Finding My Way Home: The Eucharist drew me back [Johnnie Bernhard]

Finding My Way Home

The Eucharist drew me back.

By: Johnnie Bernhard

I was baptized in the Catholic Church as an infant. My family later left the Church, and it took me fifty years to find my way home. Through all those years, I never forgot the peace I found in the Eucharist.

Even as a practicing Protestant most of my adult life, I continued to search out Catholic churches wherever I lived, hiding in a pew in the back of the church, always a spectator, always longing to recapture the peace I found in the Eucharist.

I could never really put into words why I continued to seek the Eucharist. I was too afraid, unsure of my reasons for being there. It took me almost a lifetime to understand those reasons, with the only true explanation being that the Holy Spirit worked through many people to lead me home.

My Protestant family initially thought that my return to the Catholic Church was due to a mid-life crisis. But for me, it was part of a spiritual journey, a tremendous shedding of my ego and my fear of living as God’s child. At one point, I clearly remember thinking, It doesn’t matter what people say. This is between God and me.

My husband of thirty years, a Methodist since birth, never once questioned me, but simply walked hand and hand with me to Mass. Quiet and unassuming was his love for me. That support and love served as a daily reminder of Christ’s commandment for us, “Love one another, as I love you (John 15:12).”

My brother, a man of deep faith, did question my return to the Catholic Church. He and I were raised in a Bible-centered home. Our mother was a humble woman of tremendous faith who served the Baptist Church in our community until the day she died.

And so, my brother wondered. Was I was returning to the Catholic Church because people were nice to me there? Was it because it was so close to my house? I uttered one word to him—peace. That ended his confusion, because as a Christian, he understood the peace found in Christ. “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. Not as the world gives do I give it to you. Do not let your hearts be troubled or afraid (John 14:27).”

My brother attended my Confirmation. He gave me a rosary as a gift. He was happy for me, as were my husband and adult children. This journey led me to live Christ’s love with new friendships, restored relationships, and countless blessings.

Perhaps the greatest blessing was the marriage of my daughter, also a recent convert.
On a beautiful September morning in an ancient Catholic Church in Ireland, my daughter was married to a kind, faith-filled man. To participate in the nuptial Mass by carrying the Eucharistic gifts, the body and blood of Christ, was a tremendous honor for me.

God’s grace continues to abound in my life through the extraordinary friendships I have made in RCIA and Cursillo. I can’t remember how these friendships were initiated, but it doesn’t matter. I recall, though, how the parish priest began coming to our home unannounced for tea. After several months I realized that he asked for nothing; he had no hidden agenda. He was offering me his friendship through the love of Christ. It is very natural for me to call him Father, as it is for my family who welcomes him once a week in our home. He continues to support our daily lives with prayers, Scripture, and friendship.

I am not a perfect Christian. I falter many days, and I struggle with the tremendous burden of being all too human in an imperfect world, but I know that each week, I am called to receive God’s gifts in the Eucharist. The gift of the Eucharist, as well as his gifts of forgiveness and peace, is for all of us. They are a balm to my soul. I have found my way home.

You say this in #18:
**trans — transfer
substantiation — substance**

**The substance of bread and wine are changed into the substances of Christ’s Body and Blood, by Christ’s words, repeated by the priest**

Then this in #23:
**The same with the Blood of Christ — some people who are allergic to wheat will partake of the wine only, for it also contains the Body of Christ.**

If the wafer can be miraculously changed into the flesh and blood of the Son of God, then there should be NO wheat allegic reaction.

The body of Jesus Christ contains the SPIRIT of the “only true God” (the Father) see John 17:1-3. Jesus Christ declared that the Father is God, and is a Spirit (John 4:24,25). He also declared that when one receives the Spirit that “AT THAT DAY ye shall know that I am IN my Father, and ye IN me, and I IN you”. Jn 14:20

Pelosi, Biden, Durbin, Kerry, etc. must be saved since by your church’s definition they are.

It’s the Spirit of God that changes people’s lives, not a ritual altered by carnally interpretted scriptures.

Your ritual meets the desire of the flesh to see, feel, and taste something said to be a spiritual event. But it is a play on human emotions, still leaving them missing the baptism of the Holy Ghost.

The souls that were witness to the 120 receiving the Holy Ghost on Pentecost, and hearing Peter’s message, were ‘pricked in the heart’. That is where you folks give them the wafer, and tell them they are saved.

But, those that heard Peter asked, “Men and brethern, what shall we do?” Peter replied, “Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of JESUS CHRIST for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost”. Acts 2:38

They obeyed that command, receiving the remission of sins, yet your religion teaches literal eating of the wafer for remission. Which is why Pelosi etc. (and even people I know personally) keep on doing their sinful acts. For they believe that they can eat another wafer, and be ‘good to go’ until they drop by again.

For clarity...I am not a Roman Catholic and do not subscribe to their teaching on this topic.

You say this in #18:
**trans — transfer
substantiation — substance**

**The substance of bread and wine are changed into the substances of Christ’s Body and Blood, by Christ’s words, repeated by the priest**

Then this in #23:
**The same with the Blood of Christ — some people who are allergic to wheat will partake of the wine only, for it also contains the Body of Christ.**

If the wafer can be miraculously changed into the flesh and blood of the Son of God, then there should be NO wheat allegic reaction.

Pelosi, Biden, Durbin, Kerry, etc. must be saved since by your church’s definition they are.

It’s the Spirit of God that changes people’s lives, not a ritual altered by carnally interpretted scriptures.

Your ritual meets the desire of the flesh to see, feel, and taste something said to be a spiritual event. But it is a play on human emotions, still leaving them missing the baptism of the Holy Ghost.

