the eucharist

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newbiefound

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I went to mass for the third time today. I received the little wafer but not any wine. After mass I went to talk to the priest and mentioned that I received the body of christ but not the blood. And he explained that the blood was in the body and the body is in the blood because either by itself would be dead. He said it was symbolic. I accept this to be true because I would not doubt in what a priest tells me is truth. Can anyone here explain this in further detail?
 
Well, I’m just gonna say somethin quick…

That “little wafer” is Christ. Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity.
That “wine” is Christ as well. Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity again.

During the Consecration, both Species becomes Christ, fully and completely. All that remain is the accidents, or the appearance of ‘bread’ and ‘wine’

You can choose to recieve under bother species, or under just one. (I believe the Priest is the only one obligated to recieve under both Species, to make the Mass valid)

As for the symbolic thing, don’t know how he was using it so not gonna answer…

If I made any mistakes, hopefully someone will point them out and correct them 👍
 
The Eucharist, under either species, is fully the Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity of Christ Jesus. The bread and the wine that are brought forward to the altar are substantially changed during the consecration. They are no longer bread and wine, though they still have that appearance. What they are becomes the body, soul, blood and divinity of Christ. The substance is changed, hence the term transubstantiation. It is not essential to recieve both species that, but recieving both species is a more full sign of the paschal sacrifice.
 
If I want to sip the wine do I just go up and ask while people are holding the cups?
 
I must ask, are you Catholic?

If so, I take it you have not really ever been to Mass much

And yes, if you wish to recieve the Blood of Christ (Species of Wine) then you’d go up the same way you recieve the Host.
They should offer the Chalice to you and you could take a sip, then hand it back.
 
I have only been 3 times. I am still in RCIA but I believe in the teachings of the catholic church, in Christ, in God and the holy spirit.
 
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CatholicCid:
As for the symbolic thing, don’t know how he was using it so not gonna answer…
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It’s symbolic in that in symbolizes Christ’s death, the Blood is separated from the Body. That’s why the Body is consecrated first and then the Blood. The Blood symbolically pours from the Body just as it did when Christ was on the Cross. Then, when the priest mingles the little pieces of the Body with the Blood, it symbolizes the resurrection, as the life came back into Christ. 👍
 
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newbiefound:
If I want to sip the wine do I just go up and ask while people are holding the cups?
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if you are referring to holy Communion as “the wafer” and the “wine” this suggests to me that you are not Catholic, or if you are you have not received any education or catechesis that has brought you to an understanding and acceptance that the Eucharist is the Body Blood, Soul and Divinity of Jesus Christ, truly, sacramentally present under the appearences of bread and wine. If you are not Catholic you may not receive communion at all in any form, because it would be a lie–you are not in fact in communion with the Catholic Church, which is what this reception signifies (not symbolizes). If you are Catholic but have not been instructed please go back to the priest and seek instruction, so that you may be confirmed, and receive communion worthily.

If you are in RCIA that means either you are not baptized, in which case you are not yet Christian so you may not receive communion since you have not been intitiated. Or it means you are baptized in a non-Catholic denomination, so you may not receive communion because you are not yet fully in communion with the Catholic Church. These are exactly the types of questions you should be asking in your RCIA class.
 
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Genesis315:
It’s symbolic in that in symbolizes Christ’s death, the Blood is separated from the Body. That’s why the Body is consecrated first and then the Blood. The Blood symbolically pours from the Body just as it did when Christ was on the Cross. Then, when the priest mingles the little pieces of the Body with the Blood, it symbolizes the resurrection, as the life came back into Christ. 👍
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the signs, that is the matter and form, of the sacrament are more than symbols, they are efficacious, that is the words and actions bring about what they signify. Therefore in the Eucharist the water and the wine begin as symbols, but when they are consecrated, in the context of the entire Mass, they make present the one perfect sacrifice of Jesus Christ–his suffering death and resurrection–they do not merely symbolize elements of that sacrifice.
 
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puzzleannie:
they do not merely symbolize elements of that sacrifice.
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But Christ isn’t sacrificed again. His Blood and Body do not actually separate as they are both present in both elements, right? Or do they actually separate? That’s what I meant by symbolic.
 
Okay, well thanks for your replies. I know now what I did was wrong, and I’ll wait to be accepted by the church before doing that again.
 
