Sashalee wrote: What does the tipping of the water in the wine mean. And also the dropping the little crumbs of bread in the wine just before the consecration.
The water is placed in the wine to represent how the humanity of Jesus blends with his Divinity. Just as the water blends with the wine in an inseparable way but does not truly dilute it, the humanity of Jesus blends inseparably with his Divinity in a way that does not dilute it.
The Body of Christ blends with the Blood of Christ in the same manner. Once the Precious Body and Precious Blood are mixed, the Eucharist is inseparably the Precious Body and Blood of Jesus, whether one takes only the host or only the cup or both.
Both actions are taken in response to heresies in the early Church which claimed that Jesus was a Divine person who only gave the appearance of humanity, or that his Divine and human natures were separate and distinct; and that Christ was present in the bread and wine differently, so one received the "complete" Eucharist only by receiving just the Precious Body, or just the Precious Blood, or just if one consumed both Body and Blood.
And by the way, welcome to CHN. We're glad to have you here with us, and look forward to hearing your story when you are ready to share it with us. And thanks for asking such a great question.
____________________ Understanding is the reward of faith. Therefore seek not to understand that you may believe, but believe that you may understand. - Augustine
