Odd but serious question

[BrianH]

At one point does the host cease to be the body and blood of Christ? I kept trying to think of a respectful way to ask that and I finally came up with it!!
I have watched a priest at a mass one time wipe the cup completely clean I am sure so it would not be…I do not know exactly…defiled comes to mind but in roughly 2 hours or so the host is really going to be in bad shape.
So all I can figure is it ceases to be the blood and the body at some point, so when is it?
Not trying to offend

 

[Pax]

Brian,

You have asked a fair and respectful question. The body and blood of Christ are no longer present when the appearances of bread and wine are no longer present. The real presence of Jesus in the Eucharist remains in the recipient for only a few minutes.

You mentioned the priest cleaning the chalice/cup. When done properly the priest will first pour water into the chalice and then consume the contents. This is to ensure that if any of the precious blood remains it will be respectfully consumed. The chalice is then wiped dry with a clean linen cloth at the altar.

I hope this helps.

 

[BrianH]

Brian,

You have asked a fair and respectful question. The body and blood of Christ are no longer present when the appearances of bread and wine are no longer present. The real presence of Jesus in the Eucharist remains in the recipient for only a few minutes.

You mentioned the priest cleaning the chalice/cup. When done properly the priest will first pour water into the chalice and then consume the contents. This is to ensure that if any of the precious blood remains it will be respectfully consumed. The chalice is then wiped dry with a clean linen cloth at the altar.

I hope this helps.

Oh…does it bother you that the body and blood of Christ go down into your stomach and mix with some pretty disgusting things prior to ceasing to be such or do people just not think about that?
Thanks for the answer, when was it first articulated that is what happened? In other words, who is the first person to say that it ceases to be that when the appearances are no longer present and was there debate about it?

 

[Fr_Ben_Hawley]

i believe that the magisterium’s explanation is that when the elements are no longer recognizable as bread and wine, they no longer retain the Real Presence of the Precious Body and Precious Blood. so, crumbs, both visible and microscopic, and spots of wine on a purificator are no longer embued with, no longer carry the Real Presence in the same way that the consecrated Host and Wine do.

this statement does not excuse inappropriate purification of the vessels, of course. purification must carried out with respect for the Eucharist and for the Lord Himself. but this understanding does keep the Real Presence as a matter of mystery present in physical and mystical form rather than being no more than a matter of chemistry.

 

[Spirithound]

Oh…does it bother you that the body and blood of Christ go down into your stomach and mix with some pretty disgusting things prior to ceasing to be such or do people just not think about that?

This is probably part of the reason for the fast before Mass. Also, I’m pretty sure Jesus took this into account when He instituted the Eucharist.

i believe that the magisterium’s explanation is that when the elements are no longer recognizable as bread and wine, they no longer retain the Real Presence of the Precious Body and Precious Blood. so, crumbs, both visible and microscopic, and spots of wine on a purificator are no longer embued with, no longer carry the Real Presence in the same way that the consecrated Host and Wine do.

Crumbs and spots of “wine” are indeed still the Sacred Body and Blood. The basic ways to separate the Lord from the accidents of the bread and wine are:

1. digestion: when the “bread and wine” are not in the stomach, ie, nutrients are extracted, then the Real Presence is no longer present. Generally, 15 minutes.
2. burning: the Host is oxidized to the point that it is no longer chemically speaking bread.
3. dilution: the Blood is diluted with water to such a level that it basically tastes like water. This is how the chalice is cleaned. the priest or deacon (as the case may be) pours almost a whole little bottle of water into a couple drops of “wine”, thus diluting it immensely.

 

[Pax]

Oh…does it bother you that the body and blood of Christ go down into your stomach and mix with some pretty disgusting things prior to ceasing to be such or do people just not think about that?
Thanks for the answer, when was it first articulated that is what happened? In other words, who is the first person to say that it ceases to be that when the appearances are no longer present and was there debate about it?

I do not question or have a problem with the natural processes of digestion when receiving the Eucharist. Jesus declared that he would give us his flesh and blood as true food and true drink in the discourse on the bread of life in John chapter six. The disciples that did not believe him were offended and no longer walked with Jesus. I am not offended by the Lord’s words. Instead, I accept what the Lord has said and I believe Jesus when he says, “I am the living bread which came down from heaven; if any one eats of this bread, he will live for ever; and the bread which I shall give for the life of the world is my flesh.”[Jn 6:51]

The flesh Jesus gave for the life of the world was his true flesh and blood that hung upon the cross and it is that same flesh and blood that is to be eaten sacramentally in the Eucharist that will give me eternal life. I am not put off by what Jesus gives me. I am instead in awe, I am joyful, and eternally grateful.

 

[water]

Oh…does it bother you that the body and blood of Christ go down into your stomach and mix with some pretty disgusting things prior to ceasing to be such or do people just not think about that?

Interesting question - however, I never thought about it as a material thing/food. It is more for my spiritual/soul. If the Word is for my soul; thus, His Word becomes Flesh and His Flesh is for my soul also. Obviously, Jesus says it Himself and I just believe Him; I wouldn’t think too much as we are too limited in knowledge to know

It is wonderful every time I go to Mass and receive the Communion.

 

[Mannyfit75]

Interesting question - however, I never thought about it as a material thing/food. It is more for my spiritual/soul. If the Word is for my soul; thus, His Word becomes Flesh and His Flesh is for my soul also. Obviously, Jesus says it Himself and I just believe Him; I wouldn’t think too much as we are too limited in knowledge to know

It is wondering every time I go to Mass and receive the Communion.

Jesus is our spiritual food, the true flesh and blood of Our Lord. It brings me great joy to become One with Jesus Christ.

