Showing posts with label Theology. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Theology. Show all posts

Thursday, August 21, 2014

Do you believe the words that Christ spoke?

I believe that Christ is truly and perfectly present in the Sacrament of the Eucharist because He spoke the words, "This is my Body" and also "This is my Blood". I believe this because Christ spoke the words, "He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day. For My flesh is true food, and My blood is true drink. He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood abides in Me, and I in him." Christ clarifies that He is speaking not in metaphor. The Body and Blood of Christ are not metaphorical. It is a true and perfect sacrament, requisite of all Christian people. Christ has also said, "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." Christ speaks not of symbols or ordinances. Christ speaks not of mere actions in accordance to His command. He speaks of real food and real drink. He speaks of His mortal flesh sanctified by His nature having been offered to and made accessible us forever in the Holy Eucharist! Christ has given us access to his very own flesh saying, "This is my body given for you." In the Sacrament of the Eucharist we receive His Own Flesh and His Own Blood. Christ makes no mention or symbols or representations, of metaphors or hyperbole. Christ, the King of Kings, The Incarnate Word, The Son of God, and God Himself has spoken plain words, "This is my body" and "This is my blood."

Do you believe the words that Christ spoke? I do.

Tuesday, February 4, 2014

The Sacrament of Reconciliation

The Sacrament of Reconciliation is one instituted by Christ in the Gospels when He grants the authority to the Apostles to forgive and retain sins (Verse 23), as He had received from the Father. Christ also at this time passes the essence of the Priesthood, Persona Christi, placing the Apostles in relation to himself the same as He is in relation to the Father (Verse 21). Christ, in this very instant, passes on the authority to act in His place, in Persona Christi, to the Apostles and with that the authority and responsibility to perpetually pass and to protect that same authority for future generations. This passing of Apostolic Authority received from the hands of Christ is what we have come to call Apostolic Succession. A succession, a lineage of pastoral authority, descending through the generations of the Church, granted directly to the Apostles by the breath and hands of the Living God, Jesus Christ.


The Gospel according to St. John, Chapter 20, Verses 19-23
The Authorized Version (KJV):


19 Then the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus and stood in the midst, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you.

20 And when he had so said, he shewed unto them his hands and his side. Then were the disciples glad, when they saw the Lord.

21 Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you.

22 And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost:

23 whose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whose soever sins ye retain, they are retained.