There are many highly symbolic elements in almost every religion. In the case of Catholicism it represents the Common union (as the name implies) between those that take Communion and Jesus/God.

Obedience to the command of God. At the Last Supper, Jesus said, “Take this bread. It is my body.” Then he said, “Take this and drink. This is my blood. Do this in memory of me.” Catholics believe this was the First Eucharist, that through a miracle the bread and wine actually became the body and blood of Jesus Christ. Catholics reenact the Last Supper during every Mass, where God, acting through the priest, changes the bread and wine into the body and blood of Jesus Christ. This is a great sacrament of thanksgiving and unity of Catholics. By the way, the Eastern Catholic, Oriental Orthodox and Eastern Orthodox Churches, the Assyrian Church of the East, the Lutheran and many Anglican Churches also believe in the Real Presence of Jesus Christ in the Eucharist. This is more than half of all Christians in the world. For more information, see the Catechism of the Catholic Church, sections 1322 and following: http://www.usccb.org/catechism/text/pt2sect2chpt1art3.htm With love in Christ.

Because the God-Man Jesus Christ, the Second Person of the Blessed Trinity, said to. I do not need to subject the command of the infinite God-Man to my finite intellect. In this case, I subject my intellect to my will, knowing that this is the teaching of Jesus through His Catholic Church for 20 centuries; and knowing that Jesus can not deceive. I walk by faith and not by sight. The Church is called to teach what Jesus taught. I am called to learn it (an act of the intellect) and accept it (an act of the will). In the end, it will not be what I know that saves me, but who I love. And Jesus said, "si diligitis me mandata mea servate" (L)

You consume wine and holy wafers to represent the symbolism of communion, but if Jesus existed, during his suppers and all I'm pretty sure he didn't actually make his apostles rip chunks out of him.

the bible is his flesh, the word is his blood. when you read the bible you eat his body and drink his blood.

Extreme hunger?! ;-)

curiosity..i never ate anyone but i've always wondered how humans taste and what cannibals like about it..the blood thing..i'm not sure..i like my own blood but i never tasted anyone elses

Hells no would you?

I wouldn't!!!! No way NO how!

Because you were thirsty and hungry. Sheez, why else? LOL

Because Jesus Christ, the Messiah, whom Catholics believe is the Son of God, told us to. "Unless you eat my flesh and drink my blood you shall not have life within you." Why would you want to keep asking religious questions if you claim to have no interest in religion?

because it's really just a large cult

Read Stranger in a Strange Land by Robert Heinlein it explains it perfectly.

HE gave HIMSELF...wine and bread are symbolic ...wine w as HIS blood, which HE shed for us and the bread was HIS body which suffered for us...this is symbolic and when done it is in "Remembrance of HIm".... Israel was in covenant relationship with God,but now there would be a NEW covenant brought about by Christs blood. Je.31:31 no more sacrifice, HE was the Blood of the Lamb....Is. 53:12..HE was the "bread of life".. u people know better, HE was physically there but u make it so ugly and ur reasonings are inane and immature..mentally and spiritually....I pray God will open ur minds...and let u HEAR.....

Jesus said unless you eat my flesh and drink my blood you have no life within you.Even the deciples had a hard time understanding what Jesus ment so Jesus repeats himself and pretty much says eat and drink my body and blood.Jesus comands this he wants to be inside you so you can be more holy.

Cuz I turned into a freakin zombie...duh!

I would not want to do this. This whole "transubstantiation" thing is wacked.

I'd only do it for survival. Maybe.

I was hungry and I didn't eat all of her. Geez!

Because I haven't eaten since lunch.

