Bread of Life

BREAD OF LIFE
this is the bread that comes down from heaven so that one may eat it and not die. (john 6: 50)
The miracle of God’s physical presence to us at every Mass is the truest testament to Christ’s love for us and His desire for each of us to have a personal relationship with Him. Jesus Christ celebrated the first Mass with His disciples at the Last Supper, the night before He died. He commanded His disciples, “Do this in remembrance of me” (Luke 22:19). The celebration of the Mass then became the main form of worship in the early Church, as a reenactment of the Last Supper, as Christ had commanded. Each and every Mass since commemorates Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross through the Holy Eucharist. Because the Mass “re-presents” (makes present) the sacrifice on Calvary, Catholics all around the world join together to be made present in Christ’s timeless sacrifice for our sins. There is something fascinating about continuing to celebrate the same Mass—instituted by Christ and practiced by the early Church—with the whole community of Catholics around the world…and in heaven.

THE REAL PRESENCE

Why does the Catholic Church believe Christ is really present in the Eucharist?
The Catholic doctrine of the Real Presence is the belief that Jesus Christ is literally, not symbolically, present in the Holy Eucharist—body, blood, soul and divinity. Catholics believe in the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist because Jesus tells us this is true in the Bible:

“I am the bread of life. Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and they died. This is the bread which comes down from heaven, that a man may eat of it and not die. I am the living bread which came down from heaven; if any one eats of this bread, he will live for ever; and the bread which I shall give for the life of the world is my flesh." The Jews then disputed among themselves, saying, ‘How can this man give us his flesh to eat?’ So Jesus said to them,

"Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of man and drink his blood, you have no life in you; he who eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. For my flesh is food indeed, and my blood is drink indeed. He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me, and I in him” - John 6:48-56
Furthermore, the early Church Fathers either imply or directly state that the bread and wine offered in the celebration of the Lord’s Supper is really the body and blood of Jesus Christ. In other words, the doctrine of the Real Presence that Catholics believe today was believed by the earliest Christians 2,000 years ago!

This miracle of God’s physical presence to us at every Mass is the truest testament to Christ’s love for us and His desire for each of us to have a personal relationship with Him.

Saturday, April 2, 2011

I BELIEVE

I believe that on the night before His Death on the Cross Our Lord Jesus Christ instituted the Holy Eucharist, when at the Last Supper He changed bread and wine into His Body and Blood, which He offered to His Father for the salvation of all mankind and gave to His disciples to be their Food and Drink.

I believe that Jesus at the Last Supper began the Perfect Sacrifice of His Body and Blood, which He completed for our salvation on the Cross, and now daily renews on our altars in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, of which He is both the Victim and the Principal Offerer.

I believe that Christ having died upon the Cross dies now no more, but that His Holy Death is mystically perpetuated in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass in a most wondrous manner, and is continually offered to God for the salvation of all mankind.

I believe that the Holy Eucharist is both a Sacrifice and a Sacrament, and that as a Sacrament, which we lovingly call the Blessed Sacrament of the Altar, the Holy Eucharist is truly the Bread of Life and the Cup of Eternal Salvation, and that in this Holy Sacrament there is truly contained wholly and substantially the Body and Blood of Christ, together with His Soul and Divinity co-joined.

I believe that Jesus continues to remain, veiled beneath the appearance of the Sacred Forms of Bread and Wine after the Holy Sacrifice is over, for our Spiritual Food and Drink, for our need and that of the sick to whom He is brought.

I believe that in receiving Christ in Holy Communion, He is not changed into us, but we are changed into Him.

I believe that at the Last Supper Christ Our Lord gave the Apostles the exalted power to be His Ministers in offering the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, and that through them the same power is transmitted perpetually to the bishops and priests of the Church.

I believe that in the Holy Liturgy of the Mass, just as at the Last Supper, Christ effects a complete change in the bread and wine, so that although the forms of bread and wine remain, the whole substance of these elements is changed into His Body and Blood.

I believe that the Holy Eucharist has been given to us by Christ to be the bond of love between God and Man, and Man with his Fellowman.

I believe, 0 Lord, Strengthen My Faith.
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2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Bible passages are taken from King James Bible
FAITH ALONE

One cannot be saved, unless they are born again (John 3:3) and accept Christ as their personal Lord and Savior. This is partially true but the meaning is distorted. The verse non-Catholics like to quote, John 3:3, is not completed by Jesus, or let us say interpreted until verse 3:5. Let us look two verses ahead at John 3:5. In John 3:5, Nicodemus is confused about being born again. Jesus clarifies what He states to Nicodemus stating:

(John 3:5) - Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God."

Here we see that born again means the sacrament of baptism! If the non-Catholic would only read a little further he would find the true meaning of being "born again."

April 3, 2011 at 12:30 AM
Anonymous said...

Bible passages are taken from King James Bible

FAITH ALONE

Do Catholics believe that the good works they do will get them into Heaven? Catholics do believe that works will get them to Heaven accompanied by faith and God's grace. There are so many verses in the Bible stating that entrance into Heaven is not as simple as saying "I accept Jesus Christ as my personal Lord and Savior." Let us see what the Bible has to say about salvation:

(Phil 2:12) -…work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.

(Rom 2:5-6) - …the righteous judgment of God; Who will render to every man according to his deeds:

(James 2:14) - What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? Can faith save him?

(Mt 16:27) - For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works.

(2 Cor. 5:10) - For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.

(Mt. 25:31 46) - (the verse is too long to quote, here is a summary) Jesus states that He will separate His sheep from the goats. Jesus goes on to say; when I was hungry did you feed me? When I was thirsty did you give me drink? When I was naked did you clothe me? When I was sick did you visit me? When I was in prison did you visit me? When I was stranger did you take me in and clothe me? Jesus then states that anyone who has done these things for his brother did so for Himself and He invites the righteous into life eternal. Those who did not help his brother in need, were sent into everlasting punishment.

In the verses above, it is quite clear to see that salvation is not as simple as stating that one proclaim Christ as their personal Lord and Savior. It is a nice thing to say and should be said every day, but there is more to salvation then accepting Christ as one's personal Lord and Savior.

April 3, 2011 at 12:41 AM

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