The Shocking Reality of the Eucharist
Summary
TLDRFather Mike Schmitz discusses the National Eucharistic Revival, emphasizing the Eucharist as God's greatest gift and His true presence on Earth. He clarifies the literal interpretation of Jesus' words in John 6, distinguishing between the flesh as fallen human nature and the divine flesh of Christ, which is essential for salvation and redemption. Schmitz encourages Catholics and all Christians to awaken to the reality of Jesus' presence in the Eucharist.
Takeaways
- π Father Mike Schmitz introduces a series for the National Eucharistic Revival, emphasizing the importance of the Eucharist as God's greatest gift.
- π The script discusses the sacraments, highlighting the Eucharist as not just a symbol but the actual presence of Jesus Christ in the world.
- π In John 6, Jesus is clear about the literal consumption of his flesh and blood for eternal life, not a symbolic act.
- π The disciples found Jesus' teachings on the Eucharist to be challenging, indicating that they understood it as a literal requirement for eternal life.
- π¨βπ« Father Mike explains that Jesus' statement 'it is the spirit that gives life, while the flesh is of no avail' refers to fallen human nature, not his divine flesh.
- βοΈ The Catholic Church has consistently taught that Jesus' flesh and blood in the Eucharist are essential for salvation, contrary to some interpretations.
- π The incarnation, where God became flesh in Jesus Christ, is central to Christian belief and the redemption of humanity.
- π The Eucharist is a reenactment of the Last Supper and a continuation of Jesus' sacrifice, offering salvation to believers.
- π€ The script challenges interpretations that downplay the physical aspects of the Eucharist, asserting that Jesus' physical presence is crucial.
- π The discussion connects the Eucharist to the broader themes of grace, redemption, and the transformative power of Jesus' sacrifice.
Q & A
Who is Father Mike Schmitz and what is Ascension Presents?
-Father Mike Schmitz is a Catholic priest and a speaker who presents content related to Catholic teachings. Ascension Presents is a platform that produces and shares his content, often focusing on religious education and discussions.
What is the National Eucharistic Revival mentioned in the script?
-The National Eucharistic Revival is a movement within the Catholic Church that aims to renew and deepen the understanding and appreciation of the Eucharist among Catholics and the wider public.
Why is the Eucharist considered the greatest gift from God according to the script?
-The Eucharist is considered the greatest gift from God because it represents God's very presence in the world, embodying Jesus Christ's body, blood, soul, and divinity.
How does the script explain the real presence of Jesus in the Eucharist?
-The script explains the real presence of Jesus in the Eucharist by referencing John 6, where Jesus clearly states that the bread and wine become his flesh and blood, and by emphasizing the Church's teaching that the Eucharist is not symbolic but truly Jesus' body and blood.
What is the 'Bread of Life Discourse' mentioned in the script?
-The 'Bread of Life Discourse' is a teaching by Jesus in the Gospel of John, chapter 6, where he explains the necessity of eating his flesh and drinking his blood for eternal life, emphasizing the literal consumption of his body and blood in the Eucharist.
Why did many of Jesus' disciples find his teachings on the Eucharist difficult to accept?
-Many of Jesus' disciples found his teachings on the Eucharist difficult to accept because they were being asked to believe in the literal transformation of bread and wine into Jesus' body and blood, which was a profound and challenging concept.
What is the significance of Jesus' question about seeing the Son of Man ascending in John 6:62?
-Jesus' question about seeing the Son of Man ascending in John 6:62 is significant because it challenges the disciples to consider his divine nature and his ability to perform miracles, such as transforming bread and wine into his body and blood.
How does the script clarify the difference between 'my flesh' and 'the flesh' in John 6:63?
-The script clarifies that 'my flesh' refers to Jesus' divine and redemptive body and blood in the Eucharist, while 'the flesh' refers to fallen human nature, which is powerless without God's grace.
What is the role of the incarnation in Christian salvation according to the script?
-The incarnation, or Jesus taking on flesh and living, suffering, dying, and rising in the flesh, is central to Christian salvation. It is through the incarnation that Jesus redeemed the world and provides the means for eternal life.
How does the script address the argument that Jesus' flesh is of no avail in John 6:63?
-The script addresses this by distinguishing between Jesus' flesh, which is essential for salvation and redemption, and 'the flesh' in a general sense, which refers to fallen human nature that is powerless without divine intervention.
