The Purpose of Mass

When Catholics go to Church on Sunday they are going to a liturgical service that is commonly called a ‘Mass.’

For Catholics, there is actually mass every day of the week but we are only required to attend on Sunday’s and certain holy days.

Catholic Mass includes reading from the Bible and preaching from the priest but it goes deeper than that.

Why do we have Mass?

We have Mass to worship and to receive God’s grace, to unify with him and with other worshipers through the sacrament of the Eucharist. As a sacrament, it is that Jesus himself acting through the Eucharist, and supplies all the graces we derive from it.

At Mass we are able to stand mystically at the foot of the cross and witness for ourselves the same self-sacrifice of Jesus, in an unbloody manner.

Mass is a celebration of this sacrifice. It is the active participation of all that come together in the place of worship. We do not come to Mass simply to receive something passively or to watch a show; we come as participants embracing the grace Christ pours out for us shed by his own blood on the cross.

Different people have different roles at Mass. Some people are Eucharistic ministers. They help distribute the Eucharist to assist the priest when it is necessary in order to maintain the flow of worship.

Lectors help proclaim the Word of God and make it come alive for us. Cantors and choir members lead us in song to help us stay in tune.

The priest is there to serve us by leading us in prayer acting in the person of Christ, explaining the Scripture (Bible) readings, and consecrating the bread and wine so that they may become the body and blood of Jesus.

We only get out of Mass what we put into it.

If we do not find much significance in the Mass it is because our whole mind, heart, and soul are not there. We are called to actively participate.

When we actively participate in the Mass we receive God in two primary ways: we receive him through his Word and through the Eucharist. These are the two main parts of the Mass: the Liturgy of the Word and the Liturgy of the Eucharist.

Liturgy is a term that means work or public duty. It is the work of the people, not just one person standing at the altar. All the people gathered are doing the work of celebration.

Liturgy of the Word

During the Liturgy of the Word we receive God in his word. Generally speaking there are three readings and a Psalm (usually sung). The first reading is from the Old Testament, then the Psalm, the second reading is from the New Testament and the third is a Gospel reading.

All three of the readings are generally related; together they incorporate a theme. The priest then gives his homily regarding this theme, how it relates to everyday life or something along those lines.

It is all right if none of the readings or the homily affect you or move you in any fashion because the Mass isn’t just about you. The Mass is about the whole Body of Christ. When we celebrate Mass it isn’t just us or those that we can see in the congregation. There are millions of other people around the world celebrating Mass as well. Not only that, but there are also those people who came before us, have died in their earthly bodies but are still alive in Christ in heaven, just as we are alive in Christ but on Earth.

So a particular set of readings or a homily may not affect you, but there may be someone else who really needed to hear it. There may be someone else going through a tough time and really needed to hear those words of comfort or joy (or whichever emotion is appropriate).

In the first part of the Mass we receive God in his word and in the second part we receive God, through Jesus in body, soul and divinity. We receive God in the Eucharist.

Liturgy of the Eucharist

The first Mass was about 2000 years ago at the Last Supper. Jesus and the Apostles were gathered together in what was Jesus’ final meal before his crucifixion. During the meal Jesus took bread, broke it, gave it to the Apostles and said, “This is my body which will be given for you. Do this in memory of me.”

Afterward Jesus took a cup filled with wine and said, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which will be shed for you.”

Jesus offers us a chance to partake in his sacrifice by offering for us his body and his blood. This is the sign of our covenant with God. Jesus’ body and blood is the new covenant and Jesus tells us to partake in it in memory of him.

At Mass when we receive the Eucharist, Jesus’ body and blood under the appearance of bread and wine (just like at the Last Supper), we are renewing our covenant with God. We are reconfirming our promise to God to live out our end of the relationship.

A covenant, in this context, is a type of relationship. The type of relationship that God has always had with his people is a covenant. Covenantal relationships are whereby each party mutually agrees to something.

