Do you have to drink the Blood?

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Mark_B said:
I guess from a Protestant point of view, I would ask this…If Jesus, at the Last Supper said to partake of both the body and the blood in remembrance of Him, why do we get to choose which one we partake of?
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It is the priest who must commune under both species and he does so at every Mass. The priest is actually the only one who must commune at Mass.
Mark_B said:
Jesus clearly gave BOTH the bread and the cup as His body and blood, so how can you say that it is only acceptable to partake of one of them, yet receive Him entirely? He made it clear that both were apart of His Last Supper, yet, man has concluded that only one is necessary for the Eucharist.
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Because the Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity of Christ is indivisible and is present entirely under each species.
 
1ke said:
It is the priest who must commune under both species and he does so at every Mass. The priest is actually the only one who must commune at Mass.

Because the Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity of Christ is indivisible and is present entirely under each species.
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Thank you for answering this question. After re-reading my first post, I feel that I, unintentionally, came off as argumentative. I apologize if I did. You see, my in-laws are Catholic, and as someone raised in a non-catholic church, I am trying to understand their beliefs. I am glad I found this site and forum to answer the questions I have. I enjoy going to Mass with them, but I am trying to understand the reason behind the rituals. Thanks again for clarifying this issue. Now I understand.
 
No one is obliged to receive the Eucharist through the species of wine. In our Church (new rite or old alike) it is not even offered.
 
Roy5 said:
Perhaps I will stray from the theme, so forgive me if I do.

I think that many non-Catholics have a serious problem with Catholicism because of the doctrine of transubstantiation. The question posed here highlights that problem. In the eyes of many ‘drinking blood’ - yes, even of Christ - has a paganish ring about it, rather like Mithraism or one of those other ancient cults that also required the shedding of blood.
Code: 
Among many meanline Protestants the entire idea of God giving his Son to be murdered as a way to redeem us seems to echo paganism, also. Evangelical Protestants emphasize that point, as do Catholics, but 'liberal' Protestants often feel queezie about it. God ordained that humankind murders his only begotten Son in order to save humankind? Wasn't there a better way? A less violent way? If any father would give up his son to be murdered today, we would accuse him of child abuse or worse.

Then, from another standpoint, while the murder of Jesus was a heinous crime, true, in three days he would rise and eternally reign as King of Kings, Lord of Lords, sitting 'on the right hand of God the Father Almighty' - whatever that means. It seems to reflect the notion that God is up in the sky somewhere, sitting on a throne.

 Should we leave such images alone? Or, do they need to be revisited and possibly revised? Just asking. I know, for me, of a mixed Catholic/Protestant heritage, I'm troubled by much of this sort of doctrine. It sounds so primitive in today's world.  I'm much more touched by the Sermon on the Mount, the parable of the Good Samaritan, the closing verses of Matthew 25 and other teachings and experiences of Christ found in the Gospels.
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The underlying theme to your thoughts is that Jesus is less than God. If He set up the Eucharist, if He told us he would return to the Father and reign with Him, then we should accept and learn as much of this mystery as we can. But to suggest we should change what was set down by Jesus is to set ourselves as judge over His decisions, which is implying that He is not God.

Another thought as well on this topic, we live in a very sanitized world that gives the appearance of a civilized and antiseptic world. But this is an illusion. The same issues that were faced 2000, 4000, 8000 etc years ago are the same ones we face today. Many of those "liberal’ Protestant denominations support abortion, which is killing babies on the altar of convenience and self-worship. So we are not so civilized as we pretend to be.

My personal feelings for many of those liberal Protestant groups is that they are fighting against what Jesus wants, and setting their own opinions and beliefs as dogma. The longer they fight, the farther they get from Jesus.
 
Considering the fact that we get a thread about whether or not we have to receive under the species of wine at least once a week, does anyone think it would be a good idea to have a sticky thread about this question?
 
