Writing booklet -- need easy way

[grannymh]

We are having a city-wide open house at our parish Corpus Christi weekend. (June 13 & 14) Our draw is the Eucharistic Miracles of the World poster exhibit. We are counting on curiosity to bring people in.

The theme is “The Eucharist Is The Heart Beat Of Catholicism”

As a handout, I am preparing a short booklet, pamphlet type, on key aspects of Catholicism. I need help finding words for Transubstantiation.

How can I explain Transubstantiation to non-Catholics? And how do I get the attention of teenagers? How do I reach adult Catholics who really have no clue since they only come to the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass occasionally? The way they dress is a give-away.

Thank you for all ideas…

 

[Verbum]

Hi Granny,

My grandparents and my parents did not know what transubstantiation was. But my mother said to me, “What looks like bread is not bread; it is the body of Christ.” Catholics believe that during the mass, the bread and wine become truly the body, blood, soul, humanity and divinity of Jesus Christ. Not a symbol, but truly the resurrected Christ. I would not even use the word transubstantiation.

Verbum

 

[grannymh]

Hi Granny,

My grandparents and my parents did not know what transubstantiation was. But my mother said to me, “What looks like bread is not bread; it is the body of Christ.” Catholics believe that during the mass, the bread and wine become truly the body, blood, soul, humanity and divinity of Jesus Christ. Not a symbol, but truly the resurrected Christ. I would not even use the word transubstantiation.

Verbum

Check out the many threads that talk about John Chapter 6. These become Scripture duels with very few people being able to explain what the Scripture actually means. So many opinions end up with the feeling that the Eucharist is only a symbol of a bunch of words with double meanings.

Then try blogs. I accidentally landed on the blog of a self-styled progressive Catholic. It sounded like the Eucharist made him feel that he was transubstantiating himself into Christ’s body.

The trickle-down effect of this type of stuff affects people who love Jesus, but who start to look at Jesus as being figuratively or symbolically present in Holy Communion, something like a metaphor of the Last Supper. Thus, it becomes easy to miss the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, easy to pick and choose which teaching to follow. etc. etc.

If people really understood Transubstantiation, there would be standing room only in Church.

I’m willing to be that very few Catholics can actually explain Transubstantiation without resorting to a Scripture duel.

 

[MarcoPolo]

I like Cyril of Jerusalem’s early quotes:

*"Having learn these things, and been fully assured that the seeming bread is not bread, though sensible to taste, but the Body of Christ; and that the seeming wine is not wine, though the taste will have it so, but the Blood of Christ; and that of this David sung of old, saying, And bread strengtheneth man’s heart, to make his face to shine with oil, ‘strengthen thou thine heart,’ by partaking thereof as spiritual, and “make the face of thy soul to shine.” "
Cyril of Jerusalem,Catechetical Lectures,XXII:8(c.A.D. 350),in NPNF2,VII:152

“Then having sanctified ourselves by these spiritual Hymns, we beseech the merciful God to send forth His Holy Spirit upon the gifts lying before Him; that He may make the Bread the Body of Christ, and the Wine the Blood of Christ; for whatsoever the Holy Ghost has touched, is surely sanctified and changed.”
Cyril of Jerusalem,Catechetical Lectures,XXIII:7(c.A.D. 350),in NPNF2,VII:154*

I also like to say that Jesus held up the bread and said this is my body which will be given up for you. So what was given up on the cross? A symbol? Or Jesus Himself???