Even though my Protestant background makes my beliefs in transubstantiation different from those of Catholics, I still believe the physical nature of the Eucharist is incredibly important, and these physical changes can remind us of different aspects of the Divine. For instance, in my home church, the communion “wafers” often are leavened bread. The unique shape of each morsel of bread reminds me of the salience of Jesus’ physical body: although He was perfect, He was truly human and complex. Our ritual of taking Communion also differs from Catholic masses. Instead of partaking weekly, I grew up only doing so once a month. I appreciate Catholics’ opportunity to participate in Communion more regularly, reminding me of our constant need for an interaction with the Divine.
While I don’t take Communion during a Catholic Mass, I have the opportunity to reflect on my own deeply held beliefs and respect those of others. I dislike standing out in these moments, sitting in a pew as everyone else files to the front. However, taking the time to pray and reflect on what God has taught me in the week can still be a powerful moment for me. Even though it appears that I am refraining from participating in the Mass, I am still listening for what God may be saying to me in the moment. At certain services, I’ve appreciated the invitation to come forward and be blessed by a priest in lieu of taking Christ’s Blood and Body. While I may not be receiving the same exact theological message, the assurance that God will follow me throughout all my days still reminds me of God’s closeness.
No matter which denomination of Christian service I attend, the practice of Communion serves to remind congregants of the central tenants of the church they are attending, and it is tied to a long tradition of recognizing Jesus’ sacrifice. Although there may always be debates surrounding transubstantiation, it’s impossible to deny the commonalities across churches. Jesus has sacrificed His body for the sake of believers, and we want to receive this blessing in the manner that is most important to us.
At a conference about ecumenism, I heard Protestant leaders make impassioned pleas for the ability to take communion in Catholic churches, arguing that they have a deep and urgent need for Jesus. The fact that an easy compromise is not reached on this topic is proof of the sheer magnitude of Jesus’ sacrifice. The existence of this debate echoes many of the reactions to Jesus’ miracles while He was here on Earth. Some onlookers doubted, others tried to create a different meaning out of His actions, and others simply didn’t know what to make of what they saw. Considering Jesus’ sacrifice is His central miracle, humanity in all its broken complexity is still demonstrating its desire to wrap its mind around what happened. This debate proves the magnetism of Christ’s sacrifice, always the center of the Christian faith.
- Finding Faith from Home - April 1, 2020
- Dr. Helen Phelan on the Miraculous Lives of Irish Medieval Saints - February 26, 2020
- Reflections from Last Year’s Lenten Season - February 26, 2020