The Eucharist- A Taste Sensation
Conventional Catholic Theology promulgates the doctrine that Jesus Christ, the Son of God, leaves us with a renewable and everlasting gift in the form of the Eucharist, the actual body of Christ (God). A gift to be renewed and given to mankind over and over during the Sacrament of the Mass. It merits pause to consider the reason that Christ may have instituted this most indelible and everlasting gift, his very body, as the very communal act which now serves as the focal point of the Catholic Church (and to some extent, most of Protestant Churches) Christ chose to appeal specifically to primarily one of the primary human senses, that of Taste and Consumption. Rather unusual, from my personal perspective, in that the human body perceives physical reality in its totality, from the five senses. It's most curious to inquire as to why Christ chose this very channel or means by which to serve as the conduit for infusing his actual persona and spirit into the human body. He could possibly have selected as easily an alternative ritual, appealing to the other senses, to institute this new sacrament to his disciples at some other venue other than the Last Supper. Consider the sense of touch. Christ could have readily instituted, as example, the clasping of hands or of hugging a certain way then stating to all " do this in memory of me." An act which would then be the focal point of some form of Catholic Liturgy. Likewise, he could have as easily produced a certain sound by ringing a small bell before the disciples, appealing to humans' sense of hearing, and thereby likewise insituting a new sacrament that would bind all together at some form of repeated liturgical celebration. He could have uttered some other directive as "do this in memory of me... for all to 'Hear' the truth." He could have even perhaps chosen the scent of smell, and the communal act of smelling a fresh rose or frankinscense from a shared gold vial as that supernatural act that would forever bind mankind to his spirit. However, he chose taste and food as that binding factor to be the ultimate focal point of the Catholic liturgy, an act which would be re-enacted for all time during the mass. In his infinate wsdom, Christ chose the vehicle of the human sense of Taste by which mankind is intrinsically bound via the actual communal act of human consumption; nutrition to sustain the Soul as well as Body, "Take and eat this all of you, for this is my Body" Genius...pure genius that only God could institute.
About the Author
Michael Angelo Massa, J.D., is a non-practicing attorney and Free-lance Columnist living in Columbus, Ohio and Ft. Myers, Florida.He is a Renaissance Man in more than just his name (\'Michael\'and \'Angelo\' are his actual first and middle names, and named after each of his Italian-born grandfathers). He has a creative streak that reaches thousands of readers. He is a Writer, Legal Consultant, Mediator as well as Media Marketing Rep.He is a first Generation American Visit their website at: http://www.italatin.com/
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