TRANSUBSTANTIATION

Let’s break down: TRANSUBSTANTIATION trans = change substance = a physical thing ation = a process Therefore Transubstantiation is the process by which a substance changes

So what Changes? As Catholics we believe that the Bread and Wine used at Mass are transformed into the Body and Blood of Christ. The bread and wine retain their appearance and the MIRACLE is that it actually becomes the Body and Blood of Christ. We don’t know how, and it doesn’t make sense… but it is a vital belief of the Catholic faith.

Why believe this? Because Jesus told us in John chapter 6 He said: “Unless you eat my flesh and drink my blood you will not have life within you”

John Six Blues When he saw the hungry thousands And feed them in their need, They came back again the next day Just to get another feed. But he cautioned them directly: “Seek the food that’s made to last” and he promised them a manna that was better than the past. And they crowded ever closer and they hung on every word, But they never quite expected The next thing that they heard, For the food would be his flesh Given up upon the cross, And the drink would be his blood From the sacrificial loss.

Then they turned from him in anger, “Who can cope with this?” they cried, but it all would be revealed the night before he died. “Take and eat my body”, he said, And he gave his very self, Not just a piece of bread. When he saw that they were grumbling, Did he offer to explain? Did he say: “It’s just a symbol, Let me make it very plain”. Did he call back his disciples Saying: “Don’t you get me wrong, I just meant to get together For some pancakes and a song.”

Just the opposite in fact, He appears to make it worse. He gets more and more explicit, With every passing verse. “For my flesh is food indeed, if you eat, I’ll live in you,” And his verbs in Greek get stronger, He used gnaw and munch and chew. Was He speaking just in symbols? No, there wasn’t a mistake, If he’d meant just bread for bonding He would have given cake! “Take and eat my body”, he said, And he gave his very self, Not just a piece of bread.

The Eucharist is a verb… Read through “The Eucharist is a verb, not a noun” on the sheet provided and answer the following questions: (write the questions into you answers) 1.What sort of a reality is the Eucharist? 2.Who offers the Eucharist? 3.Why is Jesus present in the consecrated bread? 4.What does Jesus want us to be?

How to Participate in Mass?

Full Conscious Active Participation

Full We will participate fully –Mentally –Physically –Spiritually We spend time to prepare for Mass – thinking about what we have to pray for We attempt to stay FULLY focused during mass

Conscious Realise that what we say is important and how we act is important! Remembering: –We stand out of respect –We sit to listen attentively –We kneed to show prayer and worship Be conscious we come together as “The Church” which represents Christ’s Body

Active Together with all gathered we join in with the various responses We must be aware we are gathered together as a community to worship God, not as an individual Active Participation is not doing a reading – that is a form of service.

Summary We participate through being there – fully, consciously and actively We prepare, we reflect and we act reverently We Join together with the community of God’s believers to worship him Mass is never about the individuals doing readings or taking up the offertory – or even about the Priest! Mass is about thanking God for sending Jesus to us!

Something to think about… There is a horizontal and a vertical aspect to our worship as Catholics. Horizontal – We gather together as one community (God’s Family) Vertical – Together we focus on our Father in Heaven and give him thanks and praise

Gathered as Community To Worship God