The real (as modern men understand real) thing? I can't imagine why. But their meaning in the context of the Old Testament explains a lot. First, we must understand that in Biblical terms, "real" isn't defined in ontological or chemical/material terms, but in functional terms. In Hebrew, the word for "land" is literally "a standing[place]", "day" is literally "a warming". and "darkness" is "a confusing/benighting". Even God's Name is a verb. Biblically, what a thing IS is defined by what it DOES, especially by what it does in spiritual, moral, and relational contexts, not physiological ones. "Flesh" and "Blood" in the Bible are likewise defined by their function IN the Old Testament: Blood - it contains/is the life; the shedding of it remits sin; consuming it imbues one with the life of the source. Flesh - a uniting/corporate idea: people of one flesh are essentially not individuals, but members of one body; the breaking/severing/rending of flesh and then passing between the halves formally, ritualisticaly, and legally establishes a covenant (what we call a blood oath) - the covenant rite is used to make two parties "one flesh", because the person who is doing the covenanting is essentially saying, "If I ever go back on my committment to you, may this be done to me [may I be torn in two or more pieces, since that's essentially what I'd be doing to us]." As in the case with God's covenant with Abraham, it is God who is doing the covenanting. But, like Abraham, we then comemorate and celebrate the covenant by eating the sacrifice. The idea of Transubstantiation is that the elements become the flesh and blood of Christ IN THE BIBLICAL SENSE, that is, they take on the Biblical function. It's not enough to say that they symbolize the flesh and blood of Christ: the point is that they really DO what the flesh and blood of Christ does in the Biblical narrative: remit sin, impute the life of Christ, confirm and celebrate the Covenant, making us of one with Christ.

I really don't know

And practice cannibalism? No thanks!

How else are you going to truly live out your Twilight fantasies?

EEEEEWWWWWWWW!!!!!!! I wasn't aware that I said I would want to. I must have been high or something. Sorry to have given you that impression. ;)

What I want to is at what point transubstantiated bread STOPS being Jesus. Is it still Jesus when it works it's way through my digestive system? Do I shit Jesus?

to gain their POWER!

How many people can say they've eaten a god?... oh yeah

From downtherabbithole: "Christianity is a religion fixated on human sacrifice and blood offering. The catholic ritual of communion seems innocuous and benign. But it's roots lie deep in blood sacrifice for sins committed. The transmutation of wine into blood and bread into the flesh of a human sacrifice is a alteration of the Jewish tradition of the sacrificial lamb.This is affirmed with John the Baptists claim that Jesus was the "Lamb of God." In the Temple like any good Jew of the time, both Jesus and John were witness to the Priests ritual of the blood sacrifice of a lamb for the sins of the year." http://www.downtherabbithole.us/Blood.htm Wikipedia has two articles on human sacrifice, each with links to other resources: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sacrifice#Human_sacrifice http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_sacrifice It was no accident when Jesus said "Eat my flesh & drink my blood." Christianity is a ritualized sequel to ancient pagan human sacrifice.

this is symbolic...HE ask we REMEMBER HIM when we take this...the blood HE gave and the human flesh HE suffered/sacrificed and why HE suffered HIS BODY : for US....juice represents the blood HE shed and the bread is the body HE sacrificed...HE died/suffered as a human the same way u would have if it had been u!!! it hurt like HELL! and yes, HE could of stopped it, but it would not of gave us the HOPE had HE did so!!amen i know for unbelievers this may be too profound/deep for some to grasp...but I just cannot believe most are so shallow that cannot see the symbolic of this ...u have to know this is not LITERALLY what HE meant...u sound like a 5 yr. old....

If i was starving i would so eat someone.. - Symbolism of flesh and blood is symbolism, its not real flesh and blood with all due respect!

For a non-religious answer read Rene Girard books (he is a french anthropologist, a pleasant read I assure you). He analyses the myth and idea of the scapegoat in human history. Pretty much the idea is that people need periodical sacrifices and violence. Jesus and communion become a substitute for real sacrifice, so that people can go through the process without killing anyone and remembering what violence and actual sacrifice do (the cross is the ultimate scapegoat story). In this sense there is a coherence between what Jesus instructed us and our human nature. Not a pretty picture of humanity, but accurate by many accounts. PS. I am a Catholic believer and could give you the standard answer (one I believe in, btw) but I suspect some prefer less religious answers.

Depends if you are talking about the bible it was to remeber Jesus I think but if you are talking about really eating someone you could do it to survive or you are hungery or you might just be a cannibal.

I don't drink someone's blood or eat their flesh but I do take wine and bread as Jesus has commanded, in remembrance of what He did on the cross. But then, I think you already knew that. :)

What're you, some kind'a FREAK!?!