Sometimes I hear non-Catholics say, “If I believed what you Catholics supposedly believe about Jesus being really, physically present in the Eucharist, I would be at the church every day down on my face in worship. Since you Catholics don’t do that, I don’t think you actually believe Jesus is really there. It must not be true.”
Well, I have to admit that there are many Catholics that fail to appreciate the real presence of Christ (body, blood, soul and divinity) under the appearance of bread and wine. Their lack of appreciation does not prove anything except that they lack appreciation. Lots of Catholics fail to appreciate their spouses, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t married. What about the Catholics that do appreciate the real presence? Why are they not constantly down on their faces in worship?
First of all, there are times when we do bow down and worship. However, to do so constantly would not be in keeping with what Jesus told us to do. Jesus told us to go and preach the Gospel. In fact, at the end of each Mass we are told to “Go.” We have worshipped, received the Bread of Life, and now it is time to take Jesus out into the world. To huddle around the church all day on our faces would not be following Christ’s marching orders.
The Apostles spent lots of time with Jesus, but they weren’t constantly falling on their faces in his presence. The Apostle John is known to have lovingly laid his head on Jesus. That’s more of a calm, comforting, assuring kind of posture that illustrates how a Catholic can be all day long, even in the very physical presence of Jesus. We can “rest in the presence of the Lord.” Even after Jesus was transfigured and revealed his glory the Apostles didn’t follow him around groveling on their hands and knees all the time. Jesus didn’t expect them to, either.
There are certainly times when Catholics prostrate themselves in worship to God. Some Catholics could stand to do more prostrating. Too many take for granted the gift that God has given them. Unfortunately, that’s human nature. We can become complacent and unappreciative in any relationship. God’s nature, however, is to send his only Son to become the Bread of Life. He remains true and his heart remains on fire for us. There are plenty of Catholics that do understand and appreciate the Eucharist.
I think sometimes there are people that use the complacency of some Catholics as an excuse to avoid the truth of Catholicism. No matter which Christian church we enter we are likely to find people that are enthusiastic and people that are apathetic. The attitudes of people do not determine truth. Truth is truth whether people appreciate it or ignore it. If we look for Catholics that are complacent, we will find them. If we look for Catholics that are on fire for God, we will find them, too. Always we will find Christ really present in the Holy Eucharist of the Catholic Mass. Jesus told us, “I will be with you until the end of the world.”
The Reflective Revert 
Beautifully said, thank you.
You’re welcome, and thanks for reading!
Fantastic post! 🙂 I liked the connection between us and how the Apostles treated Jesus when He walked the earth – obvious when I think about it now but still really cool! 🙂
Thank you, Laura!
The dogma of transubstantiation, is a demonic teaching,…
Jesus is NOT present in the wine or bread.
You neeed a Biblical reality check!! If you actually have one ?!!
I have several Bibles, spook. Can’t find a verse in any one of them that says Jesus is not present in the Eucharist. I do see several that says he is. I guess that leaves me wondering who interprets the Bible for you and where they get their authority from.
What verses would they be then.??
From the Authorized KJV 1611:
John 6:51-56, Mark 14:22-24, 1Corinthians 10:16, 1Corinthians 11:24-27
Notice in particular that Jesus says, “This is my body, this is my blood.” So, if the translators of the KJV 1611 got it right, there is no other conclusion a literalist interpreter could make other than that it is his body and it is his blood (unless we are to assume that Jesus wasn’t being truthful, but I prefer to take Christ at his word). Jesus did not say, “This represents my body, this represents my blood.”
The language Jesus uses in John 6 is clearly not the language of metaphor. No one ever objected to “I am the door” or “I am the vine.” The people did not say, “How can Jesus be made out of wood?” but they did say, “How can this man give us his flesh to eat?” They knew he was being serious and when they left him he did not call them back to clarify that he was only being metaphorical. He let them turn away. A metaphor is not “a hard saying,” but this was a very hard saying (and it still is for many folks).
This doctrine was not “invented” by the Catholic Church. The Catholic Church often has to make official declarations and definitions of what she believes when those beliefs are called into question and put under attack. When the formal declaration of what the Church has already believed for centuries is publicized, people often think the Church “invented” something new.
Peace.
I have done a post or two,about your post.
Enjoy.
Alrighty. Thanks for sharing my blog with others.
Peace.
I was actually sharing your lack of understanding with others.
Thanks for the publicity.
When you get to heaven then,I presume you are going tellJesus,that you have been eating him,and drinking his blood??
I really don’t want to be in your shoes mister.
There is nothing I could tell him that he does not already know. If I am able to speak at all I will say, “My Lord and my God! Thank you for saving me by your grace!”
The Eucharist is such a wonderful gift…thank you for this post reminding us of what we have been given!