Outlines
π Introduction to the National Eucharistic Revival
Father Mike Schmitz introduces a series for the National Eucharistic Revival, emphasizing the Eucharist as God's greatest gift to humanity. He discusses the importance of recognizing the Eucharist as not just a symbol but as the actual presence of Jesus Christ, body, blood, soul, and divinity. The series aims to awaken Catholics and the world to the reality of Christ's presence in the Eucharist. Father Schmitz references John 6, where Jesus clearly states that consuming his flesh and blood is essential for eternal life, not as a metaphor but in a literal sense. This teaching is foundational to understanding the sacrament and its significance in the Catholic faith.
π The Flesh and the Spirit in Salvation
Father Mike Schmitz delves into the interpretation of Jesus' words in John 6, particularly the distinction between 'my flesh' and 'the flesh'. He clarifies that when Jesus says 'it is the spirit that gives life, while the flesh is of no avail,' he is referring to fallen human nature, not his divine flesh. Schmitz explains that Jesus' flesh, as mentioned in the context of the Eucharist, is true food and drink, essential for eternal life. The paragraph also touches on the broader Christian understanding of the incarnation as the hinge of salvation, where Jesus' physical presence and sacrifice are central to redemption. The summary concludes with a reaffirmation of the Eucharist's role in Catholic theology and practice, as the means through which Christ's salvific flesh is received.
Mindmap
Keywords
π‘Eucharist
π‘National Eucharistic Revival
π‘Scripture
π‘Sacraments
π‘Body and Blood
π‘Bread of Life Discourse
π‘Incarnation
π‘Spirit
π‘Flesh
π‘Redemption
Highlights
Father Mike Schmitz introduces a series on the National Eucharistic Revival.
The Eucharist is described as God's greatest gift and His very presence in the world.
The Church calls for Catholics and the world to recognize the reality of Jesus' presence in the Eucharist.
Jesus' words in John 6 are highlighted to establish the literal truth of the Eucharist.
The discourse in John 6 is explained to show Jesus' clear intention of a literal interpretation of eating His flesh and drinking His blood.
The reaction of the disciples to Jesus' teaching is discussed to illustrate the difficulty of the message.
Jesus' response to the disciples' difficulty, emphasizing the importance of recognizing His divine identity.
The incarnation is presented as the hinge of salvation, contrasting with the idea of 'the flesh is of no avail'.
The difference between Jesus' use of 'my flesh' and 'the flesh' is explained to clarify the Catholic teaching on the Eucharist.
The importance of the Incarnation for redemption and salvation is emphasized.
The Eucharist as the continuation of the Incarnation and the Last Supper is discussed.
Father Mike addresses misconceptions about the Eucharist by non-Catholic Christians.
The significance of the Eucharist in every Mass and its role in salvation is explained.
The talk concludes with a call to appreciate the incredible gift of the Eucharist.
Transcripts
this is right is this okay hi my name is
father mike schmitz and this is
ascension presents so we kind of are
continuing this little series we're
doing for the national eucharistic
gravity used to
hi my name is father mike schmitz and
this is ascension presents so we kind of
are starting this kind of us maybe once
a month every so often series for the
national eucharistic revival which is
you know going to be incredible these
next three years um the church is
returning again and again
to the reality of the greatest gift god
has ever given us i mean we we know this
right that the scripture the scripture
here is the bible in my lab here's
scripture this is god's word given to us
so good we know that the sacraments all
the sacraments all seven are god's work
in the world
but one of those sacraments the
eucharist
it's god's very presence it's god
himself in the world which is incredible
so the church is saying okay catholics
wake up to this reality the whole world
wake up to this reality that
jesus christ our lord and god
has given himself body blood soul and
divinity he's truly present in the
eucharist in every single mass that's
he's truly present so what happened is a
previous video we talked about how in
john chapter 6 jesus makes it absolutely
clear that when he says later on in
matthew mark and luke's gospel this is
my body in saint paul's letter to the
corinthians when saint paul is
recounting at the last supper when jesus
says this is my body this is my blood
that
that this truly became his body this
truly became his blood that the bread
and wine became jesus christ body blood
soul and divinity
so we established this why by looking at
what by looking at abe the lord's words
this is my body he didn't say this is
like my body or this looks like my body
or this is a symbol of my body but also
because of john chapter six where
jesus has the what they call the bread
of life discourse where he makes it
absolutely clear he says if you want to
live forever essentially if you want to
in the kingdom of heaven
you must eat my flesh and drink my blood
and again remember the jews remembered
about this and then so jesus did he made
it very clear he wasn't talking
figuratively or symbolically he was
speaking literally
and in john chapter 6 beginning with
verse 52 and then 53
jesus reiterates again and again amen
amen i say to you unless you eat the
flesh of the son of man and drink his
blood you have no life within you my
flesh is true food my blood is true
