Do you know who the Catholics are who really understand and whole heartedly know, not just believe but know Jesus is fully present in the Eucharist? Protestant converts is the answer! I have asked every convert I know why they finally became a Catholic. To a person they answered the presence of Jesus in the Eucharist! They all said there were doctrines such as the Papacy that took longer for them to really come to grips with, but when they came to believe the bread and wine became Jesus, there was no stopping them. They had to convert!
Jesus is in us and we in Him when His Spirit is within us before we participate in the Eucharist, otherwise we are not in the state of sanctifying grace. There is no benefit for us from the Eucharist apart from this. We are supposed to be alive in Christ at all times.
Peter, it is not simply Christ’s spirit that must be in us but His Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity. The Eucharist is the entire Christ. Whether or not we are in a state of grace, Christ is fully, really, present. The grace comes from the Sacrament. I trying to determine what you are trying to say….
Deacon Mark, as you so well know and wonderfully teach, the power of the Eucharist to heal, to save, to sanctify, to fortify us daily (or at the very least weekly) in this fallen world, and this is so crucial! I pray for those who don't realize it.
Yes, Jesus is within us always, that's so true! But do we live that? Do we realize that at every second? Do we open ourselves up to Him always, and always and everywhere remain in awe at His utmost giving of self?
No, because we are human beings, fallen in a fallen world.
The Eucharist is the Bread of Life. Let's use an example. Food is within us at different stages of digestion at all times, yet we still need more at certain and very frequent intervals. So it is with our Lord and Savior. We need Him--His true Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity--to keep fortifying us regularly. Otherwise, we tend to fall into spiritual pride. Among other sins. Additionally, the Eucharist helps us to come into true union with our Lord, in ways that nothing else can. It's such a blessing, instituted by Jesus Himself.
The Eucharist is the source and summit of life. Salvation is not "one and done." We must work at it, not because of anything lacking in Christ, but because of how we are lacking. Perhaps this addresses Peter's concern?
I was responding to your statement that outside of the Eucharist, we cannot have Christ in us and be in Christ.
1John 3:24 says: “And hereby we know that he abides in us, by the Spirit which he has given us.” 1John 4:13 says: “Hereby know we that we dwell in him, and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit.”
We receive the benefits of Christ through the Holy Spirit which includes the Spirit of Christ. Christ said that “It is the spirit that gives life; the flesh profits nothing” (John 6:63).
Peter, I think that verse in taken out of the larger context of the Eucharistic discourse. Jesus states clearly, “Amen, amen, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you do not have life within you. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him on the last day.” John 6:53–54 (NABRE) You cannot pick and choose. Jesus tells us in Matthew 26 to eat His body and drink His Blood. This is a command. He does not say that His spirit is enough … Certainty Christ is Spirit and always present. But He tells us to Eat and Drink. The Greek is actually to “gnaw” vice to “eat.” That is why the Eucharist is source and summit for the Church. You cannot come any closer to Christ than to receive Him in the Eucharist. It is also how we incarnate Christ in the world.
Beautifully written. Thank you.
Do you know who the Catholics are who really understand and whole heartedly know, not just believe but know Jesus is fully present in the Eucharist? Protestant converts is the answer! I have asked every convert I know why they finally became a Catholic. To a person they answered the presence of Jesus in the Eucharist! They all said there were doctrines such as the Papacy that took longer for them to really come to grips with, but when they came to believe the bread and wine became Jesus, there was no stopping them. They had to convert!
Amen!!!!!!!
Jesus is in us and we in Him when His Spirit is within us before we participate in the Eucharist, otherwise we are not in the state of sanctifying grace. There is no benefit for us from the Eucharist apart from this. We are supposed to be alive in Christ at all times.
Peter, it is not simply Christ’s spirit that must be in us but His Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity. The Eucharist is the entire Christ. Whether or not we are in a state of grace, Christ is fully, really, present. The grace comes from the Sacrament. I trying to determine what you are trying to say….
Deacon Mark, as you so well know and wonderfully teach, the power of the Eucharist to heal, to save, to sanctify, to fortify us daily (or at the very least weekly) in this fallen world, and this is so crucial! I pray for those who don't realize it.
Yes, Jesus is within us always, that's so true! But do we live that? Do we realize that at every second? Do we open ourselves up to Him always, and always and everywhere remain in awe at His utmost giving of self?
No, because we are human beings, fallen in a fallen world.
The Eucharist is the Bread of Life. Let's use an example. Food is within us at different stages of digestion at all times, yet we still need more at certain and very frequent intervals. So it is with our Lord and Savior. We need Him--His true Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity--to keep fortifying us regularly. Otherwise, we tend to fall into spiritual pride. Among other sins. Additionally, the Eucharist helps us to come into true union with our Lord, in ways that nothing else can. It's such a blessing, instituted by Jesus Himself.
The Eucharist is the source and summit of life. Salvation is not "one and done." We must work at it, not because of anything lacking in Christ, but because of how we are lacking. Perhaps this addresses Peter's concern?
I was responding to your statement that outside of the Eucharist, we cannot have Christ in us and be in Christ.
1John 3:24 says: “And hereby we know that he abides in us, by the Spirit which he has given us.” 1John 4:13 says: “Hereby know we that we dwell in him, and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit.”
We receive the benefits of Christ through the Holy Spirit which includes the Spirit of Christ. Christ said that “It is the spirit that gives life; the flesh profits nothing” (John 6:63).
Peter, I think that verse in taken out of the larger context of the Eucharistic discourse. Jesus states clearly, “Amen, amen, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you do not have life within you. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him on the last day.” John 6:53–54 (NABRE) You cannot pick and choose. Jesus tells us in Matthew 26 to eat His body and drink His Blood. This is a command. He does not say that His spirit is enough … Certainty Christ is Spirit and always present. But He tells us to Eat and Drink. The Greek is actually to “gnaw” vice to “eat.” That is why the Eucharist is source and summit for the Church. You cannot come any closer to Christ than to receive Him in the Eucharist. It is also how we incarnate Christ in the world.