Catholic Faith Refresher Course

THE BLESSED SACRAMENT AND HOLY COMMUNION

"Thanks be to God for His unspeakable gift.'. (2 Cor. 915)

DIRECTIONS TO THE STUDENT We must be very careful that the people understand that the Blessed Sacrament is Jesus Christ. Even after people have assisted at Mass for some time, they will sometimes say in their examination that Christ is only figuratively on the altar, or that Holy Communion is bread and wine and Christ. A person who does not understand that the Blessed Sacrament is really and truly the Body and Blood of Jesus is not prepared to enter the Church. Therefore, we priests make every effort to explain in very simple and definite words this important truth of Christianity.

A. THE BLESSED SACRAMENT IS THE REAL BODY AND BLOOD OF CHRIST

The priest actually changes the bread and wine into the Body and Blood of Christ at the altar when he says Mass. After the priest says the words of consecration, there is no more bread and wine on the altar. The appearances of bread and wine remain even after the bread and wine have been changed into Christ's Body and Blood.

B. WHY IS IT CALLED "THE BLESSED SACRAMENT"?

This particular Sacrament is called the BLESSED Sacrament because it is the most blessed of all the Sacraments. It is Jesus Christ, God Himself. It is also called the Holy Eucharist and the Sacrament of the Altar.

C. CHRIST WANTED BREAD AND WINE CHANGED INTO HIS BODY AND BLOOD; CHRIST WANTED ALL MEN TO EAT AND DRINK THAT BODY AND BLOOD

The sixth chapter of St. John's Gospel shows very clearly that Jesus Christ meant the Blessed Sacrament to be His real Body and Blood. Anyone who reads this chapter of St. John's Gospel will be perfectly convinced of the real presence of Jesus Christ in the Blessed Sacrament on our altar. In this chapter Our Lord gives the following sermon to the Jews:

"I am the bread of life. Your fathers did eat manna in the desert: and are dead. This is the bread which cometh down from heaven: that if any man eat of it he may not die.1 am the living bread which came down from heaven. If any man eat of this bread he shall live forever: and the bread that I will give is My flesh for the life of the world. The Jews therefore strove among themselves saying: How can this Man give us His flesh to eat? Then Jesus said to them:

 Amen, amen I say unto you: except you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood you shall not have life in you. He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood hath everlasting life: and I will raise him up in the last day. For My flesh is meat indeed: and My blood is drink indeed. He that eateth My flesh and drinketh My blood abideth in Me: and I in him.

 As the living Father hath sent Me and l live by the Father so he that eateth Me the same also shall live by me. This is the bread that came down from heaven. Not as your fathers did eat manna and are dead. He that eateth this bread shall live forever.'. (John 6:48-59)

The Jews went away  -they refused to believe. They knew that Christ meant that they should eat His real Body and Blood; they did not understand how this was possible, therefore they went away. If Our Lord thought the Jews had misunderstood His words He would have called them back and explained what He really meant. But He did not call them back; He let them go.

In this part of the Bible which you have just read, Christ repeats over and over again that you must eat His flesh and blood to have life in your soul; that in this way you will live in Him and He will live in you; that if you do not eat His flesh and blood you will not have life in your soul; that this is the way you will live by Him; that this is the way you will live forever. Christ is saying very definitely that the Blessed Sacrament, or Holy Communion, is His real Body and Blood.

D. CHRIST CHANGED BREAD AND WINE INTO HIS BODY AND BLOOD AT THE LAST SUPPER

Christ changed bread and wine into His own Body and Blood at the Last Supper-the night before He died (the evening of Holy Thursday, the night before Good Friday). (See Matthew 26:26-28, Mark 14:22-24. Luke 22:19-20.)

Christ said at the supper table: "This is My Body. ..This is My Blood."Christ did not say "Pretend it is My Body," or "Believe it is My Body," or "It looks like My Body." No!- Christ said: "This is My Body. ..This is My Blood."

E. CHRIST GAVE THIS POWER TO THE TWELVE APOSTLES

From Christ the Apostles received the power to change bread and wine into His Body and Blood. Christ told the Apostles to do the same thing; namely, to change bread and wine into His Body and Blood.

He said this in very direct words: "Do this for a commemoration of me." (Luke 22:19)

The power to change bread and wine into His Body and Blood has been passed down through the centuries from the Apostles to bishops, and from bishops to priests for the last 2000 years. In the man-made religions the clergymen do not have this power. StPaul "The chalice of benediction which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? And the bread which we break, is it not the partaking of the Body of the Lord?" (1 Cor. 10:16)

St. Paul also says, "You cannot drink the chalice of the Lord and the chalice of devils: You cannot be partakers of the table of the Lord and of the table of the devil.'. (I Cor. 10:21 )

In the eleventh chapter ot his fIrSt epistle to the Corinthians, St. Paul again speaks of the presence of the Body and Blood of Our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament: "Therefore. whosoever shall eat this bread. or drink the chalice of the Lord unworthily. shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. But let a man prove himself: and so let him eat of that bread and drink of the chalice . F or he that eateth and drinketh unworthily. eateth and drinketh judgment to himself. not discerning the body of the Lord. " (I Cor. 11 :27-29)

We have always had the Body and Blood of Christ in the Catholic Church.

