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    Current rating: 4.8 (81 ratings)

    Fr. Barron comments on the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist





     
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Jeff Phillips
Father Barron -- thank you for your wonderful gift of communication. This explanation of the Eucharist is so very important. I pray that all Priests find some way to reinforce this Truth at the center of our Christian life.
7/14/2011 10:40:23 AM
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David
Wonderful - thank you Father
7/14/2011 3:47:12 PM
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Elizabeth Miller
Fr. Barron,
It is wonderful that God uses you a mighty way. As a convert, I have listened again and again. Your wisdom is simple enough for me to understand and my eyes welled up with tears for His grace. Thanks be to God for you. Elizabeth
7/14/2011 11:02:25 PM
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Elizabeth Miller
What is URL?
7/14/2011 11:16:06 PM
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Luisa
70 x 7 stars!
7/15/2011 1:24:27 AM
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Robert Sledz
Excellent presentation. I would add that the knawing at Christ Flesh is a word Christ chooses to use to tell His followers that "what you will be eating, is real, so do so with Faith". The knawing part tells us we must eat of Christ Body and Blood so trully that we will do so with full faith and confidence in what we are partaking-- Jesus Himself.
7/15/2011 1:59:21 AM
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Chris
I often think of the Eucharist as a symbol, but not a "mere" symbol, rather something that makes another thing present, the Real Presence of Christ. In fact as someone who spends a lot of time in the arts I don't really think of any symbol as a 'mere' symbol. Am i just parsing words, or is this a tenable position on the Real Presence for a Catholic to hold? Thanks again for a great video Father Barron!
7/15/2011 2:19:26 PM
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Robert Sledz
The Eucharist is not a symbol. It is the Real and Substantial presence of Jesus to feed our souls. When you paint something as an artist, can you go without food and water because symbolically the art "feeds" you?
7/15/2011 3:08:00 PM
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Charlie
What reinforces Jesus' saying in John 6:52-56 is the fact that his listeners leave him but Jesus does not back down or try to even claify his words to keep them from leaving. Jesus' is God in the flesh and blood of man but his humanity is divine which allows Jesus' power transform us into his fullness of Himself through the Eucharist. Great audio on the Body and Blood of Christ's gift of grace through the Eucharist.
7/15/2011 4:17:31 PM
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Felix Chau
Thanks for a great summary of the Catholic Church's teaching about Christ's Real Presence in the Eucharist. It is good to know that Christ's real presence in the Eucharist is something that He Himself spoke into being as the Word of God made human flesh among us... that by His power He can make Himself present among us in the Eucharist. Receiving Christ in the Eucharist is the heart of "receiving Christ as Lord and Savior" and how we are transformed into His likeness and able to follow His example of life...
7/15/2011 9:27:44 PM
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michael jaffray king
Fr. Barron comments on the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist
This is the latest and most up to date 9 minute Video of Father Robert Barron.
I have just written an article on THE EUCHARIST under attack..
I sent this out yesterday and today I find this Master piece. Yes it is the Master's very very timely piece for us to watch and listen to. This is not a coincidence but a spiritual miracle of timing...exact timing...
This is not something that one should listen to once in your life...No!!...We need to hear this repeated over and over until it sinks into our very bones as well as into the depths of our soul.
I needed to hear this put in such a very succinct way. I believe it and have believed this message for nearly 8 years now.
I have tried to explain it to others.. even to Priests as well as to Laity...
Now here is this discourse by a real expert.
Never have I heard such a powerful explanation of what is the Summit and very soul of our faith.
There is NOTHING that can replace this.
Unless, as a Roman Catholic, I am crazily in love with THIS FACT of the REAL PRESENCE, then I will be often mislead and veer off course.
Jesus has SPOKEN this WORD into being, in John Chapter 6 and now explained in such a very very powerful way by Father Bob.
Wow!! What a Heritage!!
Understanding this will bring life back to our sinking Church in Germany, and in many other places in the World.
I beseach all Priests and Laity alike to listen carefully to this with all your heart..
If anyone does not understand this FACT of JESUS' WORD then they will never be a satisfied and even more important an EFFECTIVE Catholic Christian.
Please listen and then re listen again and again and again.
God bless you!!!!
7/16/2011 5:49:14 AM
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Rob
Wow.......WOW. Beautifully spoken Father. This commentary, along with one of your missions, Spiritualtiy in the Market Place, Lecture 3, on the Eucharist really sum it up. I will never forget your words in the lecture when you quoted Flannery O'Connor's famous words in defence of the Catholic belief of the Eucharist: Well if it is just a symbol, then to hell with it!"
7/16/2011 6:14:43 PM
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Brett
Chris,
You are right to say that the Eucharist is a symbol, but not a "mere symbol." Indeed it is part of the definition of a sacrament that something be a symbol. And, because Jesus' presence is sacramental, it works according to the logic of symbol so that, according to Aquinas, tiny dust particles that break away from the consecrated bread, but that are not large enough to be considered bread, are not Christ's body. In other words, the symbolic value of the bread is necessary for the sacrament. That, by the way, is also the Catholic answer to the old 'Jesus in the loo' canard.

