Confusion about the Eucharist

[Tracyms1974]

Hello, everybody!

  I have been confused about something since I was a child.  Here it goes, I will try to explain this as simply as I can.

  When you go into church, you genuflect because Jesus is there in the Tabernacle, right?  Then you find a seat, pray, hear the Liturgy of the Word & the Homily, and turn in your collection money.  

  Now it's time for the Liturgy of the Eucharist which includes the Transubstantiation (rite?) where the hosts are changed into the Body and Blood of Jesus.  Then you think, "Wait a minute, didn't I just genuflect when I came in here because Jesus is here in the Tabernacle?  Why does the priest need to change Jesus into Jesus?"  Does it follow, therefore, that the Transubstantiation process has an expiration time or date?  Is it only good for 24 hours?  Please help this poor misinformed Catholic girl.

Tracy

 

[JimG]

Some churches have the tabernacle in the sanctuary, some do not. Jesus is in the tabernacle only because the communion hosts were consecrated during Mass into his body and blood. Communion was distributed and any remaining hosts were put in the tabernacle, because it is still Jesus.

As long as it retains the appearances of bread, the presence of Jesus remains.

At the next Mass, the priest will take more UNconsecrated hosts, which will be consecrated during the Mass. So he isn’t changing Jesus into Jesus; he’s changing bread into Jesus.

 

[Lazerlike42]

Hello, everybody!

  I have been confused about something since I was a child.  Here it goes, I will try to explain this as simply as I can.

  When you go into church, you genuflect because Jesus is there in the Tabernacle, right?  Then you find a seat, pray, hear the Liturgy of the Word & the Homily, and turn in your collection money.  

  Now it's time for the Liturgy of the Eucharist which includes the Transubstantiation (rite?) where the hosts are changed into the Body and Blood of Jesus.  Then you think, "Wait a minute, didn't I just genuflect when I came in here because Jesus is here in the Tabernacle?  Why does the priest need to change Jesus into Jesus?"  Does it follow, therefore, that the Transubstantiation process has an expiration time or date?  Is it only good for 24 hours?  Please help this poor misinformed Catholic girl.

Tracy

Nope, transubstantiation doesn’t have an expiration date. Once a piece of bread has become Christ, it remains Christ until the appearences of bread and wine cease to exist (such as through digestion).

The consecration has two purposes. I’ll list the least important first, which is that people receive the Eucharist at Mass, so you’ve got to, well, make more . The only way to transubstantiate Christ is to consecrate the bread and wine, which is done at Mass, and so at each Mass more is consecrated. Otherwise, He’d run out. Furthermore, unless I am mistaken the only time it is permitted to consecrate bread and wine is during Mass, unless some very grave reason presents itself to do so outside of Mass, so this would be the only time to do it.

The more important reason is that the Mass is a Sacrifice, and the way the Sacrifice is offered is by consecrating bread and wine seperately to symbolize Christ’s blood and body being seperated on the cross as He bled. You have to consecrate Christ each and every Mass, even if its only one host, because that’s how the Sacrifice is offered. Also keep in mind that the Precious Blood is not kept reserved; the only time it’s available is when it’s consecrated at Mass, and it all has to be consumed then and there, again barring an extraordinary reason to keep some, which on occassion happens.

 

[pyropam]

If this didn’t take place then we would eventually run out of hosts. The new consecrated hosts are added to the existing consecrated hosts and distributed. Then the remaining hosts go back into the tabernacle.

 

[quiet52]

tracyms,

If a priest was celebrating a private mass, and knew there were exactly 25 people receiving Holy Communion (himself included), then before mass he or someone would prepare enough UNconsecrated hosts (still bread). There would be no “reserves” to place in the tabernacle.

