How could the apostles receive sanctifying grace before the Lamb was slain?

[St.Gerard]

I sent in a question a couple day ago pertaining to the subject heading. It was titled Real Presense in the Last Supper. I’m resubmit it because I wanted to shorten and clerify the question after reading the rules. I also placed it in the general apoligetics forum. I don’t believe me question was fully understood.

How do we defend the real presence of Christ in the first Eucharst, which was part of the Passover Feast, in the upper room, which was before Christ, the Passover Lamb was actually slayed? How could the Apostles have received sanctifying grace before Christ had actually died for our sins? What would have happened to the souls of the Apostles had they died before Christ died or resurrected?

Thanks,

St. Gerard

 

[Fr.Vincent_Serpa]

Dear S,

Jesus is God. Creating the Eucharist as a memorial of His passion before He actually suffered and died was not a problem for Him. He did not have to die to give sanctifying grace. Nor did He have to die to be sacramentally present in the Eucharist. He chose to redeem us by suffering and dying. His passion and death affected all people, including those who had died earlier and had been in a state of limbo. His passion and death transcends time.

Fr. Vincent Serpa, O.P.