drink it iterates that five times
so then after this it says in verse 60
says then many of his disciples this is
the next teaching then many of his
disciples who are listening
said this saying is hard who can accept
it now part of that is
is establishing or clarifying
that they didn't interpret jesus to be
speaking symbolically or figuratively
because it's not a hard saying for jesus
to say hey eat some bread and think of
me drink some wine and think of me like
that's not a hard saying it's a weird
saying but it's not a hard saying the
disciples who were listening said
remember the disciples are different
than the crowd these are people who left
everything to follow after jesus and
they're saying
that this teaching
that jesus is going to give
them in us
his flesh and blood his body and blood
as food that we must eat to have eternal
life that's a hard saying jesus's
response is he asked the question he
says does this shock you which i think
the answer is yes quite shocking jesus
this is a very shocking teaching he goes
on to say what if you were to see the
son of man ascending to where he was
before question we all ask where was he
before answer heaven right basically
jesus is making it very clear he's
saying okay so i'm giving you this
really hard teaching it's a difficult
teaching i get it
but also do you know who i am
this is really critical
do you know that i am the one who made
the stars like all gajillion 100 billion
per solar system right like all of them
i made all of them i made everything i
can take some bread and some wine and
transform it into my body and blood so
jesus just i mean he doubles down
triples down he is not backing down
the next line though
is one that christians who don't accept
this teaching
is one they point to a lot
jesus asks the question does this shock
you what if you were to see the son of
man ascending torres to where he was
before and the next statement he says is
it is the spirit that gives life while
the flesh is of no avail
and a lot of times you'll have
christians who are not catholic will
point to that and say see jesus is even
saying the spirit gives life the flesh
is of no avail the flesh is meaningless
the flesh is powerless the flesh doesn't
do anything
now
it's important
we highlight this
why does the catholic church for the
last 2000 years teach
and when jesus says it is the spirit
that gives life while the flesh is a no
avail why does the church consistently
for 2000 years 100 of christians up till
500 years ago said
that that doesn't undercut what jesus
had just said
why well
because there's a word for the flesh or
there's a meaning of the term the flesh
saint paul talks about the flesh
saint john talks about the flesh when
jesus here says that it is the spirit
that gives life
but the while the flesh is of no avail
jesus says the flesh meaning fallen
human nature
is powerless right fallen human nature
is powerless to raise itself up because
we need god's grace absolutely the
spirit gives life while fallen human
nature is of no avail absolutely
absolutely helpless without god's grace
every time previously in john chapter 6
when jesus is talking about flesh he
says my flesh so my flesh is true food
my blood is true drink
now clearly in john chapter 6 verse 63
where jesus says it is the spirit that
gives life while the flesh is of no
avail there's a distinction between him
saying you must eat my flesh and drink
my blood to have eternal life my flesh
is true food and the flesh which is
fallen human nature being of no avail
now i hope that makes sense now but it's
not just this it's not just um the term
my versus the term the it's not just
here is jesus saying you must eat my
flesh and during blood and the flesh is
no avail how do we know without a shadow
of a doubt
that jesus is not saying that his flesh
is of no avail
because
every christian acknowledges what is it
that saved us what is it that can what
what is it that that brought about the
redemption of the world
it's the incarnation
what's the incarnation
the incarnate right incarnate spanish
the enfleshment the enmitment of god
and the fact that in his flesh
jesus christ lived he suffered he died
he rose in the flesh every christian
acknowledges it was that it is that that
incarnation
jesus taking on flesh
living loving healing suffering dying
and rising ascending to heaven in that
flesh that's what gives us life that's
what gives us redemption that's what
saved us so it would make no sense for
jesus to say my flesh is no avail
because every christian knows beginning
i mean not beginning with but all the
way back to the first century there's a
guy named tertullian and he says this he
says the flesh is the hinge of salvation
not referring to the fallen human nature
but referring to the flesh of christ is
the hinge of salvation
because it's his body his blood his soul
divinity given up for us on the cross
but also given up for us at the last
supper and at every mass
that saves us
so
in response to our brothers and sisters
who would look at that verse 63 in john
chapter 6 and say jesus is undercutting
he's backpedaling by saying it is the
spirit that gives life while the flesh
is a no avail we know there's a
difference between jesus saying my flesh
and him saying the flesh
there's also
there's also this recognition that it is
truly the flesh of christ the body of
blood sold divinity of jesus christ in
the incarnation that has redeemed the
world yeah and that's what we get to
receive at every mass
that's
that's incredible
anyway for all this your distance
presents
my name's father mike god bless
[Music]
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