The operative word is “seemingly”. Catholics worship God as He likes to be worshipped.

>” you don’t need to believe the little plastic shot glass of grape juice is ACTUALLY Christ’s blood.”

The Catholics are with you on this one. Christ’s blood would never be served in a plastic shot glass. Grape juice in a plastic glass is a clear indication that one is holding a poor substitute for the Eucharist. Which would you rather eat, lamb or a picture of a lamb?

>” That would be cannibalism wouldn’t it?”

Nope. Catholics don’t believe Jesus’ presence in the Eucharist is such that the consumption of the Host entails cannibalism. Christ’s body and blood aren’t present naturally, but supernaturally, under the appearances of bread and wine. This mode of presence rules out cannibalism.

>” What Priest has the power to change crackers into flesh?”

Um, you may have missed the part in the Eucharistic prayer when the priests says; “We ask by the power of the Holy Spirit that they may become the body and blood of Our Lord Jesus Christ.” Priets have no power. God does. Nothing is impossible for God, right?

http://www.therealpresence.org/eucharst/mir/lanciano.html

>” Where do they come up with the crackers are ACTUALLY Him?”

Isaiah 55:11, Genesis 1:3, Mathew 26:26

Jesus, God incarnate, held bread in His hands and the voice of God went forth saying “This is my body.” God’s voice bounced off the bread and returned to God’s ears. If you can believe God created everything by His voice alone, what’s so hard to believe about changing bread into Christ’s body? Why limit God?

Also, this is what the earliest Christians believed and taught: “And this food is called among us Εὐχαριστία, of which no one is allowed to partake but the man who believes that the things which we teach are true, and who has been washed with the washing that is for the remission of sins, and unto regeneration, and who is so living as Christ has enjoined. For not as common bread and common drink do we receive these; but in like manner as Jesus Christ our Saviour, having been made flesh by the Word of God, had both flesh and blood for our salvation, so likewise have we been taught that the food which is blessed by the prayer of His word, and from which our blood and flesh by transmutation are nourished, is the flesh and blood of that Jesus who was made flesh” [Justin the Martyr, First Apology, http://www.ccel.org/ccel/schaff/anf01.viii.ii.lxvi.html

>”The Bible is riddled with symbolism and open for interpretation.”

If this phrase were symbolic or metaphorical, a serious difficulty arises in 1 Corinthians 11:27, where Paul says that if one eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner he will be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. In a Semitic culture, to be guilty of another’s body and blood is to be guilty of murder. Yet how could one be guilty of murder if the bread is merely a symbol of Christ?

>”I did however practice communion because I am a believer.”

Interesting. By your act of receiving the Eucharist you are making a very public profession of the Catholic faith. You are telling everyone that you are Catholic and believe and hold everything taught by the Catholic Church, including the Real Presence. You want the Eucharist and you want the blessings of the Catholic Church, but you don’t want to be obediant to the Church. Interesting. Just interesting.

BTW, God’s penalty for non-Catholics receiving the Eucharist is that the non-Catholics usually become Catholics.

>”You’re not allowed to leave the sanctuary with the eucharist. Doesn’t this sound CULTy to you? No comprendo. ”

That’s correct and no, it doesn’t. You don’t comprehend as you are unable to believe that the Eucharist is the most precious body, blood, soul, and divinity of Christ. You’re not there yet. Should God ever grant you an “Ah, ha” moment, you’ll understand.

God bless…

+Timothy

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