Communion, erm... will it be the same anyway?

[Zundrah]

…some people have told me that if I die now (having never taken communion) then I will still die in a state as if I had taken communion, because I believe in its meaning. But others say that you are damned unless you have eaten his flesh, brunk his blood etc… even if you believe it or not, if you haven’t done it, then you are done for anyway?

Which is true?

I don’t really know what to think now, but I think I will die in damnation, since I haven’t partaken of communion, whether I believe or not (which I do). How does it go though? Because the Egyptian slaves had to eat the lamb, whether they believed or not, their oldest brother would die unless they ATE the lamb.

 

[St_Francis]

…some people have told me that if I die now (having never taken communion) then I will still die in a state as if I had taken communion, because I believe in its meaning. But others say that you are damned unless you have eaten his flesh, brunk his blood etc… even if you believe it or not, if you haven’t done it, then you are done for anyway?

Which is true?

I don’t really know what to think now, but I think I will die in damnation, since I haven’t partaken of communion, whether I believe or not (which I do). How does it go though? Because the Egyptian slaves had to eat the lamb, whether they believed or not, their oldest brother would die unless they ATE the lamb.

God will judge each of us individually and take everything into account. For example, if you have not partaken of the Eucharist because you are obeying and waiting until you are received into the Church, that would count towards you rather than against you.

The latter group of people are looking at the issue in a superstitious manner. The sacraments give us grace with which we cooperate to increase in holiness. It’s not like you partake of the Eucharist and that automatically gives you a get into Heaven free card.

Remember that in Sacred Scripture it is said that those who partake unworthily or without recognizing His Presence condemn themselves.

 

[Zundrah]

God will judge each of us individually and take everything into account. For example, if you have not partaken of the Eucharist because you are obeying and waiting until you are received into the Church, that would count towards you rather than against you.

The latter group of people are looking at the issue in a superstitious manner. The sacraments give us grace with which we cooperate to increase in holiness. It’s not like you partake of the Eucharist and that automatically gives you a get into Heaven free card.

Remember that in Sacred Scripture it is said that those who partake unworthily or without recognizing His Presence condemn themselves.

But some people have told me that communion is like that pass over in Egypt? That you have to eat the sacrifice in order to recieve its pardoning of your sin? They say that communion is like that? A must, for your salvation?

 

[Zundrah]

Are you telling me that the only thing different about Catholic Communion is that you believe it IS the body and blood of Christ? Is that all that makes Catholic Communion Catholic!?

 

[Zundrah]

…then that means that all my panicing has been for nothing? Worrying that God will think less of me because I haven’t taken part in communion. This is a great relief, I can say at last I can finaly take a breath of relief.

I was worried about the angel of death and such, like that one in Egypt over the slaves.

Was the slaves eating of the flesh of the lamb Gods way of showing that He had purchased them as his people who were to be made ready to bring the Messiah into the world?

 

[Zundrah]

I know it is Him, I have struggled for months trying to understand and believe this… I know it is him on that Altar.

But what makes Communion such a big thing that we MUST partake of it at least once in our lives?

 

[spockrates]

I have much the same questions as you, Zune, though I suppose I’m not as sure as you are.

 

[spockrates]

JC:

Would you say the Eucharist is the Body of Christ outside of Mass?

 

[Zundrah]

I have much the same questions as you, Zune, though I suppose I’m not as sure as you are.

The thing is… people keep telling me different things all the time! It’s no wonder I am confused, since it is the people here at CAF that keep giving me different answers!

JC:

Would you say the Eucharist is the Body of Christ outside of Mass?

Yeah, if the priest does the transformation thing - trantsensutiation!? I didn’t spell that right… sorry, it’s makes it look offensive to write it wrong…

 

[Zundrah]

I have much the same questions as you, Zune, though I suppose I’m not as sure as you are.

I believe that it is definately Him on that Altar, it is, I know it is… I am certain it is Him. I can scream to the world that I recognise Him up there on that Altar at my mass!

But, we have the Egyptian passover to tell us that anyway.

 

[06convert]

You will go to heaven if you die in a state of grace.

You are required as a Catholic to receive Eucharist at least once a year, preferably during the Easter season. Outside of this requirement, not receiving Eucharist will not remove the grace necessary for you to go to heaven.

Zundrah, are you in RCIA? Why have you not received Eucharist?

 

[Zundrah]

You will go to heaven if you die in a state of grace.

