Jesus had not yet been crucified when He instituted the Lord’s Supper. Claiming that the bread becomes the literal body of the Lord, and the fruit of the vine becomes His literal blood, "takes away the memorial and the sign and puts the object commemorated, or the thing signified, in its place." (Bulwarks of the Faith, by Foy E. Wallace, p-186)
Did Jesus take His own flesh and blood and give it to the apostles? Since He was present with them, such a thing is not plausible. His very presence makes it both improbable and impossible. So, the elements (the bread and fruit of the vine) of the memorial supper are the same now as they were then.

The false doctrine of Transubstantiation is contrary to Bible language. Remember, the supporters of this doctrine often argue: "He [Christ] didn’t say it's a representation of his body and blood." So, we will now apply this faulty "reasoning" to other of Christ’s statements found in the Scriptures and see how they weigh:

When Jesus said, "I am the bread," (John 6:41) did He mean literal bread? Remember, as argued by supporters of this doctrine, He didn’t say, “I am a representation of bread.”

When Jesus said, "I am the vine," (John 15:5) was He a literal vine? He didn’t say, “I am a representation of a vine.” Therefore, if Christ was a literal vine, then His disciples had to be literal branches, because He said, “I am the vine, ye are the branches."

When Jesus said, "I am the door," (John 10:7,9) was He a literal door? He didn’t say, “I am a representation of a door."

When Jesus said, "I am the good shepherd,"(John 10:11,12) was He a literal shepherd? He didn’t say, “I am a representation of a shepherd." We might also ask, were the "sheep," the "shepherd," and the "wolf" mentioned in these verses literal or figurative?

When Jesus taught, in Matthew 5:13-14, "Ye are the light of the world," did He mean the disciples were literal lights? If so, I wonder what kind--candles, lamps, torches, etc. Remember, He didn’t say, “Ye are a representation of light."

By using Catholicism’s own faulty "reasoning," it is easy to show the foolishness and fallacy of such quibbles. In the passages cited above, Jesus used figures of speech (metaphors) in His teachings, just as He did when He instituted the memorial supper.

btw these arent mine, i got them from a fellow theologian
and also from the catholic dogma
and michelle, please no red herrings, if you believe theyre awful explain why. anyone can throw insults

Answer 4

I apologize for never giving a straight-forward answer, but often it is more beneficial to think outside the box. My answer is not about how Catholics believe, but how a scientist might believe:

The atoms and molecules in this world are in constant motion. Even the electrons in them can be separated and migrate to other atoms. Inside the cells of the body, the molecules are being constantly replaced by other molecules. Over the period of 17 years, most of the atom that make up a person's physical body are completely replaced.

Where do all the displaced particles go? All over the place. Some evaporate, some are flushed, some fly off, other fall to the ground and provide nutrients for plants. The atoms that made up Jesus when He was 16 were completely scattered by the time He was crucified, and have almost 2000 years to be thoroughly scatters over the planet.

Considering the sheer number of atoms that make up a person, it is quite likely that one or two atoms end up in the hosts and wine.

Answer 5

First off, the whole christian religion has the foundation on faith. Thats is, believing something that you don't necessarily understand. Catholics believe that the bread and wine at the last supper and on the altar is Jesus' real Body and Blood. Jesus said it plainly "This is my body" and "This is my blood". He also was talking to a crowd (I'm not exactly sure where in the bible this is but) He told that His Body was true food and His blood was true drink. At that many people left Him finding it hard to believe. If He was just using a symbol wouldn't He have tried to stop them and wouldn't He have just said it was a joke? There are many other proofs of the eucharist that I'm sure you can find on the internet. I would highly suggest you ask your question in some kind of catholic forum where they can give better answers than my own. You could also read this:http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/05573a.htm

(the answer above is better than mine. Read that one)

Answer 6

I guess you didnt have very good Religious Education.

Read John Chapter 6 to begin with....then go back to the synoptic gospels and read the last supper scenes. Then if you are really interested you can try finding some information on the early church fathers and see what they believed right from the begining.

Try looking into and understanding the philosophy behind transubstantiation. That is the technical philosophical word for the change that occurs in the bread and wine when it becomes substantially the body and blood of Christ.

Feel free to email me directly, I have a BA in theology.

By the way, bRad---you have NO idea what you are talking about. Your apologetics are awful, try educating yourself prior to trying to educate others.

Answer 7

I mean no disrespect when I say this, but if you don't believe that the host and wine ARE the body and blood of Jesus, then I would argue that you are not a Catholic. That belief is one of the main tenets of the Catholic Faith - without it one can not be considered Catholic. (again, no disrespect intended)

Now on to answer your question:

The greatest of the seven sacraments is the Holy Eucharist. The Catholic Church teaches that in the Eucharist, Our Lord Jesus Christ, true God and true man, is really present under the appearances of bread and wine. Our Lord is not merely symbolized by the bread and wine; nor is he present only through the faith of those present. Rather, the two material things, bread and wine, are completely changed into the body and blood of Jesus Christ, leaving behind only their sensible appearances. Thus, through the words of consecration spoken by the priest, Jesus, without ceasing to be present in a natural way in heaven, is also present sacramentally, body, blood, soul and divinity, in many places throughout the world.

The Eucharist is not only a sacrament but also a sacrifice. In it Jesus, acting through the priest, makes present again in an unbloody manner the sacrifice which he offered once for all by shedding his blood on Calvary. In Holy Communion, by obeying Jesus' command to eat his flesh and drink his blood, the faithful are also united spiritually with Jesus himself, and they unite their own prayers, works and sufferings to his perfect sacrifice.

Answer 8

The Catholic Church is crazy. A LOT of stuff doesnt make sense in that religion. You should check out www.lds.org and learn about the mormon religion, aka the church of jesus christ of latter day saints. They use bread and water, and they say it is in remembrance. Not literal. Lots of things are symbolic, and people try to take them literally. Anyway, this church hasnt ever changed stuff to 'get with the times' or to be more PC, Its stood the test of time. Thats why I like it. AND, everything makes sense. There is always an answer for your questions. Its not "thats just the way it is because the pope or whoever said so."

Answer 9

Catholics believe that the hosts and wine are symbols of the body and blood of Christ. We know they are not the actual body and blood.

Answer 10

How can Catholics, Mormons, JWs, Protestants believe that the hosts and wine are the ACTUAL body and blood of Jesus Christ? hmm some people believe anything under conviction or threat of hell. catholics believe in the trinity of Fear, Guilt, and Shame and we are born evil.

Mormons believe in magic under wear gold tablets and polygamy.
Protestants believe that using your brain is evil its a sin to exist and breathe and there are demons everywhere. JWs believe that 144,000 male virgins go to heaven.

Personally i think the whole christian religion is crazy.