Sometimes the best way to cut through the tension is to start with a clean slate. So, let me do my best to explain my exploration of the mystery of the Eucharist itself. As a reminder, I have only been in full fellowship with the Catholic Church for about 5 years. So, my perspective is limited but also fresh and plain spoken for those outside the Catholic Church. I hope it’s helpful to Catholics too as I do my best to promote and protect what we all hold so dear.
Mystery does not mean mystical or secretive. The word sacrament means, “a visible sign of an invisible reality.” Protestants gladly welcome Catholics to church and to partake in communion. I don’t think this is simply because they embrace Catholics more than Catholics embrace Protestants. I think it’s because protestants think of communion differently than Catholics. I think it’s because the mystery-factor is much higher for Catholics as they hold up the Eucharist as “source and summit” of the mass. Confusing? Seems edgy? That’s likely what many were thinking when Jesus talked about this in John chapter 6. How could Jesus actually tell us that we have to eat his body and drink his blood? This mystery of faith led many to abandon Christ.
This may sound like a stretch. But I think it’s actually possible that the Catholic Church is unknowingly protecting Protestants from participating in something that they may not be ready to participate in. There is often a distinctly different perspective between Catholics and Protestants as to what is taking place when partaking of the bread and wine. Catholics firmly believe that Jesus Christ is “fully present” in the elements of the bread and the wine. A large majority of Protestants believe that the bread and wine are merely symbolic of the body of blood of Christ. If you are a Protestant I would challenge you to go to mass and just listen to every prayer. Pay careful attention to a moment when bells go off and the priest prays this prayer:
“Be pleased, O God, we pray, to bless, acknowledge, and approve this offering in every respect; make it spiritual and acceptable, so that it may become for us the Body and Blood of your most beloved Son, our Lord Jesus Christ.”
To be fair, you need to listen (and even read along) with all the prayers. Because there are many and they all form a symphony of prayer in the larger context. After going forward to receive and participate in the Eucharist in the Catholic church, we say “Amen.” This is the greatest act of affirmation of the Catholic doctrine. Isn’t it worth at least some conversations with Catholics to affirm the proclamation of this mystery before casually attending a mass and participating? Each participant at mass is essentially an evangelist for the mystery of the Eucharist. I don’t think it’s a stretch to say that. Recall the moment at a wedding when the officiating pastor asks these in attendance, “Should anyone present know of any reason that this couple should not be joined in holy matrimony, speak now or forever hold your peace.”
The Eucharist is often called the “Supper of the Lamb.” In the Bible, a marriage feast is often a clear picture of what has happened, is happening, and will happen in its greatest fulfillment. You’ve likely been to many weddings as I have. I have 2 daughters, and 3 sons. I’ve hosted a wedding and attended my son’s wedding. It’s not an understatement to say that hosting a wedding is a big deal! And, while it might seem like a stretch for those outside the Catholic Church, each celebration of the Eucharist is no less a big deal than going to a wedding, and even more so. I start with this so that, as I talk about the Eucharist, I can show how high the stakes are.
Can you imagine going to a wedding every Sunday? That’s what it is like. As an evangelical who was taught in a very casual environment this seems like a big stretch. We have a saying “come as you are” which promoted less and less concern for ceremony, architecture, liturgy, process, and even personal hygiene. 🙂 But going to a wedding feast hosted by a King is a very different experience. Thats what I share with my kids who prefer sandals and shorts to khakis and a button down, “Dress like you are going to meet a King today at His wedding feast. When I read the gospel of John and experience His words at the first Eucharist it doesn’t seem a stretch at all. We are going to a ‘feast’ to remember something that Jesus asked us to remember “until He comes again.”
The Eucharist is the single most important element of mass. In some respects it literally is the mass. It is much more than a ‘symbol’ for the Catholic Church. And for those who are in the full fellowship of the Catholic church, it is the constant affirmation of that fellowship, of fully embracing the Head of the church in Jesus Christ, along with its leaders and its members both living and those who live beyond the grave (aka “the communion of the saints”). This includes all the faithful who have gone before us whom we recognize and honor in the process. And as I said the Catholic Church does indeed recognize Protestants as brothers and sisters. So, all over the world each Sunday it’s a huge celebration of billions of people who are embracing and praying with and for billions.
