Worldwide Communion of Catholic Apostolic Churches (WCCAC) :: View topic - The Real Presence of Jesus Christ in the Eucharist

BpAndre

For many, the Christian belief in the Real Presence is baffling. But Christ’s teaching in this area is without compromise. Christ did not say, nor did he infer that He was speaking symbolically, yet many Protestant sects claim just that, refusing to accept the literal statement as a supernatural Truth.

"‘Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes has eternal life. I am the bread of life. Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and they died. This is 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’" (John 6:47-55). Why would many of the followers of Jesus go away, if He was only speaking metaphorically? It is clear that they understood all to well, that He was speaking literally, and not figuratively. Certainly if Jesus was speaking metaphorically, and the people misunderstood him, He would have re-phrased His teaching and explain it in a way that they would understand, as He had done in many instances before, as we read in the Gospels. But He did not back away from this teaching.

Christ reiterated this central focus more than once, repeating it again and again. It was a hard teaching for many of His followers to accept. Many ceased to follow Him because of it, and how it offended their sensibilities, and that was contrary to the Law of Moses, and was not presented in a way to signify that Jesus was only speaking figuratively. Jesus’ followers understood Him to mean that they must eat His flesh, and drink His blood in a way that is genuine and real. If there was any confusion, or thought that He only meant this in a way that was only a symbol and nothing more, that would have disappeared when He reiterated Himself: “For my flesh is food indeed, and my blood is drink indeed.” [emphasis added]

The Body of Christ, in all her varied splendors, Catholic Apostolic National Church, Eastern Orthodox, Roman Catholic, Oriental Orthodox, and others, have unwaveringly and steadfastly proclaimed and believed this Mystery of Faith, from the time of the Apostles down to the present day. This is the unified belief and proclamation of over 98% of all people who claim the name Christian.

"For I received from the Lord what I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and said, ‘This is my body which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.’ In the same way also the cup, after supper, saying, ‘This cup is the new covenant of my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.’ For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes." (1 Cor. 11:23-26)

"Whoever, therefore, eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of profaning the body and blood of the Lord." (1 Cor. 11:27) No mere symbol could elicit this type of response. No mere symbol could mean so much. Believing the Eucharist to be only a symbol, betrays the understanding of Christ replacing the physical symbols of the Old Covenant, with the supernatural Spiritual Realities of the New Covenant.

To those who say that Christ could not/would not appear to His people as created things, or be present for them, as in the Eucharist, we point to such examples in Scripture as: Exodus 3:2-6, Exodus 13:21-22, Matthew 3:16, Genesis 18:1-2 and Matthew 13:55. Furthermore, in the writings of the Fathers of the Early Church, they speak unanimously and with one voice, as to their unshakeable belief in the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist.

Who May Receive Communion?

The Holy Eucharist is the most important of the seven sacraments because, in this sacrament, we receive Christ Jesus, body, blood, soul and divinity. Countless precious graces come to us through the reception of Holy Communion.

Communion is an intimate encounter with Christ, in which we sacramentally receive Christ into our bodies, that we may be more completely assimilated into his.

The Eucharist also strengthens the individual because in it Jesus himself, the Word made flesh, forgives our venial sins and gives us the strength to resist mortal sin. It is also the very channel of eternal life: Jesus himself.

In John’s gospel, Jesus summarized the reasons for receiving Communion when he said,
"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 real food, and my blood is real drink. He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me, and I in him. As the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so he who eats me will live because of me. This is the bread which came down from heaven, not such as the fathers ate and died; he who eats this bread will live forever" (John 6:53–58).

Because of the gravity of Jesus’ teaching on the Eucharist, the Church encourages Catholic Apostolic National Churchs to receive frequent Communion, even daily Communion if possible, and mandates reception of the Eucharist at least once a year during the Easter season. Before going to Communion, however, there are several things one needs to know.

Catholic Apostolic National Churches and Communion

The Church sets out particular guidelines regarding how we should prepare ourselves to receive the Lord’s body and blood in Communion. To receive Communion worthily, you must be in a state of grace, have made a good confession since your last mortal sin, believe in transubstantiation, observe the Eucharistic fast, and, finally, not be under an ecclesiastical punishment such as excommunication or inhibition.

First, you must be in a state of grace. "Whoever, therefore, eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of profaning the body and blood of the Lord. Let a man examine himself, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup." (1 Cor. 11:27–28) This is an absolute requirement, which can never be dispensed. To receive the Eucharist without sanctifying grace in your soul profanes the Eucharist in the most grievous manner.

A mortal sin is any sin whose matter is grave and which has been committed willfully and with knowledge of its seriousness. Grave matter includes, but is not limited to, murder, receiving or being complicit in an abortion, homosexual acts, fornication, adultery, and deliberately engaging in impure thoughts (Matt. 5:28–29). Scripture contains lists of mortal sins (1 Cor. 6:9–10 and Gal. 5:19–21).

Catholic Apostolic National Churchs are warned against, out of habit and out of fear of what those around them will think, while in a state of mortal sin, choosing to go forward and offend God, rather than stay in the pew while others receive the Eucharist. The Church’s ancient teaching on this particular matter is expressed in the Didache, an early Christian document written around A.D. 70, which states: "Whosoever is holy let him approach. Whosoever is not, let him repent" (Didache 10).

Second, you must have been to confession since your last mortal sin. The Didache witnesses to this practice of the early Church. "But first make confession of your faults, so that your sacrifice may be a pure one" (Didache 14).

A person who is conscious of a grave sin is never to receive the body of the Lord without prior sacramental confession unless an extremely grave reason is present and there is no opportunity of confessing; in this case the person is to be mindful of the obligation to make an act of perfect contrition, including the intention of confessing as soon as possible.

The requirement for sacramental confession can be dispensed if four conditions are fulfilled: (1) there must be a grave reason to receive Communion (for example, danger of death), (2) it must be physically or morally impossible to go to confession first, (3) the person must already be in a state of grace through perfect contrition, and (4) he must resolve to go to confession as soon as possible.

Third, you must believe in transubstantiation. "For anyone who eats and drinks without discerning the body eats and drinks judgment upon himself" (1 Cor. 11:29). Transubstantiation means more than the Real Presence. According to transubstantiation, the bread and wine are actually transformed into the actual body, blood, soul, and divinity of Christ, with only the appearances of bread and wine remaining. This is why, at the Last Supper, Jesus held what appeared to be bread and wine, yet said:

"This is my body. . . . This is my blood" (Mark 14:22-24, cf. Luke 22:14-20). If Christ were merely present along side bread and wine (consubstantiation), he would have said "This contains my body. . . . This contains my blood," which he did not say. Likewise, He did not say, “This represents my body…This represents my blood”.

Fourth, you must strictly observe the Eucharistic fast. One who is to receive the most Holy Eucharist is to abstain from any food or drink, with the exception only of water and medicine, for at least the period of one hour before Holy Communion.” Elderly people, those who are ill, and their caretakers are excused from the Eucharistic fast.

Lastly, one must not be under an ecclesiastical censure. Those who are excommunicated or inhibited, and others who obstinately persist in grave sin are not to be admitted to Holy Communion.

Provided you are in a state of grace and have met the above requirements, you should receive the Eucharist frequently.

[cited from the official catechims of the Catholic Apostolic National Church]
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Bishop Andre' Jhohn-William Queen, SCR
Vicar General
Catholic Apostolic National Church
Phone: 773.942.4660