Body and Blood

[Apostle6]

I see a very common misstatement when talking with people regarding the consecrated bread and wine. People continue to refer to them as bread and wine instead of Body and Blood. This is a denegration of the sacrament through the ignorance of people not understanding that their words influence others to believe that the sacrament of the Eucharist is just a symbol. You can go into many other churches (non-Catholic) and they will give you a piece of bread that SYMBOLIZES the Body of Christ. In the Catholic Church, when receiving Eucharist you are not receiving a symbol, but instead you are receiving the actual Body and Blood of Christ. Please reinforce this when speaking about the Eucharist and help others to understand what is meant by the Real Presence. I admit that there are some generalities in this short post and they can be addressed. But my emphasis is to show that education is a responsibility of all who have been baptized. It helps if one POLITELY corrects a person who refers to consecrated bread and wine in the same name and instead say we should call it the Body and Blood. Any thoughts???

 

[moira]

Very thoughful post and you’re right. You make me remember when my son was 3 years old and coloring and gluing paper together and he made something that looked like a chalice. He came running to me with it and said, “Look Mommy, it’s God’s Blood.” Out of the mouths of babes!

 

[NightRider]

Apostle6:

I see a very common misstatement when talking with people regarding the consecrated bread and wine. People continue to refer to them as bread and wine instead of Body and Blood. This is a denegration of the sacrament through the ignorance of people not understanding that their words influence others to believe that the sacrament of the Eucharist is just a symbol. You can go into many other churches (non-Catholic) and they will give you a piece of bread that SYMBOLIZES the Body of Christ. In the Catholic Church, when receiving Eucharist you are not receiving a symbol, but instead you are receiving the actual Body and Blood of Christ. Please reinforce this when speaking about the Eucharist and help others to understand what is meant by the Real Presence. I admit that there are some generalities in this short post and they can be addressed. But my emphasis is to show that education is a responsibility of all who have been baptized. It helps if one POLITELY corrects a person who refers to consecrated bread and wine in the same name and instead say we should call it the Body and Blood. Any thoughts???

This is so very true, and thank you for bringing this up. It is very important. Just this evening I had to explain this to a friend who is not Catholic. He and I are both recovering alcoholics with many years in sobriety and he asked me if I “drink the wine at Communion?” and I said “We Catholics drink the Precious Blood of Christ, not wine,” and he kept pressing me about it, like I was altering my sobriety by partaking in Holy Communion! I just simply kept explaining that “We Catholics drink the Precious Blood of Christ, not wine.” He also brought up that in his Lutheran church parishioners are offered grape juice if they do not wish to drink the wine at Communion. Again I explained as I had all along! It is so hard for nonCatholics to understand this! He finally just let it go when I didn’t alter my explanation to him. But I am so thankful we Catholics do receive the Body and Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ in Holy Communion. Every day I say thanks for this. God bless you, friend!

 

[Mysty101]

NightRider:

This is so very true, and thank you for bringing this up. It is very important. Just this evening I had to explain this to a friend who is not Catholic. He and I are both recovering alcoholics with many years in sobriety and he asked me if I "drink the wine at Communion?"and I said “We Catholics drink the Precious Blood of Christ, not wine,” and he kept pressing me about it,

Unfortunately, as was mentioned, many Catholics also refer to the Precious Blood as wine. This is even more disheartening when it is the EMHC discussing the stations for distribution.

Thanks for the reminder—we should always emphesize the real presence whenever we get the opportunity.

SuZ

 

[Scott_Waddell]

We would also do well to take a careful look at our hymn selection. There are many hymns that have crept into the Mass that say things like, “Let us break bread together” and “drink this wine”

Scott

 

[tee_eff_em]

While I do * try to refer to the sacred species by their proper terms, and remind people to do so when necessary, I don’t think it is necessary to go overboard with it. Otherwise, you would have me correcting the Catechism, St Paul**, and the liturgy*** where influenced by him.

(* Nos. 1329, 1331, 1335, 1355, 1385, 1392, and probably others)

(** 1 Cor 11:26-29 )

(*** The Mystery of Faith, Formula C )

tee