God loves us endlessly and infinitely. God forgives us endlessly and infinitely. Our mutual response to God is to love him as much as we can even though our love is finite. Our response is to obey God and receive his freely given grace to help bring the Kingdom of God here on Earth.

When we receive the Eucharist at each Mass we are making that promise to God that we will hold up our end of the covenant. We are also unifying ourselves to God and to the other members of the Church through the Body of Christ.

The whole purpose of Mass is to worship God, unite ourselves with the sacrifice of Jesus, and to elevate our lives to the life of God. We will only get out of this relationship with God what we put into it; God’s grace can only work in our lives if we are open to receiving it.

Why do we have to do this each week?

Our salvation is not a one-time ordeal where make a promise to God at one point in our lives. Life is a process and so is our salvation.

When we receive the Eucharist we are receiving Jesus, God. In doing so we are making that commitment each time to live out our end of the bargain. By God’s gift of free will to us we always have the opportunity to choose to fall away from God through sin and we need his grace and strength to maintain our relationship with him.

By receiving the Eucharist at least once a week and making that promise to love God and obey him we are receiving the grace necessary to do God’s will. We grow in faith each time we receive.

An analogous example is marriage. The ideal marital relationship is modeled after God’s relationship with his people. The two parties in marriage give themselves mutually exclusively to each other and promise to make self-sacrifices to support the other person.

The sign of the marriage covenant is sexual intercourse. A marriage is not consummated (made whole) until the husband and wife engage in sexual intercourse and each time thereafter they are renewing their covenant with each other in the unitive act of sexual intercourse.

Likewise we make whole our relationship with God through the Eucharist by eating his flesh and drinking his blood. We are renewing that covenant. We do it over and over and over again to renew ourselves and grow our relationship with God.

Most ordinary people honestly cannot say that if they are married they will only have sex with their spouse once. Likewise we continually renew our covenant with God through the Mass.

34 thoughts on “The Purpose of Mass”

  1. A bit late to the comments but Wow! What a dialogue. Everyone has an answer and even some scripture chapters and verses. I think if you have a question about faith you need to start at the beginning and not by some warm fuzzy feeling you might get from following someone’s direction.

    Who wrote the New Testament books?

    How did we get the new testament bible as it is today?

    What was the purpose of putting the NT together as one book.

    How or who determined what books should be in the NT?

    How were the books of the NT use in the early Church?

    Did Christ ever mention the NT in the Gospels?

    Did Christ ever say the NT would or should be our sole rule of faith?

    Who determined the NT should be our sole rule of faith?

    What instructions did Christ actually give his Apostles?

    What was Christ promises in the NT?

    What does the scriptures say as to how we will be judged after our death?

    How did the first followers of Christ practice their faith?

    Why were there so many followers willing to give their lives?

    Does Christ ever say He is God? How was that determined?

    Doesn’t 2 Peter 1: 20 talk about the bible not a matter of one’s own interpretation?

    What matter is the truth and answering these questions may provide you the directions to finding the truth.