Some subsets of Christianity do, some don’t. Are you really going to claim that if one believes in Christ, one can lie, steal, rape and murder to their heart’s content and have those sins automatically forgiven?

You present a straw man argument. Would someone who is a follower of Christ do this? You may be thinking of the actual physical act of the sin. However, Jesus redefined sin to include our thoughts as well. Recall Jesus said if we look at a woman with lust in our heart we commit adultery.

We do sin on a daily basis and the sacrifice of Christ cleanses us from all unrighteousness.

The concept of mortal sins and having to confess these to a priest is not biblical. It presumes the sacrifice of Christ wasn't sufficient to cover all sins. Plus, if this is the case, then every catholic should be camping out at their local church and keeping the priest in sight. Why? If you commit adultery as Christ noted that would be a mortal sin and would need to be confessed lest you die apart from God. What if you stroked out or had a massive heart attack before you confessed? The RCC teaches you do not go to Heaven in this case.

The Bible teaches we have forgiveness of all sins through the one time sacrifice of Christ.

The Greek words behind these texts really make clear our complete forgiveness and the security of our forgiveness in Christ.

1 John 1:8-1 John 2:2

8If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. 9If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. 10If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word is not in us. My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have an advocate with the Father—Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. 2He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world.

Col 2:13-14

13When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, 14having canceled the charge of our legal indebtedness, which stood against us and condemned us; he has taken it away, nailing it to the cross.

Ephesians 2:1-10

1As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, 2in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. 3All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our flesha and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath. 4But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. 6And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, 7in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. 8For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9not by works, so that no one can boast. 10For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

Note if we are saved there is an expectation of doing good works. These evidenced by the fruits of the spirit.

The concept of mortal sins and having to confess these to a priest is not biblical.

From the Gospel of John: “If you forgive the sins of any, their sins have been forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they have been retained.”

The Gospel of John is not biblical?

You make a circular argument: If we believe in Jesus Christ, our sins are forgiven, but if we sin, that means we don't believe in Jesus Chris, therefore Christ's sacrifice does not atone for your sins.

The Catholic Church provides two means to be absolved of sin: normmally via the Sacrament of Confession, and via the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick, in which the priest forgives any sins the person would repent of were they conscious and able to express repentance.

Christianity teaches that belief in Christ provides complete forgiveness of all sins.

No, Protestantism teaches that which is why such folk quote John 3:16 in isolation rather than with all of what Christ said at the same time :

John 3:17 For God sent not his Son into the world, to judge the world, but that the world may be saved by him.
John 3:18 He that believeth in him is not judged. But he that doth not believe, is already judged : because he believeth not in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
John 3:19 And this is the judgment : because the light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than the light : for their works were evil.
John 3:20 For every one that doth evil hateth the light, and cometh not to the light, that his works may not be reproved.

The lie of works not mattering is just another name for not coming to the light.

Matt 7:14 How narrow is the gate, and strait is the way that leadeth to life : and few there are that find it !.
Matt 7:15 Beware of false prophets, who come to you in the clothing of sheep, but inwardly they are ravening wolves..
Matt 7:16 By their fruits you shall know them. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles ?.
Matt 7:17 Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit, and the evil tree bringeth forth evil fruit..
Matt 7:18 A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can an evil tree bring forth good fruit..
Matt 7:19 Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit, shall be cut down, and shall be cast into the fire..
Matt 7:20 Wherefore by their fruits you shall know them..
Matt 7:21 Not every one that saith to me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven : but he that doth the will of my Father who is in heaven, he shall enter into the kingdom of heaven..
Matt 7:22 Many will say to me in that day : Lord, Lord, have not we prophesied in thy name, and cast out devils in thy name, and done many miracles in thy name ?.
Matt 7:23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you : depart from me, you that work iniquity..

"Faith Alone" is a heresy and there's no Invincible Ignorance defense for those who have the Bible.

Luke 13:24 Strive to enter by the narrow gate ; for many, I say to you, shall seek to enter, and shall not be able.
Luke 13:25 But when the master of the house shall be gone in, and shall shut the door, you shall begin to stand without, and knock at the door, saying : Lord, open to us. And he answering, shall say to you : I know you not, whence you are..
Luke 13:26 Then you shall begin to say : We have eaten and drunk in thy presence, and thou hast taught in our streets..
Luke 13:27 And he shall say to you : I know you not, whence you are : depart from me, all ye workers of iniquity..
Luke 13:28 There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when you shall see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob, and all the prophets, in the kingdom of God, and you yourselves thrust out..

check out the Greek meanings of the verbs in the passages I cited and you will see the only conclusion to come to is the security of our salvation.

From John 6....Jesus is declaring our salvation is secure....no qualifications.

35Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty. 36But as I told you, you have seen me and still you do not believe. 37All those the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away. 38For I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of him who sent me. 39And this is the will of him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all those he has given me, but raise them up at the last day. 40For my Father’s will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day.”

The Greek Word Propitiation as used in 1 John 2:2 and 1 John 4:10.

properly, propitiation; an offering to appease (satisfy) an angry, offended party. 2434 (hilasmós) is only used twice (1 Jn 2:2, 4:10) – both times of Christ's atoning blood that appeases God's wrath, on all confessed sin. By the sacrifice of Himself, Jesus Christ provided the ultimate 2434 /hilasmós ("propitiation").

As used in Romans 3:25

(a) a sin offering, by which the wrath of the deity shall be appeased; a means of propitiation, (b) the covering of the ark, which was sprinkled with the atoning blood on the Day of Atonement.

Source: biblehub.com

Jesus is the propitiation for ALL of our sins. There is nothing we can do to earn our salvation.

Only believe in Him.

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