However, a parish must ensure that there is a sufficient number of consecrated hosts in the tabernacle, to be taken to the sick and homebound. Also, it is difficult to calculate exactly how many people will be receiving Holy Communion during a particular mass, but there must be enough. Before mass begins, the person who prepares the bread and wine (1) estimates the # of hosts needed (based on the history of that mass time), (2) goes to the tabernacle to check the # of consecrated hosts in the tabernacle (without removing them), and (3) places an adequate number of unconsecrated hosts into the ciborium brought up during the procession of the gifts with the wine and collection (“fruit of our labors”). During the Mass, only those hosts are consecrated – the hosts in the tabernacle are not “re-consecrated.” Then, after we pray the “Lamb of God,” if deemed necessary, the reserve hosts in the tabernacle are brought to the altar, and mixed in with the newly-consecrated hosts, as the priest distributes the hosts into the ciboriums for distribution to the congregation.

I hope this helps.

 

[Tietjen]

Hello, everybody!

I have been confused about something since I was a child. Here it goes, I will try to explain this as simply as I can.

When you go into church, you genuflect because Jesus is there in the Tabernacle, right? Then you find a seat, pray, hear the Liturgy of the Word & the Homily, and turn in your collection money.

Now it’s time for the Liturgy of the Eucharist which includes the Transubstantiation (rite?) where the hosts are changed into the Body and Blood of Jesus. Then you think, “Wait a minute, didn’t I just genuflect when I came in here because Jesus is here in the Tabernacle? Why does the priest need to change Jesus into Jesus?” Does it follow, therefore, that the Transubstantiation process has an expiration time or date? Is it only good for 24 hours? Please help this poor misinformed Catholic girl.

Tracy

LOL… That is absolutely adorable! I mean no disrespect at all, I assure you. Okay, next time you see the tabernacle, look to your right. You should see a candle somewhere nearby. This lit candle indicates that the Host is within the tabernacle. You genuflect then before the tabernacle out of respect for the Holy Eucharist. Now, during Mass you notice that after collection the gifts are brought up to the Priest. This is the money collected AND unconsecrated bread and wine. These unconsecrated items (bread and wine) are what is consecrated during the Mass. After Holy Communion, any Hosts, which are remaining, are placed within the tabernacle with any Hosts that are currently residing there. Take care and God bless.

 

[Tracyms1974]

Hey, y’all.

 Thanks for your answers!  I understand completely now.  I knew about the candle near the tabernacle communicating the fact that Christ is present, I just didn't know the rest.  If Jesus is in the Tabernacle long enough and somebody takes it during Mass, is there a chance that they might get sick?  Mind you, this is coming from a girl that labels all her stuff that goes into the fridge with the contents and date cooked (like rice).  I heard of a miracle where there were some consecrated hosts that lasted like 200 years, or something, but as we all know, miracles don't happen every day.  Also, is there any chance that consecrated and unconsecrated hosts may get mixed up, and if so, would God "pick up the slack" and consecrate the host himself for the person receiving it?  You know, real quick-like?  I was curious to see if y'all knew the answers to these questions since you knew the others.  Thanks for your attention.  :-)

Tracy

 

[LilyM]

Hey, y’all.

 Thanks for your answers!  I understand completely now.  I knew about the candle near the tabernacle communicating the fact that Christ is present, I just didn't know the rest.  If Jesus is in the Tabernacle long enough and somebody takes it during Mass, is there a chance that they might get sick?  Mind you, this is coming from a girl that labels all her stuff that goes into the fridge with the contents and date cooked (like rice).  I heard of a miracle where there were some consecrated hosts that lasted like 200 years, or something, but as we all know, miracles don't happen every day.  Also, is there any chance that consecrated and unconsecrated hosts may get mixed up, and if so, would God "pick up the slack" and consecrate the host himself for the person receiving it?  You know, real quick-like?  I was curious to see if y'all knew the answers to these questions since you knew the others.  Thanks for your attention.  :-)

Tracy

Hosts aren’t reserved long enough for them to go ‘off’ or make anyone sick or anything.

As for unconsecrated hosts? It’s a theoretical possibility, but the previously-consecrated hosts aren’t brought out until well after the Consecration where the new hosts are consecrated. So it’s a very slim chance at best of any mix-up.

At any event, no-one is required to receive Communion at every Mass or anything like that, so there’s no problem with accidentally receiving an unconsecrated Host at a particular Mass.