    Cotton

  2. John the Baptist called people to repent of their sins and immersed them in water as a sign of their repentance and openness to new life. (preparing for the coming of the Messiah). The life and love of God comes to dwell in a person’s heart through the Holy Spirit – made available to us through the Passion, Death, Resurrection and Ascension of Christ. (” I must leave you so that the Holy Spirit might come” John 16:7 ). In the Catholic Church, Baptism, which uses water and chrism (blessed oil to symbolize the Holy Spirit), is usually given to infants – their parents bringing them into their faith anticipating the cleansing of Original Sin, the adoption of that child into God’s family, and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit bringing to that soul the seeds of faith, hope and love. As the child matures and receives catechesis, the Sacraments of Reconciliation and the Sacrament of the Eucharist are conferred at the age of reason, strengthening these seeds of faith hope and love. Recognizing and acknowledging sins in the Confessional to a Catholic priest, who represents the Presence of Christ, sins are forgiven and grace and mercy are given to strengthen and heal where one struggles or is weak. The Sacrament of Confirmation occurs when the young adolescent understands enough of their faith to make their own decision to follow Christ as a member of the Catholic (the word means universal – for all) Church, receiving Him as their Lord and Savior. In the Sacrament of Confirmation there is a fresh release of the Holy Spirit with gifts to help the recipient to mature (wisdom, knowledge, understanding, right judgment, fortitude, reverence, and awe – Isaiah 11). Confirmation is the beginning, not the end of a person’s journey towards a fuller knowledge and experience of Christ’s love. The Mass is a celebration of and a re-presentation of Christ’s sacrifice to the Father in an unbloody manner. Christ said to do this in remembrance of me – this is my Body; this is my Blood – whoever eats of my flesh and drinks of my blood will have eternal life and communion with me. It is not cannibalism – Christ uses the form of bread and wine to come to us – in His day bread and wine were common staples even for the poorest and so represents His gift of Himself is for all. The bread and wine keep their appearance as bread and wine, but in substance are transformed into the Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Jesus. We believe this because Jesus said it and in faith we accept it. What a wonderful gift He gives us – to renew the covenant of the shedding of His precious Blood for the forgiveness of sins. As He offers Himself to us, we offer ourselves back to Him – a renewing of our sacred covenant with Him every week (and for some every day). We believe the Mass is the most perfect prayer because we are offering back to the Father His own Son’s most perfect sacrifice.
    There are four readings taken from Holy Scripture (the Bible) at each Mass: one from the Old Testament, one from the Psalms. one from the New Testament letters, and lastly from the Gospel, where we stand in reverence to God’s Word. Many of the prayers throughout Mass come directly from Scripture.
    We do not worship Mary or the saints. We worship Christ, the Giver and Author of life and our salvation. We see Mary and the saints as family members who have gone before us and who are now in a position, from heaven, to pray for us. It is no different than us asking a friend for prayers or for kissing a photo of someone we love. We are both physical and spiritual beings and God is so good to give us tangible things in our faith to help us remember and be encouraged. I think it makes Jesus happy that we love His Mother. He gave her to John at the foot of the Cross and the Church sees in that gesture Christ giving her to all of us as our spiritual mother. We are brothers and sisters of the same God. We must take care not to judge each other but to love and intercede that all of us may be brought into the fullness of faith, Truth and Holy Love. This would bring about the unity Jesus so longs for in His body on earth.

  3. “By receiving the Eucharist at least once a week and making that promise to love God and obey him we are receiving the grace necessary to do God’s will. We grow in faith each time we receive.”

    Been doing that for years, never noticed anything. Mass to me is listening to (the Dutch don’t really sing) boring music, shake the hands of elderly people, waiting for it to be over.
    As the article said: it’s nothing but an obligation, we keep our end of the bargain. If I want inspiration for living a christian life, I look somewhere else.

  4. John, Because that is a Catholic Doctrine. One can ask why do Catholic priests wear liturgical garments, that is not mentioned in the new testament. It is done because priests in the old t. did. Same answer for women priests.
    Paul said to devote yourself fully to God, or be married.But some eastern Catholics are married. Different Catholic Rite. Remember, Catholicism is an organized religion, as are most Protestant religions. You can be a hermit monk, which is less traditionally organized, but actually is even more so.

  5. From the Bible, Nicodemus questioning Jesus.
    John3:2-8. Nicodemus came to Jesus at night and said, “Rabbi, we know you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the miraculous signs you are doing if God were not with him”.
    V3: In reply Jesus declared, ” I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again.”
    V4: ” How can a man be born when he is old?” Nicodemus asked. “Surely he cannot enter a second time into his mother’s womb to be born!
    V5: Jesus answered, ” I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit.”
    V6: ” Flesh gives birth to flesh. But the Spirit gives birth to Spirit.”
    V7: “you should not be surprised at my saying, ‘you must be born again’.
    V8: The wind blows wherever it pleases. you hear it’s sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going.So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.”
    V9: ” How can this be?” Nicodemus asked.

