Eucharist as a Sacrament
Definition
~Eucharist, the word is an adaption from the Greek word for thanksgiving-
“He gave thanks” is how the bible relays Jesus actions before setting out the Eucharistic celebration.
~The Eucharist is also named the “unbloody” sacrifice-
This does not mean it is not a real sprinkling of his blood through time into our souls, and our churches, by consuming what is no longer what is was in any way but appearance- rather- it means that we often do not see the actual suffering occur, but simply know that mysteriously- the flesh we eat, and the blood we drink- is Jesus suffering on the cross, to bring life to the world (John chapter 6, I Corinthians chapter 10 verse 16; chapter 11 verses 27 to 34).
~The Eucharist, which is often named equally as what it also does- named as “Communion” gets such a term from the fact that,
It is literally the very bond of this, after baptism, which unites people to the church (St. Paul- 1 Corinthians 10:17, St. Paul- 1 Corinthians 12 Verse 13), through Christ’s suffering.
~Christ is present,
Both as the Eucharistic feast, but also in the priest who repeats his words, and also in the Faithful, and in the Liturgy of the word, where the bible is read.
~The Eucharist in a Catholic church is closed,
This means that only those united with the Fullness of truth, under the pope, may partake in it, so far as they are not in a state of unrepented Mortal sin. This is because (I Corinthians chapter 10), any who eat of the body or drink of the blood- unworthily- are responsible for their own death(I Corinthians chapter 11 verses 27 to 34)- whether sickness, or actual death, or mortal sin- as seen in what occurred in the Corinthian Church.
~Catholics cannot take communion in an invalid church, or even in a valid Non-Catholic Church, except in danger of death,
This is because of the Warning of the Apostle Paul (I Corinthians Chapter 10 verses 28 to 30) that they were condemned by openly and willingly sharing in a cup of sacrifice other than Christ’s, because they would scandalize those present. This is also because the Bible says we share one loaf, and are therefore one body (St. Paul- 1 Corinthians 10:17), it is a lie, even a mortal offense to pretend at a non-existent unity between the church (I Timothy chapter 3 verse 15) and those groups in schism with it (CCC 2089; Canon Law Canon 751, 1364; 1 Corinthians chapter 1 verse 12; chapter 12 verse 25(c.f. article entitled Schism- Volume 13- The Catholic Encyclopedia- Robert Appleton Company, 1912); II Timothy chapter 4; Acts 15; III John- entire letter).
~The Eucharist is Literally Jesus’ body and blood
(John 6- bread of life, left by disciples, thinking it cannibalism- does not explain, even to the apostles to whom (Gospel of Matthew chapter 13 verses 10 and 11) he revealed all things; I Corinthians chapter 10 (c.f. Verse 16)-11(c.f. verses 27 to 34)- people dying for not recognising his body- Greek word literal- body). It is the one sacrifice, served universally, perpetually, and consistently on every valid Alter where the “Unbloody” sacrifice of the Eucharist is made (Hebrews chapter 13 verse 15).
~The Eucharist is a Sacrament (c.f. Our article on Sacraments and1 Peter 3:21-22)-
meaning that it is more than is visible, and that the consecration literally and entirely transubstantiates the bread and wine into body and blood- leaving no bread and wine left, but only body and blood (C.f. Catholic Encyclopedia).
Mystery of the Passover- either disproves Christianity or proves Eucharist as a sacrament.
~In the Gospel of Dear Saint John the Apostle,
in chapter 15, Jesus explains that he is the vine, his disciples the branches- no one can achieve anything without the vine. This is similar to John chapter 6 where he says- “I am the bread of life” and that any who do not eat of this bread cannot have eternal life.
~In Luke chapter 22 verses 29-30-
he says that the Disciples would eat and drink at his table in heaven, judging the twelve tribes of Israel, in verse 31, he mentions that Simon has a danger of being sifted like wheat.
~He clearly associates this meal with what it is- the Passover, which entailed such feasting on bread and wine- He also prophesies that he will not drink the “fruit of this vine until he enters his kingdom-
he says in the Gospel of Saint Luke in chapter 22 and verse 15- that he dearly desired to celebrate the Passover before his death. In verses 17- 20, he institutes the Eucharist, again saying what he says literally. In fact, in verse 18- he says directly- I will not drink again of the Fruit of the Vine until I enter my kingdom. Matthew is even more specific in his Gospel, in chapter 26 verses 29 to 36, where he says that when he drinks it again, it would be with them, after entering his kingdom. The Gospel of Saint Mark in Chapter 14 of the Gospel, verse 35 repeats these same words.
