What is the REAL Body and Blood of Jesus?

[warpspeedpetey]

newadvent.org/cathen/05573a.htm

if the OP is looking for a scientific explanation, there is none, it is theological in nature. being a mystery does not however mean that it is something chosen at random. it simply means that there is no physical explanation. hence the theological underpinnings.

 

[maryj]

Please try not to presume or ask for respect not yet earned.

The word “cracker” was chosen for a reason. The word “host”, in this discussion, will not do (yet).

Well “IF” you are truly wishing to learn, the word “host” is what is appropriate. As for respect not earned… I need look no further.

 

[warpspeedpetey]

hear, hear! a less derogatory term would be appreciated.

 

[liquidpele]

I think you should ask for help if you need it, but keep up the comments that have nothing to do with this thread, and I will report you.

Praying for you!

Fair enough, I’ll keep it on point then. Since this is the philosophy forum instead of apologetics, I’ll bring up the question of why in the world Jesus would want you to literally eat his flesh and drink his blood… as the OP noted, is that not cannibalism? Furthermore, if someone took communion and later died and they did an autopsy, do you think they’ll find human blood and flesh in their stomach? I rather doubt it. Someone mentioned that it’s a mystery… to me it appears to be a mystery invented by the church for no particular reason… like a child asking how the monster under their bed gets under there without being seen. Do people actually believe it, or is it just a tradition at this point that people just do because it’s what they do?

 

[lil_flower_luv]

Fair enough, I’ll keep it on point then. Since this is the philosophy forum instead of apologetics, I’ll bring up the question of why in the world Jesus would want you to literally eat his flesh and drink his blood… as the OP noted, is that not cannibalism? Furthermore, if someone took communion and later died and they did an autopsy, do you think they’ll find human blood and flesh in their stomach? I rather doubt it. Someone mentioned that it’s a mystery… to me it appears to be a mystery invented by the church for no particular reason… like a child asking how the monster under their bed gets under there without being seen. Do people actually believe it, or is it just a tradition at this point that people just do because it’s what they do?

Well, we believe that Christ died for us on the cross. He sacrificed Himself so that we may live eternally. Do you understand that?

 

[warpspeedpetey]

Fair enough, I’ll keep it on point then. Since this is the philosophy forum instead of apologetics, I’ll bring up the question of why in the world Jesus would want you to literally eat his flesh and drink his blood… as the OP noted, is that not cannibalism? Furthermore, if someone took communion and later died and they did an autopsy, do you think they’ll find human blood and flesh in their stomach? I rather doubt it. Someone mentioned that it’s a mystery… to me it appears to be a mystery invented by the church for no particular reason… like a child asking how the monster under their bed gets under there without being seen. Do people actually believe it, or is it just a tradition at this point that people just do because it’s what they do?

its a mystery in the sense that we dont have a physical explanation for it. not in that its made up on no basis, it has a theological and scriptural basis. there was simply to much to post here.

 

[liquidpele]

Well, we believe that Christ died for us on the cross. He sacrificed Himself so that we may live eternally. Do you understand that?

Yes, I understand the concept.

 

[lil_flower_luv]

Yes, I understand the concept.

So, we know that (through Him dying on the Cross for us) that He loves us immensely! So how much more do you think He loves us when He allows Himself to be inside of us…to carry wherever we go, and truly live like a good Christian in His image? I would say a lot!! And that’s why we live for Him. In gratitude for Him giving Himself to us in the Eucharist. Warpspeedpetey is correct. Not only can we not fully explain this sacrifice on one page, we can barely understand it ourselves…it is a great mystery. But God gives us enough…and that is reason to thank Him, as well.

 

[Prodigal_Son]

53Jesus said to them, “I tell you the truth, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. 54Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. 55For my flesh is real food and my blood is real drink. 56Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in him. 57Just as the living Father sent me and I live because of the Father, so the one who feeds on me will live because of me. 58This is the bread that came down from heaven. Your forefathers ate manna and died, but he who feeds on this bread will live forever.” 59He said this while teaching in the synagogue in Capernaum.
Many Disciples Desert Jesus
60On hearing it, many of his disciples said, “This is a hard teaching. Who can accept it?”

61Aware that his disciples were grumbling about this, Jesus said to them, “Does this offend you? 62What if you see the Son of Man ascend to where he was before! 63The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you are spirit[e] and they are life. 64Yet there are some of you who do not believe.”

Some people say that you can take the above verses figuratively. But – as I’m sure you know, James – there is a danger in mistaking or distorting the Word of God.

Jesus said that unless we ate His flesh and drank His blood, we would not have life. Clearly, from context, this was seen by the apostles as an **outrageous ** and **offensive **teaching. This is all further evidence that He meant what He was saying literally.

