[armydoc]

I am careful with the word "literal" and am reluctant to use it

You're open to a "non-literal" interpretation of "this is my body", then. Great!

You may eat His body and receive Him as judge only. Life will be eternal. You won't like it.

I appreciate your recognition of the gravity of this issue. My Catholic friend, you may put your trust in a ritual and your works instead of trusting in the finished work of the Savior alone, and thereby condemn yourself. You certainly won't like that.

[Mad Dawg]

you may put your trust in a ritual and your works instead of trusting in the finished work of the Savior alone, and thereby condemn yourself.

Or I may not. Did you notice my 'tag line'?

I think it's a false opposition. I often err, but I try to choose my words carefully. So I spoke of the way in Christ and to Christ. It is not that I save myself by my works. That's patently ridiculous, at least, knowing me, to me. But Jesus prepares good works for me to walk in (Paul said that) and then "walks me" through them. (Paul implied that In Philippians, IMHO.) Anybody who doesn't think the whole thing is a gift isn't paying attention.

You're open to a "non-literal" interpretation of "this is my body", then. Great!

We say it is "really" His body and blood. We do not say it is "literally" His body and blood. (D00d, I'm a Dominican. We LIVE for distinctions.) "Literally" seems to convey something but leaves all the big questions unanswered.