The Eucharist

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GenerationY

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So im trying to find some understanding on our faith in the eucharist, in order to strengthen my own faith and also fellow christians. Being in college I know and see many christians that dont believe in the eucharist as literal but as symbolic. I believe from reading John 6, the catechism, etc… that Jesus wanted us to receive Him in communion, but how does one explain the necessity of eucharist to christians who live more christ like lives than many catholics?

I mean i know many people who are not catholic that have lived more christian lives than me and continue to glorify God everyday. How would the eucharist make a difference in how they practice their faith? Again i believe from objective truth Jesus wanted us to become one with him through the sacrament but i dont know how that creates difference between me and someone who lives a true christian lifestyle?
 
What benefit is there to receiving the Lord Himself into our very being?? I can’t think of anything more generous on His part, or what more we could want.

Who knows what graces you would lack in your own life without the Eucharist? And who knows how many more graces your friends would gain with it?

Jesus said “unless you eat of the flesh of the Son of Man, you have no life within you.” It’s not for us to decide or wonder how much “better” we would be by human measures.

I bet your friends are all for receiving grace freely from the Lord through their faith. But the Eucharist is a treasure they have cut themselves off from or are not aware of.

Maybe you can show them how great a gift it is.👍

Gem
 
GenerationY said:
how does one explain the necessity of eucharist to christians who live more christ like lives than many catholics?
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Assuming they are “more Christ like” than some Catholics, focus on teaching them to receive the Eucharist because Christ commanded it and because it is truth. The Eucharist is for the weak and the strong alike. If they reject the idea of the power of the Eucharist, then I don’t think you can describe their faith as “more Christ like” than man Catholics. :o
 
Jesus started the Eucharist, when at His last earthly supper with His commissioned, He broke bread from one loaf into pieces and before passing the bread pieces to the others He stated "This is my body… then the wine “This is my blood”… . Jesus has stated, and it is stated in the Old Testament, “The bread of Life, I am the bread of Life.”🍰

There are many ways of interpreting this and each one has one or more aspects that are true. Simply put, physically we experience a certain way of being when hungry and thirsty, when full, after eating and drinking, physically we experience something else. Emotionally, (actually Spiritually) without the Lord Jesus we experience life a certain way, with the Lord Jesus we experience life a different way. (Is there an inbetween or is this just a yes or not?) :ouch:

Everybody eats. Everybody drinks. We need too. People do not live a long life physically if they don’t. Everybody believes that people have to eat. Has anyone ever met anyone who claims they do not believe they have to eat or drink? And such it is with out spirituality-from Jesus’s perspective-People, who are born into sin, NEED Jesus as badly as they need food and drink.🍿:coffeeread:

AND furthermore, the accepting of the Eucharist and/or the wine has nothing to do with others. IT IS NOT A SYMBOL. This act says nothing about us to others. THIS SACRAMENT IS ONLY-AND ONLY-A COMMUNICATION BETWEEN THE SELF AND JESUS-THE BEHAVIOR SAYS- I AM WILLING TO BE YOURS, DO WITH ME AS YOU WILL, I AM YOURS. How it pains me to know that there are so many in the Church who accept this Blessed Sacrament and still turn their backs to Jesus.

Yet, the pieces of bread, the manna, the Eucharist, all are very large compared to the mustard seed size of Faith that gets us started. I find this fact to be interesting!
 
GenerationY said:
So im trying to find some understanding on our faith in the eucharist, in order to strengthen my own faith and also fellow christians. Being in college I know and see many christians that dont believe in the eucharist as literal but as symbolic. I believe from reading John 6, the catechism, etc… that Jesus wanted us to receive Him in communion, but how does one explain the necessity of eucharist to christians who live more christ like lives than many catholics?

I mean i know many people who are not catholic that have lived more christian lives than me and continue to glorify God everyday. How would the eucharist make a difference in how they practice their faith? Again i believe from objective truth Jesus wanted us to become one with him through the sacrament but i dont know how that creates difference between me and someone who lives a true christian lifestyle?
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“Unless you eat my flesh and drink my blood, you have no life within you”. That’s why it is important to Catholics to have the Eucharist. Jesus said this and to those who understand the Eucharist (Catholics), it is an absolute necessity for salvation.

As for those Catholics who do not live a good Christian life, maybe if they had a firm understand of the importance of reception of the sacraments, regular Mass attendance and the significance of the Eucharist, they wouldn’t be so compromised in their Christian living. But, alas, many are poorly catechised!

As for those non-Catholic Christians who live exemplary lives, how much better off would they be if they had the Eucharist! Jesus said that for those with a devotion to His Sacred Heart, tepid souls would become fervent, and fervent souls would rise quickly to great perfection. So I guess if they had the Eucharist, they would quickly rise to great perfection.
 
Gem said:
What benefit is there to receiving the Lord Himself into our very being?? I can’t think of anything more generous on His part, or what more we could want.
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I agree totally, so why do 70% of catholics (from matthew kelly) not come to mass to receive this great gift?..why are people not flocking to church daily?..If you ask the majority of catholics whether Jesus is truly present in the eucharist, they will say yes…However, that is just some memorized teaching to them (a true teaching of course). My point is that a great deal of people don’t really give any thought to the significance of receiving our Lord and im saying they don’t understand why or how the eucharist is important. I did this for probably 10 years or so just going to mass, being bored, receiving communion, and going home unchanged. Finally when i started to get interested in our faith i started to realize we catholics are the only ones who believe in the Real Presence. Obviously this is really, really important! and is where catholisim finds truth.

