Transcript Transubstantiation and Participation

TRANSUBSTANTIATION
Let’s break down:
TRANSUBSTANTIATION
• trans = change
• substance = a physical thing
• ation = a process
Therefore Transubstantiation is the process
by which a substance changes
So what Changes?
As Catholics we believe that the Bread and
Wine used at Mass are transformed into the
Body and Blood of Christ.
The bread and wine retain their appearance
and the MIRACLE is that it actually becomes
the Body and Blood of Christ. We don’t know
how, and it doesn’t make sense… but it is a
vital belief of the Catholic faith.
Why believe this?
Because Jesus told us in John chapter 6
He said: “Unless you eat my flesh and drink
my blood you will not have life within you”
John Six Blues
When he saw the hungry thousands
And feed them in their need,
They came back again the next day
Just to get another feed.
But he cautioned them directly:
“Seek the food that’s made to last”
and he promised them a manna
that was better than the past.
And they crowded ever closer and they hung on every word,
But they never quite expected
The next thing that they heard,
For the food would be his flesh
Given up upon the cross,
And the drink would be his blood
From the sacrificial loss.
Then they turned from him in anger,
“Who can cope with this?” they cried,
but it all would be revealed
the night before he died.
“Take and eat my body”, he said,
And he gave his very self,
Not just a piece of bread.
When he saw that they were grumbling,
Did he offer to explain?
Did he say: “It’s just a symbol,
Let me make it very plain”.
Did he call back his disciples
Saying: “Don’t you get me wrong,
I just meant to get together
For some pancakes and a song.”
Just the opposite in fact,
He appears to make it worse.
He gets more and more explicit,
With every passing verse.
“For my flesh is food indeed,
if you eat, I’ll live in you,”
And his verbs in Greek get stronger,
He used gnaw and munch and chew.
Was He speaking just in symbols?
No, there wasn’t a mistake,
If he’d meant just bread for bonding
He would have given cake!
“Take and eat my body”, he said,
And he gave his very self,
Not just a piece of bread.
The Eucharist is a verb…
Read through “The Eucharist is a verb, not a
noun” on the sheet provided and answer the
following questions: (write the questions
into you answers)
1.What sort of a reality is the Eucharist?
2.Who offers the Eucharist?
3.Why is Jesus present in the consecrated
bread?
4.What does Jesus want us to be?
How to Participate in Mass?
Conscious
Participation
Full
Active
Full
• We will participate fully
– Mentally
– Physically
– Spiritually
• We spend time to prepare for Mass –
thinking about what we have to pray for
• We attempt to stay FULLY focused during
mass
Conscious
• Realise that what we say is important and
how we act is important! Remembering:
– We stand out of respect
– We sit to listen attentively
– We kneed to show prayer and worship
• Be conscious we come together as “The
Church” which represents Christ’s Body
Active
• Together with all gathered we join in with
the various responses
• We must be aware we are gathered
together as a community to worship God,
not as an individual
• Active Participation is not doing a reading
– that is a form of service.
Summary
• We participate through being there – fully,
consciously and actively
• We prepare, we reflect and we act reverently
• We Join together with the community of God’s
believers to worship him
• Mass is never about the individuals doing
readings or taking up the offertory – or even
about the Priest! Mass is about thanking God for
sending Jesus to us!
Something to think about…
There is a horizontal and a vertical aspect to
our worship as Catholics.
Horizontal – We gather together as one
community (God’s Family)
Vertical – Together we focus on our Father
in Heaven and give him thanks and praise
To Worship God
Gathered as Community