When Jesus Christ appeared on earth, God was present in human form. Emmanuel literally means “God with us.” Let’s look at the three natures of God: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. The Greeks and Romans attempted to define God in three natures because they regarded a son as an extension of his father. But that definition may create confusion. Another way to define God would be to compare Him to the United States government. The U.S. government is divided into three branches, the executive, the legislative and the judicial. But the United States does not have three forms of government, but one single government in three branches. God is not three distinct persons. What God did 2000 years ago was send a part of himself into the world at the conception of Mary. He grew himself in her womb into human form. God did this through the power of the Holy Spirit, which is also part of God. The Holy Spirit is the soul of God the Father and God the Son. And the Trinity existed from the beginning of time. The three forms of God that emerged 2000 years ago all came from a single God who existed from eternity. The three forms are all one and the same God.
Who, then, do Catholics receive at Mass? They receive God. And how do they receive God? In the form of the Son. And how is bread and wine transformed into God? Through the power of the Holy Spirit. Just as God created himself by his spoken word with the aid of the Spirit to fashion Christ in the womb of Mary, so a priest is given authority from God to call down the Holy Spirit to change ordinary, unleavened bread and ordinary wine into the body and blood of Christ. This happens with the prayer of the Epiklesis: "thou, the God who lacks nothing, being pleased with our Offerings for the honour of Christ, and sending down Thy Holy Spirit on this sacrifice, the witness of the Passion of the Lord Jesus, to manifest (opos apophene) this bread as the Body of Christ and this chalice as the Blood of Christ..." Transubstantiation is a wonderful gift from God to mankind. The Holy Spirit literally transforms bread and wine into the body and blood of Christ. Do not receive this gift without due consideration of its origin. A casual participation in Mass is worthless to you and God. This transubstantiation only becomes complete when the recipient believes just as the priest believes. Participate with faith, hope and charity in this mystery God has offered us.
Who, then, do Catholics receive at Mass? They receive God. And how do they receive God? In the form of the Son. And how is bread and wine transformed into God? Through the power of the Holy Spirit. Just as God created himself by his spoken word with the aid of the Spirit to fashion Christ in the womb of Mary, so a priest is given authority from God to call down the Holy Spirit to change ordinary, unleavened bread and ordinary wine into the body and blood of Christ. This happens with the prayer of the Epiklesis: "thou, the God who lacks nothing, being pleased with our Offerings for the honour of Christ, and sending down Thy Holy Spirit on this sacrifice, the witness of the Passion of the Lord Jesus, to manifest (opos apophene) this bread as the Body of Christ and this chalice as the Blood of Christ..." Transubstantiation is a wonderful gift from God to mankind. The Holy Spirit literally transforms bread and wine into the body and blood of Christ. Do not receive this gift without due consideration of its origin. A casual participation in Mass is worthless to you and God. This transubstantiation only becomes complete when the recipient believes just as the priest believes. Participate with faith, hope and charity in this mystery God has offered us.
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