Is Holy Communion Real or Symbolic?

Catholic in the Ozarks ^ | June 2, 2014 | Shane Schaetzel

[boatbums]

Please explain to me how "This is My..." is symbolic/ metaphoric when Jesus is talking about His body and blood, but literal when God is talking about His Son

Is this a trick question? Bread isn't what Jesus' body is made of. His blood is not wine. He held up the loaf of bread to teach an object lesson that just as the loaf would be broken and passed around to be eaten, so would his body be broken for our sins. He is the Bread of Life - whoever believes in Him will never die. Jesus' blood, symbolized by the cup of wine to be passed around and drunk, was the New Covenant in His blood which makes atonement for all sin - because only by the shedding of blood is there atonement for sin (Lev. 17:11). Jesus said whoever ate his flesh and drank his blood would never die, would never hunger or thirst. Jesus said he was the Water of Life and "whoever drinks of the water that I will give him shall never thirst; but the water that I will give him will become in him a well of water springing up to eternal life." (John 4:14) In every one of these lessons, Jesus is teaching that eating and drinking of Him is through an act of faith. It is believing in Him that gives us eternal life.

The question should be why can't Jesus use analogies and symbolism to get across an eternal concept without Him having to be literal all the time? It's curious how some of the FRoman Catholics here can be so selective of which of Jesus' lessons to accept as figurative and which they insist MUST be literal - even when a literal interpretation has to twist scripture into a pretzel to somehow make it fit.

This is your brain. This is your brain on drugs...

[Gamecock]

It is much more complicated than that! They have to submit to ALL that Rome teaches. Every. Little. Bit.

They have developed a scheme that is infinitely more complex than the Judism that Jesus overthrew.

Our Lord and Savior made it easy. Rome made salvation a race up the down escalator, which has they set the speed set on extra fast.

[ShadowAce]

You really don't know English. or Greek. Is is not Am. Are you really suggesting Christ said "this am my body" ??? Insane. Irrational. Stupid.

I take it English was not your best subject in school.

Conjugation of the verb "to be".

Notice the forms--it is, I am--same verb. same word. Different conjugation.

[Iscool]

Yes, when I partake in the Eucharist and attempt to follow Christ’s teachings and learn to love and grow closer to God, I expect to join HIM in Heaven. Yet I am still subject to HIS judgment at my death.

That's not what the verse says...It says ANYONE who eats the wafer goes to heaven...Are we now supposed to pretend it doesn't say that so it can be taken literally???

Yes, when I partake in the Eucharist and attempt to follow Christ’s teachings and learn to love and grow closer to God, I expect to join HIM in Heaven. Yet I am still subject to HIS judgment at my death.

THAT'S what the verse says...It's either literal or it isn't...

[ADSUM]

There are many that follow their own teachings, including some Catholics and ignore some of the teachings of Jesus.

We are all sinners and we attempt to follow the path and teachings of Jesus as best we can and learn to love God with our whole heart, and with our whole soul, and with our whole mind, and with our whole strength; you love our neighbor as ourself.

I am not sure where you got the authority or sufficient knowledge to judge the teachings of Jesus as followed by the Catholic Church. You either follow all the teachings of Jesus or follow your own teachings or those of the devil.

As Jesus taught us to humbly and obediently follow HIS teachings so that we can accept God's love and eternal life with HIM.

May the Holy Spirit help you understand the teachings of Jesus and the Catholic Church.

[ADSUM]

So you are the the all knowing? Are you practing to be GOD?

Or just worshipping your own idols?

Yes I believe in the TRUTH of JESUS. DO YOU?

Jn 14:23
Jesus answered and said to him, “Whoever loves me will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our dwelling with him.”
Jn 14:20
On that day you will realize that I am in my Father and you are in me and I in you.

[Gamecock]

**I am not sure where you got the authority or sufficient knowledge to judge the teachings of Jesus as followed by the Catholic Church.**

Thanks for pointing this out. Either you follow Jesus or you follow Rome.
Can't do both.

[verga]

This is the only post I will make on this. If you need more you will need to read Dr. Hahn.

In the Passover (Seder) meal 4 cups of wine are consumed. During their time in the upper room Jesus and the apostles only consumed 3 cups. The fourth cup was consumed by Jesus on the cross. That was what He was referring to, the Passover meal.

[ADSUM]

I see that the Holy Spirit still has a lot of work to finish.

May God Bless You.

[verga]

You are hooked on “I am”. That is not the question. The question is: How does “is mean represents in “this is my Body”, but means “is” in “This is my son”. STOP trying to change the question.

[ShadowAce]

You are hooked on “I am”.

I'm not--It's FatherofFive. Read the posts

[verga]

Sorry, no. I answered your question in the only way it can be answered logically. You framed a question that is a logical fallacy, by confusing categories.

No you changed the question to one you thought would answer. Quoting Father of five: All you say did not answer this simple question. Why does IS means IS in one place, but means represents in another?

I know what 'I am the vine' means. I know God said 'This IS my Son'

By what logic does Is means Is, and also means 'represents'?

So no you did not come close to answering the question, You dodged. Try again, this time answering the question that was asked.

[Gamecock]

As with all of us.

And you as well.

[verga]

We do communion to remember the Crucifixion...

Catholics remember the crucifixion by the crucifix. Empty cross for an empty religion.

[verga]

It is a completely different question.

[verga]

Thank you for admitting to being over whelmed by the sheer brilliance of Catholicism and myself.

[aMorePerfectUnion]

As soon as you ask a question without posing the logical fallacy of a category mistake, I certainly will. Ping me when you do.

[verga]

So according to you Jesus Himself is a metaphor, since God said "This is my Son...."

If that is not what you believe then please explain how Grammatically "This is My Body..." is different than "This is My Son..."

Don't answer the question YOU want to answe3r, please answer the exact question I am asking.

[verga]

Your post 192:John 15:5 “I am the vine; you are the branches." John 10:7 "Therefore Jesus said again, “Very truly I tell you, “I am the gate for the sheep." John 10:9 "“I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved" Rev. 3:20 "Here “I am! I stand at the door and knock." Shadow, don't blame others for YOUR words.

[ShadowAce]

I was replying to FatherofFive.

That was my post, but not my words.