THE WAY THE EARLY CHRISTIANS DO – THE NASCENT CATHOLIC CHURCH Part II

In part I, we establish the historical continuity and the unbroken link in transmitting the True teaching of Christ. We read that the Church that Christ itself founded is CATHOLIC CHURCH according to Ignatius of Antioch the disciple of John the Apostle of Christ. This CATHOLIC CHURCH aside from being a gathering of believers of Christ [Christians] they share with them the core belief from our older brother (Judaism) as we read in [Acts 2:46] “they worshipped together at the temple each day, met in homes for the LORD’S SUPPER.” Again, the church – the CATHOLIC CHURCH whom Christians celebrate a new way of worshiping God is a systematic order according to the instructions of Christ transmitted to the Apostles and handed them to their successors like Clement of Rome; today, we call it EUCHARISTIC CELEBRATION from THE LORD’S SUPPER as we read in same verse.

THE WAY THE EARLY CHRISTIANS DO – THE NASCENT CATHOLIC CHURCH 2

A True Identity of Christian Community

By c.pio

(C) CHURCH AS A FAITHFUL PEOPLE OF GOD

      EUCHARIST AND TRANSUBTANTIATION

To begin with, since we have now the idea what manner the Early Christian celebrate the LORD’S SUPPER OR THE EUCHARISTICS CELEBRATION, let as deal with how they treat the BREAD AND WINE IN CELEBRATING THIS LORD’S SUPPER. “And he took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to
them, saying, "This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in memory of me” [Luke 22:19] As a faithful Christian they treat this with reverence and confess that the BREAD AND WINE IS TRULY THE REAL FLESH AND BLOOD OF CHRIST – THE MYSTERY OF TRANSUBSTANTIATION.

In examining this, we must put first Paul on his comment on the EUCHARIST “The chalice of benediction which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? and the bread that we break, is it not a sharing in the body of Christ?” [1Cor10:16] we are right, although Paul was not with the group of Christ while Christ initiate the First Eucharistic Celebration but Paul knew it well that the meaning is literal because it was transmitted to him by the Apostles [see his comment on 1Cor.15:3 – Part I].

                                                                                            

Ignatius of Antioch once again, gave an exact word who had been the disciple of John the Apostle of Christ:

“They abstain from the Eucharist and from prayer because
they do not confess that the Eucharist is the flesh of our Savior Jesus Christ,”

Aside from Ignatius of Antioch let us walk a few steps to have Ireneaus – disciple of Polycarp who was a disciple of John the apostle of Christ. [Polycarp according to Ireneaus sat at the feet of the Apostle John]

          “Then, again, how can they [the Gnostics] say that the flesh, which is nourished with the body of the Lord and with His blood, goes to corruption, and does not partake of life? Let them, therefore, either alter their opinion, or cease from offering the things just mentioned. But our opinion is in accordance with the eucharist, and the eucharist in turn establishes our opinion. For we offer to Him His own, announcing consistently the fellowship and union of the flesh and Spirit. For as the bread, which is produced from the earth, when it receives the invocation of God, is no longer common bread, but the eucharist, consisting of two realities, earthly and heavenly; so also our bodies, when they receive the eucharist, are no longer corruptible, having the hope of the resurrection to eternity”

THE EUCHARIST – the Lord Jesus Christ is clear in his instruction which he gave to his apostles “DO THIS IN REMEMBRANCE OF ME” so does the Apostles transmitted this to their successors. Thereby NOT A SYMBOL, NOT A MERE PIECE OF BREAD AND WINE BUT TRULY TRANSFORM INTO CHRIST BODY AND BLOOD! As Didache summarize it in a suffice manner:

“But let no one eat or drink of your Eucharist, unless they have been baptized into the name of the Lord; for concerning this also the Lord has said, "Give not that which is holy to the dogs."

They revered with utmost HOLINESS, THE PINNACLE OF THEIR WORSHIP TO GOD that cannot be given to unworthy persons – THE WAY THE CATHOLIC DO TODAY.

HONORING SAINTS AND ITS RELICS

“As a result of the Apostles’ work, sick people were brought out into the streets on beds and mats so that PETER’S SHADOW might fall across some of them as he went by” [Acts 5:15] and "God did extraordinary miracles through Paul, so that even handkerchiefs and aprons that had touched him were taken to the sick, and their illnesses were cured and the evil spirits left them" [Acts 19:11-12] Implicitly describe in this biblical account how the early Christians venerate the HOLY PERSONS and ANYTHING ATTACHED on them will be use by God in showing his grace. Since we read it implicitly let us checks on the account of their successors if they explicitly describe this account:          

“For him we worship as the Son of God, but the martyrs we love as disciples and imitators of the Lord; and rightly, because of their unsurpassable affection toward their own King and Teacher. God grant that we too may be their companions and fellow-disciples.”

          

“When therefore the centurion saw the contentiousness caused by the Jews, he put the body in the midst, as was their custom, and burnt it. Thus we, at last, took up his bones, more precious than precious stones, and finer than gold, and put them where it was meet. There the Lord will permit us to come together according to our power in gladness and joy, and celebrate the birthday of his martyrdom, both in memory of those who have already contested, and for the practice and training of those whose fate it shall be.”

Clear as the wording, we can read from the account of Martyrdom of Polycarp by Ireneaus disciple of Polycarp, who had been the disciple of John the Apostle of Christ NOT ONLY THE SHADOW BUT WITH GLADNESS, THEY KEEP THE “RELICS” [LIKE BONES] PRECIOUS THAN GOLD AND CELEBRATE THE FEAST OF THIS HOLY PERSON/S. - THE WAY THE CATHOLIC DO TODAY.

What we share on this article is only just a fraction [just a mere piece] of the whole truth that Christ revealed to his Apostles that pass all the way down to our generations. So let the word of Clement magnify what the Apostles said from the beginning [Act 10:41-42, 1Jn. 1:1, 1Cor.15:3 and 2Tim.2:2]

"Our apostles also knew, through our Lord Jesus Christ, and there would be strife on account of the office of the episcopate. For this reason, therefore, inasmuch as they had obtained a perfect fore-knowledge of this, they appointed those [ministers] already mentioned, and afterwards gave instructions, that when these should fall asleep, other approved men should succeed them in their ministry. We are of opinion, therefore, that those appointed by them, or afterwards by other eminent men, with the consent of the whole Church, and who have blame-lessly served the flock of Christ in a humble, peaceable, and disinterested spirit, and have for a long time possessed the good opinion of all, cannot be justly dismissed from the ministry."

                                                                                                                        

And Let Polycarp summarize this; "the useless speculations of the masses and their false doctrines, and turn to the teaching delivered to us in the beginning."