Why did He give us His body to eat?

[LaSalle]

Explaining to a Protestant that the Eucharist is really His body is easier than trying to answer this one that came from my honestly curious non-Christian wife. I thought I’d try this forum out since you guys must have had this one asked before.

“OK, so you believe that that IS the Body of Christ … but why does God want us to eat Him?”

 

[JimG]

It is His way of making his sacrifice on calvary present to all times and all ages and all places.

 

[LaSalle]

It is His way of making his sacrifice on calvary present to all times and all ages and all places.

I know that’s what happens at the sacrifice at mass … but I don’t think you get the question.

If we didn’t eat Him when He was sacrificed on the cross that day … why are we eating Him now?

 

[Jeanette_L]

I like to think of the analogy of food and nourishment. All of living creation was made to exist via nourishment through the consuming of another life source. (The circle of life comes to mind here, if that’s not too corny ) The act of one life being sacrificed so that another might live is seen throughout nature, and this is how we are instructed to receive our spiritual nourishment as well, which the Scriptures also say is going to somehow be instrumental in the resurrection of the body.

The consummation of the God-Man, Jesus Christ who sacrificed himself, is our ultimate nourishment, it is not only symbolic, but real food also, for the soul and for the future of our resurrected body. St. Paul calls it partaking of the Divine Nature.

I don’t think we will fully understand what we have participated in until we reach heaven and until the resurrection. I think it’s going to blow us all away!

 

[john654]

Hi,
We don’t consume Jesus, He consumes us.
John

 

[Maranatha]

I believe at least parts of the sacrificial was eaten by the levitical priests in the Jewish religion. We know the lamb of the passover supper is eaten by each family.

Also, he said that he was in us as we are in him. In the Eucharist, this is true physically as well as spiritually. Meditate on this - you are what you eat.

 

[JimG]

I know that’s what happens at the sacrifice at mass … but I don’t think you get the question.

If we didn’t eat Him when He was sacrificed on the cross that day … why are we eating Him now?

I think it has to do with the continuation of the sacrifice, and sacrifice always involves consuming the victim. Remember, the first Eucharist occurred before Calvary, so those present did eat his body and drink his blood then. Perhaps this is covered in Hahn’s The Lamb’s Supper. In any case, I’m too tired to think about it right now!

 

[Fidelis]

From the Catechism of the Catholic Church:

**1323 **"At the Last Supper, on the night he was betrayed, our Savior instituted the Eucharistic sacrifice of his Body and Blood. This he did in order to perpetuate the sacrifice of the cross throughout the ages until he should come again, and so to entrust to his beloved Spouse, the Church, a memorial of his death and resurrection: a sacrament of love, a sign of unity, a bond of charity, a Paschal banquet 'in which Christ is consumed, the mind is filled with grace, and a pledge of future glory is given to us.

I think that about covers it.

I recommend you and your wife pray over and slowly meditate on each aspect of the above passage, and I can guarantee you a wealth of insights.

 

[LaSalle]

From the Catechism of the Catholic Church: I think that about covers it.

I recommend you and your wife pray over and slowly meditate on each aspect of the above passage, and I can guarantee you a wealth of insights.

Ahhh … the CCC. Thanks Fidelis.

I guess we cannot fully know why He would want us to eat Him … but that doesn’t matter since we know *that *He wants us to eat Him.

 

[blessedtoo]

I believe at least parts of the sacrificial was eaten by the levitical priests in the Jewish religion. We know the lamb of the passover supper is eaten by each family.

Yes, and in addition, the guilt offering or sacrifice of the Lamb for atonement of sins in Judaism was eaten as well.

 

[puzzleannie]

I know that’s what happens at the sacrifice at mass … but I don’t think you get the question.

If we didn’t eat Him when He was sacrificed on the cross that day … why are we eating Him now?

the meal and the injunction to eat His Body and drink His Blood was instituted the night before the Crucifixion at the Last Supper, where he explained in his words and actions the meaning of his discourse related in Chapter 6 of John’s gospel. The meal and the sacrifice cannot be separated, they are one saving action. The unbloody form of the meal and the manner of confecting and receiving His Body and Blood present under the appearances of bread and wine through His grace, His words and actions was made real in the Last Supper. His power to do this was also handed on to the apostles and their successors at that time because he also instituted the priesthood.

 

[maryj]

Old Testament; the unblemished lamb was sacrificed at the altar, but the sacrifice was not finished until the meat of the lamb was eaten. You could sacrifice all you wanted but unless it was done in the way the Lord wanted it was not an acceptable offering. The sacrifice had to be pleasing to the Lord.
New Testament

Messianic fullfillment: Jesus Christ is the Pascal Lamb, He IS the unblemished Lamb of God, He was sent to us to be our sacrifice to the Lord. This sacrifice still had to be pleasing to the Lord, acceptable.

Next question is do you know why sacrifices were made to God?

 

[maryj]

I know that’s what happens at the sacrifice at mass … but I don’t think you get the question.

If we didn’t eat Him when He was sacrificed on the cross that day … why are we eating Him now?

but the Apostles did eat Him, that’s what the last supper was all about. Christ taught them how to sacrifice the Lamb of God, and to do this in rememberence of Him. And then He showed them the sacrifce.

 

[exiled]

I think Rosalind Moss puts it best, and I won’t do her justice here, but…
Like the total self-giving in a marriage, body and mind and heart and soul, so too is our reception of the Eucharist. Jesus Christ gives us His all, once again, and we are to give ourselves totally to Him. We assent to His every command, we accept all of the wisdom of the CC, when we receive Him in Holy Communion. This is why our separated Protestant brothers and sisters are not able to receive Holy Communion in the CC, because they do not assent. This is why a Catholic in a state of mortal sin is not to receive.
I LOVE what reception of the Blessed Sacrament means, I just wish in this life I could fully comprehend it!

 

[Elzee]

I don’t think I have ever read a more eloquently answered thread on this forum. You all have brought tears to my eyes.