Now, before anyone panics, this does not mean that Jesus is not really present. It just means that the mode of presence, the sacramental, is different than the normal mode of our experience, the physical or empirical. This special mode does rely on the logic of symbol. Catholics need not be afraid to affirm that.
7/16/2011 10:28:39 PM
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michael jaffray king
Dear Brett.
It is a little difficult to understand what you are talking about. 1st Chris did not say that the REAL PRESENCE is a symbol. You are putting words into his mouth that he did not utter.
Maybe you can explain in easy to understand words what you are really trying to say. Father Bob is an expert at explaining everything in Layman's terms. Why don't you try too, and please do not say that Chris is right to call the REAL PRESENCE a Symbol. Does not add up?????
7/17/2011 8:55:06 AM
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Kevin
Fr Barron speaks of the Greek word 'trogon' which means to "munch, chew" to embellish the idea of how we as believers are to receive the Lord in the Blessed Sacrament.
In John 6, the Greek text uses another word 'alethos', which means "true, genuine, absolute" when Jesus says that His Flesh is 'true' food and His Blood is 'true' drink. The Gospel of John makes certain these are no mere symbols.
7/18/2011 3:17:55 PM
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Robert Sledz
@michael jaffray king Well, why don't you explain to all of us what "Chris" really did say or mean, then? Jesus in The Eucharist is antithetical to any "symbolisms". Are you a symbol? Well, how would yo ufeel if that conversation describing "your real presences in someone's life" was a symbol? Please explain. Don't confuse people because they are already enough confused thanks to the Catechesis of the last 30-45 years. Cut to the chase. It is or it isn't or it may be...Don't allow an interpretation to cause confusion. That is immoral. Christ had something to say about those who cause scandals. And the beginning of a scandal is "a" little confusion and the result of more than 68% of Catholics NOT in our churches on Sundays !
7/18/2011 3:31:39 PM
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Brett
Dear Michael,
Yes, Father Bob is the expert. I'll do my best.
Christ certainly made clear that a merely symbolic interpretation of his claim that the bread and wine were his body and blood was not up to the task. I'm not sure why you think I'm putting words in Christ's mouth. I had no intention of saying that Christ said his Real Presence is a symbol.
On the other hand, he does not say that there is nothing symbolic going on either. In John 6, Christ never tries to explain how he is going to be present, he merely insists that he will be. It is much later in Church history when the question of what exactly that means, given everyone's experience that the bread and wine still look and act like bread and wine, becomes an issue.
In point of fact, any interested person should watch Father Barron's video called Eucharist, or read his book of the same title. He does a great job of explaining how the Church came to the idea of transubstantiation.
At the Council of Trent the Church defines the presence as sacramental as opposed to natural. That means Christ's body is present in a different way than it was when he walked the middle East 2000. It does not mean it is not Real, or that it is only a symbol. It simply means that the mode of presence is mediated by the symbolic qualities of the bread and wine.
On top of reading Father Bob's very accessible book an Eucharist which does a good job of this, the interested reader will also enjoy Cardinal de Lubac's great work Corpus Mysticum which traces what happens to Eucharistic theology once the connection between symbol and reality is lost.
Transubstantiation is an affirmation that real reality can be available through symbol at a time when that ancient presupposition was being questioned.
Now, I know what I'm saying looks shocking because we've all been taught that symbol has nothing to do with it. But please, don't shoot the messenger. Read Father's book, and Cardinal de Lubac's. I also recommend Father Roch Kereszty's book, Wedding Feast of the Lamb, on this issue. These are all people with far more street cred than me. Check them out.
All the best,
Brett
7/18/2011 3:58:10 PM
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Brett
I'm not sure if this is allowed here, but interested readers might find this piece helpful:
http://vox-nova.com/2010/03/31/quid-sumit-mus-sacramental-presence-for-father-larry/
7/18/2011 4:00:28 PM
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michael jaffray king
Brett. When I read John Ch 6 through Catholic eyes after being a fanatical Evangelical for nearly 40 years, I found it very easy to deduce exactly what Our Lord was talking about. By the way so did most of His followers as they backslid in the infamous John 6 66 verse.
What impressed me most was that He did not go running after them, exhorting them to come back because he was only talking symbolically..
And by the way I got mixed up with another comment from someone else so please forgive me as Chris did say something about being a symbol which is really misleading whether we try to clarify with mere symbol or symbol.
I need to read the comments more carefully in future.
7/20/2011 2:48:39 AM
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Deacon John
Fr. Barron thank you for this wonderful presentation on the True Presence of our Lord in the Eucharist.
What a tremendous gift you have in presenting difficult to understand topics in clear and concise ways.
If you are ever close to Crested Butte, CO and can spend a day or two please call me at 970/349-2190. We would let you rest and by the way.....
There is a beautiful golf course here--one tee box is at 9000 feet---balls travel 12% further than they do in Chicago.
I am at Queen of All Saints and we plan to present Catholicism (wow!) soon.
7/20/2011 2:03:20 PM
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Brett
No worries Michael.
The difference between symbol and mere symbol is certainly a key one.
For what it's worth, my reading of what happens after John 6:66 is this: Jesus didn't make these statements at the Last Supper. No one had any context at all. All they knew was that he was saying something that sounded crazy. And Jesus knew there was no way to say it so it didn't sound crazy. All that was left was for those who trusted him to wait and see. It was an issue of trusting the Lord even when what he's saying is difficult. Further, all of John 6 is about the Eucharist AND about Christ's mission. The Jews were also scandalized by his claim to be sent by God and his claim that he would die for their salvation. Neither this, nor the Eucharist could make any sense before the Last Supper, the Crucifiction and the Resurrection. In fact, the Incarnation and the Eucharist are part of the same scandal: God is way too close!
There are also times in our own lives where God looks like he's doing something crazy, but Peter's answer is the right one: since we know WHO YOU ARE, we'll stick around even when you look completely nuts by our standards.
7/20/2011 2:48:49 PM
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ROCCO DALTO
If you do another lecture on the Eucharist, would you consider focusing on Teilhard de Chardin's essay "Mass On The World".
7/20/2011 4:11:57 PM
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Robert
This is why I am Catholic.
7/24/2011 7:20:31 PM
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Michael Rizzio
Father Robert is spot on.