~In the Gospel of John, chapter 19, verses 27 to 30, Jesus, if he was talking about wine, broke his promise, and prophesy-
where he actually asks for a drink of wine that the scriptures “might be fulfilled” (NAB verse 28). He then from a sponge soaked in “common wine”(Verse 29), he drinks, before claiming – “It is finished” (verse 30) and dying.
~Fortunately, the gospels all record parts of what happened-
from an eye-witness perspective, and record Jesus’ words- firstly that he himself was the vine, and the bread and the wine of the meal (c.f. Gospel of Saint John Chapter 6), and secondly that the cup and the flesh- were his self during the actual crucifixion. He constantly refers to his crucifixion as a cup, which people might choose to share (Gospel of dear Saint Matthew chapter 20 verses 22-23).
~Further- he calls his crucifixion a cup given
him (Garden of Gethsemane- Gospel of Saint Luke chapter 22 verse 42), a cup he must drink- just hours after drinking the Passover- and his final act before declaring that “It is finished” is drinking a sip of wine. Catholics believe that not only is the Eucharist purely Jesus Body, Souls, Divinity and Blood, but also that this is brought through time from the moment of his crucifixion, he of course dies a moment after drinking the “fourth cup of the Passover” (Having started this research- I have found these words from Scott Hann in Catholic Answers- Hunt for the Fourth Cup).
False prophesy, and Luke chapter 31
The Gospel writers painstakingly attempt to show that Jesus was a prophet- in Luke Chapter 22 verse 31- Simon is told that he will leave Jesus, and in many places attempts to link his life to prophesies are made- so why do they have his drinking wine after promising not to drink fruit of the vine- the only answer is that either the Gospels are Wrong, or Jesus is not a Prophet and not God, or that he did not refer to the fruit of grapevines- but the fruit of his crucified self.
The Oath of the Nazirite
~In The Book of Numbers, chapter 6 verses 1 to 8, the oath of the nazarite is explained-
Whereby, an Israelite swore not to consume that produced of the vine, or even grape skins. It notes that as long as an Israeli is a Nazarite, he is Holy to God, yet that when he drinks wine- he becomes normal again. The vow also entails not using instruments to cut one’s own hair, but it is of note that it is here that Jesus dies, here, the same time as a Nazarite ends his oath, that Jesus takes upon the load of sin through death, fulfilling Isaiah chapter 53.
~Scott Hann, also notices that the Hissop,
given to Jesus on the cross, bearing the wine- is the very instrument used to scatter the blood of sacrificial lambs.
~Jesus is clearly set up by these events as literally within the Sacrament- in his moment of crucifixion, sharing these hours and life of suffering among us, in which he combines himself as one with us.
Communion in General- From Scripturelink Encyclopedia
Communion is a uniting, Godly, experience,
God is directly present in the communion bread, (and the wine), which are literally his body and blood. Partaking in God, unites the believers in spirit to one another (1 Corinthians 10:17). They become one body, by partaking in the Eucharist, what else could St.Paul have meant when he said: “… are one single body, for we all share in the one loaf.” Corinthians 10:17 New Jerusalem Bible. http://www.catholic.org/bible/book.php?id=46&bible_chapter=10
Eucharist based on John chapter 6 and The Last Supper whereby
Catholics eat the Eucharist, following the command in John chapter 6, as well as Jesus Command at the Last supper, which unlike some others, they interpret literally. This Literal interpretation, is also present quite strongly in the church fathers (writers of importance in early Christianity, especially before the bible was compiled in the 4th century). The fact that Jesus did not tell the many who had left him on this teaching- that it “was only symbolic” or “only a metaphor”, shows that he must have meant it literally. He lost many disciples because they were not prepared to partake of his flesh.
Communion is both “symbolic” and literal-
“Symbolic” -in that it is a ceremony in remembrance of the crucifixion.
“Literal”, in that, by acting in obedience, God gives grace and miracles via the Sacraments. We really eat Jesus’ flesh, and blood in the Eucharist, as he commanded, we also take part in the crucifixion, in a mysterious way. This sacrament forgives venial sin, as well as enabling health in body and mind, in many circumstances. The Eucharist gives us strength to live out the Christian message. Next to baptism, it is one of the centres of Catholic worship. The mass is structured around Communion, in which Baptized Catholics may take part. Catholics cannot take communion at a church not in communion with the pope. Communion unites the church as one body, in bonds of Spirit and Love, in their one hope and Faith. To take communion at a non-catholic church would represent a united body that does not exist, and would create deceptive false perceptions.
