<> Ask the Pastor The Rev. Walter Snyder Q: The question is about the difference in the Lutheran Eucharist and the Catholic. As you know, we Catholics have a lot of detailed beliefs about the Real Presence, Transubstantiation, etc. In your view, are we in agreement that Jesus is physically and spiritually present in the Eucharist? I found your answer about disposing of the remaining wine helpful, but in your view are you pouring the Blood of Christ into the ground or do you treat it respectfully because of its use in your liturgy? A: There is a close affinity in much of Lutheran and Catholic doctrine, although we still have differences in some of our teachings. Lutherans teach the Real Presence in Communion. We take at face value such words of Christ as, "Take, eat, this is My body," as did Paul in 1 Corinthians 10:16. We believe that communicants receive bread and wine. We also believe that they, whether believing or not, receive Christ's true body, given into death, and his true blood, shed for sins. Believers also receive forgiveness, while unbelievers face condemnation. I'll not claim to be a great scholar of Roman Catholicism, but will assume that Transubstantiation remains the official teaching of your church. For those readers who are unfamiliar with the term, this means that the substance of the Lord's Supper is changed. That is, the basic reality of the bread and the wine are converted into the body and blood of Christ, while the outward appearances are not affected. Neither Lutherans nor Catholics deny that Christ's body and blood are actually eaten and drunk. While appreciating the symbolism that Christ has given his Church in the Eucharist, neither church claims that the Supper is merely representational. We also do not change the earthly elements of bread and wine to make them culturally relevant, or to appease those whose piety is offended by the use of alcohol. The Bible speaks of the bread and the cup of wine of the Passover and of the body and blood of Christ. So do we. As you mentioned, one means of disposal of the undrunk blood of Christ after the Supper is to respectfully commend it to the grounds of the church. However, this is not the preferred treatment. When possible, it is good to have no more bread and wine assembled and consecrated than will be used. If some extra does remain, the first choice is for the pastor to consume what remains. This is especially true for that body which has been handled by the minister and that blood which remains in the common cup or chalice. I realize that the Catholic Church also believes that the body and blood remain as such, even after the Supper is ended. Lutherans have not codified any specific doctrine on this matter, but the consensus is that this is for our eating and drinking, not for storage or for veneration. We will not stick out our necks finally to say whether it is body and blood or only bread and wine which remain, since the Scriptures are silent. If too much for the pastor to consume, that which has not come into contact with people is normally reserved. This is often done in different containers from the bread and wine which has not yet been on the altar. We then use it first in the next celebration of Holy Communion. All these details do not matter as much as the major point: We believe that in the Eucharist we are truly given and do eat and drink the very body and blood of Jesus Christ. While transubstantiation divides us from Catholicism, representationism is an even greater divide between most of Protestantism and our two churches. And actually, it is more than Lutherans and Catholics who agree that they receive Christ's body and blood in a more than spiritual manner, for some form of bodily, bloody sacramental presence is also taught in the Anglican/Episcopal Churches and in the churches of the Orthodox Communion. In other words, most of Christendom teaches that the words of the Lord are plain, simple, and true, and that his body and blood are truly given those who come to the altar. It is because of this that these bodies most often practice some form of catechesis (instruction) and examination before people are admitted to the Eucharist. We take seriously the warnings about eating the body to self-condemnation by those who despise or deny its presence. Until next week, when we enjoy more of your questions, remember to "Ask the Pastor" at P.O. Box 1080, Jasper, Texas, 75951; E-mail xrysostom@aol.com; or catch me around town. Pastor Snyder serves St. Paul and Faith Lutheran Churches, Jasper and Woodville, Texas and is coauthor of the book "What Do Lutherans Believe? A Study Guide in Christian Teachings for Adults." Copyright (c) 1996 by Walter P. Snyder Permission is granted by author to reproduce or retransmit this by any means, provided that its content is not altered, that this notice of copyright and permission is included, and that no financial gain is realized.