Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!ginosko!gem.mps.ohio-state.edu!wuarchive!cs.utexas.edu!rutgers!aramis.rutgers.edu!athos.rutgers.edu!christian From: daemon@garage.att.com (Joseph H. Buehler) Newsgroups: soc.religion.christian Subject: Re: help needed Message-ID: Date: 23 Sep 89 08:13:35 GMT Sender: hedrick@athos.rutgers.edu Lines: 24 Approved: christian@aramis.rutgers.edu There are two things to keep in mind in the Catholic doctrine on Holy Communion as far as the silly objection mentioned is concerned. One is that both species (bread and wine) contain our Lord entirely, His Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity. Communion under either species is the reception of the entire Christ. The other thing to keep in mind is that when the accidents are modified so that they are no longer those of bread or wine, the Real Presence ends. Our Lord is only substantially present for about 15 minutes after Holy Communion. After that, there's nothing but whatever acid turns bread into. (This is presumably why water and wine get poured over the priest's fingers after Communion, during the ablutions. They dissolve any particles that may be on his fingers.) The effects of Communion are spiritual, not material. Holy Communion makes your soul fat. Sacraments are signs that effect the grace that they signify. Baptism uses water because it cleanses a soul from the original sin. Holy Communion uses bread and wine because they symbolize the strength and nourishment that the Sacrament imparts to the *soul*. Not the body!