My husband is Catholic. I am Lutheran. We are both Christian. We both love the Lord. We both read the Bible. We both are thankful that our Lord died on the cross for us! But throughout our 11+ years of having a dual denomination household, I have had one thought that continuously comes back to me. And it's a pain in my heart every time I attend a Catholic mass.
Last Sunday we worshiped in the Catholic church. Our niece/god-daughter was receiving her first communion! A very exciting moment, in my opinion, for any Christian! But when I attend a Catholic mass, I can't celebrate with my family by taking communion.
But it's that same excitement of communion that brings me to tears; that makes my stomach tie up in knots tighter than almost anything else that regularly ties my stomach in knots.
Here's my statement of belief from my heart. A feeling that can't be argued with. Sure, others may have their opinions, but my feelings are true!
According to Catholics, I, a Lutheran, must not be a believer, as Lutherans (or any non-Catholic) cannot celebrate communion with other believers.
After feeling this way for many, many years, I thought it was about time to dive into the Bible to see what answers I could find to this belief of my heart.
The first passage I found was Matthew 26:26. "...Jesus took break, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to his disciples, saying, 'Take and eat; this is my body.'"
Even as Jesus himself said those words, "This is my body," he was giving the disciples bread, a representation of His body. At least that's how my heart and head understand that. Surely, and eventually, Jesus' body was given and blood was shed to give forgiveness to all those who believe. He was the perfect Lamb of God, a sinless sacrifice so that our sins could be forgiven once and for all. All those who believe in Christ receive that forgiveness.
So do Catholics feel that non-Catholics shouldn't receive forgiveness from Christ's sacrifice? And if they do believe that Christ died for the sins of ALL who believe (which is what the Bible says is why Christ died on the cross, and I AM a believer), and communion is a way for Christians to celebrate that gift, then why, as a believer, am I not allowed to fellowship with other believers at the Lord's Table?
So diving into my Bible some more, and reading the study portion of it, to find some more answers, I found different names for the sacrament of the bread and wine.
The Lord's Supper- because it commemorates the Passover meal Jesus ate with his disciples.
Eucharist- (thanksgiving)-because in it we thank God for Christ's work for us.
Communion- because through it we commune with God and with other believers.
In the Catholic church it's called Eucharist. And with that definition I certainly thank God for what His son Jesus Christ did, and continues to do, for me! In the Lutheran church it's called communion. And with that definition I am celebrating with other believers the sacrifice God made by sending His son to die for MY sins. While I am eating the bread and drinking the wine, I am feeling the sacrifice Christ made.
To my understanding Catholics believe the bread and wine turn into Jesus' body and blood. (Wouldn't that be canibalism?) To Lutherans, those elements are a representation. But isn't it the same when you get to the bottom of it? Isn't it a time to reflect on the new covenant Christ made to us! That in him dying on the cross, all who believe in him should have life! When we all take communion, whether the bread and wine becomes Jesus or it it's representing Jesus, aren't we, as believers, celebrating our freedom from sin?
It truly makes me sad, to the point of tears EVERY TIME I attend a Catholic mass, when I can't commune with my husband! And that our kids can't commune with their dad when we are in the Catholic church.
The heading for Acts 2: 42-47 is 'The Fellowship of the Believers.' After Jesus had risen, and was seated at the right hand of his father, the people gathered together to learn more about Jesus, to fellowship, to break bread, and to pray.
When my husband and his family, or all Catholics, to be exact, come to the Lutheran (ELCA) church, our Pastors say, right before communion, that ALL WHO BELIEVE are invited to communion. I just wish that when I go to a Catholic church, where I can learn about Jesus with other believers, where I can fellowship with other believers, and where I can pray with other believers, that I could also break bread with my husband and other believers.
Maybe my next step needs to be talking with a priest. Get more clarity. Because there will be a lifetime of attending a Catholic mass, which means a lifetime of tears when it comes to the communion issue.
Brandi, just go with my plan. When us Lutherans get to heaven, Christ will tell us to walk very quietly past the room marked Catholic on our way to the rest of heaven, because He'll say that the Catholics think 1) that they're the only ones there, and 2)that they're in purgatory, which is why they built the room for themselves to begin with. After we pass the room, He'll then snicker, shake his head, and say, "Marty's been expecting us, I hear this batch of beer is better than his last. He's been saying that since he got here. I love you Lutherans, you aren't afraid of having a beer with me.".
ReplyDeleteIn all seriousness though, it goes back to the division between the Byzantine Church (now called Eastern Orthodox), and the Roman Catholic Church. In order for the Roman Catholic Church to be able to control western Europe, they had to claim that they held the keys to the Kingdom, and that everyone else is wrong. Well, Martin Luther challenged that, and since Catholic Popes have absolute power, and speak ex-cathedra (meaning that a Pope's order cannot be wrong or rescinded, ever), then it's unlikely to change in the Catholic Church.
Don't get too upset about it, just go up for communion, and if they refuse to serve you, ask them when the Inquisition is coming back to town?
You can try RCIA (my wife and I did), and you'll end up finding that the Catholic Church hasn't changed much since Luther's 95 Thesis, and that if the Thesis make sense to you, then you'll never be able to be Catholic.
