Having come from a Pentecostal background to the Catholic church….this just “blessed my heart”!! https://youtu.be/VvYeXh3JHco “More people get healed in a Catholic church during communion than Pentecostals… because to us it’s symbolic.” – Benny Hinn
Think of all the “Truly, Truly” statements of Jesus that you take literally? Do you take them ALL literally?
We believe John 6:53, “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 yourselves.”
Most Christians have no issues with the following….
John 3:3,”Jesus answered and said to him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.””
John 5:24, “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who hears My word, and believes Him who sent Me, has eternal life, and does not come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life.”
John 6:47, “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes has eternal life.”
John 8:51 “Truly, truly, I say to you, if anyone keeps My word he will never see death.”
John 8:58 “Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was born, I am.”
John 14:12 “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do, he will do also; and greater works than these he will do; because I go to the Father.”
Why take all of these literally but not John 6:53? The Eucharist is not a symbol….it is the true body and blood of Jesus – it is a mystery – and a reality! The manna in the desert was REAL food and supernatural. How much more is the new covenant? It cannot be LESS than the old covenant? It has to be greater! And Jesus said that HE is the true bread that came down from heaven. So when He said, “take eat, THIS IS MY BODY” and “take drink THIS IS MY BLOOD” – why would anyone think it is only symbolic?
Happy Catholic Deacon 