    Get your Bible, open it, and read more for answers.

    I was raised as a Catholic as that’s the main religion in our country. I’m in a foreign country now. How I feel right now, God used my feet to go to a Christian Church. Here I found myself to have come closer to God, and developed a relationship with Him. I had a Bible, but never read it. Before, all I know on the story of Jesus is Christmas and Easter. So, I decided to attend Bible Study Fellowship, which is an Interdenominational Bible study all throughout the globe. I begin to know God, His Words, Teachings; which made me love Him, and have in mind to serve Him
    This is my 3rd year in BSF.Now, I’m attending Sunday school studying ” Fundamentals of the Faith” as a preparation for my baptism as an adult. I feel God’s presence (Omnipresence) in me everyday. HE knows (Omniscience, He knows all)my trouble, was there right away to help me, although I haven’t called on Him. Praise the Lord.
    Read Matthew 6:25-34. Do Not Worry.

    I learned that God is an Awesome God, Amazing God, our Everlasting God. Love, Trust, have Faith,and Keep Him in your heart every minute of your life. HE is our only Sovereign God.God bless you all. In Him, your sister in Christ.

    1. Interesting post, sorry to be so late to the readings. Glad to see you have found your way closer to Chris. My concern is in reading the bible I have not found that it ever gives us the direction that the bible is to be our sole rule of faith. Christ never mentions the bible and it most difficult to try to make the bible provide all the answers to following the Christian faith.

      Domenic D

  6. Godwin Nwaokike

    For Christ to be born anew in a mysterious manner during the Holy Mass speaks a lot about His love for us. He abases himself to be present in every particle of the sacred host.

  7. I have returned to the roman Catholic Church after many years a converted Born again protestant. The Mass is the most simple and merciful way to be healed and converted to Jesus. With an open mind and heart and with the prayers of all the Church. Jesus reveals himself. The Mass is not boring ritual. It is a celebration of all Jesus love for all mankind. Before time began and for all eternity. Jesus life death and resurrection. It may not set the heather alight. But turning to friendly and exciting Protestant churches is not the answer. Trusting Jesus in the Now becomes more exciting and fulfilling, brings peace and joy and really, intimacy no bible talk or great sermon. If your priest or bishop is struggling, pray and help them. Jesus did not come to avoid the social and realities of life. Jesus did not come to save people who thought they had arrived. But to people who they needed him and each other. John 6, Ist Corinthians 13, the road to Emmeas. The last supper. All these scriptures more than verify Jesus real presence. Love one another as I have loved you. Means sticking it out when thing are not only going good but tough as well. Some things I am learning myself. Catholics Are called to shared suffering as well as shared blessing. I believe in individual salvation. But Also living and sharing the Gospel. Jesus chose a motley crew of 12 Apostles. They were in no way Jesus like overnight. It was a life times journey. There are no short cuts or quick fixes. Living the Mass is team work. We all need one another. John and Charles Wesley preached great sermons and wrote inspiring hymns. But the Methodist Church is very much smaller than than their vision. Jumping to see the great local preacher does not entitled Catholics to jump ship .Over my life time that is my great regret. I hope this is helpful.

    1. Laurence Charles Ringo

      With all due respect to you,Mr.Scollan,your post is somewhat incoherent and disjointed. You claim that you…”returned to the Roman Catholic Church after many years a converted born again protestant”…What the what are you talking about?? What does that even mean? Aren’t catholics born again? Were you re-born in some heretofore unknown sense? To someone who has /is a Born-again, Blood-bought, Spirit-filled child / servant of Almighty God for 39 years,you sound terribly confused. Are you more Christian than I am,now that you’ve returned to Roman Catholicism? Why did you leave to begin with? Which Jesus is better? Are you more saved as a Catholic than you were as a…”converted,born-again protestant? Clarify,please…Thanks.I await your reply.