It is interesting to note that the relationships that bind the Most Holy Trinity are reflected in good creation (vestigia trinitatis) in the incredible mystery of optical light: three additive colors, full power red-green-blue become pure white light. Even the compenetration of the rings is more than symbolic, it actually produces white.

The Eucharist,the fifth quintessential Mystery of Light is also the quintessential Mystery of Life and the quintessential Mystery of Love.

One look at the battle (on the internet) over the meaning of these three key words shows the assault that we are up against: (Google Light-Life-Love)

Light ... False Lights tending to darkness
Life ... Lifestyle tending to a “culture of death”
Love ... Lust tending to self-hatred and broken relationships and hearts.

When these three words are brought together, full power in true Eucharistic understanding they manifest the the Wisdom of Solomon as written in Ecclesiastes 4:12, i.e., the strength of the triple cord. One in three and three in one are “not easily broken.”

Father, please do a piece on Light-Life-Love. The pure white light is very approachable on this side of eternity. By abiding in the Eucharist we are abiding in Light-Life-Love.

A look at my blog at www.eucharist-emc2.blogspot.com may be of some assistance.
7/26/2011 7:26:26 AM
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John
I've never heard an explanation of the real presence like this before. The gift of the Holy Spirit working through Fr. Barron has the power to transform, just like the eucharist. If only more people could hear this. Wonderful.
8/25/2011 11:25:38 AM
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chiara
So powerful!
And the WORD became FLESH!
Amen
8/27/2011 2:03:00 PM
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Alex Marra
You've just reconciled Foucauldian Discourse Analysis with Christian philosophy. Wicked! Words can affect reality. That seemed like a scary statement to me before this video. It made me feel that subjective relativism was reality, that there wasn't an objective truth 'out there.' But when God speaks, it is truth. It does affect reality. The example of the umpire or police officer reminds me of how Christ uses the metaphor of the master and servant when talking about God and man. Well done Father. You know how to bring Scripture and Catholic philosophy into the 21st century. Thank you!
9/20/2011 3:18:49 AM
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Pangel2012
Fr. Barron - who ever hears you words and explanation on the Eucharist will definitely understand the Eucharist. Powerful and awesome - food for thought, food for the soul.
10/16/2011 12:58:50 PM
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Julie
Read this book: Miracles in the Eucharist by Bob and Penny Lord also http://www.comepraytherosary.org/ current apparitions: holylove.org, medjugroje.org, pedroregis.com and thewarningsecondcoming.com
11/24/2011 8:55:50 PM
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Maja
Dear Fr. Barron

Thank you so much for this - it brought me closer to our Lord in the Eucharist.

I can`t tell you how helpful it is!

God bless!
3/27/2012 4:06:25 PM
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