God saves, Communion can’t save apart from God, As
Paul Also notes
“1 I want you to be quite certain, brothers, that our ancestors all had the cloud over them and all passed through the sea.
2 In the cloud and in the sea they were all baptised into Moses;
3 all ate the same spiritual food
4 and all drank the same spiritual drink, since they drank from the spiritual rock which followed them, and that rock was Christ.
5 In spite of this, God was not pleased with most of them, and their corpses were scattered over the desert.
6 Now these happenings were examples, for our benefit, so that we should never set our hearts, as they did, on evil things;
7 nor are you to worship false gods, as some of them did, as it says in scripture: The people sat down to eat and drink, and afterwards got up to amuse themselves.
8 Nor, again, are we to fall into sexual immorality; some of them did this, and twenty-three thousand met their downfall in one day.
9 And we are not to put the Lord to the test; some of them put him to the test, and they were killed by snakes.
10 Never complain; some of them complained, and they were killed by the Destroyer.
11 Now all these things happened to them by way of example, and they were described in writing to be a lesson for us, to whom it has fallen to live in the last days of the ages.
12 Everyone, no matter how firmly he thinks he is standing, must be careful he does not fall. ” I Corinthians 10 v 1 to 12
http://www.catholic.org/bible/book.php?id=46&bible_chapter=10
All should always be careful, less they loose their salvation. We must not only rely on the sacraments, but on the grace of them, and the God, who can make us good.
Paul notes of Baptism, and Catholic unity-
Communion- only with/for those in communion with the Church
““In the same way, all of us, whether Jews or Gentiles, whether slave or free, have been baptized into one body by the same spirit, and we have been given one spirit to drink” St. Paul- 1 Corinthians 12 Verse 13- Good News Bible.”http://kindstuff.googlepages.com/(bibleonbaptism)
and of the church
“
1 Timothy 3:14-16 from the Niv Tramslation:
“if I am delayed, you will know how people ought to conduct themselves in God’s household, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and foundation of the truth. “”http://kindstuff.googlepages.com/(bibleonbaptism)
Showing that the church is a united body, and the family and body of God. It would be wrong to celebrate communion with those who do not believe as we do. Such would be disrespecting God, and acting against their conscience.
Also, because it can create false perceptions, the following should be noted:
“28 But if someone says to you, ‘This food has been offered in sacrifice,’ do not eat it, out of consideration for the person that told you, for conscience’s sake-
29 not your own conscience, I mean, but the other person’s. Why should my freedom be governed by somebody else’s conscience?
30 Provided that I accept it with gratitude, why should I be blamed for eating food for which I give thanks? ” New Jerusalem Bible, I Corinthians Chapter 10 verses 28 to 30
Communion is also based on the same bases as all sacraments:
(1 Peter 3:21-22) where it is Christ acting with Grace above nature, and exchanging obedience, and a physical sign with Grace. This grace comes directly from the Cross.
One Sacrifice, not many
It is noted that there are not many sacrifices, but only one, or Christ would have had to have suffered many times.
They would also point out that Paul, in speaking to the Corinthians, said that some were sick or even died, because they had disregarded the presence in the Eucharist (1 Corinthians Chapter 11 verses 27 to 34- New Jerusalem Bible).
“27 Therefore anyone who eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord unworthily is answerable for the body and blood of the Lord.
“27 Therefore anyone who eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord unworthily is answerable for the body and blood of the Lord.
28 Everyone is to examine himself and only then eat of the bread or drink from the cup;
29 because a person who eats and drinks without recognising the body is eating and drinking his own condemnation.
30 That is why many of you are weak and ill and a good number have died.
31 If we were critical of ourselves we would not be condemned,
32 but when we are judged by the Lord, we are corrected by the Lord to save us from being condemned along with the world.
33 So then, my brothers, when you meet for the Meal, wait for each other;
34 anyone who is hungry should eat at home. Then your meeting will not bring your condemnation. The other matters I shall arrange when I come.”
Further, Paul asked directly(1 Corinthians 10:14-17; v 28 - 30 )
“14 For that reason, my dear friends, have nothing to do with the worship of false gods.
15 I am talking to you as sensible people; weigh up for yourselves what I have to say.
16 The blessing-cup, which we bless, is it not a sharing in the blood of Christ; and the loaf of bread which we break, is it not a sharing in the body of Christ?
17 And as there is one loaf, so we, although there are many of us, are one single body, for we all share in the one loaf.”
Copyright 2007, 2008. Marc Aupiais. All Rights Reserved.
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