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newbiefound:
I have only been 3 times. I am still in RCIA but I believe in the teachings of the catholic church, in Christ, in God and the holy spirit.
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Welcome home! Actually, until you are confirmed or baptized into the Catholic Church, you should only be receiving the blessing of the priest. We were welcomed into the Church last Easter and were able to finally receive the Sacraments on that blessed day. (Actually, I took the Eucharist in error many years ago while an elementary school student at a Catholic School until the ol’ sisters realized I was a Protestant, and they quickly corrected me.) I should also state, though, that there is also something called the leading of the spirit. In other words, if you believe that God is telling you directly to receive the Sacrament, you should do so. In most cases, however, those in RCIA should wait until their entry into the church is made official. This is just out of respect for the Sacrament and the traditions of the Church.
 
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newbiefound:
If I want to sip the wine do I just go up and ask while people are holding the cups?
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Welcome home! Actually, until you are confirmed or baptized into the Catholic Church, you should only be receiving the blessing of the priest. We were welcomed into the Church last Easter and were able to finally receive the Sacraments on that blessed day. (Actually, I took the Eucharist in error many years ago while an elementary school student at a Catholic School until the ol’ sisters realized I was a Protestant, and they quickly corrected me.) I should also state, though, that there is also something called the leading of the spirit. In other words, if you believe that God is telling you directly to receive the Sacrament, you should do so. In most cases, however, those in RCIA should wait until their entry into the church is made official. This is just out of respect for the Sacrament and the traditions of the Church.

(Sorry…It looks like I am repeating the message here.)
 
Writer regarding a blessing from the Priest our diocese frowns 😦 on people wanting a blessing. That practise ended three years ago in my part of the US just after I started RCIA. I have seen some people (visitors I presume) going up at during communion asking for a blessing and the Priest does bless them but looks at them funny.
 
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newbiefound:
Okay, well thanks for your replies. I know now what I did was wrong, and I’ll wait to be accepted by the church before doing that again.
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Take it from somebody who has been there: The time you spend waiting to receive the Holy Eucharist can seem like ages. The hunger for the Sacrament you feel is a God-given grace sent to temper your soul. Longing for the Eucharist is a very great gift and a power form of penance. Bear this with patience and grow in your relationship with Christ.

Godspeed, newbie! (Cyber-hug comin’ atcha!)
 
hilde the dog:
Writer regarding a blessing from the Priest our diocese frowns 😦 on people wanting a blessing. That practise ended three years ago in my part of the US just after I started RCIA. I have seen some people (visitors I presume) going up at during communion asking for a blessing and the Priest does bless them but looks at them funny.
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That’s interesting… Do you know why it was stopped? It is still very much encouraged here in Oregon, and I also noticed its presence on a trip to Dallas, TX some months back.
 
Writer I don’t remeber the reason per say but I remember confusion over what you should do to signal a blessing and to stop accidentally handing the eucharist to those who should not have it. May have changed to speed things up. Oh and vaguely remember something about blessings given to the whole Church and no need to have individual blessings
 
Used to be, if one was not recieving, they stayed in the pew. If I am not (sin/wasn’t able to fast/etc), I still do.

I don’t know when/how/etc blessings began, but they seem fairly common now. The reason it makes no sense to me is what you said, “Oh and vaguely remember something about blessings given to the whole Church and no need to have individual blessings”

Upon dismissal the entire congregation is blessed- not even 5 min after communion.
 
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sententia:
Used to be, if one was not recieving, they stayed in the pew. If I am not (sin/wasn’t able to fast/etc), I still do.

I don’t know when/how/etc blessings began, but they seem fairly common now. The reason it makes no sense to me is what you said, “Oh and vaguely remember something about blessings given to the whole Church and no need to have individual blessings”

Upon dismissal the entire congregation is blessed- not even 5 min after communion.
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That’s true, but for those in RCIA it was a nice option to have to allow all of us to participate actively in some way at this time of the service. We also have a wonderful priest who somehow manages to remember names in the most amazing way, and there was something powerful and encouraging about his personal blessings. It also helped prepare our children for the accepting the Eucharist at a later time–made them more used to the process. Interesting topic to think about, though…
 
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newbiefound:
Okay, well thanks for your replies. I know now what I did was wrong, and I’ll wait to be accepted by the church before doing that again.
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If you were not properly instructed by your RCIA team that is their fault not yours, by all means keep coming to Church, and nurturing the hunger and thirst for Jesus Christ in the Eucharist that you are experiencing. When you are finally able to receive, the waiting will be worth it, I promise you.
 
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