The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1912-12-02

Bread which came down from
Heaven" Some say that when Christ
used these words he was speaking but
tiguratively. a slight knowledge of
the Syrn-Chaldaic language would
show the fallacy Of such an assertion.
TO cat ones flesh and drink ones
blood used figuratively meant to- do
someone a personal injury. to do him
bodily harm. IL we take the figurn-
tive expression we have Our Lord
making the foolish assertion that II
anyone ~calumniates Him or Is avenged
upon Him or does Him bodily harm he
will have life everlasting.
tation Is at on"e evident. He went
further and said that the Bread that
I will give IL My Flesh for the life Of
the world" The Jews understood Our
Lord In II literal sense. because In the
next verse st. John tells us. "The
Jews therefore strove among them
selves saying. How can This Man give
us His Flesh to eat?"
Question Was Natural.
1t was a Very natural question on
the part Of those who understood that
Our Lord VAS speaking plain every
day language. Strange to say Our
Lord did not explain His words as was
His custom when He was m%isundcr-
stood. but allowed those about Him to
take the literal meaning. 1t was n
strange action on Our Lords part. he
mitted millions OF christians the
world over to worship the bread and
wine as His Body and Blood ever
since that date. a word would have
prevented this hcinous sin. but He ut
tered it not. In fact He repeated and
reiterated the assertion. Except YOU
eat of the Flesh of the Son of Man
~ r1virNl, It,, Il1~.,1 80 sl,olI ~~k
have life in YOU" and then we read.
that many Of his disciples hearing
this saying. said, this is a hard saying
and who can believe it?" He looked
ut them and said: Does this scandal
izc YOU" but not a word did He utter
to tell them hat He was only speak,
ing figuratively.
To show hat He had power to work
such Il miracle. He appealed to the
fact of His future ascension into
heaven. The promise was fulfilled at
the last supper. st. Mark tells us that
whilst they were eating Jesus took
bread and blessed it and broke and
gave to them and said, take We. this is
My Body and having taken the
chalice giving thanks He gave it to
them and they all drank of 1t. and He
said to them. This is My Blood Of the
New Testament which shall be shed
for many"
Meant What He Said.
The Catholic church teaches that
Christ meant what he said and doing
so she has a great deal of evidence to
back up her assertion. First Of all be-
cause it was the last time He was go
ing to he with the disciples and was
practically making His last will and
testament. II there is ever a time
when a mar speaks plainly it is upon
his deathbed. Secondly. He was talk
ing to twelve ignorant fishermen and
had to be explicit: and. thirdly, II He
really meant the expression to be un-
derstood figuratively 1t seem strange
that He should adopt such language,
because If Christ wished to say
This represents My Body" He could
have said 1t in about f~orty-seven diff
ferent ways. Why would He not re-
sort to one Of these mean in view Of
the fact that He must have f~oreseen
that once again His words would be
interpreted wrongly by the vast ma
jority Of the christian people.
However. Cardinal Newman has
we'll said that anything may be proved
from scripture. and in order to find