If someone asks me why the eucharist helps me, I would say because it draws me closer to Christ by thinking of His sacrifice and thanking God, and asking for grace through the Holy Spirit to bring me closer to Christ. IS THIS RIGHT?

and should i tell others (catholic or not) that the significance of the eucharist is to practice as Jesus taught and that without the eucharist one will NOT have as close a relationship with Christ as they are called to.
 
GenerationY said:
I agree totally, so why do 70% of Catholics (from matthew kelly) not come to mass to receive this great gift?..why are people not flocking to church daily?..If you ask the majority of Catholics whether Jesus is truly present in the Eucharist, they will say yes…However, that is just some memorized teaching to them (a true teaching of course). My point is that a great deal of people don’t really give any thought to the significance of receiving our Lord and im saying they don’t understand why or how the Eucharist is important. I did this for probably 10 years or so just going to mass, being bored, receiving communion, and going home unchanged. Finally when i started to get interested in our faith i started to realize we Catholics are the only ones who believe in the Real Presence. Obviously this is really, really important! and is where Catholicism finds truth.

If someone asks me why the Eucharist helps me, I would say because it draws me closer to Christ by thinking of His sacrifice and thanking God, and asking for grace through the Holy Spirit to bring me closer to Christ. IS THIS RIGHT?

and should i tell others (catholic or not) that the significance of the eucharist is to practice as Jesus taught and that without the eucharist one will NOT have as close a relationship with Christ as they are called to.
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To put it in a context that they will understand, I tell them that I love being able to receive Him as my personal savior and Lord exactly as He intended in the New Testament.
 
GenerationY said:
I agree totally, so why do 70% of catholics (from matthew kelly) not come to mass to receive this great gift?..why are people not flocking to church daily?..If you ask the majority of catholics whether Jesus is truly present in the eucharist, they will say yes…However, that is just some memorized teaching to them (a true teaching of course). My point is that a great deal of people don’t really give any thought to the significance of receiving our Lord and im saying they don’t understand why or how the eucharist is important. I did this for probably 10 years or so just going to mass, being bored, receiving communion, and going home unchanged. Finally when i started to get interested in our faith i started to realize we catholics are the only ones who believe in the Real Presence. Obviously this is really, really important! and is where catholisim finds truth.

If someone asks me why the eucharist helps me, I would say because it draws me closer to Christ by thinking of His sacrifice and thanking God, and asking for grace through the Holy Spirit to bring me closer to Christ. IS THIS RIGHT?

and should i tell others (catholic or not) that the significance of the eucharist is to practice as Jesus taught and that without the eucharist one will NOT have as close a relationship with Christ as they are called to.
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Hmmm. 30% in your area attend Mass? I think it’s more like 15-20% near me. Sad, sad, sad. I wonder the same thing. I do adoration every Thursday evening and many times, many, many, many times, I am sitting there all alone. Just me and Our Lord. I often wonder, where is everyone? This Chapel should be packed and the crowd should be spilling out into the streets!! But I have to say, maybe it’s selfish of me, but I truly ADORE the alone time I have with Our Lord! Five billion people in the world (give or take) and He has time for me alone. It’s really amazing!
 
GenerationY said:
So im trying to find some understanding on our faith in the eucharist, in order to strengthen my own faith and also fellow christians. Being in college I know and see many christians that dont believe in the eucharist as literal but as symbolic. I believe from reading John 6, the catechism, etc… that Jesus wanted us to receive Him in communion, but how does one explain the necessity of eucharist to christians who live more christ like lives than many catholics?

I mean i know many people who are not catholic that have lived more christian lives than me and continue to glorify God everyday. How would the eucharist make a difference in how they practice their faith? Again i believe from objective truth Jesus wanted us to become one with him through the sacrament but i dont know how that creates difference between me and someone who lives a true christian lifestyle?
Click to expand...
Excellent question!
Here is a resource that I have found to be very helpful and directly touches on your question.

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GenerationY said:
If someone asks me why the eucharist helps me, I would say because it draws me closer to Christ by thinking of His sacrifice and thanking God, and asking for grace through the Holy Spirit to bring me closer to Christ. IS THIS RIGHT?

and should i tell others (catholic or not) that the significance of the eucharist is to practice as Jesus taught and that without the eucharist one will NOT have as close a relationship with Christ as they are called to.
Click to expand...
I think that’s exactly right. Jesus offers a gift. To those open to it, they DO receive grace. Spiritual life! Intimacy with God!

Sadly, as you’ve noticed, many Catholics don’t realize this. But you can’t live everybody’s life for them. And our relationship with God is based on love, which is freely given by both sides, not magic. Reception of the Eucharist isn’t going to magically and visibly transform people before your eyes. God will not make people love Him. But God showers us with love all the time. It’s up to us to receive and return it. You are growing in your faith as I have, too. Exciting, isn’t it?🙂 Spread it around…
 
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