Communion and essence/energies

[Monica4316]

I have read that according to the the Eastern Orthodox theology, - when we receive Communion, we receive Christ in His energies, not in His essence.

Does the Catholic Church make this distinction? I’ve never been able to understand the differences in views of essence/energies in East and the West.

My other question is, - does the substance bread become transformed, at the Consecration, or does it simply cease to be? does the Church say anything on this?

Thank you I realize these are sort of complicated questions… but maybe someone knows.

God bless!

 

[Formosus]

In Western theology they do not distinguish between God’s essence and God’s energies (or for westernese speakers, God’s Essence and God’s attributes). For the west, God’s attributes are identical to His Essence. In the East, the Energy(or Grace) is that part of God which we can know and interact with, while the Essence is that part of God which is totally transcendent beyond all comprehension and interaction. The distinction is not a division of God into two parts, but at the same time it is not just a mental distinction for us. Its somewhere between those two.

While not using this terminology, the West would admit that its impossible for us to comprehend or know God in His entirety, and that God’s interaction with us is by His attributes, so it is a difference in terminology and not one of actual Faith.

As for your question about Transubstantiation, I do not know the answer. Perhaps someone more familiar with that teaching could explain.

 

[Monica4316]

Thank you for the reply

I am thinking of something from St Faustina’s Diary… she saw God as light, and couldn’t understand anything, and then saw Jesus walking out of the light towards her. He said, "“Who God is in His Essence, no one will fathom, neither the mind of
Angels nor of man. Get to know God by contemplating His attributes”. (Diary No.
30).

Of course this book is approved by the Church and has the nihil obstat and imprimatur… how does it relate to the Catholic teaching? maybe it’s talking about how you said that God’s interaction with us is by His attributes?