Those billions come from all walks of life. And each sanctuary has its own vibe. Some Protestants are at Catholic churches thinking, “I feel like everyone is watching me and I’m going to stand up or sit down at the wrong time” or “what’s the big deal?” or “how dare you tell me I can’t take communion with you!” or “I’m just going to go forward because I believe in Jesus too!” Many Catholics in the pews are honestly unaware of these thoughts. Many of them grew up in the church and are along a continuum of fully engaged to just going through the motions. A recent survey of my diocese indicated that less than 40% of Catholics truly believed the church’s teaching about many aspects of mass (even the mystery of the Eucharist). This reality of doubts, questions, and mystery will continue. So it’s great to have some clear teaching to help us along the way.
I’m trying to think of a fair equivalent in the Protestant church of how sacred the Catholic Church holds the mystery of the Eucharist. I think perhaps the easiest one that comes to mind would be a meeting to update the doctrinal statement. I come from a background in a Bible church that adhered to Dispensational theology including a belief the pre-millennial return of Jesus Christ. This doctrine is held up proudly and taught boldly. Though to be fair, very few in the congregation likely understand it, or could even pronounce some of the terms in the doctrinal statement. Catholics are also holding up deeply held beliefs in the Eucharist. The expressions in the evangelical Protestant churches are not found in liturgy but in the doctrinal statements that are published by their elders and on their websites. If there was a meeting to review or even update doctrinal statements I doubt anyone would show up casually. The topic at hand is too important.
Perhaps this is a good time for a brief rationalism timeout. As I grew up in the church I was confronted with opportunities to believe. But, at the same time, rationalism surrounded the process. So I was simultaneously deciding on what to believe AND what I could explain, defend, or prove with Scripture and other evidence. While I’ve found Catholics to certainly be reasonable and rational in one sense I’ve never been so challenged to truly take steps of faith to affirm and participate in the mysteries of Christ. To participate in the Eucharist is not to explain every aspect of the miracle or mystery. But, it is to take a step of faith each time I get out of my seat, go forward to receive and say “Amen” when prompted with this presentation, “The body of Christ.”
Mysteries of the faith are sacred things. Some of the greatest mysteries of faith I learned are the Trinity and the Incarnation. In my background as an Evangelical Protestant these were held up in high regard as mysteries of the faith. But I cannot recall one time when communion was being celebrated and the word “mystery” was used. And I cannot recall one time when I’ve been to Catholic mass and the word mystery wasn’t used, and used often. The Son of God was born to a Virgin who is called by her cousin “The Mother of my Lord.” Then that same mother prompted Jesus at a wedding and He turned water into wine, 152 gallons of the best wine they had tasted. Jesus took five loaves and two fish and fed 5,000. These are mysteries and they are miracles. In my experience, growing up as a Protestant, this is where the miracles and the mysteries stop. I was taught that the power and the miracles of the Apostles ceased with their death, even though this is not indicated in the Bible. For Catholics the mystery and miracle of the Eucharist continues and is no less than the examples we read in the Gospels.
Yes, everyone is invited to celebrate that mystery in the Catholic Church. What the Catholic Church asks for and requires (though it does not police) is that participants go through the process of learning and affirming the same sacrament. This is full fellowship. There are no insurmountable barriers to that fellowship. But it might cost more than a quick Google search, or reading a pamphlet produced by a Protestant explaining what Catholics actually believe. I’ve always found this odd. If I want to know what Catholics believe about the mysteries of the Eucharist why not go ask one? For me, it was relatively straightforward. I simply went to mass, entered into conversations, and joined meetings with a curious heart to learn about the Catechism of the Catholic Church. And I went through many experiences to reflect on the mysteries that were experienced.
I certainly can understand the variety of emotions and reactions that my protestant brothers and sisters have to a closed communion table. My ask is to enter into the conversation with a curious heart in and openness to be in greater (fuller) fellowship. I find nothing but gracious and open arms in the Catholic Church when curious hearts want to learn from each other, and be in honest conversation as we hope to fulfill the prayer of Jesus Christ for the unity of the body.
“Out of the darkness of my life, so much frustrated, I put before you the one great thing to love on earth: the Blessed Sacrament…. There you will find romance, glory, honor, fidelity, and the true way of all your loves on earth” (J.R.R. Tolkien).
This post is part 2 of 4. So to continue read “The Eucharist: What are the teachings?” click here. To go back to part 1 click here.