      1. Mr Laurence. I understand from what Mr Scollan said above as this: Mr Scollan left the Catholic Church believing that he was closer to God in the protestant faith. He was a born again protestant for many years. He found out that he made a mistake and returned to the Catholic Church. We, Catholics do not call ourselves born again. For the Catholic Church is the TRUTH and do not use the word “born again” but instead use the word, return home. “Born again” is words used by protestants for they do found a new faith after being Catholics. Catholics do NOT say that we are better than others but all we say that we are trying to “follow Christ” closely. In regard to your question, “why he leave?” I feel that he is like most others who did not give their hearts totally to find out more about their faith. I could say also that feeling might have be a big factor in his turning away from the Catholic Church because he said these words, “…..There are no short cuts or quick fixes. Living the Mass is team work…..” Therefore I could say that when you depend on feeling alone, you definitely will make a mistake. He also did say “…….Means sticking it out when thing are not only going good but tough as well….” Feeling and participation makes life easier in any type of situations. In this case, your spiritual growth. He also mentioned this…. “….All these scriptures more than verify Jesus real presence.” It is ONLY in the Catholic Church that Jesus’ real presence in all the Holy Tabernacles around the world. It is ONLY in the Catholic Church that you will receive Jesus Christ physically in the Holy Eucharist. With this explanation, I sincerely hope you come to understand. May the Lord bless you and His Holy Spirit descend upon you to enable you to see the TRUTH so you also could embrace it.

        1. Laurence Charles Ringo

          So,when Jesus told Nicodemus that…”You must be born again”…His words are too good for you, sir?? Maybe you and the other gentleman have a different Gospel and/or a different Christ. If you have allowed the Roman Catholic Church to convince you that being born again isn’t a necessity for entering The Kingdom of God, then I must assume that to you Jesus misled Nicodemus, and subsequently us. I await your reply.

  8. Against the Roman Catholic Church

    In Pagan rituals, after a sacrifice was made, the people partaking in the burnt offering to their gods would eat part of the sacrifice. This was done because they believed the knowledge, wisdom, and power would transfer from the sacrificed to the one consuming. This explains the R-C church’s position on transubstantiation.

    The R-C church places so much emphasis on the pom and circumstance of the mass that they take away from preaching the gospel. The church doesn’t believe that God’s grace and faith alone are the answer to eternal salvation.

    If the R-C church removed purgatory, which is NEVER mentioned in the bible, from their doctrines and teachings it would be hard to convince people of a purely works doctrine. By telling people that you believe Jesus is real, you believe he died, you believe he is gods son, you are on the right track. Live a good life and you might make it to heaven. If you had some missteps and don’t make it to heaven right away, dont worry, you wont go to hell. You go to a middle place to continue working towards perfection. One day you’ll make it. This false gospel goes against EVERYTHING Christ teaches. This devalues the sacrifice of Christ. Essentially it says, “Thank you for dying for us. Unfortunately it wasn’t good enough to to get heaven.”

    I hate that a church that so many associate with Christianity has 1.2 Billion members and all of them are blind.

    Test things yourself-just as Martin Luther did. If the R-C church says or believes one thing and the Bible says another, its false gospel.

    1. Would like to point out a couple of anomalies in your post; one is the fact that the phrase ‘faith alone’ is never found in the Bible. It is mentioned just once in the Bible to say that you are not saved by faith alone (James 2:24).
      The other fact that I would like to point out is that not everything we believe needs to be mentioned in the Bible. For example the word Trinity does not appear in the Bible, and yet it is the mystery of the Trinity that makes us believe that Jesus is God. Another term that is often used is that we must accept Jesus as our Lord and Master if we are to be saved. Where in the Bible do you find this idea?
      Our faith is not built on the basis of a book but in the person of Jesus and what he told us through the written and oral tradition.

