Our transubstantiation

[Mystical_Seeker]

In studying the concept of Transubstantiation, I have to ask:

Why do we get so excited when the bread turns into the body through transubstantiation?

Why do we not get equally or even more excited about the fact that when we eat this bread and drink this cup, we “re-member” the dismemberment of His body, by becoming part of the Body, and can be rightly called Christs? So we celebrate breaking of the bread, and passing it out, but we don’t seem to ever hear anything about the actual value of it – who cares really if the bread is God, except to the extent that consuming it makes us part of the Body?

Yes, I am a member of the body of Christ. To deny that is to deny that I am a temple of the holy spirit. We who have eaten are Living Tabernacles, nourished by the food that is kept in the golden tabernacle with the red candle next to it.

 

[Praedicare]

Perhaps you never hear about that, but I hear about it all the time from our local cadre of Franciscan priests. It’s practically all they talk about at Mass! The reception of the holy Body of Christ immediately makes us into walking tabernacles. We receive the glorified humanity of Christ and - through that flesh - His Divinity.

In a sense we don’t “become” the Body of Christ in communion, for that is already given to us in Baptism. Holy Communion is a different thing. The whole Trinity indwells in us via Baptism; the Father forgives us via His Son in Confession; the Holy Spirit is sealed upon us by Christ in Confirmation; the Lord Jesus Christ Himself comes to us physically via the Priest in His Eucharist. All Three Persons of the Trinity work as one God in Creation, but all us centered on Christ.

Sorry that you don’t hear enough about our own transformation into Christ via Communion. Whenever I look at people receiving communion, I say to myself “The Body of Christ receives the Body of Christ”. Stunning, on so many levels!

 

[Tom_Baum]

Since the “last supper” was before Jesus went to the cross and where Jesus instituted the Eucharist, have you ever given any thought concerning Jesus feeding us so that we can go thru our own Good Friday?

Seems that many think that we are called to be “Easter people”, could be that we are called to be “Good Friday people”.

Jesus extended the invitation to “Come follow Me”, could be that since Jesus died for us, Jesus is extending the invitation to us to die for others.

Something to think about: The Eucharist was instituted before the cross, not after the Resurrection.

 

[simple_soul]

Since the “last supper” was before Jesus went to the cross and where Jesus instituted the Eucharist, have you ever given any thought concerning Jesus feeding us so that we can go thru our own Good Friday?

Seems that many think that we are called to be “Easter people”, could be that we are called to be “Good Friday people”.

Jesus extended the invitation to “Come follow Me”, could be that since Jesus died for us, Jesus is extending the invitation to us to die for others.

Something to think about: The Eucharist was instituted before the cross, not after the Resurrection.

And to have a little more to think about:
Maybe the reason it seems like many people seem to be “Easter people” is because they don’t want to advertise their “Good Fridays” or run the risk of sounding like they are bragging about it or something. Then there may be some who have found that their “Good Fridays” are their “Easters.” In short, maybe they have found God’s Love, Hope, Peace, and Joy by being “Easter People” while they are “Good Friday People?”

Maybe we are meant to be both?

 

[Mintaka]

When it comes to emphasizing one aspect of spirituality or another, there’s no wrong answer as long as everybody stays orthodox in teaching.

Of course, that’s also why it’s nice to visit other parishes sometimes, especially ones run by different religious orders with different spiritualities. You can see other sides of what’s going on.

 

[Mystical_Seeker]

Wow these were great replies! Thank you.

No, I don’t hear much about this. I’ve heard it told a bit sterile way once or twice, but leave it to the Franciscans to shake things up a bit.

The radical idea that we actually believe what we say we do! I was afraid I’d get shouted down as a heretic.

 

[Tom_Baum]

And to have a little more to think about:
Maybe the reason it seems like many people seem to be “Easter people” is because they don’t want to advertise their “Good Fridays” or run the risk of sounding like they are bragging about it or something. Then there may be some who have found that their “Good Fridays” are their “Easters.” In short, maybe they have found God’s Love, Hope, Peace, and Joy by being “Easter People” while they are “Good Friday People?”

Maybe we are meant to be both?

As far as, “Maybe we are meant to be both?”, yes, we are.

Just as Divine Justice leads to Divine Mercy, Good Friday leads to Easter Sunday.