is communion symbolic or a literal transformation? and why eat and drink the body and blood of Christ? i understand about the sacrifice and that it is in remembrance of the sacrifice, but why eat and drink it? it seems a little barbaric?
2006-09-30 04:25:54 · 13 answers · asked by serasotto 3 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
i said: i understand that it is about the sacrifice and remembering.
i ask: why do we eat and drink of him to remember? it seems a little reminiscent of ancient human sacrifice and blood drinking.
for the defensive: i am asking a question, not challenging your beliefs. i thought that i would get some answers about christian/catholic doctrine on the reasons, not insults or the repetition of my question as the answer.
aren't there other ways of remembering? what is the significance in eating and drinking of the sacrifice? there must be reasons and i was simply asking for them. i'm sorry if i offended your faith with my question, although i don't see how i did. i ask this respectfully.
2006-09-30 04:59:30 · update #1
thank you for those who have sincerely answered my question! i appreciate it.
2006-09-30 05:07:59 · update #2
For all other denominations but the Catholic Faith it is symbolic. The Catholic Faith with it's direct line from the Apostles and Peter makes the consecration of the Host to the Body and Blood of Jesus real. It is truly his body and his blood under the appearance of bread and wine. Jesus said unless you eat of my flesh and drink of my blood you have no life in you. In this world when we eat something it becomes part of us but, with the Heavenly Bread Jesus, we become part of him. We are then incorporated into the Body of Christ as his bride. (the two shall become one flesh). We are in a state of union with each other, the Pope, the Saints, and most especially Jesus our Lord and Savior and our LIFE!
2006-09-30 04:38:07 · answer #1 · answered by Midge 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋
If you look at communion as transubstantiation (literal body and blood), then by definition you are taking in literal body and blood under the appearance of bread and wine. However, if you look at it as just food with symbol attached, then doesn't Communion become a mere mid-worship snack?
IMHO the correct answer is that communion is a mystery that we can't discern -- we let God discern, we just take it as commanded by Christ. This makes it a sacrament, with a completely undefined meaning except for a spiritual presence.
2006-09-30 11:48:20 · answer #2 · answered by ccrider 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
According to the Bible, the saints came together on the first day of the week to partake of the Lord's Supper.( Acts 20:7 )Christians are to partake of this Lord's Supper every Sunday in remembrance of Jesus until he returns. The Lord's Supper consists of unleavened bread and fruit of the vine. By partaking of the Lord's Supper, Christ's disciples continually proclaim the greatest event in all of history to others till Jesus returns. So, this commemoration not only looks backward to the great event of the past, it looks forward to the great event of the future, the coming of Jesus in the end.
2006-09-30 13:15:20 · answer #3 · answered by K 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Communion for me is when I stand at the foot of the cross of jesus, It is symbolic to eat the flesh and drink the blood of christ. I stand at the foot of the cross to hummble myself before him to say sorry for different thing that I may have done or said that I dont feel good about, I only do this to repent and to have forgivness of those things. I remember jesus died for all of us, he suffered a great deal of pain to show us that he believed in good, he showed us this as he moved among the people when he was alive, he only ever showed us love and kindness. To be a christian for me it means that we should live as jesus did, to care for others as we would want, to love others especially those that hate us.
2006-09-30 11:35:46 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
The idea that it seems barbaric to you is something you will have to deal with. In the Christian view of things; authority of Christ is in Col.3:17, emphasis word. True Christianity is not 'mechanical' in nature Therefore, I will not tell you 'thou shall' or 'thou shall not' partake of it, as both are mechanically authorized. A deciding variable (at least in my mind presently) is in 1 Samuel 16:7, God does not see as man sees (who,what, when, where, how) but as God sees (why).
2006-09-30 11:42:10 · answer #5 · answered by jefferyspringer57@sbcglobal.net 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Heck, you're not actually doing anything barbaric...it's just a way for us to remember that He died for our sins!! Maybe that's what was only on His plate for the Last Supper!! We can't exactly go back and ask Jesus to donate some blood for us!! We just remember that His blodd washes us clean and that His Body makes us whole again!!
2006-09-30 11:36:41 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
Communion as done in a True Christian Group is a COMMEMORATIVE event.
The BIG CULT have turned it in to a RITUAL that Jesus NEVER intended.
They do teach and practice "Another Gospel" .
2006-09-30 11:47:21 · answer #7 · answered by whynotaskdon 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
It simply a ritual that some Christians, ( Catholics), think helps them to be closer to God. That is all it is, symbolic. Like if you sit and pray it won't be as effective as praying from your knees. Etc. I personally don't believe that God cares much about that.
2006-09-30 11:41:28 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Communion is symbolic and is an act of worship of Jesus and His death for our sins. Notice that Jesus said He would not partake of this again until He came for His bride. we celebrate the fact that Jesus is coming for us.
2006-09-30 11:30:25 · answer #9 · answered by Lover of my soul 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
The wine is to remember his blood, and the bread to remember his body that was broken for us. We do this to remember the sacrifices he made for us.
2006-09-30 11:34:02 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