Mark_B said:
Thank you for answering this question. After re-reading my first post, I feel that I, unintentionally, came off as argumentative. I apologize if I did. You see, my in-laws are Catholic, and as someone raised in a non-catholic church, I am trying to understand their beliefs. I am glad I found this site and forum to answer the questions I have. I enjoy going to Mass with them, but I am trying to understand the reason behind the rituals. Thanks again for clarifying this issue. Now I understand.
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Hi, Mark,

Hope this may get you started:

Biblical basis of the mass: davidmacd.com/catholic/catholic_mass_bible_references_full_text.htm
 
1ke said:
Most people receive First Communion under both species and you definitely would want to have communicated your intentions to the priest ahead of time to only receive the Body.
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Back in the day when I received my First Communion, no one received both species. Wow, did I just date myself.😉
 
Mark_B said:
Thank you for answering this question. After re-reading my first post, I feel that I, unintentionally, came off as argumentative. I apologize if I did. You see, my in-laws are Catholic, and as someone raised in a non-catholic church, I am trying to understand their beliefs. I am glad I found this site and forum to answer the questions I have. I enjoy going to Mass with them, but I am trying to understand the reason behind the rituals. Thanks again for clarifying this issue. Now I understand.
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There is a brand new book out by Cardinal Wuerl called "The Mass, The Glory, The Mystery, The Tradition which I just finished. It is excellent at explaining the basics and basis for everything in the Mass. I would highly recommend you pick it up so you can appreciate more what is happening at every point in the Mass.

Welcome to the forums!
 
Mark_B said:
I guess from a Protestant point of view, I would ask this…If Jesus, at the Last Supper said to partake of both the body and the blood in remembrance of Him, why do we get to choose which one we partake of? Jesus clearly gave BOTH the bread and the cup as His body and blood, so how can you say that it is only acceptable to partake of one of them, yet receive Him entirely? He made it clear that both were apart of His Last Supper, yet, man has concluded that only one is necessary for the Eucharist.
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The theological explanation for this is Jesus cannot be separated. Being God and being the living God, He is one and whole all the time. So Jesus is whole in each of the Eucharistic species, and it would be heresy to suggest otherwise.
 
1ke said:
I didn’t say there was. I suggested they examine the root of the issue-- which may be an erroneous belief about alcohol. I then stated that if she STILL feels called to refrain from all alcohol, then to let the priest know so he could make accomodations at FHC, which tyipcally includes receiving both species.
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C’mon, 1ke, you made a valid assumption here, but still an assumption. I simply broadened your assertion to allow for a nicer possible explanation. I meant no offense to you whatsoever and don’t understand why you take umbrage.
 
lizaanne said:
On behalf of the wife? How could there be? She has NEVER had any alcohol. :confused:

~Liza
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Funny, but I was thinking of myself when this was brought up. Aside from Communion, I went my entire life w/o partaking of any alcohol (no small feat if you knew the crowd I hung around). The reason being that many of my family members had a problem with alcohol so I naturally assumed I would as well.

Point: alcoholism can be a factor w/o actual consumption by the protagonist.

kk?
 
InspiritCarol said:
Funny, but I was thinking of myself when this was brought up. Aside from Communion, I went my entire life w/o partaking of any alcohol (no small feat if you knew the crowd I hung around). The reason being that many of my family members had a problem with alcohol so I naturally assumed I would as well.

Point: alcoholism can be a factor w/o actual consumption by the protagonist.

kk?
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ok, I just read this (after I posted my previous comment). that’s an interesting point.
 
ServantJohn said:
If my family converted to Catholocism, does my wife have to drink the Blood? Out of her commitment to God, my wife has never had a single drink of alcohol. In the Eucharist, can my wife only partake of the bread and that be sufficient?
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Within the Roman Church, no.

Remember: the Catholic Church is 23 churches united under the pope… while the largest, the Roman does not set the practices for the others, but the others are equally as Catholic.

In some of those Eastern Churches in union with Rome, yes. Others, no.

Most Byzantine Rite liturgies commingle the species prior to the communion of the faithful. The Body of Christ is immersed in the Blood, and then dropped into the communicant’s mouth from a spoon… so all the unordained receive both at the same time.
 
Aramis said:
Within the Roman Church, no.

Remember: the Catholic Church is 23 churches united under the pope… while the largest, the Roman does not set the practices for the others, but the others are equally as Catholic.

In some of those Eastern Churches in union with Rome, yes. Others, no.

Most Byzantine Rite liturgies commingle the species prior to the communion of the faithful. The Body of Christ is immersed in the Blood, and then dropped into the communicant’s mouth from a spoon… so all the unordained receive both at the same time.
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I’ve heard that you can approach the priest prior to Liturgy and ask that you receive the species of bread alone, if you have issues with alcohol.

But then I ask, if the wife has not taken alcohol because of her “commitment to God,” why would she refuse the Precious Blood of Christ when He asks us to “take, drink of it”? Isn’t that another commitment to God?
 
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