Acts 17:24-25

"The God who made the world and everything in it, being Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in shrines made by man, nor is he served by human hands, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives to all men life and breath and everything" (Acts 17:24-25 RSV).

Question:

Does the Eucharist become JESUS CHRIST's Body and Blood, or not, when praying?

Comment:

I have some difficulty in matching your question with the passage from Acts that you cited. This passage is from the speech delivered by the apostle Paul in the city of Athens. It's an important speech, not only for its memorable thoughts, but as a first step for Christianity on the continent of Europe.

It also marks the first recorded instance of Paul speaking to a non-Jewish audience. The listeners were followers of a number of religions and superstitions, and Paul is well aware of that fact. He doesn't use the words and references he might if he were speaking in a Jewish synagogue. His emphasis here is on a God more immense, more powerful than any of the so-called gods whose temples and demands were exhausting their various followers. The 'Lord of heaven and earth' cannot be confined within human structures and beliefs.

As to your question, the answer would vary widely depending on whom you asked. We recognize communion as a powerful ritual that affirms our innate Oneness with the Allness of the Divine. It's the body and blood we see as the infinite substance and energy that are available to us always, since we are the Christ in expression.

Blessings!

Rev. Ed