  9. Hi Everyone

    This is a terrible sin to add and make a wrong doctrine of the “last Supper” Jesus broke bread ( a usual thing of having a meal together?) and said at the last meal “Do this in memory of me” So as remembrance so we do not forget His death of the Cross setting us free from sin and the devil, we gather together to break bread, share with one another and share some grape juice (wine is what the disciples had-grape juice) and we remember the shed blood of Jesus for the remission of sins. The Body of Christ is a term used is a body of Bible Believing people. People who love God and HIS Word (Jesus is the Word of God). S the unity of the Body of Christ is celebrated at the breaking of bread on a Sunday in Church (church again is a body of believers not the four walls that the Catholics revere!!)God is not in the four walls of a catholic church building or any church building for that matter but as scripture says “Ye are the temple of God and God dwells in you”

    I was Catholic and searched for the Truth because I could not understand this lie of transubstantiation of the Roman Catholic doctrine (all false teachings) and Mass!! What Mass where in Jesus teachings is there a mass? It was always groups of committed Christ followers who gathered together to break bread and study HIS\\ teachings about His Father’s Kingdom! When I was almost dying with o cur the Word of GOD alive ad active was preached to me by a Pastor (a shepherd of a flock it means and Biblical) and I was instantaneously healed! My life changed I realized that all this so called Roman Catholicism was a pack of lies! Gods Word s TRUTH.
    The catholic church is powerless not a fever is healed and one must ask why? Where is the Power of God at work if its connected to the Source of Power??Powerless because not connected or related to the Power source God Almighty!Whereas Christianity of a follower of Christ and His Teachings is filled with Power to overcome, and follow the purpose of God which is to restore the image of God in man and establish Gods Kingdom on earth. Each of His followers are called to carry out HIS “Misseio Dei” of building HIS Kingdom on earth. Not just go for so called “Mass” and not bring one non Christian to Gods Kingdom!
    Roman Catholicism is all pom and glory taken by fallible men which is an abomination to God. “I shall not share my Glory with any” is Gods stance!!
    All Catholics, including the pope must be ‘born gain in keeping with Jesus Teachings to enter in the Kingdom of God and follow Christ not man (Pope is a man appointed by man-all sinful ad fallible) Jesus is the Only sinless one who gave His life for you and me!The cross is th Only way to salvation.
    You Catholics out there please start reading Gods Word and search for the Truth like I did Do not just swallow anything and everything the Roman law taught people!! I searched and found HIM the One True God and HIS Word that set me free from all religious garb.I was completely healed and prospered as I sat at HIS Feet daily (The rd of God) and studied worshiped and developed a close relationship with our Creator God Almighty! God calls us to a relationship with HIM as He was with Adam and Eve n the garden. Not just to try to reach HIM thro the Pope, the nuns the priests, praying to Mary (this blessed mother of our Lord is in Heaven), to Joseph (who is dead and also in Heaven) etc etc ….all nonsense cooked u stories of the Roman empire called the papacy!
    How could Catholics be so ignorant and blind is something I weep over!God save them! is my prayer and cry! I was once blind but now I see! Even as Catholics we never kissed statues (we would laugh as children as my father reminded us these were clay painted and dolled up by man)
    May God open the eyes of all Catholics who read this my experience with the Truth having come fro a Roman Catholic background.I searched for Truth and found HIM (The Only way to our Heavenly Father) Priests are not holy fathers! I refuse to call them so. We only have a Holy Father in Heaven and our physical fathers!!
    Blessings
    Arlo

    1. You are truly a lost and confused soul. I pray you find forgiveness for your words against Christ and His Church. I am sorry you were not given the proper formation by your parents about the truth of Catholicsm and that you have thrown away and trampled on Gods greatest gift to mankind, The Eucharist. I pray you find peace.

