How to explain the eucharist to non-Catholics

[bill_karweik]

every time I have a disscussion on the eucharist with people who are not Catholic they think I believe that I eat the arm or leg of Christ at the eucharist.I tell them its the glorified body of Christ and they want to know what that is. How do explain this?

 

[PaulinePresbytr]

every time I have a disscussion on the eucharist with people who are not Catholic they think I believe that I eat the arm or leg of Christ at the eucharist.I tell them its the glorified body of Christ and they want to know what that is. How do explain this?

If it was a metaphor why would so many of Christ’s disciples have left him. Why wouldn’t Christ have just explained the “misunderstanding”, that it was simply a metaphor. After all I’ve never met anyone who can have a problem with that. Why would Christ let his disciples leave him over a misunderstanding?

 

[Molokai_fire]

The Holy Eucharist is a sacrament and a sacrifice. In the Holy Eucharist, under the appearances of bread and wine, the Lord Christ is contained, offered, and received.
The whole Christ is really, truly, and substantially present in the Holy Eucharist.
The word “Eucharist” means "Thanksgiving and Christ instituted the Holy Eucharist at the Last Supper, the night before He died.
When Our Lord instituted the Holy Eucharist the apostles were present, it is not fabrication.
Christ instituted the Holy Eucharist in this way: He took bread, blessed and broke it, and giving it to His apostles, said: “Take and eat; this is My body;” then He took a cup of wine, blessed it, and giving it to them, said: “All of you drink of this; for this is My blood of the new covenant which is being shed for many unto the forgiveness of sins;” finally, He gave His apostles the commission: “Do this in remembrance of Me.”
When Our Lord said, “This is My body,” the entire substance of the bread was changed into His body; and when He said, “This is My blood,” the entire substance of the wine was changed into His blood.
Christ could not have used clearer, more explicit words than “This is My body.” He did not say, “This is a sign of My body,” or “This represents My body,” but, “This is My body.” Catholics take Christ at His word because He is the omnipotent God. On His word they know that the Holy Eucharist is the body and blood of Christ.
The change of the entire substance of the bread and wine into the body and blood of Christ is called Transubstantiation.
Jesus Christ is whole and entire both under the appearances of bread and under the appearances of wine.
Our Lord was able to change bread and wine into His body and blood by His almighty power.God, who created all things from nothing, who fed the five thousand with five loaves, who changed water into wine instantaneously, who raised the dead to life, can change bread and wine into the body and blood of Christ. Although the Holy Eucharist is a great mystery, and consequently beyond human understanding, the principles of sound reason can show that this great gift is not impossible by the power of God.

 

[Hobie]

Hi all - I’m newly involved in our parish’s LifeTeen program, and our small group was charged with dispelling the myth that Catholics practice cannibalism when receiving the Eucharist. We sort of managed to do that, but the discussion revealed our students struggle with the teaching and how it isn’t cannibalism, and my own struggle with trying to explain it in a way that was semi-understandable. I also hit a wall with when it become a sin that you don’t beleive this is the Real Presence. One of the leaders helped me with that, but I’d be interested in other perspectives.

I know that faith is a big part of this teaching, but it seems that today’s teens need something a bit less esoteric.

Any help or perspective is appreciated.

I believe that transubstantiation is a very powerful idea that is diminished by being taken literally. In the sacrament of the Eucharist, bread and wine become divine nourishment for all who participate, a taste of the eternal and transcendant, a direct connection to what is greater than us all. Viewing the Eucharist in this way makes moot any conflict between faith and reason, and makes our faith unshakable by science or other forms of intelligent inquiry.

 

[petronus]

Great answers and examples! I’m presenting transubstantiation and the Real Presence next week in my Confirmation and First Holy Communion classes and this will be useful.

I would avoid the term “transubstantiation” like the plague . It belongs to a philosophy that is alien to the way of thinking of all but the most esoteric .

Stick to what Jesus said and take him at his word .

 

[Jean_Anthony]

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