 

[Like]

At one point does the host cease to be the body and blood of Christ? I kept trying to think of a respectful way to ask that and I finally came up with it!!
I have watched a priest at a mass one time wipe the cup completely clean I am sure so it would not be…I do not know exactly…defiled comes to mind but in roughly 2 hours or so the host is really going to be in bad shape.
So all I can figure is it ceases to be the blood and the body at some point, so when is it?
** Not trying to offend**

 Quote:
                                                                  Originally Posted by **BrianH**                     [forums.catholic-questions.org/images/buttons_cab/viewpost.gif](http://forums.catholic-questions.org/showthread.php?p=1900005#post1900005)                 
             ***Oh...does it bother you that the body and blood of Christ go down into your stomach and mix with some pretty disgusting things** prior to ceasing to be such or do people just not think about that?

Oh...let me see how to ask this **charitably:p*

were you really trying not to OFFEND?

 

[El_camino]

BrianH,

I have been a Eucharist minister and I have been in charge of cleaning out cups, ciboriums, etc. after mass. You would not believe the care that is taken in cleaning them. Even after the mass is finished it is a very solemn act to care for those utensils.

The cups are washed with water and the water is either drunk or deposited into the sacrarium so that any drop of the blessed blood or any bit of the blessed body that might be left goes directly to earth.

Also, any bits that might have fallen into the cloth in the table, or that remain on the cleaning cloth, are directed also to the ground by either shaking the cloth over the sacrarium or outside. The idea is that any pieces must GO to earth and not down the drain to the sewers.

Blessings,

E.C.

 

[Todd_Easton]

Oh…does it bother you that the body and blood of Christ go down into your stomach and mix with some pretty disgusting things prior to ceasing to be such or do people just not think about that?
Thanks for the answer, when was it first articulated that is what happened? In other words, who is the first person to say that it ceases to be that when the appearances are no longer present and was there debate about it?

I don’t know if he was the first to write about it but St. Thomas Aquinas wrote about it shortly before his death in 1274 in his
Third Part, Question 76,Summa Theologica, Article 6, Reply to Objection 3:

The body of Christ remains in this sacrament not only until the morrow, but also in the future, so long as the sacramental species [of bread and wine] remain: and when they cease, Christ’s body ceases to be under them, not because it depends on them, but because the relationship of Christ’s body to those species is taken away, in the same way as God ceases to be the Lord of a creature which ceases to exist.

 

[Br.Rich_SFO]

Oh…does it bother you that the body and blood of Christ go down into your stomach and mix with some pretty disgusting things prior to ceasing to be such or do people just not think about that?
Thanks for the answer, when was it first articulated that is what happened? In other words, who is the first person to say that it ceases to be that when the appearances are no longer present and was there debate about it?

The Host or Preceiou Blood does not mix with anything in my stomach because of the Eucharistic Fast required before receiving Holy Communion.

 

[NotWorthy]

Quote:
Originally Posted by BrianH forums.catholic-questions.org/images/buttons_cab/viewpost.gif
Oh…does it bother you that the body and blood of Christ go down into your stomach and mix with some pretty disgusting things prior to ceasing to be such or do people just not think about that?

Oh...let me see how to ask this *charitably:p*

were you really trying not to OFFEND?

This is a good time to give someone the benefit of the doubt. It’s not the first time I’ve heard this question, so it must be on the mind of more than BrianH’s.

When in doubt, react with Charity!

 

[NotWorthy]

Incidentally,

Our Lutheran and Methodist friends, I think, believe that the Lord is not present in the Host after the Mass (er, church service?) is over. Evidently, they may have had the same concerns (or squemish stomach?) as Brian!

 

[VociMike]

Oh…does it bother you that the body and blood of Christ go down into your stomach and mix with some pretty disgusting things prior to ceasing to be such or do people just not think about that?

The risen Christ cannot be defiled by His creation, a creation which God pronounced as good.

 

[BrianH]

Thanks for all the answers.

 

[Gottle_of_Geer]

Oh…does it bother you that the body and blood of Christ go down into your stomach and mix with some pretty disgusting things prior to ceasing to be such or do people just not think about that?

No - after all, it is not the body, or the details of human anatomy, that are disgusting; sin is what is disgusting. Bodies are part of our animal inheritance, & part of our identity as human beings.​

AFAICS, there is in principle no difference between receiving the consecrated Host, & being indwelt by the Holy Spirit - in both cases one is entitled to say, like Peter, “Depart from me, O Lord, for I am a sinful man” (Luke 5). ##

 

[NotWorthy]

AFAICS, there is in principle no difference between receiving the consecrated Host, & being indwelt by the Holy Spirit - in both cases one is entitled to say, like Peter, “Depart from me, O Lord, for I am a sinful man” (Luke 5). ##

Well said! :clapping:

 

[tm30]

does it bother you that the body and blood of Christ go down into your stomach and mix with some pretty disgusting things

Put it this way. He came down from heaven and mixed with some pretty disgusting things here, didn’t He?

But as was said, once the species of bread and wine is broken down and digested, He is no longer present.

 

[MrS]

i believe that the magisterium’s explanation is that when the elements are no longer recognizable as bread and wine, they no longer retain the Real Presence of the Precious Body and Precious Blood. so, crumbs, both visible and microscopic, and spots of wine on a purificator are no longer embued with, no longer carry the Real Presence in the same way that the consecrated Host and Wine do.

this statement does not excuse inappropriate purification of the vessels, of course. purification must carried out with respect for the Eucharist and for the Lord Himself. but this understanding does keep the Real Presence as a matter of mystery present in physical and mystical form rather than being no more than a matter of chemistry.

I believe that you are in error…

.