I married a Protestant and presently attend a Protestant church. They share communion every third week, which is better than many Protestant churches. Although they do not convert it to the actual body of Christ during the service, I recognize it as such and with utter, unshakeable confidence. You just explained why, and how I can do so! It is by faith!
A theologian could try and convince me that you have to do such and such to transform it. Thanks, but I can feel Jesus coming in to me when I partake in that communion. It isn't a feeling like "I feel peace." It is an awareness of what entered me and is filling me.
Thanks for your comment. I'm afraid I have to clarify. If you took the article to mean that it is only by faith that Christ is present than that is not what was said. St. Thomas is clear that only faith can perceive Christ there. Not because it is faith somehow puts Him there but because through Transubstantiation, the substance of the bread and wine changes into the Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity but the accidents have remained the same and so our senses cannot perceive the change, only faith can.
Make no mistake, a person without any authority cannot change the bread and wine into the Eucharist. It is not possible. It is a function of the Holy Priesthood, instituted by Christ at the last supper in the command to "do THIS in memory of me" that is to say, they were commanded to change the bread and the wine into the Eucharist.
I'm sorry if you assumed I was putting forward a protestant notion of the Eucharist. I am not. Faith does not change the bread and wine. The action of Christ through the authority of the priest does. That is why you cannot find Christ truly present in the Eucharist in any non-apostolic community.
Thank you, Andrew. This is a beautiful study.
I married a Protestant and presently attend a Protestant church. They share communion every third week, which is better than many Protestant churches. Although they do not convert it to the actual body of Christ during the service, I recognize it as such and with utter, unshakeable confidence. You just explained why, and how I can do so! It is by faith!
A theologian could try and convince me that you have to do such and such to transform it. Thanks, but I can feel Jesus coming in to me when I partake in that communion. It isn't a feeling like "I feel peace." It is an awareness of what entered me and is filling me.
Thanks.
Thanks for your comment. I'm afraid I have to clarify. If you took the article to mean that it is only by faith that Christ is present than that is not what was said. St. Thomas is clear that only faith can perceive Christ there. Not because it is faith somehow puts Him there but because through Transubstantiation, the substance of the bread and wine changes into the Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity but the accidents have remained the same and so our senses cannot perceive the change, only faith can.
Make no mistake, a person without any authority cannot change the bread and wine into the Eucharist. It is not possible. It is a function of the Holy Priesthood, instituted by Christ at the last supper in the command to "do THIS in memory of me" that is to say, they were commanded to change the bread and the wine into the Eucharist.
I'm sorry if you assumed I was putting forward a protestant notion of the Eucharist. I am not. Faith does not change the bread and wine. The action of Christ through the authority of the priest does. That is why you cannot find Christ truly present in the Eucharist in any non-apostolic community.
Peace to you brother.
Amen, Andrew!
Peace to you as well. Thanks for the reply.