How can the bread be Christ?

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InSearchOfGod

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Being Catholic, this is one of the . . . what would you call it? . . . defining characteristics of our faith: Transubstantiation!

While I believe the bread is Christ, I’m trying to squash the Satan in me that says “it simply can’t be!” After all, by all the laws of physics, it just seems impossible. (Oh me of little faith 😦 )

After all, Jesus said “This is my body” as he held up the bread.

And then there’s the question of why? Why does the bread become Jesus every Sunday?

I hope to build a much closer relationship to the Eucharist . . . obviously some of it will always be mystery to us.
 
If one accepts that God can fit into the body of a human, is it really that much of a stretch to accept that God can appear as bread to us?

With the Incarnation, God actually became a man. The Eucharist only involves the same God apprearing as bread. He is fully Present before us, but only the appearance of bread is there, a cloak, if you will, over the True God.

A cover, not to decieve, as He makes His Presence plainly known, but one given out of mercy to shield our eyes from Divine Glory that would otherwise destroy us.
 
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Brendan:
A cover, not to decieve, as He makes His Presence plainly known, but one given out of mercy to shield our eyes from Divine Glory that would otherwise destroy us.
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Wow! That is so profound!

How can people want to grab a stranger’s hand when Jesus is right on the Altar?
 
InSearchofGod

Faith is a gift. Read, talk, learn: Just don’t expect to understand the mystery by your power of reason. Submission to God, Obedience to the Church and prayer can bring you where you want to be.

Brendan’s thoughts are helpful though, don’t you think?

Christ’s Peace,

TJD
 
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Brendan:
A cover, not to decieve, as He makes His Presence plainly known, but one given out of mercy to shield our eyes from Divine Glory that would otherwise destroy us.
Click to expand...
Whew, yes, that is profound! Thank you, Brendan.

Thank you Madia for the link!
 
If God could create the universe out of nothing, why can’t He make something of something else?

God’s words don’t just say something, they DO something.

When He said, “Let there be light,” there was light.

When He said “This is My Body,” it became His Body, and this continues through the work of the Holy Spirit at every Mass!

He comes to us in this humble form so that we might have faith and so we aren’t overwhelmed by His Glory.

I pray you will come to know and believe without a doubt that this is Truly Jesus!
 
First off, it can’t be bread *and *Christ. It either has to be one or the other. If Christ wasn’t veiled under the apperance of bread, then there wouldn’t be much of a test of faith for any of us since we could see the bread change into His Flesh. Also, on the practial side, would you be able to eat Human Flesh and drink Human Blood?

Did you know about this miracle?:
therealpresence.org/eucharst/mir/lanciano.html
 
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Didi:
I pray you will come to know and believe without a doubt that this is Truly Jesus!
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Thank you!! 🙂
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Madia:
First off, it can’t be bread and Christ. It either has to be one or the other.
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Perhaps this question will sound too phisophical, or just plain silly, but . . . in what way are things what they are? For example, when the bread becomes Christ, the actual atoms of the bread don’t have to change, do they? After all, it remains like bread to the senses of touch, smell, taste, and appearance. And yet, it does change. It does become the flesh of Jesus. But . . . what is that other way in which it become Jesus?

No, I would not be able to eat flesh that tasted like flesh, or drink blood that tasted like blood! :eek:

Yes, I have heard about that miracle! It is simply . . . well . . . miraculous! If I could have so much faith that something like that happening wouldn’t shock me to death . . .

Looks like nobody wanted to eat it though!

Thank you!
 
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InSearchOfGod:
Being Catholic, this is one of the . . . what would you call it? . . . defining characteristics of our faith: Transubstantiation!

While I believe the bread is Christ, I’m trying to squash the Satan in me that says “it simply can’t be!” After all, by all the laws of physics, it just seems impossible. (Oh me of little faith 😦 )

After all, Jesus said “This is my body” as he held up the bread.

And then there’s the question of why? Why does the bread become Jesus every Sunday?

I hope to build a much closer relationship to the Eucharist . . . obviously some of it will always be mystery to us.
Click to expand...
I’ll do my best and be brief. Your quest is noble but you have a lot of homework to do.
Start by reading and thinking about John’s Gospel Chapter 6 (last Gospel, written about 60 yrs after Jesus) There are many themes there not the least of which is Faith. Notice how Jesus doesn’t mince words or back down when followers ask for clarification and ask yourself whether they took Him literally. Count His followers at the beginning of the Chapter then at the end.
The Eucharist is Calvary. Jesus gives Himself to us fully. Mysteries are good, they make you think and feel! More another time, go analyze Chapter 6!🙂
 
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Madia:
First off, it can’t be bread *and *Christ.
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I’m not sure I agree with this statement. Jesus was fully God AND fully man. The Eucharist could be bread AND Christ, if that’s what He wanted it to be.
 
