The "real" body of Christ

As a young girl in school I participated in a science project that has come back to me. In showing where water goes in a plant we did a project that showed visible signs of this. If you take a white carnation or rose and cut the stem and place it in a glass of water colored with food coloring, the next morning you will find that the flower is turning the color of the water. It 'becomes' that color, taking on the properties of the water it has consumed. When we receive the Eucharist it is much the same. We are taking the body and blood of Christ into our bodies and He is becoming a part of us as much as we are becoming a part of Him. The flower needs water to survive, but unlike the flower that will eventually die, we will live forever having received the body of Christ. He told us that!

I am the bread of life. Your forefathers ate the manna in the desert, yet they died. But here is the bread that comes down from heaven, which a man may eat and not die. I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. This bread is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world."

Then the Jews began to argue sharply among themselves, "How can this man give us his flesh to eat?"

Jesus said to them, "I tell you the truth, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. For my flesh is real food and my blood is real drink. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in him. Just as the living Father sent me and I live because of the Father, so the one who feeds on me will live because of me. This is the bread that came down from heaven. Your forefathers ate manna and died, but he who feeds on this bread will live forever." He said this while teaching in the synagogue in Capernaum. John 6:48-59

He lost a number of followers because of this teaching. He could have told them at that moment that he only meant it figuratively or symbolically, but he didn't because he meant it just as he had said it.

Again at the last supper He said "Take, eat, this is my body, which will be given up for you." Then He took the cup and said "Take and drink, this is my blood which will be shed for all. Do this in remembrance of me." He didn't say - Act this out in remembrance of me. Or remember this as a symbol of me. He said do "this". "This" being - "eat my body".

In conversation this afternoon I was talking with someone about different churches. Music was the first thing to come up. He plays the bass and apparantly they have a band that plays upbeat Christian music at his church. I mentioned that I enjoyed that kind of music at the life-teen masses at my church down south, but they don't have that up here. Long story short I told him that I go to a Catholic Mass and as much as I like the new contemporary music I wouldn't trade my Eucharist for it. He said they received communion at his church also. I explained that I understood that but at his church it is only a representation of the last supper whereas in the Catholic Mass we are re-presenting the last supper. We are participating in a sacrament that Christ instituted and through that sacrament are receiving the actual body and blood of Christ. He apparently was raised Catholic and thought at this church he was receiving the same thing. I said "No, it is just a symbolic presentation of the last supper" I suggested he ask someone at his church next time he goes.
During the mass the priest doesn't have any special powers to make this change. It is called transubstansiation that occurs. The priest is only acting in per-sona. It is the power of the Holy Spirit and grace of Christ Jesus that makes all of this possible.

Just as the flower shows the beauty of the colors that have become a part of it may you show the beauty of Christ radiating from you.