“Far better it is for you to say: "I am a sinner," than to say: "I have no need of religion." The empty can be filled, but the self-intoxicated have no room for God.” - Blessed Fulton J. Sheen

Friday, September 14, 2012

The Real Presence: Fathers of Christianity

What did the Church father's have to say about it? 

St. Ignatius of Antioch
I have no taste for corruptible food nor for the pleasures of this life. I desire the bread of God, which is the flesh of Jesus Christ, who was of the seed of David; and for drink I desire his blood,which is love incorruptible (Letters to the Romans 7 (C. A.D. 110))

We call this food Eucharist, and no one else is permitted to partake of it, except one who believes our teaching to be true and who has been washed in the washing that is for the remission of sins and regeneration [i.e., has received baptism] and is thereby living as Christ enjoined. For not as common bread nor common drink do we receive these; but since Jesus Christ our Savior was made incarnate by the word of God and had both flesh and blood for our salvation, so too, as we have been taught, the food that has been made into the Eucharist by the Eucharistic prayer set down by him, and by the change of which our blood and flesh is nurtured, is both the flesh and the blood of that incarnated Jesus. First Apology 66 (c. A.D. 151)

St. Irenaeus of Lyons
If the Lord were from other than the Father, how could he rightly take bread, which is of the same creation as our own, and confess it to be his body and affirm that the mixture in the cup is his blood? Against Heresies 4:33:2 (C. A.D.189)

St. Clement of Alexandria
"Eat my flesh," [Jesus] says, "and drink my blood." The Lord supplies us with these intimate nutrients, he delivers over his flesh and pours out his blood, and nothing is lacking for the growth of his children [Instructor of Children 1:6 (C. A.D. 197)]

Origen of Alexandria 
Formerly there was a baptism in an obscure way.... Now, however, in full view, there is regeneration in water and in the Holy Spirit. Formerly, in an obscure way, there was manna for food; now, however, in full view, there is the true food, the flesh of the Word of God, as he himself says: "My flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink" [Jn 6:56] [Homilies on Numbers 7:2 (C. A.D. 249)]. 

St. Aphrahat the Persian Sage
After having spoken thus [at the Last Supper],  the Lord rose up from the place where he had made the Passover and had given his body as food and his blood as drink, and he went with his disciples to the place where he was to be arrested. But he ate of his own body and drank of his own blood, while he was pondering on the dead. With his own hands the Lord presented his own body to be eaten, and before he was crucified he gave his blood as drink. [Demonstrations 12:6 (C. A.D. 340)]

St. Cyril of Jerusalem 
As the bread and wine of the Eucharist before the invocation of the Trinity, which is holy and worthy of adoration, were simple bread and wine, after the invocation the bread becomes the body of Christ, and the wine the blood of Christ [Catechetical Lectures 19:7 (C. A.D. 350)]

St. Augustine of Hippo 
What you see is the bread and the chalice; that is what your own eyes report to you. But your faith obliges you to accept that the bread is the body of Christ and the chalice is the blood of Christ. This has been said very briefly, which may perhaps be sufficient for faith; yet faith does not desire instruction [Sermons 272 (C. A.D. 411)]

There are a TON more examples of what the early Church father's had to say. Want more? Leave a comment and I'll add some. Want all the quotes? Purchase a copy of Jimmy Akin's awesome book The Father's Know Best!

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