How many Catholcs understand the sum and summit of our worship?
I wash SHOCKED in an earlier question to see how many Catholics thought that the Bread and Wine were just "symbolic" of Christ's Body and Blood. It is NOT. That is a protestant belief, not Catholic. It is at the core of the Catholic faith that when the priests speaks the words of Christ over the bread and wine that they are NO LONGER bread and wine, but are now the Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Christ, under the appearance of bread and wine. That is the doctrine of "Transubstatiation".
Here is a link to an explanation of "Transubstatiation":
http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/05573a.htm#3
"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" (John 6:53–55).
Learn your faith! Are their any Catholics out there who DO understand this?
2007-09-09 09:28:54 · 17 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
IMPORTANT LINKS:
Catechism:
http://www.usccb.org/catechism/text/pt2sect2chpt1art3.htm
Catholic Encyclopedia:
http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/05573a.htm
http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/05573a.htm#3
2007-09-09 09:30:53 · update #1
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 a miracle the bread and wine actually became the body and blood of Jesus Christ. This miracle is called transubstantiation.
Catholics reenact the Last Supper during every Mass, where God, acting through the priest, changes the bread and wine into the body and blood of Jesus Christ.
This is a great sacrament of thanksgiving and unity of Catholics.
By the way, the Orthodox, Lutheran and many Anglican Churches also believe in the Real Presence of Jesus Christ in the Eucharist.
For more information, see the Catechism of the Catholic Church, sections 1322 and following: http://www.usccb.org/catechism/text/pt2sect2chpt1art3.htm
With love in Christ.
2007-09-09 15:51:02 · answer #1 · answered by imacatholic2 7 · 2⤊ 3⤋
Correct. Transubstantiation means that the substance of the bread and wine is changed. This makes perfect sense if one merely remembers that God created the entire universe with a word. His Word is powerful. If He says that bread and wine are His Body and Blood, those materials have no choice but to become what He has declared. And in a few rare occasions, even the appearance has changed. I heard an anecdotal story where somebody snuck a host out of church and put it under a microscope. He saw what looked like human cell formations. I'm not saying that happens every time, but I DO believe God was making a point.
2007-09-09 09:43:38 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 4⤋
Well done. We are a eucharistic church and a eucharistic people. The whole reason we genuflect is out of worship, respect and adoration for the true presence of Christ in the eucharist. He is both spiritually and physically present under the appearance of bread and wine; this is NOT symbolic and never has been.
2007-09-09 09:36:05 · answer #3 · answered by The Raven † 5 · 3⤊ 1⤋
It means that the bread and wine turn into the body and blood of Christ but only on substance level. Meaning they still taste like bread and wine.
It's so much fun knowing such big words.
2007-09-09 09:34:30 · answer #4 · answered by Ten Commandments 5 · 2⤊ 2⤋
I know, religious illiteracy is really appalling, isn't it? I know what transubstantiation is and I'm an atheist, though to be fair I was raised catholic and went to catholic schools for 13 years.
I've got a question for you, though. Why is it a surprise when people do not believe that things have changed when there is no empirical evidence to support it?
2007-09-09 09:34:57 · answer #5 · answered by Rat 7 · 4⤊ 1⤋
It's a bread wafer and wine. I feel for you. These very extreme practices of the church, and the fact that you believe them so adamantly, are perfect examples of how the church is holding human evolution back even today. So sad.
Okay, moving on now...
2007-09-09 09:43:27 · answer #6 · answered by I, Sapient 7 · 2⤊ 3⤋
"For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, That the Lord Jesus the same night in which he was betrayed took bread: And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me." 1 Corinthians 11:23-24
"And he (Jesus) took bread, and gave thanks, and brake it, and gave unto them, saying, This is my body which is given for you: this do in remembrance of me." Luke 22:19
Key words: "in remembrance of me". It's symbolic.
Plus:
"But flesh with the life thereof, which is the blood thereof, shall ye not eat." Genesis 9:4
"... No soul of you shall eat blood, neither shall any stranger that sojourneth among you eat blood." Leviticus 17:12
2007-09-09 12:14:16 · answer #7 · answered by unashamedofhim116 2 · 1⤊ 2⤋
Much is symbolic in the Bible, including key passages of The Book of Revelations.
For all those who think they understand this book, there is an equal amount they do not understand.
Christ comes quickly and as a thief; that is, at an hour you do not expect, and in the guise of someone you do not expect. 2,007 years is nothing in eternaty.
2007-09-09 09:36:25 · answer #8 · answered by Son of David 6 · 1⤊ 3⤋
I'm a former protestant who understands this, and the lunacy of transubstantiation theology is one of the reasons I cannot imagine anyone remaining Roman Catholic.
Is there anything ELSE in the universe that you want to refer to its "substance" as existing somehow separate from its elemental chemistry?
This type of conversation has no place in the modern world and should be relegated to mythology and superstition.
2007-09-09 09:35:13 · answer #9 · answered by NHBaritone 7 · 4⤊ 4⤋
Even Catholics believe any transformation is the spiritual sort, rather than the actual [chemical/atomic/molecular] transformation of matter.
A simple test can confirm that the wafers are still wafers and not some guy's flesh.
2007-09-09 09:34:57 · answer #10 · answered by Lunarsight 5 · 3⤊ 4⤋