The Eucharist *is *the Body and the Blood of our Lord.

We take His body into our bodies, and we become One Body in Him. It is no wonder that a Word made flesh would turn the entire metaphor of the “body of Christ” on its head. There is no compromise on this truth: it is a take it or leave it.

You know that Matrix kid with the spoon? Yeah, this is like that. “There is no cracker, James.”

 

[liquidpele]

So, we know that (through Him dying on the Cross for us) that He loves us immensely! So how much more do you think He loves us when He allows Himself to be inside of us…to carry wherever we go, and truly live like a good Christian in His image? I would say a lot!! And that’s why we live for Him. In gratitude for Him giving Himself to us in the Eucharist. Warpspeedpetey is correct. Not only can we not fully explain this sacrifice on one page, we can barely understand it ourselves…it is a great mystery. But God gives us enough…and that is reason to thank Him, as well.

Okay… but it’s the holy spirit also goes inside us too when we accept Christ, does it not? … why have physical flesh and blood too? A great mystery… You might as well say it’s a great mystery why all your food turns into lava after you eat it and you don’t get burned up. As we all strive to be like Jesus, should we not be letting our Children drink our blood from time to time? Or do you think our love and some juice is enough?

 

[Prodigal_Son]

Fair enough, I’ll keep it on point then. Since this is the philosophy forum instead of apologetics, I’ll bring up the question of why in the world Jesus would want you to literally eat his flesh and drink his blood… as the OP noted, is that not cannibalism? Furthermore, if someone took communion and later died and they did an autopsy, do you think they’ll find human blood and flesh in their stomach? I rather doubt it. Someone mentioned that it’s a mystery… to me it appears to be a mystery invented by the church for no particular reason… like a child asking how the monster under their bed gets under there without being seen.

See my post above for *why *we would think “cannibalism” necessary, Pele.

Do people actually believe it, or is it just a tradition at this point that people just do because it’s what they do?

Many, many Catholics believe this fully. I believe this, fully, with all my heart.

 

[tonyrey]

Okay… but it’s the holy spirit also goes inside us too when we accept Christ, does it not? … why have physical flesh and blood too? A great mystery… You might as well say it’s a great mystery why all your food turns into lava after you eat it and you don’t get burned up. As we all strive to be like Jesus, should we not be letting our Children drink our blood from time to time? Or do you think our love and some juice is enough?

You need to explain what you understand by the term “love”. Otherwise we (including you ) are wasting our time…

 

[JJ59]

Fair enough, I’ll keep it on point then. Since this is the philosophy forum instead of apologetics, I’ll bring up the question of why in the world Jesus would want you to literally eat his flesh and drink his blood… as the OP noted, is that not cannibalism? Furthermore, if someone took communion and later died and they did an autopsy, do you think they’ll find human blood and flesh in their stomach? I rather doubt it. Someone mentioned that it’s a mystery… to me it appears to be a mystery invented by the church for no particular reason… like a child asking how the monster under their bed gets under there without being seen. Do people actually believe it, or is it just a tradition at this point that people just do because it’s what they do?

It is not cannibalism at all. From Catholic Answers:

*"Cannibalism is when one individual physically eats the human flesh off of another’s body. Catholic or not, the words in John 6 do sound cannibalistic. Even a Fundamentalist would have to say that he eats the flesh of Christ and drinks his blood in a symbolic manner so as to concur with the passage. By the same allowance, Catholics eat the flesh of Christ and drink his blood in a sacramental way. Neither the Protestant nor the Catholic appears to be doing anything cannibalistic, though.

It would have been cannibalism is if a disciple two thousand years ago had tried literally to eat Jesus by sinking his teeth into his arm. Now that our Lord is in heaven with a glorified body and made present under the appearance of bread in the Eucharist, cannibalism is not possible."*
(catholic.com/thisrock/2001/0103sbs.asp)

As for “why” Jesus would want us to eat His flesh and drink His blood, here’s an answer from Jesus Himself: “He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, abideth in me, and I in him.” (John 6:56)

Um… no if they did an autopsy they wouldn’t find human blood and flesh in their stomach. They would find bread and wine. (Or at least whatever bread and wine are like partway through your digestive system) One of the most basic parts of Catholic Eucharistic theology is that the body and blood of Christ remain under the appearance of bread and wine. Those are the “accidents”. For a more detailled description of Transubstantiation, here’s a link to the Catholic Encyclopedia: newadvent.org/cathen/05573a.htm#section3

I must ask, before you asked all these questions, did you search for answers in the Catechism of the Catholic Church (The most authortative, exhaustive book on Catholic beliefs today), or Catholic Answers, or even just doing a Google search? If not, I would urge you next time, before asking those questions, look in those resources first, and if your question still remains unanswered, ask it.

God bless,