F. THE BLESSED SACRAMENT AND HOLY COMMUNION

The Blessed Sacrament is the Body and Blood, the Soul and Divinity of Christ under the appearance of bread and wine. Holy Communion is the receiving of this Body and Blood of Jesus Christ. The Mass is the offering or the sacrifice of the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ to God.

G. OUR LORD'S GREAT LOVE FOR US -SHOWN PARTICULARLY IN THE BLESSED SACRAMENT AND IN HOLY COMMUNION

God's love for us poor human beings is the real answer to all the problems of life and eternity. The relation between God and man, the purpose of our life, and our heavenly goal can be explained only through God's love for man.

So far in these instructions you have learned what Christ wants you to do: you m ust give up your sins; you m ust obtain God ' s grace; you must battle against the evil inclinations within you and outside of you, in order to keep God's grace; you must live in union with Christ now in order to be united with Him forever in heaven.

But how can you do this? Christ does not simply lay down difficult laws for us; He gives us many helps. Christ came to this world as a man to show us how to live. Christ still lives with us in the world through His real presence in the Blessed Sacrament. Who but God could think of such a wonderful way of helping us! In the tabernacle of every Catholic Church in Chicago, in the United States, in the world, Jesus Christ is livingjustas truly as He lived in Jerusalem 1900 years ago. Through the centuries Christ has lived in the tabernacle, like a prisoner, because He loves you. He is very interested in you; He wants to talk over your problems with you; He wants to give you the help you need to give up sin, to fight against evil inclinations, to live in union with Him. Visit Him frequently in the church; tell Him about your difficulties; ask His help.

What is even more wonderful, God actually gives Himself to us in Holy Communion. Could you ever imagine that God would give Himself to you while you are still here on earth? Yet that is just what Our Lord does in Holy Communion.

H. A WORTHY PREPARATION FOR HOLY COMMUNION

To receive Holy Communion you must be a baptized Catholic; you must have no mortal sin on your soul since your last good confession; and you must observe the laws of fasting.

You must fast from all solid foods (and alcoholic beverages) before receiving Holy Communion and from all liquid nourishment for one hour before receiving Holy Communion. Water does not break the fast.

If there is a venial sin on your soul make an Act of Contrition and receive Holy Communion; venial sin does not keep you from the worthy reception of Our Lord in Holy Communion.

Try to receive Holy Communion at least every Sunday. It is not necessary to go to confession each time as long as you have not committed a serious sin since your last good confession. The law of the Church requires confession only once a year; but good Catholics try to go to confession at least once a month.

CHRIST GIVES YOU HOLY COMMUNION

TO UNITE HIMSELF TO YOU.

Love requires union. Christ loves you as no one else has ever loved you. He even gave His life for you! Christ unites Himself to you in Holy Communion while you are still here on earth! This is very clear from His own words: "He that eateth My flesh and drinketh My blood abideth in Me: and I in him. As the living Father hath sent me and I live by the Father: so he that eateth Me, the same also shall live by Me. (John 6:57-58)

CHRIST INCREASES THE USE OF GRACE IN YOU

THROUGH HOLY COMMUNION.

God created you so that you could share in the happiness ofC hrist for all eternity .Grace gives you a share in the life ofGod; grace makes you like C hrist .This life of the soul. the life of grace. grows in your soul through Holy Communion. Through Holy Communion the life of grace so grows that you will live forever. sharing in God's life.

CHRIST LESSENS YOUR EVIL INCUNATIONS

THROUGH HOLY COMMUNION

Every man has evil inclinations which he must fight against. all the days of his life. Yet a C hristian must live by C hrist. Our Lord tells us that the way to live by Him is through Holy Communion. "As the living Father hath sent Me andI live by the Father: so he that eateth Me. the same also shall live by Me ." (John 6:58) There is no vicious habit that cannot be lessened and even conquered by frequent and fervent Holy Communion.

CHRIST PROMISES YOU EVERLASTING  LIFE

THROUGH HOLY COMMUNION

 His own words are very clear: "This is the bread. ..that if any man eat of it. he may not die. ..If any man eat of this bread. he shall live for ever. ..He that eateth My flesh and drinketh My blood hath everlasting life: and I will raise him up in the last day." (John 6:50-55 )

CHRIST PREPARES YOU FOR

A GLORIOUS RESURRECTION

THROUGH RECEIVING HIM IN HOLY COMMUNION

Man is made to stay here on this earth for only a few short years. The real purpose of his creation is to bring him to heaven. You are receiving these instructions and studying this book ultimatelyfor only one purpose-to get to heaven. Christ promises you very directly thatfor receiving Holy Communion He will bring you. body and soul. into heaven: "I will raise him up in the last day." (John 6:55))