To be ignorant may be pardonable because it is not being hopeless, but to delude oneself is another.
After claiming that the wine in the cup of the Catholic priest is the real blood of the Lord Jesus by the process of transubstantiation, here comes Catholic apologetics saying that their mass is an unbloody manner of sacrificing Jesus Christ – something they do-again and again.
First off, history records that Catholics had arguments as to what transubstantiation would mean in their ritual of the Eucharist: whether wine becomes blood and the bread, the body of Christ, but the appearance of the substance of wine and bread are still the same; or whether wine really becomes the blood of Christ, and the bread his body. In the first, the change is in the meaning as thought so in the mid-twentieth century; in the second, it is literal. Pope Paul VI was saying so in 1965 with finality: it is the literal body and blood of Christ. And now, they find comfort that transubstantiation has plunged back to emphasizing that wine is still wine in appearance, bread is still bread in appearance, but those are equally still the body and blood of Christ. It now has a different name: Real Presence.
Still and all, even to the uninformed, that is double-speak of the highest degree and thriving in delusion, just so to continue in a practice not commanded in the Bible. Here is the defense:
“There can be no question of a grievous offense against Christ Himself unless we suppose that the true Body and the true Blood of Christ are really present in the Eucharist.” (Source: Online Catholic Encyclopedia.http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/05573a.htm).
If what is in the cup is the real blood of Jesus, how can the mass be an unbloody sacrifice? If what is in the cup is only symbolic blood, it is also symbolically bloody, doesn’t it follow?
Someone criticizing me said that I misappropriated the prophecy in Malachi 1:11 for me after which she claims that it is rightfully for the Catholic Church, for they are the only group that has the incense mentioned in the prophecy. Let us read,
MALACHI 1:11 (KJV)
For from the rising of the sun even unto the going down of the same my name shall be great among the Gentiles; and in every place incense shall be offered unto my name, and a pure offering: for my name shall be great among the heathen, saith the LORD of hosts.
I dare say, this verse does not apply to the Catholic Church for the simple reason that they do not understand the verse! The incense mentioned in the prophecy is not the literal incense that Catholic priests burn at their altars! Notice what is said in this verse.
REVELATION 5:8 (RSV)
And when he had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each holding a harp, and with golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints;
How can literal incense reach God’s throne when it cannot even penetrate into the atmosphere? That they in the Catholic Church do not know the meaning of the verse they are appropriating for themselves is certainly misappropriation!
The sacrifice that Christians should always offer is not the Lord Jesus Christ for when He offered Himself in Calvary He made an offering “once for all and once forever.” The Bible says so.
HEBREWS 10:12 (KJV)
But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down on the right hand of God;
And what is that sacrifice that Christians should offer to God? Take note that it is not something outside of the one doing the sacrifice.
HEBREWS 13:15 (KJV)
By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name.
Prayers and praises are the sacrifice that we should offer again and again to God, “that is the fruit of our lips giving thanks to His name,” and not the mass of the misled Catholics. It jives with the prophecy in Malachi that says, “My name shall be great among the Gentiles.”
Praying and praising His name is symbolic of the incense which is pure sacrifice that will reach the throne of the Almighty! It is not something material, for then, not everyone would have access to it. It is not something readily found in those who prefer to delude themselves by way of ascribing spiritual presence to bread and wine that they call Christ’s body and blood – which they offer again and again.
And mind you, the greatness of His name will be known from the east to the west, not otherwise!
The Catholic Church started its mission of misleading people from the west! Beginning with their rituals, they really do mislead a lot.