      1. There was no last supper, it was a passover seder. The Jewish Messiah Yeshua was showing the Jewish disciples, he was the passover lamb of the Jewish God. The bible was a middle eastern book written for a middle eastern people, Jews.
        When the gentiles (heathen) became numerous in numbers they incorporated heathen (gentile) holidays, and that is what happened in the church days well after Messiah.
        All I ask for you brothers, and sisters is read the bible for yourself, and pray to the God of Abraham, Issac , and Jacob yourself. You do not need a mediator, Jesus (Yeshua) is our mediator.
        Yeshua, His Hebrew name like all Jews have meaning. Yeshua means salvation.
        We are all members of the body of Christ, not the body of church, and religion created by man, backed by the devil , and still is destroying this body. Love, brother in Christ, Chris. Shalom

    2. Greetings Arlo, Amanda and Db,
      What, when and where is your doctrine on the Last Supper from?
      Read John 6 over and over to absorb Jesus’ instructions on the Eucharist.
      How do you renew the new covenant with God then? Through your words…No.
      By remembering His death on the cross…No.
      The new and eternal covenant cannot be consummated in such an easy fashion.
      The Church Jesus built through Peter and the Apostles, guided by the Holy Spirit, has not changed the
      new covenant (receiving the Eucharist) in over 2,000 years. Through the invention of many men (Protestants), the covenant was changed for their own convenience then misguided many over the years. 2 Peter 1:20,21 First of all you must understand this, that no prophecy of Scripture is a matter of one’s own interpretation, because no prophecy ever came by the impulse of man, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God. The Truth is found in Jesus, His Teachings, His Church and His Authority given to Peter and succession of popes. His whole revelation, His whole deposit of faith. What is whole? Catholic
      Thank you for this forum with which to speak from, Nick

  10. chennaicatholic

    Though I am a fervent Catholic , I have doubts which cannot be easily explained. I read in this blog we eat Christ’s flesh and drink his blood when we receive the Holy Communion. How does this practice differ from
    cannibalism as we cannot do such things to another human being. If it is a mystical body of Christ , we still
    commit the same action of eating the flesh and drinking one’s blood. After receiving the communion which is the body of Christ how do I understand this physical experience and at the same time reconcile to the the thought that I had just eaten someone’s flesh and receive His grace? I think that’s why the protestants consider it more as symbolic ritual rather than actual live experience. Please explain.

    1. I am protestant and I think the Eucharist is what I have had a problem with. I mean, not a problem.. I am searching for truth and I have been looking to the Catholic Church. I am confused. Does receiving the Eucharist mean one is being saved and refilled with the Holy Spirit?

      1. Amanda. Catholics commemorate the eating of body and blood of christ because HE commanded them to do so. It means that any time you take a holy communion, u unite with christ. He said his blood is the NEW COVENANT.so, when u drink His blood, u simply renew/strengthen ur vows with HIM.

      2. There was no last supper, it was a passover seder. The Jewish Messiah Yeshua was showing the Jewish disciples, he was the passover lamb of the Jewish God. The bible was a middle eastern book written for a middle eastern people, Jews.
        When the gentiles (heathen) became numerous in numbers they incorporated heathen (gentile) holidays, and that is what happened in the church days well after Messiah.
        All I ask for you brothers, and sisters is read the bible for yourself, and pray to the God of Abraham, Issac , and Jacob yourself. You do not need a mediator, Jesus (Yeshua) is our mediator.
        Yeshua, His Hebrew name like all Jews have meaning. Yeshua means salvation.
        We are all members of the body of Christ, not the body of church, and religion created by man, backed by the devil , and still is destroying this body. Love, brother in Christ, Chris. Shalom

        Amanda the Messiah broke the unleavened bread, bread without yeast as yeast represents sin, and sin is death. Anyway what did he say, do this in remembrance of me. Sometimes when people, man, start something such as a religion this get confusing because the devil is behind it to drive people away from the truth.
        Any way in this case it means to remember him. It is an honor to do so. The way to heaven is by asking for forgiveness of our sins, and accepting the God of Israel.
        When Yeshua rose from the dead he passed through the Tabernacle, and sprinkle his blood on the alter, and pass through to the Heaven. He made the last sacrifice for the atonement of sin.

