The Breaking of Bread and the Healing Word (23/6/2012)
Every Mass I attend at St. Michaels, Enniskillen is prefaced with a short anticipation in words of the Gospel or a word of recognition for the deceased faithful.
Jesus clearly refers back to the parables in the Gospel of John at Pentecost when he refers to the parables as having been spoken in the face of mortal dangers as “veiled language” (Catholic New Jerusalem Bible). The Good News Bible refers to Jesus’ words at the breaking of bread as “figures of speech”. This version of the Last Supper is antithetical to the doctrines of the Catholic Church. Jesus was speaking in the pluperfect tense as every educated Catholic knows. The Good News Bible version of The Last Supper does not concur with the doctrine of transubstantiation in Holy Communion.
The Anglican/Calvinist doctrine of consubstantiation i.e. people sharing a memorial of Jesus’ Paschal Sacrifice at Pentecost is antithetical to the call to lift our cross and follow Jesus.
Anglican and Presbyterian doctrine also rejects the healing, redemptive power of confession of our sins to a priest. I recall vaguely from the Good News Bible itself that it says we should confess our sins to a priest “since that is his job”.
The deep psychological distress caused by unemployment, poverty, drugs and a laissez-faire attitude to relationships meets with no meaningful response from the Evangelical Churches.
Empty pews speak volumes!
