Is Holy Communion Real or Symbolic?

I came to this thread full of hope that I could gain some insights that might help strengthen my faith and make me a better Christian. I also had some hopes that, like the priest whose name I cannot recall, who preaches to your Pope, perhaps we could start our own reconciliation, Protestants and RCCs together. That priest seems to think it possible, but after reading the last 1080 posts, not a small number over YOUR user id, instead of enlightenment, I got stuff about secret sacred traditions, a diatribe or more on how God’s Word is NOT the last word on eternal Truths, and a bunch of snarky, disrespectful bullbleep aimed at some protestant womenfolk, like metmom and Elsie (who, at least, more than held her own) and others.

What all this tells me is that you (and your church, apparently) have nothing to offer ANYONE, spiritually, and that, instead of being totally in line with God’s Word, His LAST Word, you have “enlightenment” from some vague, undefinable and, to me, rather shady source. If, somehow, anyhow I am wrong, please SHOW me, using God’s Word, WHERE I am in error.

Or, failing that, point me to a knowledgeable source I can call ant TALK to. If you cannot properly defend your beliefs with Holy Scripture, find me someone who CAN.

Catholics are not keeping you or anyone else from being a better Christian.

Whether Catholics believe communion is real or symbolic (its symbolic) does not keep you from being a better Christian. Only you can keep yourself from Christ.

Yes, I believe it IS symbolic. I was, however, trying to pour oil on troubled waters just now, as well as gain new knowledge. I am saved, sanctified and set apart by Christ’s Sacrifice on the cross and my acceptance of His free gift. I KNOW that, but I yet wonder why some folks believe that the Bible is NOT His final Word or that we cannot be SURE we’re Heaven-bound til we GET there. I have family and friends who are RC and I want to KNOW that we’ll be together in Glory. I know I will be seeing my oldest brother there, as I KNOW he made his peace with God before he died, but I’m concerned with my sister in law and my nephews and their families.

I KNOW my God is real and that I am His, for He gave me specific signs which I won’t go into here, which proved to my satisfaction that I am His child, a sinner saved by Grace alone, through Faith in Christ alone.

I came to this thread full of hope...

This disposition is belied by the following expressions which demonstrate pre-conceived notions that are not conducive to reconciliation:

...[Y]our pope...

...[S]ecret sacred traditions...

What all this tells me is that you (and your church, apparently) have nothing to offer ANYONE, spiritually, and that, instead of being totally in line with God’s Word, His LAST Word, you have “enlightenment” from some vague, undefinable and, to me, rather shady source. If, somehow, anyhow I am wrong, please SHOW me, using God’s Word, WHERE I am in error.

Then let us go back to the source. What is your understanding of the Eucharist? Do you believe it to be Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of the Lord, Jesus Christ? That He is really, truly, and substantially present? And if not, why not?

Or, failing that, point me to a knowledgeable source I can call ant TALK to. If you cannot properly defend your beliefs with Holy Scripture, find me someone who CAN.

Is it your understanding the Sacred Scripture contains all of Divine Revelation? And if I were to "properly defend" my beliefs to YOUR satisfaction are you prepared to believe that the Eucharist is the literal Body and Blood of Christ and that He instituted the Roman Catholic Church and the sacredotal priesthood to confect the Eucharist?

Why shift the focus from the authority of Scripture to someone's opinion about the eucharist?

And again, for the bazillionth time, Scripture contains all that is needed to thoroughly equip the man of God for every good work.

Nobody said it contained all of divine revelation. Romans 1 deals with that, that there is enough general revelation to show God's character.

But the fact that Scripture does not contain the entirety of all revelation about God, does under no circumstances, give anyone license to make stuff up about God, or Mary, and pass it off as Truth.

The problem non-Catholics have with the Catholic church's claims of divine revelation is that they are claiming it with no basis other than their say so. That is simply not enough to verify any truth claim.

Why shift the focus from the authority of Scripture to someone's opinion about the eucharist?

Because the poster asked where he/she was going wrong and in order to do that it needs to be ascertained what their understanding is of the Eucharist. After all this is what this thread is about, even though it has demarcated radically from that topic for a couple of weeks now.

And again, for the bazillionth time, Scripture contains all that is needed to thoroughly equip the man of God for every good work

I know you truly believe that, but it doesn't make it so. For it assumes that every man is equipped to understand what he is reading (i.e., Ethiopian eunuch) and that scripture is perspicuous and can be understood absent any outside assistance. If that was the case then why the need for protestant exegesis if the "plain-meaning" sense of scripture can be known by every "spirit-filled individual"?

Nobody said it contained all of divine revelation... [B]ut the fact that Scripture does not contain the entirety of all revelation about God, does under no circumstances, give anyone license to make stuff up about God, or Mary, and pass it off as Truth.

And so, because your particular reading of Scripture precludes certain doctrines, they are, according to you made up? And you have no doubt that they are not Divine Revelation? Even though you freely admit that all of Divine Revelation (read: Truth) isn't contained in Sacred Scripture?

Besides, the only novelty being advocated here is of the sola scriptura variety. A novelty that was purposefully designed to 'empower the individual over the Church'. A novelty of the 16th century.

The problem non-Catholics have with the Catholic church's claims of divine revelation is that they are claiming it with no basis other than their say so. That is simply not enough to verify any truth claim.

It's not my say so. It's the say so of Christ, the Apostles, the Early Church Fathers, the Magisterium, the whole of Sacred Scripture and Sacred Tradition in harmony with one another for the last 2,000 years. Let us never forget that Christ brought forth His Church. A visible Church with the power to bind and loose and to determine such questions. Empowered and free from error by the Holy Spirit. This cannot be said for a protestant in communion with his/her bible.

What is 'verify a truth claim' anyway? Are we to apply the rationalistic scientific method to questions of Faith? Perhaps take a question of doctrine and match it up with a scriptural verse to determine scriptural warranty? And how many verses are required before we've established that it is truthful? And if there are seeming contradictory verses are we prepared to assign values to them that allows one verse to override another?

I do not believe the Eucharist to be the literal body of Christ. I do not believe He was into “shock therapy” by breaking one of the stiffest of Mosaic laws, that of drinking blood, the very LIFE of any being or the most unbreakable of ALL human laws, by practicing cannibalism. Christ came that man might be REDEEMED, not enticed into such wickedness.

I believe God yet sends signs to man, revealing Himself for certain purposes. He has sent ME signs on more than one occasion. BUT I believe that any and all claims and teachings MUST CONFORM to God’s WRITTEN WORD. If I cannot find a reference in Scripture that covers what you, for example, are preaching, how do you expect me to believe you about anything?

...and Elsie (who, at least, more than held her own)...

Aw... shucks...

I came to this thread full of hope that I could gain some insights that might help strengthen my faith and make me a better Christian.

You've HAVE come to the (a?) right place!

Even though we C's & P's do tend to go for the jugular after a while; EACH of us are doing what we think is right.

(C's just think that they HAVE to 'do' just a bit more than P's...)

Do you believe it to be Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of the Lord, Jesus Christ?

No.

ROME clings to the teaching that it MUST be so; and yet fails to hold other scripture, which is obvious metaphor as well, to the same, rigorous standard.

GOD is not a Cosmic Chicken; that holds His chicks under His wings.

Likewise, a ritual that has morphed from a YEARLY meal of rememberance of GOD's protective presence; a little wafer and a sip of wine are NOT the 'Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of the Lord'.

I know you truly believe that, but it doesn't make it so.

And you can type this with a straight face?