This institution of the remembrance that Jesus gave the disciples at the last supper was indeed to people that had already accepted him (except Judas who rejected him) and he said they were to every time they did it to do it in remembrance of him. He took bread in his hand and said, "This is my body." he then tore it up and gave it out to them to eat. He did the same with the cup of wine, "This is the new covenant of my blood" and he passed it around for them to drink. In each case, he said his body would be torn for them and his blood shed for them and that every time they got together they should remember him by doing the same things. I think it is kind of silly for us to be arguing over whether or not the bread actually IS his body and the wine IS his blood. The apostles sure didn't look into the cup first to be sure it wasn't real blood or turn the bread over to see if it changed into meat, they ate and drank knowing he meant figuratively. Even after that, they passed this commemoration down to their people and they passed it on to theirs' and so on. People know it isn't really human flesh and blood but when they receive them in the communion service, they are doing it in remembrance of what he did for them by taking their sins upon himself and dying for them, for us all.
Taking in an "unworthy" manner is obviously eating the bread and drinking the wine in unbelief. It in turn makes them guilty of the body and blood of Christ. They count it as of no value or worth.
But, even though for the time of the service the elements are regarded as such, after the service, the elements go back to being just the same as they were, bread and wine, and their meaning ceases. I never watched what happened to the left-overs, but I am pretty sure they didn't get kept forever. We had grape juice in little plastic cups, and what was not drunk got either poured back into the bottle or washed down the drain. The same with the broken pieces of cracker. I'm pretty sure they didn't keep it because the next time they would be stale or gone moldy. The elements then are symbolic and only remain symbolic for the duration of the communion service. I know many out there might balk at what I am saying, but I am convinced that the entire purpose of the service is as a memorial only, not as a way of attaining saving grace. The saved are the ones partaking of it, not to BE saved but because we already are and we need reminding just how much it cost Jesus to save us. We need to remember that we too should be servants to each other and treat each other in Christ as the true brothers and sisters family which we are. Sometimes I think we can get bogged down on the minor things and forget the main thing which is Christ. Like my pastor says, "The main thing is to keep the main thing the main thing."
Good post and I agree...although I do find the catholic ritual more than offensive in how they view the elements.
I watched a Mass on video...and you know that little box they put the cup in afterwords? It’s all covered with gold paint etc...and the Priest covers it under his cloak while this big procession marches to where that little box is...and someone carries an umbrella over the Priests head as they march. As I watched this I wondered where they were going and why all the fuss.....well there they were where that alter was with that little box all decked out. But when the Priest opened the box to put the chalice in..you could see inside....no cold...just paint drippings and darkness. For such a fuss being made of this goblet you would of thought they’d make the inside of the box even more special. I wondered what they did with it later on...I suspect it went down the drain also.
Good summary, thanks.
ask yourself, how can they be guilty of the Body and Blood of Christ, if He were not really present? they would be guilty of eating bread otherwise.