How can God be contained in a flat piece of pressed bread? It is ludicrous. How can God be contained in all his fullness in a tiny sip of wine. It is ludicrous. How can God be in heaven and yet still be on the altar? It also it ludicrous. These things have confounded well-meaning Christians forever.
Solomon understand the logical lunacy of believing that God could be contained in earthly space and matter. In his case it was the house he had built for God the temple.
1 Kings 8:27 "But will God indeed dwell on the earth? Behold, heaven and the highest heaven cannot contain you; how much less this house that I have built!
It was ludicrous. And yet, there was the promise of God.
1 Kings 6:12-13 "Concerning this house that you are building, if you will walk in my statutes and obey my rules and keep all my commandments and walk in them, then I will establish my word with you, which I spoke to David your father. And I will dwell among the children of Israel and will not forsake my people Israel."
So God was truly present in the temple. So did that mean he had to abdicate his throne in heaven?
1 Kings 8:30 And listen to the plea of your servant and of your people Israel, when they pray toward this place. And listen in heaven your dwelling place, and when you hear, forgive.
His presence in the temple did not prevent him from being truly present on his throne in heaven. Ludicrous as it was. God was truly present in the house Solomon built for him.
So can Jesus be present in a flat piece of pressed bread? Yes, just as surely as he was present in the temple. Can Jesus be contained in all his fullness in a tiny sip of wine? Yes, even though it might confound the mind. Can Jesus be present at the right hand of the Father in heaven and yet still be on the altar? Yes, by word and promise clear.
The doctrine of the real presence is ludicrous. It is ludicrous and I believe it with all my being. Why? Because my mind can grasp it? No. Because my Lord has promised it. This is most certainly true.
It’s the Mystery of the Sacrament of the Altar?
Good. Bread, wine and a temple. Are there any other objects that you can think of that can be included in the Doctrine of the Real Presence?
Well YOU’d make a terrible Calvinist! 🙂
That Christ is present does not mean He is contained. 😉
As ludicrous and the Word becoming flesh and dwelling “tenting” among us, or the Holy Spirit being contained in a dove. The sinful nature needs God to be big an magnificent and way high up so that we can attempt to ascend to His plane to show how good and deserving we are instead of humbly accepting that he would dare come to us.
Fits right in with the discussion I’ve been having with the parents of my confirmation class.
Enjoying your blog.
Josh,
Actually, it does mean he is contained. It is a paradox. He was “contained” in the Blessed Virgin and He was “contained” in a body. He is also contained in the Eucharist. That does not diminish his omnipresence. It’s a both…and proposition, not either…or.