Catholic Eucharist - Del

From Del on Eucharist - April 2 2009 - Catholic Church

I'm just sending FIRST this one paragraph - which I found interesting.

I spoke to Penny before I found this reference - and I was pleased

that I told her the same thing. When you analyze what the Eucharist

is - it does give them eternal life.

Just think, what a language! It is not to be wondered at that those

who do not understand the meaning connected with the name Son of man,

are offended because of this. It sounds not only unreasonable, but

also loathing. The Jews understood His words in a natural sense, and

the Christians of our time, according to the Catholic Church's mode of

explanation, spiritualize it so that Christ's meaning disappears

entirely. Both are equally far from the truth. The church applies the

meaning to the bread and wine in the Lord's supper, but that would

then indicate that all who go to communion would have everlasting life

in them. Would that be to "labour for the meat that perisheth not"?

No. Those who speak thus show thereby that they neither know the Son

of man nor of what they speak.

OUT OF LOGOS - page 17 - BELOW

When Israel journeyed in the wilderness, Christ accompanied them as a

rock of life out of which they all drank. This shows also that the

Logos-power, which had escorted them thus far, directed and carried

out the powers through which the divine attributes of God were

manifested to them. In His conversation with the Jews concerning this

very Logos-power, the Lord says: "Labour not for the meat which

perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life,

which the *Son of man shall give unto you: for him hath God the Father

sealed." (John 6: 27.)

He said this on account of the power that had been displayed when with

five loaves of bread and two fishes He fed about five thousand

persons. The Logos, or creative power, by means of which the divine

element of germination enclosed therein so convincingly and

faith-strengtheningly manifested itself, demonstrated to them all that

a thorough linking with and working for this power would ultimately

immortalize them. The Son of man represented this relation,

manifesting itself just then when two fishes and five loaves of bread,

being in themselves as corruptible as the people who ate them,

nevertheless satiated many thousands of hungry beings. The natural

life depends on the visible food, therefore, as a matter of course, it

craves for it. However, it does not matter how much food is gathered,

it is unable to perpetuate the natural life, hence Christ admonishes

to labor for meat which the Son of man has to give.

This activity, which He also calls faith or the work of faith, He

further explains. The Jews asked Him: "What shall we do, that we might

work the works of God?" (John 6: 28.) To this the Lord replies: "This

is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent" -- the

Son of man. Then follows the strange explanation concerning the faith

in the Son of man, offending both the Jews and the disciples, and it

has continued to do so down the course of time, not the least in our

days. This is what He says: "Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye

eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life

in you. Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal

life; and I will raise him up at the last day." (John 6: 53, 54.)

Just think, what a language! It is not to be wondered at that those

who do not understand the meaning connected with the name Son of man,

are offended because of this. It sounds not only unreasonable, but

also loathing. The Jews understood His words in a natural sense, and

the Christians of our time, according to the Catholic Church's mode of

explanation, spiritualize it so that Christ's meaning disappears

entirely. Both are equally far from the truth. The church applies the

meaning to the bread and wine in the Lord's supper, but that would

then indicate that all who go to communion would have everlasting life

in them. Would that be to "labour for the meat that perisheth not"?

No. Those who speak thus show thereby that they neither know the Son

of man nor of what they speak.

The flesh and the blood of the Son of man signify something entirely

different than ordinary human flesh and blood or corruptible bread and

wine. When it is held before the mind that "Logos was made flesh,"

then one can understand what the Lord means. The Word which we read

and handle represents the flesh of the Son of man, and the

Spirit-power linked with this Word of which faith is partaker,

represents the blood of the Son of man. As the bread and the fishes in

the miracle Christ performed represented Logos and the divine power

therewith connected, so also in this case.

The one who interestedly and in life and practical development

embraces the truths of the Scripture, works the work of God. By means

of this he receives in his being the eternal element of germination in

order that he, when the Son of man carries out His final act, may be

immortalized.