You are required as a Catholic to receive Eucharist at least once a year, preferably during the Easter season. Outside of this requirement, not receiving Eucharist will not remove the grace necessary for you to go to heaven.

Zundrah, are you in RCIA? Why have you not received Eucharist?

I was in RCIA but my college evening classes over run it, and I haven’t got any GCSE’s, so I must do this course or I will be jobless! I am 21 now…
Anyway, so the Eucharist (recieved or not recieved) does not play any part in you salvation/ enetring heaven?

 

[06convert]

Anyway, so the Eucharist (recieved or not recieved) does not play any part in you salvation/ enetring heaven?

Once you are Catholic you will have to recieve Eucharist at least once per year. Going any longer than that can certainly remove the grace from your soul needed for heaven.

The Eucharist is necessary to sustain your grace, but not necessary for obtaining it.

 

[Zundrah]

Once you are Catholic you will have to recieve Eucharist at least once per year. Going any longer than that can certainly remove the grace from your soul needed for heaven.

The Eucharist is necessary to sustain your grace, but not necessary for obtaining it.

Okay, it makes more sense now.

Thank you.

 

[spockrates]

The thing is… people keep telling me different things all the time! It’s no wonder I am confused, since it is the people here at CAF that keep giving me different answers!

Yes, I know what you mean. For the longest time I was confused–not about knowing how little of the body of Christ I needed, but about knowing whether I needed His body at all. I had Protestants to the left of me, Catholics to the right, and there I was, stuck in the middle with Him. But pray as I may, He was strangely silent. So I kept asking Catholics and Protestants at forums like this how they knew what they knew was true.

In the end it came down to Jesus’ words in John’s gospel (the sixth chapter):

Jesus said to them, “I tell you the truth, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. For my flesh is real food and my blood is real drink.”

(John 6:53-55)

 

[spockrates]

I believe that it is definately Him on that Altar, it is, I know it is… I am certain it is Him. I can scream to the world that I recognise Him up there on that Altar at my mass!

But, we have the Egyptian passover to tell us that anyway.

I guess I do, too. Though for a different reason, perhaps. For you, it’s the experience of the reality of His presence. For me, it’s the experience of the reality of His words. I’ve turned Christ’s words every which way but loose, and I suppose I can’t deny them.

Like Mother Teressa said, “Once you see truth, you can’t unsee it.”

I guess the only question is, “What do I do now?”

 

[spockrates]

JC:

My question was actually this: Does the Eucharist exist in Protestant churches, where there are no Catholic priests and no Mass? That is, if a person receives the bread in a Protestant church, believing God does perform the miracle of transubstantiation, does that person receive the body of Christ, or is it merely a slice of bread?

 

[Zundrah]

Yes, I know what you mean. For the longest time I was confused–not about knowing how little of the body of Christ I needed, but about knowing whether I needed His body at all. I had Protestants to the left of me, Catholics to the right, and there I was, stuck in the middle with Him. But pray as I may, He was strangely silent. So I kept asking Catholics and Protestants at forums like this how they knew what they knew was true.

In the end it came down to Jesus’ words in John’s gospel (the sixth chapter):

Jesus said to them, “I tell you the truth, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. For my flesh is real food and my blood is real drink.”

(John 6:53-55)

I haven’t recieved him yet! GraaaaahhhhhgggggggggghhhhghghghghghGH! :banghead:

I guess I do, too. Though for a different reason, perhaps. For you, it’s the experience of the reality of His presence. For me, it’s the experience of the reality of His words. I’ve turned Christ’s words every which way but loose, and I suppose I can’t deny them.

Like Mother Teressa said, “Once you see truth, you can’t unsee it.”

I guess the only question is, “What do I do now?”

What do you do now? The same thing as me, try to recieve him.

 

[spockrates]

I haven’t recieved him yet! GraaaaahhhhhgggggggggghhhhghghghghghGH! :banghead:

What do you do now? The same thing as me, try to recieve him.

If He can only be received at Mass, then it has been more than half my life since I received Him! Do you want to tell me what’s holding you back? Or should I tell you, first? Or should we both keep those cats in their bags?

(Don’t worry, I won’t get all Monty Python on you in this discussion!)

 

[PhilotheaZ]

My question was actually this: Does the Eucharist exist in Protestant churches, where there are no Catholic priests and no Mass? That is, if a person receives the bread in a Protestant church, believing God does perform the miracle of transubstantiation, does that person receive the body of Christ, or is it merely a slice of bread?

It is merely a piece of bread.