Holy Communion: Difference between revisions
→John 6: Bread of Life Discourse
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== John 6: Bread of Life Discourse == | == John 6: Bread of Life Discourse == | ||
In the "Bread of Life Discourse", Jesus | In the "Bread of Life Discourse", Jesus declares himself "the Bread of Life" | ||
So Jesus said to them, “Amen, amen, I say to you, it was not Moses who gave the bread from heaven; my Father gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is that which comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.” So they said to him, “Sir, give us this bread always.” Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me will never hunger, and whoever believes in me will never thirst. ([https://bible.usccb.org/bible/john/6?32 Jn 6:32-35]) | |||
and | |||
Your ancestors ate the manna in the desert, but they died; this is the bread that comes down from heaven so that one may eat it and not die. I am the living bread that came down from heaven; whoever eats this bread will live forever; and the bread that I will give is my flesh for the life of the world. I am the bread of life. ([https://bible.usccb.org/bible/john/6?48 Jn 6:48-51]) | |||
His followers | |||
== Transubstantiation == | == Transubstantiation == | ||
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The Council of Trent summarizes the Catholic faith by declaring: "Because Christ our Redeemer said that it was truly his body that he was offering under the species of bread, it has always been the conviction of the Church of God, and this holy Council now declares again, that '''by the consecration of the bread and wine there takes place a change of the whole substance of the bread into the substance of the body of Christ our Lord and of the whole substance of the wine into the substance of his blood.''' This change the holy Catholic Church has fittingly and properly called transubstantiation." ([https://www.usccb.org/sites/default/files/flipbooks/catechism/348/ CCC 1376]; emphasis added) | The Council of Trent summarizes the Catholic faith by declaring: "Because Christ our Redeemer said that it was truly his body that he was offering under the species of bread, it has always been the conviction of the Church of God, and this holy Council now declares again, that '''by the consecration of the bread and wine there takes place a change of the whole substance of the bread into the substance of the body of Christ our Lord and of the whole substance of the wine into the substance of his blood.''' This change the holy Catholic Church has fittingly and properly called transubstantiation." ([https://www.usccb.org/sites/default/files/flipbooks/catechism/348/ CCC 1376]; emphasis added) | ||
=== Etymology of | === Etymology of Transubstantiation === | ||
* from: ''trans-'' = across, beyond + ''substance'' ("what it is") (''-tion'' = makes a noun) | * from: ''trans-'' = across, beyond + ''substance'' ("what it is") (''-tion'' = makes a noun) | ||
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*** ''stare'' has PIE root '''*sta-''' "to stand, make firm, be firm" | *** ''stare'' has PIE root '''*sta-''' "to stand, make firm, be firm" | ||
=== transubstantiation versus transformation === | === "transubstantiation" versus "transformation" === | ||
* trans-substance = changes form but not substance | * trans-substance = changes form but not substance | ||
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** i.e., change in shape, appearance | ** i.e., change in shape, appearance | ||
=== | === Belief in Transubstantiation === | ||
* In the Gospel of [https://bible.usccb.org/bible/john/6?47 John Ch. 6, verses 47-51], Jesus | * In the Gospel of [https://bible.usccb.org/bible/john/6?47 John Ch. 6, verses 47-51], Jesus affirms that belief in him as the "bread of life" is needed for salvation: | ||
"Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever believes has eternal life. | "Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever believes has eternal life. | ||
* the Church has accepted the doctrine and belief in transubstantiation from its beginning with the Apostles | * the Church has accepted the doctrine and belief in transubstantiation from its beginning with the Apostles | ||
*it was termed "transubstantiation" | |||
** | *it was first termed "transubstantiation" in the 11th century | ||
*** | **largely in response to Berengar of Tours, a monk who denied the "material" change in the bread and wine when consecrated | ||
***others in the Church responded to him, including who invented the term, "transubstantiation" | |||
=== Impact of belief in Transubstantiation on Mass attendance === | |||
* in 2008, Georgetown University conducted a poll of Catholics and found that | |||
** 57% of Catholics surveyed believe in the presence of Christ in the Eucharist | |||
** 91% of those who attend mass weekly or more so believe | |||
** 86% those who attend mass monthly so believe | |||
** 40% of those who attend mass "a few times a year" so believe | |||
* in 2019 [https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2019/08/05/transubstantiation-eucharist-u-s-catholics/ Pew Research conducted a similar study] and found that | |||
** 31% of all Catholics believe "during Catholic Mass, the bread and wine actually become the body and blood of Jesus" | |||
** 63% of those who attend mass weekly or more believe in the Real Presence | |||
* it is reasonable to infer that the wording of the questions in these studies yielded different results | |||
[[Category:Bible]] | [[Category:Bible]] | ||
[[Category:Mass and Liturgy]] | [[Category:Mass and Liturgy]] | ||
[[Category:Catechism of the Catholic Church]] | [[Category:Catechism of the Catholic Church]] | ||