Brandi, I grew up with a Catholic dad and a Lutheran mom, and my mom shares those same feelings as you. It's almost as if you wrote her thoughts. I have had the same questions, and as a teacher of the Catholic faith and a practicing Catholic myself, I still have those questions. I have talked to priests about it, especially before my wedding, when there was that dread that my mom felt knowing that she would be denied communion at our wedding, or would take it knowing she wasn't supposed to and then feel guilty - or wonder what other people would think if she was seen receiving it, or just feel left out of the celebration. It's been some years since I've had that conversation with a priest, but your post makes me want to ask again. I know it is because of the difference in Lutherans seeing the bread as a symbol and Catholics believing it actually becomes Jesus' body, but I don't recall the other parts of our conversations. I'll get back to you after I inquire further. I totally understand how you feel.
ReplyDeleteBecky
The official viewpoint on the matter, according to the Catechism of the Catholic Church, is this:
ReplyDelete(1400) Ecclesial communities derived from the Reformation and separated from the Catholic Church, "have not preserved the proper reality of the Eucharistic mystery in its fullness, especially because of the absence of the sacrament of Holy Orders." It is for this reason that the Eucharistic intercommunion with these communities is not possible for the Catholic Church. However these ecclesial communities, "when they commemorate the Lord's death and ressurection in the Holy Supper...profess that it signifies life in communion with Christ and await his coming in glory."
(1401) When, in the Ordinary's judgment, a grave necessity arises, Catholic ministers may give the sacraments of the Eucharist, Penance, and Anointing of the Sick to other Christians not in full communion with the Catholic Church, who ask for them of their own will, provided they give evidence of holding the Catholic faith regarding these sacraments and possess the required dispositions.
--end quote
Thank you, Kurt, Becky and Dan, for responding. Becky, if and when you have that conversation, I would love to hear more! It would also be interesting to know how your Mom and Dad have lived their life of faith together over the many years they have been married! I fully intend to be married to my husband forever. And he is gracious enough, and I think enjoys, going with me and our kids to the Lutheran church, knowing he can still commune with us. I just know there will always be these moments in the Catholic church where I feel like I'm wearing the scarlet letter. And I hate that feeling!!
ReplyDeleteDan, if you could translate your reply in words I understand, that would be great!! LOL. Sorry...too much thinking for me maybe! I would love to have the blessing of the Catholic church to have communion with my husband and his family when those times arise! But for many reasons, I would never be able to see eye to eye with the Catholic faith, thus never becoming Catholic. But just attending a mass every once in a while doesn't count as 'a grave necessity'. So will that time every come when I can have communion with my husband in the Catholic church? Or will it just happen in the ELCA church (and possibly other denominations)?
Brandi so I read what you wrote and since I am Catholic and have struggled with a biblical way to answer this question I copied your blog and sent it to my dad to give some insite from a biblical sense. He hand wrote a letter back to me for you which I was unsure if you would be able to read but I have typed it as best as I could. It is not meant to get controversial only to try and give you some understanding of the Catholic beliefs. Hope this helps some.
ReplyDeleteScriptures which may shed some light on what we as Catholics believe and why we tend to these beliefs.
We believe that the Holy Eucharist is Christ. Body, soul, blood, and divinity total. What appears as bread & wine is Jesus by his own words at the time of Epiclesis- this is when the priests who are being persona Christ acting in Christ place announces the words Jesus gave to us in consecrating the bread and wine as his body and blood
Mathew 26:26, Mark 14:22, Luke 22:14
Road to Emmaus Luke 24:13-35
Notice in the Emmaus reading Jesus vanishes from sight at the breaking of the bread because he becomes present in the bread. There was for shadowings of this sacrament in the Genesis account of Abraham and Isaac. Genesis 22:1-14 and in the Exodus account of Moses freeing the people of Israel Exodus 12:1-28
I recommend you to read Jesus' own account in the Gospel of John scripture often ignored by protestant teaching. John 6:35-68
Jesus says that his body is real food and his blood is real drink. John 6:55 And if we don’t eat his flesh and drink his blood we have no life in us. John 6:53
When Jesus’ disciples choose to leave because this is a hard teaching he offers no other alternative, and then turns to the twelve and asks them do you want to go away too?
In I Corinthians 11:23-29 St. Paul says whoever, therefore eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be answerable for the body and blood of the Lord.
We would be bringing condemnation upon ourselves if we as Catholics gave the body and blood of Christ to people of other faiths if they don’t believe that Jesus is present. Body, blood, soul, & divinity in the Holy Eucharist.
A note worthy to consider is that the church survived the tradition of Holy Mass and receiving Jesus body & blood for the first 400 years of Christianity. There were readings done in those masses but the Canon was not initiated until 405 AD. SO as you can see the mass has been the pervasive power to sustain the church in its time of need. The mass was in the state as it is today by early 2nd century about 100-125AD.
A good source for learning more about these truths is to read the early fathers writings from Clement the second pope through Augustine in the 5th or 6th century.
What God is calling us to is faith in what he has revealed to us through the word of his life who is Jesus and sacred tradition gives to the apostles by Jesus.
I would recommend for you to take an RCIA course to understand these teachings. I believe that Jesus' heart maybe breaking even more than yours, for you to receive him (Eucharist) into your own life.
Deacon Newell McGee
Brandi,
ReplyDeleteMy mom just read "Rediscover Catholicism" by Matthew Kelly and said it was REALLY good. I have not read it yet, but plan to this summer. Maybe you would enjoy it too!
Becky