Where does the ritual of eating the body of Christ and Drinking his blood come from? Sounds cannibalistic.?

Question

For those of you who say it in not literal - I never thought I was really drinking the blood of Christ or eating his body - I got the symbolic part!!! I mean the meaning behind it.

Arnon: I grew up Catholic - I am not making crude comments - And the reason I as is because everyone will have a different answer like most divided and conquered Christians. I want to see what people think.

Answer 1

It's a tradition that was practiced in many pagan religions and later carried over into Christianity. We have to remember that Christianity was originally considered one of the "Mystery Religions" and that was a popular thing among the mystery cults.

Answer 2

Judaism teaches that the Hebrew people had been spared the plagues that struck Egypt by following God's instructions to slay a lamb, and by painting its blood over the doorway to their home. The flesh of the lamb was then eaten, along with unleavened bread. Since the first Christians were Jews, the symbolism was carried over and Jesus was called "the Lamb of God." The eating of bread and drinking of wine (or grape juice) has come to represent the sacrifice of Jesus in the same way that the symbolic meal still represents the Passover (literally being passed over by death) for Jewish people.

Answer 3

Practical Catholics partake of the authentic, real, and substantial body and blood of the risen Jesus Christ, at least once per week.

There's absolutely no symbolism here. His body is true food, and his blood is true drink. We have Jesus' personal word on it.

And as we have no idea exactly what type of godly "essence" constitutes Jesus' resurrection body, we have absolutely no reason to consider the eating of his glorified and transformed flesh, and the drinking of his glorified and transformed blood, as "cannibalism".

Answer 4

It's from the last supper. It's said that Jesus said that the bread represented his body and the wine represented his blood - and that everybody should eat and drink those things in memory of him. It's exatly what you said... a ritual.

Answer 5

>>Where does the ritual of eating the body of Christ and Drinking his blood come from?<<

From Christ Himself:

"Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of man and drink his blood, you have no life in you; he who eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. For my flesh is food indeed, and my blood is drink indeed. He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me, and I in him. As the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so he who eats me will live because of me. This is the bread which came down from heaven, not such as the fathers ate and died; he who eats this bread will live for ever." (John 6:53-58)

Answer 6

It comes directly from the mouth of Jesus. Read John 6 and Matthew 26:26-28.

God bless,
Stanbo

Answer 7

It comes from the last supper before Jesus was crucified. Jesus took the bread and the wine and asked his Father to bless it. He broke the bread into pieces, giving it to his disciples and said, "This is my body, given for you. Do this in remembrance of me."
And then he took the cup of wine, sharing it with his disciples and said, "This wine is the token of God's new covenant to save you--an agreement sealed with the blood I will pour out for you. I believe that it was a way for the disciples to feel him with them always.....in remembrance of him.....not to be taken literal.

Answer 8

it comes from the new testament.
1 Cor 11:23 For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread, 24 and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, "This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me." 25 In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me." 26 For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes.

This was symbolic of our need for GODS sustenance

Answer 9

The communion which you're bearing on is accomplished in the protestant church as an act of symbolism, no longer actually; Jesus stated "try this in rememberance of me" we don't actually eat flesh nor drink blood; purely the catholic church thinks that they are literally changing the wine into blood and the bread into flesh, this is a hundred% non-scriptual. as far because of fact the burnt possibilities pass, this is now no longer carried out because of fact Jesus grew to become the sacrifice for sins, because of fact the blood of bulls and goats now no longer chuffed the Lord, because of fact human beings grew to become chilly to the rituals, and that they misplaced their intending to them, so God desperate to deliver his son, Jesus, to be the suitable one to die for the sins of the international, being the only applicable, sinless existence that ever lived; he grew to become the sacrificial lamb, spotless and sinless till now the Lord. purely now, instead of the blood of bulls and goats, the blood of Jesus Christ is the only thank you to your sins to be washed away and forgiven.

Answer 10

1406
Jesus said: "I am the living bread that came down from heaven; if any one eats of this bread, he will live for ever; . . . he who eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life and . . . abides in me, and I in him" (Jn 6:51, 54, 56).

1407
The Eucharist is the heart and the summit of the Church's life, for in it Christ associates his Church and all her members with his sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving offered once for all on the cross to his Father; by this sacrifice he pours out the graces of salvation on his Body which is the Church.

1408
The Eucharistic celebration always includes: the proclamation of the Word of God; thanksgiving to God the Father for all his benefits, above all the gift of his Son; the consecration of bread and wine; and participation in the liturgical banquet by receiving the Lord's body and blood. These elements constitute one single act of worship.

1409
The Eucharist is the memorial of Christ's Passover, that is, of the work of salvation accomplished by the life, death, and resurrection of Christ, a work made present by the liturgical action.

1410
It is Christ himself, the eternal high priest of the New Covenant who, acting through the ministry of the priests, offers the Eucharistic sacrifice. And it is the same Christ, really present under the species of bread and wine, who is the offering of the Eucharistic sacrifice.

1411
Only validly ordained priests can preside at the Eucharist and consecrate the bread and the wine so that they become the Body and Blood of the Lord.

1412
The essential signs of the Eucharistic sacrament are wheat bread and grape wine, on which the blessing of the Holy Spirit is invoked and the priest pronounces the words of consecration spoken by Jesus during the Last Supper: "This is my body which will be given up for you. . . . This is the cup of my blood. . . ."

1413
By the consecration the transubstantiation of the bread and wine into the Body and Blood of Christ is brought about. Under the consecrated species of bread and wine Christ himself, living and glorious, is present in a true, real, and substantial manner: his Body and his Blood, with his soul and his divinity (cf. Council of Trent: DS 1640; 1651).

1414
As sacrifice, the Eucharist is also offered in reparation for the sins of the living and the dead and to obtain spiritual or temporal benefits from God.

1415
Anyone who desires to receive Christ in Eucharistic communion must be in the state of grace. Anyone aware of having sinned mortally must not receive communion without having received absolution in the sacrament of penance.

1416
Communion with the Body and Blood of Christ increases the communicant's union with the Lord, forgives his venial sins, and preserves him from grave sins. Since receiving this sacrament strengthens the bonds of charity between the communicant and Christ, it also reinforces the unity of the Church as the Mystical Body of Christ.

1417
The Church warmly recommends that the faithful receive Holy Communion when they participate in the celebration of the Eucharist; she obliges them to do so at least once a year.

1418
Because Christ himself is present in the sacrament of the altar, he is to be honored with the worship of adoration. "To visit the Blessed Sacrament is . . . a proof of gratitude, an expression of love, and a duty of adoration toward Christ our Lord" (Paul VI, MF 66).

1419
Having passed from this world to the Father, Christ gives us in the Eucharist the pledge of glory with him. Participation in the Holy Sacrifice identifies us with his Heart, sustains our strength along the pilgrimage of this life, makes us long for eternal life, and unites us even now to the Church in heaven, the Blessed Virgin Mary, and all the saints.
Peace and every blessing!

Answer 11

It comes from the account of the Last Supper in the New Testament. Obviously you just this very hour heard about it and are asking about it here making crude comments without researching your facts first.