      3. You must be born again to be saved John 3:16
        Catholic Church has many many doctrinal errors from praying to Mary and saints ,purgatory , priests fore giving sins, and doing pentence for our sins when Christ paid it all!
        [email protected] if you want to correspond

        1. My God David, is that all Christ said in the bible? Did He ever say that the sole rule of the Christian life could be found in the bible. What was the bible first used for? Give Revelations 5-8 and 8-3 a read. The real question is what type of sacrifice did Jesus make for us, one of atonement or one of expiation.

          Scripture says atonement – what type of God would we have if he punished the innocent and freed the guilty – an unjust God. Our God could not do that.
          Christ says he gave of his own accord. My best to you and continue to seek Christ./

    2. Simply put, just rely on what Jesus said. And He said “unless you eat the flesh of the Son of man and drink His blood, you will have no part in me”. Now it is up to you whether you want to put some other meaning around it and try and dilute the teaching or just take Jesus’ word for it. Do you also want to walk away as many did after hearing Jesus’ teaching of John 6, or do you want to be like Peter who said, Lord I don’t understand what you just said, but where am I to go, for You have the words of eternal life. And Peter was blessed for his faith.
      God bless you my friend as you search for the truth.

  11. – Why do Catholic Priests do not marry?
    – How was that decicion reached?
    – How many among the 12 deciples were married?
    – Why do Catholics do not allow Women to become Priests?

    1. John the Baptist called people to repentance to prepare the way for the Messiah and baptized them in the river Jordan with water, prophesying that the One who was to come would baptize with the Holy Spirit. Catholic parents bring their infants to be baptized wanting them to be given sanctifying grace for the cleansing of Original Sin, for their adoption into God’s family, and for the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, who brings God’s life and love into that soul. The seeds of faith, hope and love are deposited at this time. As the child grows to the age of reason and with appropriate catechesis, he or she is prepared to receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation – going to the priest (who represents Christ’s Presence) in the Confessional to acknowledge and express sorrow for failings and sins. With absolution comes forgiveness and the soul is washed clean, healed and strengthened in areas of weakness or wound with the grace of God. The young adolescent prepares for the Sacrament of Confirmation where he or she now decides for themselves to embrace their Catholic faith and accept Jesus as their Lord and Savior. Confirmation marks the beginning of the young person’s journey to an ever-deepening relationship with Jesus through the Holy Spirit , who imparts gifts of grace in the form of wisdom, knowledge, understanding, right judgment, fortitude, reverence and awe. It is the Holy Spirit’s job to increase the life of Jesus in us, helping us to become more like Him and to become our truest and best self.
      The Sacrament of the Eucharist is a re-presentation to the Father of Christ’s sacrifice inn an unbloody manner. It is not cannibalism.The bread and wine consecrated to God and through the Holy Spirit maintain their outward appearance of bread and wine but are transformed into the real Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Christ. We believe this because Jesus said it and in faith we are obedient. How wonderful it is that Jesus comes to us to feed and nourish us with His Real Presence! Bread and wine were common staples in Jesus’s day where even the poorest would have had, representing that the Eucharist is for every one. We are made one in faith and in the partaking of Christ in the Holy Eucharist. The Mass is a celebration and remembering of Christ’s Passion, Death, Resurrection and Ascension and Catholics consider it the perfect prayer because we are giving back to God His Son’s perfect sacrifice. As Christ offers Himself to us in the Eucharist, we offer ourselves to Him, thereby renewing our covenant with Him in reverence and awe.
      Catholics do not worship Mary and the saints – we recognize them to be our extended family in heaven whose prayers we are grateful for. Kissing a statue of a beloved saint or of Mary, is not so unlike kissing or holding to our heart a photo of a beloved one. We are physical and spiritual and God is so good to give us tangible things to help us remember and be encouraged along our way.
      We must take care not to judge each other for we are all brothers and sisters under the one True God. Let us love and pray for one another to grow in Truth, Faith, and Holy Love so that the unity Jesus so longed or may come to be. The Holy Spirit will bring us into all truth!

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