The Eucharist could be bread AND Christ, if that’s what He wanted it to be.
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I think you are referring to consubstantiation which is actually a heresy:
newadvent.org/cathen/04322a.htm

What I mean is that something cannot be two things at once. For example a fetus cannot be a person and also not a person. Either a fetus is a person or not a person. Since a fetus is a person a fetus cannot at the same time be not a person.
 
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Madia:
I think you are referring to consubstantiation which is actually a heresy:
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That’s why I added the phrase “if that’s what He wanted it to be.” I didn’t mean to imply that it was both, but that it could be, if He desired that. Thanks for the clarification.
 
Five years ago as I dutifully attended Mass I went to the Priest holding up the Eucharist and saying “The Body of Christ”-time froze, I did not know what was going on-Jesus appeared before me and was walking towards me just looking at me-and a voice said “It’s Jesus! It’s Jesus! It’s Jesus” Jesus kept walking towards me and I couldn’t see and the voice said “Where did He go! Where did He go? Where did He go?” When my vision returned I was holding the Eucharist in my hand and I knew about the Real Presence for the first time in my life. I told my children right away, but it took me a year to tell our Priest. I am now an extra-ordinary minister of Holy Communion and an hourly Captain for our Perpetual Adoration Chapel. I have spent over 150 hours in front of Our Lord in adoration over the last three years… I am a rational person, and I do not know why the Lord granted me, a working stiff, such a Grace. I am not worthy to know the truth, but it happened and I know. Also I know: Blessed are those who do not see and yet believe. I hope my testimony helps you to understand and be apart of Heavan on Earth-The Mass.
 
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InSearchOfGod:
While I believe the bread is Christ, I’m trying to squash the Satan in me that says “it simply can’t be!” After all, by all the laws of physics, it just seems impossible.
Click to expand...
The laws of physics (and chemistry) have nothing to do with it. The physical laws can only show us the appearances (accidents) of things, never the substance.
 
QUOTE=InSearchOfGod]Being Catholic, this is one of the . . . what would you call it? . . . defining characteristics of our faith: Transubstantiation!

While I believe the bread is Christ, I’m trying to squash the Satan in me that says “it simply can’t be!” After all, by all the laws of physics, it just seems impossible. (Oh me of little faith 😦 )

After all, Jesus said “This is my body” as he held up the bread.

And then there’s the question of why? Why does the bread become Jesus every Sunday?

I hope to build a much closer relationship to the Eucharist . . . obviously some of it will always be mystery to us.

Note, Gods ways are as far from mans ways as the heaven is from the earth(mystery). Trying to understand it through the laws of physics alone is impossible. It should also be noted that with God all things are possible.
Why does the bread become Jesus every Sunday?.
God LOVES :love: us so much and he knows that to nurish us and keep us strong through the difficult and tempting journy here on earth we need food.
This has to be in both forms(spiritual and physical) since man is made of both spirit and body. The bread which becomes Jesus every sunday is the food for our spirit.
Prayer makes our faith stronger :gopray:.
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Brendan:
If one accepts that God can fit into the body of a human, is it really that much of a stretch to accept that God can appear as bread to us?

With the Incarnation, God actually became a man. The Eucharist only involves the same God apprearing as bread. He is fully Present before us, but only the appearance of bread is there, a cloak, if you will, over the True God.

A cover, not to decieve, as He makes His Presence plainly known, but one given out of mercy to shield our eyes from Divine Glory that would otherwise destroy us.
Click to expand...
Well posted.Thank You 👍 .
 
Don’t forget who created those laws of physics. And don’t forget who goes around them every time He makes a miracle.

Jesus offers Himself to us in physical form every day because we are physical creatures as well as spiritual ones, and He has taken our physical form. He offers Himself to us every day because all, for all time, are to be given the opportunity to eat the flesh of the Paschal Lamb as was foreshadowed in the Passover sacrifices.

It’s one thing to have an intellectual understanding that Christ is our food, that is, that we live by His teachings. It’s quite another to hold Christ in our hands, to place Him in our mouths and chew Him. This is not an intellectual understanding, this is tangible evidence of His self-giving love for us. When He says He desires to abide in us and we in Him, He means it in way so complete we cannot fully fathom it. Thus the Eucharist is also a hint of the way that we will be totally united with God in heaven.
 
netmil(name removed by moderator):
Wow! That is so profound!

How can people want to grab a stranger’s hand when Jesus is right on the Altar?
Click to expand...
In order to receive the Eucharist we must be one with our neighbors, we cannot be bearing any grudges or ignoring their presence with us in the same room…that’s why we have the sign of the peace before receiving Him…we reach out to those around us, our brothers and sisters, delighted to share this wonderful moment with them for we know what they are eagerly anticipating as well, and we are truly happy for them. It’s never just Jesus and you in the Mass, but everyone around you and the saints above.
 
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