The faith of our fathers - Carmel Apologetics

"336 THE FAITH OF OUR FATHERS.We DOW arrive at the third class of Scripturetexts xvhich have reference to the use or receptionof the Sacrament among the faithful.When Jesus, as you remember, instituted theEucharist at His last Supper, He commanded Hisdisciples and their successors to renew, till the endof time, in remembrance of Him, the ceremonywhich He performed.What I have done, do ye alsofor a commemoration of Me." 1We have a very satisfactory means of ascertainingthe Apostolic belief in the doctrine of the Eucharist,by examining what the Apostles did in commemoration of our Lord. Did they bless and distributemere bread and wine to the faithful? or did theyconsecrate, as they believed, the body and blood ofJesus Christ ? If they professed to give only breadand wine inmemory of our Lord sSupper, then theCatholic interpretation falls to the ground. If, onthe contrary, we find the Apostles and their successors, from the first to the nineteenth century, professing to consecrate and dispense the body andblood of Christ, and doing so by virtue of the command of their Saviour, then the Catholic interpretation alone is admissible.Let St. Paul be our first witness. Represent yourself as a member of the primitive Christian congregation assembled in Corinth. A letter is read fromthe Apostle Paul, in which the following words occur :1Luke xxii. 19,