Transubstantiation?

Question

I used to be Catholic, but in name only. Now that I have spent years searching for the truth and studying, I feel that I should return to the Church. However, I do not understand transubstantiation. Could someone please explain that, preferably in a way that is fairly straightforward?

Answer 1

Transubstantiation means that the bread and wine become the actual body and blood of Christ. That is exactly what it means. Some people try to confuse the issue with complex theology but it is really a simple concept.

That should answer your question but if you want to learn more, read on...

The difficult part is believing that it really happens. Its SO difficult many people have left the church over the issue or they've tried to water down the teaching. It is interesting to note than even Martin Luther, the father of protestantism, believed in transubsantiation. He believed so strongly in it that it caused a huge rift between him and other protestant leaders during that time. But he held to his guns.

From your Catholic days, you certainly noticed that the host does not taste like flesh or blood. Nevertheless, the church believes it does in fact do just that. Just as Christ turned water into wine, and just as the apostles preached in tongues, and just as He fed 5000 people with just two loaves and some fish, this to is considered a miracle.

Read John chapter 6 and then read all of the accounts of the Last Supper. This is where the concept comes from. You'll note that Jesus says "This IS my body" not "This is LIKE my body." Same argue that it is a metaphor He's using and not a similie but either way it is still only a symbol. Some will go farther and say that consecrating the host is like re-sacrificing Christ and that is wrong, even anathema. Christ died once and forever freed us from sin. He doesn't need to do it over and over again every Sunday. The Church would probably counter that it is still one and the same sacrifice and that the mass just lets all believers partake in the Last Supper.

If you tend to be a biblical fundamentalist (i.e. believe literally in 6 days of creation, a world wide flood, the complete parting of the Red Sea) than this concept becomes much easier to accept because its the literal interpretation of the written Word.

Let me commend you on your search for truth. If you believe that transubstantiation is real, then the Catholic Church is probably right for you, or even the Lutheran Church. If that is something you can not accept but you feel that something miraculous does happen at the consecration, you might want to look into the Methodist church. If you think even that is too literal an interpretation, you may want to look into one of the more evangelical churches. All of them teach that you must accept Christ in order to be saved even if they differ on the exact means for doing that.

Answer 2

At the Lords Supper he took Bread and Wine and he blessed it and said "This is my Body" and "This is my Blood" we believe he litterally said that unlike some protestants who thinks it's just a symbol... Jesus also said in three verses that you must eat his Body and Drink his blood for eternal life for he is the Bread that came from heaven... Jesus said that we must commemerate the his Supper exactly how he did it by this we believe when the pirest says the word of consecration by the power of the Holy Spirit the bread and the wine are truly the Body and Blood of Christ only under the apperance of bread and wine why he told us this commadment probally so we can actually worship him in our presence... This is how the early christians did it and it continues I don't know if I actually explained it well I'm sorry if I didn't you might want to read a book called "The Lambs Supper" it's a very good book and explains it well.

Answer 3

Without taking facets, you're factually improper on all features. You can not think in Transubstantiation, that's a philosophical strive to give an explanation for what Catholics do correctly think, that Jesus it gift within the Eucharist. He did say 'Eat me' each actually and through the phrase that may best be translated whatever robust like 'munch on'. St Jerome is emphatic approximately simply this factor. "Amen, amen, I say to you, until you devour the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you do not need existence inside you. Whoever eats my flesh and drink..."

Answer 4

Christian doctrine, the Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox doctrine that the bread and wine of communion become, in substance, but not appearance, the body and the blood of Jesus Christ at consecration.

Answer 5

Simply Catholic's believe that when the priest blesses the bread and the wine it literally turns in to the blood and body of Jesus.

I don't beleive it does because Jesus said eat and drink in rememberance of me. Not eat and drink me.

Communion is done to remind us of the price Jesus paid for us and for us to be thankful.

Answer 6

in essence it means that the priest actually creates God(Jesus) and then crusifies Him again. they believe they actually turn the bread and wine into His physical body, and then eat it. i think its called cannibalism.