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youngone88
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| Joined: | Wed Apr 30th, 2008 |
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| First Name: | Stephen | | Gender: | Male | | Faith History: | Lutheran-Evangelical-soon to be Catholic? (still seeking) |
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Posted: Wed May 28th, 2008 12:36 am |
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This may be a weird question, but I've heard the objection that, if the Eucharist was really Christ's body, it would not decay because decay is a result of sin (and thus why Jesus' resurrection and Mary's assumption prevented it). Since, as far as I know, the Eucharist can eventually decay...how would I respond to this?
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David W. Emery
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| Joined: | Fri Sep 29th, 2006 |
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| First Name: | David | | Gender: | Male | | Faith History: | Catholic |
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Posted: Wed May 28th, 2008 01:57 am |
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Interesting question, Stephen, one I have not seen put quite this way.
A preliminary point: decay is not the result of sin, but of the natural qualities of organic matter. Sin does bring about a heightening of this quality in man in certain ways, but it is not the sole cause of decay. Man’s death is the result of the sin of Adam, but this is because of his unique creation and status before God, who endowed him with what we call preternatural (as opposed to natural) qualities, among which was that he was at creation not subject to death after the manner of other living things. When Adam sinned, he forfeited this special status both for himself and for his offspring. Furthermore, death in the religious sense is just as much spiritual as it is material. Sin is a state of “a tendency to non-being” (St. Augustine’s definition); “spiritual death” is the term we use for that state of the soul.
We must next understand that the Eucharist has two distinct attributes: On the one hand, its physical properties are unchanged. The elements still appear and act like bread and wine; and like bread and wine, they will decay over time. On the other, the inner being of these elements is God himself, who is unchangeable. These dual qualities are necessary for the Eucharist to function as a sacrament.
Our human nature is as much physical as it is spiritual. For this reason the sacraments are composed of physical matter and form as well as spiritual meaning and substance. How could we partake of the Eucharist if its outward “appearance” were spiritual, and therefore presumably without interaction with our physical nature? And how could the Eucharist act within us if we do not partake?
Finally, if God could become man — and be conceived, born, grow, with all the natural functions of a man, then finally die on a cross — how is it that we should conceive his abiding presence for the ages as anything different? We know Jesus is the Messiah because of his resurrection, not because he is a man. But he had first to be a man and die like a man in order to be resurrected, did he not? Likewise, we know that the Eucharist is special because of its effect on the human soul: grace and virtue unto salvation for the righteous, sin and sacrilege unto eternal fire for the presumptuous.
So the answer to your question lies primarily in the fact of the incarnation: God’s entry into his own creation. Outwardly, he must take on the qualities of creation, or he has not truly entered into that creation. He must really and actually be a man if he is to save mankind. In like manner, his glorified body and blood must have the true nature of body and blood — including their materiality — or they will have no power to heal man of his sin.
David
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BodRod
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| Joined: | Mon Oct 2nd, 2006 |
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Posted: Wed May 28th, 2008 02:19 am |
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David W. Emery wrote: A preliminary point: decay is not the result of sin, but of the natural qualities of organic matter.
Boy!!! Am I glad to hear that!!! I happen to like cheese, bread, wine, cottage cheese, sour cream, yogurt and the occasional margarita. 
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Gratias agamus Domino Deo nostro.
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youngone88
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| Joined: | Wed Apr 30th, 2008 |
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| Posts: | 21 |
| First Name: | Stephen | | Gender: | Male | | Faith History: | Lutheran-Evangelical-soon to be Catholic? (still seeking) |
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Posted: Wed Jun 4th, 2008 08:05 am |
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Nice explanation, I think I understand it better now. I suppose one could also argue that the appearance of bread and wine (which Catholics agree remains) include properties like natural decay?
I'm tempted to begin asking questions about when, if ever, it ceases to be Christ's body (in the decay process), but I'm afraid that if I go down that road I'll be returning to the "how many angels can stand on a pin" theology.
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