Eucharist Question

[Richard_Hurtz]

Hi All,

I have a Protestant friend that I have been talking with lately.

He had some questions regarding the Eucharist and I was hoping that some here would be able to help provide “Catholic Answers” ; ^ )

His question regards the following:

John 16:7 says: “Nevertheless I tell you the truth: It is expedient for you that I go away; for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I go, I will send him unto you.”

And according to the Nicene Creed: “…(He) is seated at the right hand of the Father…”

According to our Faith, Christ is present Body, Soul, and Divinity entire in the Eucharist.
And there occurs not only Masses all around the world where Christ becomes present in the Eucharist hour after hour, but also remains therein for the reason that some Hosts are required in case of dire need, etc…

His question is:

If
Christ needed to go away in order for the Holy Spirit to come,
And Christ is seated at the right hand of the Father,
And Christ is present physically in the Eucharist all around the world in tabernacles, ciborum, pyx, etc…

In what way did Christ ever “go away”?
Also, if Christ didn’t “go away” and is present, what is the role of the Holy Spirit?

Thanks & Blessings,

Richard

 

[suissemissed]

Christ also said, in Matthew 28:20, "And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” When Jesus ascended into Heaven, He went up in His natural, bodily state. But when He’s present in the Eucharist, He’s present not in His natural state (which is only in Heaven right now, occupying a definite area of space), but rather He’s present in a sacramental state. Take for example the Last Supper: Jesus was physically with the disciples for the whole Supper, and His natural body was completely there, as yet unharmed. But when He took the bread and consecrated it, His body became present there sacramentally as well, in the Eucharist. It’s a miracle that we’ll never be able to completely understand, but suffice it to say that Christ’s natural body and His presence in Communion are two different “states” of being

If you want some more hard-core theology, you can read St. Thomas Aquinas’ Summa Theologica, particularly question 76, “The way in which Christ is in this sacrament”.

 

[beth40n2]

John 16:7 says:"Nevertheless I tell you the truth: It is expedient for you that I go away; for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I go, I will send him unto you

Jesus was speaking to his deciples, telling them if He did not leave the earth and go back to heaven, the comfortor the Holy Spirit would not come. Then read on…

John 16
8 And when he comes he will convict the world in regard to sin and righteousness and condemnation: 9sin, because they do not believe in me; 10righteousness, because I am going to the Father and you will no longer see me; 11condemnation, because the ruler of this world has been condemned.g

12“I have much more to tell you, but you cannot bear it now. 13* But when he comes, the Spirit of truth, he will guide you to all truth. He will not speak on his own, but he will speak what he hears, and will declare to you the things that are coming. 14He will glorify me, because he will take from what is mine and declare it to you. 15Everything that the Father has is mine; for this reason I told you that he will take from what is mine and declare it to you.

16“A little while and you will no longer see me, and again a little while later and you will see me.
And here he is speaking about the 3 days in the tomb, then he was seen on earth and spent time with the deciples before acsending into heaven.

 

[Richard_Hurtz]

Hi suissemissed & Thanks!

I read the link that you provided and I’ll pass it along even though it does not seem to provide a direct answer to the question at hand.

But thanks again!

Blessings,

Richard

 

[Heuchler]

I believe this was more in reference to Christ being there to lead the Apostles and to advise them compared to him actually physically being there either in spirit or in the Eucharist.

 

[Jim_Roberts]

Hi All,

I have a Protestant friend that I have been talking with lately.

He had some questions regarding the Eucharist and I was hoping that some here would be able to help provide “Catholic Answers” ; ^ )

His question regards the following:

John 16:7 says: “Nevertheless I tell you the truth: It is expedient for you that I go away; for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I go, I will send him unto you.”

And according to the Nicene Creed: “…(He) is seated at the right hand of the Father…”

According to our Faith, Christ is present Body, Soul, and Divinity entire in the Eucharist.
And there occurs not only Masses all around the world where Christ becomes present in the Eucharist hour after hour, but also remains therein for the reason that some Hosts are required in case of dire need, etc…

His question is:

If
Christ needed to go away in order for the Holy Spirit to come,
And Christ is seated at the right hand of the Father,
And Christ is present physically in the Eucharist all around the world in tabernacles, ciborum, pyx, etc…

In what way did Christ ever “go away”?
Also, if Christ didn’t “go away” and is present, what is the role of the Holy Spirit?

Thanks & Blessings,

Richard/QUOTE****************************************************************************
You have to have great faithk, Richard, that CHrist is in the tabernacle both body and soul; so in essence when you are entering a Cathollic church you are entering heaven because God is present both bosy and, bllo, asnd soul, A lot of Catholics struggle with this concept, but one needs real deep faith to b elieve in this.

JESUS I TRUST IN YOU

jr

 

[Nita]

…In what way did Christ ever “go away”?
Also, if Christ didn’t “go away” and is present, what is the role of the Holy Spirit?

Thanks & Blessings,

Richard

The apostles did not want Jesus to die – to go away. They wanted Him to be able to physically see Him with all His physical human attributes.
Jesus is letting them know that His presence in that way will end – will go away. Even after His resurrection, when He had a glorified body, He would only allow them to see it for a short while before ending it - “going away”.