[NYer]

Fire

   

Leviticus 6:12-13 "And the fire on the altar shall always burn, and the priest shall feed it, putting wood on it every day in the morning, and laying on the holocaust, shall burn thereupon the fat of the peace offerings. This is the perpetual fire which shall never go out on the altar."

 
The light of fire, penetrating darkness, is a symbol for the Trinity and for the grace or Person of Christ, in particular. He is "the Light of the world," as St. John tells us, and "in Him there is no darkness." While the light of fire illumines, the heat of it warms us -- and purifies. 1 Corinthians 3:13-15 tells us that fire will reveal and try our works, burning up the traces of those that can't enter Heaven (Revelation 21:27). This fire of God's love, baptizing us, illuminating, warming, and purging us, manifested before Moses in the burning bush and at the Pentecost when tongues of flame appeared over the Apostles' heads. It is in part because of the obvious symbolism grounded in these accounts that candles and lamps have been used in Christian liturgy from the beginning. Their use, though, isn't only symbolic; it is rooted thousands of years ago in the Old Testament.
 

The Tabernacle Lamp
(or "Sanctuary Lamp" or "Altar Lamp")

In Catholic churches, at least one tabernacle lamp burns eternally outside the tabernacle where the Eucharist is kept, signifying the divine presence of God just as the ner tamid burned outside the tabernacle, signifying the presence of God in the Holy of Holies during Old Testament times:

Exodus 27:19-20
All the vessels of the tabernacle for all uses and ceremonies, and the pins both of it and of the court, thou shalt make of brass. Command the children of Israel that they bring thee the purest oil of the olives, and beaten with a pestle: that a lamp may burn always,

The tabernacle lamp is usually a light that hangs down from the ceiling, encased in a red globe. It is often called a "sanctuary lamp" because, barring extraordinary circumstances, such as in an historic cathedral with lots of tourist traffic, the tabernacle is to be kept near the Altar, in a prominent, honored, and well-decorated place, in the sanctuary.

[the invisib1e hand]

Protestants don't see why Catholics who come to disagree with essential teachings of the Church don't just leave.

It's so the leftists can say they have "the Catholic vote."

[trad_anglican]

for it is the Incarnation, the continuation of the Incarnation.

One has to be a little careful of not getting carried away here. The eucharist is not the Incarnation. It is true that the Incarnation can be thought of as like a "super sacrament" when one ponders the ways in which God has chosen to relate to his creatures. But the eucharist is an anamnesis - a re-presentation before God of the salvific acts of Jesus. It would perhaps be more precise to say that it is a continuation of the effects of the Incarnation in a particular place at a particular time, though it doesn't sound as poetic.

[Hackle]

Lutherans also believe in Christ’s real physical presence in the Sacrament—”in, with, and under” the visible elements of bread and wine. The Sacrament is one of the means by which the Holy Spirit delivers Christ and His forgiveness.

[Kolokotronis]

“In fact, the world is a sacrament.”

A very odd remark indeed, NYer, especially since the world/creation itself is distorted by man’s sin. But no matter, this is an excellent article and comments like this more than make up for any convert oddity

“The real presence of Christ in the Eucharist is a magnet drawing lost sheep home and keeping would-be strays from the deathly snows outside.”

Wonderful!

[TASMANIANRED]

Fine presentation.

[Salvation]

The Sacraments - Fundamentals of the Faith
Beginning Catholic: Catholic Sacraments: Vehicles of Grace [Ecumenical]

Beginning Catholic: The Sacrament of Baptism: Gateway to New Life [Ecumenical]
Beginning Catholic: The Sacrament of Confirmation: Grace for Fullness of Faith and Life [Ecumenical]
Beginning Catholic: The Eucharist: In the Presence of the Lord Himself [Ecumenical]
Beginning Catholic: Receiving the Lord in Holy Communion [Ecumenical]
Beginning Catholic: The Sacrament of Reconciliation: Rising Again to New Life [Ecumenical]

Beginning Catholic: The Anointing of the Sick: Comfort and Healing [Ecumenical]
Beginning Catholic: The Sacrament of Holy Orders: Priests of the New Sacrifice [Ecumenical]
Beginning Catholic: Catholic Marriage: A Union Sealed by the Sacrament of Matrimony [Ecumenical]
The Sacraments [Ecumenical]
The Sacraments

Lesson 15: AN INTRODUCTION TO THE SACRAMENTS
Restored Order of the Sacraments of Initiation? Confirmation and First Eucharist together? (Vanity)
"Virtual" Sacraments Ruled Out
Are Sacraments Narrow? (Imparting Grace through the Sacraments)
Catholic Caucus: Regarding Sinful priests, and Validity of Mass/Sacraments

[narses]

NYer, thank you again for your wonderful work spreading the truth about the Truth.

[kevinrbranson]

I really appreciate Peter Kreeft and his work. His observation of the upheaval that takes place in the life of the Catholic convert because of their new understanding of the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist is spot on. Catholic life is anchored in the Eucharist. We can pray that the sad story of 500 years of denominational schism might someday end when non-Catholics come to terms with the Scriptural and apostolic teaching and the historic Church's belief in the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist .