Can you...

Hi Father,

After a discussion with a friend a question came up....

Can you know Jesus Christ without the Eucharist? Can you love Jesus Christ without the Eucharist?

Thanks for your help Father.

Gary


Gary,

Your question is best answered in terms of how the Catholic Church sees herself in relation to other religions. The Catholic Church teaches that the fullness of revealed truth, and therefore the fullness of knowledge of Christ that the Lord grants us in this world, is found in the Catholic Church. People can come to know God in a general sense, and Christ in particular, to varying degrees based upon how much they share in that fullness of truth that is in the Catholic Church. Therefore, people can and often do come to know and love Jesus without the Eucharist. It is often a person's knowledge and love of Christ that leads them into the Catholic Church. However, one does not fully know Jesus, as much as they may love him, until they encounter him in the Catholic Church, which of course reveals him in a unique and special way in the Eucharist. Once someone recognizes the profound beauty of Jesus in the Eucharist this facilitates a deepening of their love for him in light of this wonderful gift that he gave us.

Fr. Pisut