Q. Second reason my church disagrees with your church's literal interpretation is because there is no indication the disciples worshipped the elements.
The adoration of the Eucharist is practiced during the Mass. Catholicism says, "Moreover, the Catholic Church has held firm to this belief in the presence of Christ's Body and Blood in the Eucharist not only in her teaching but in her life as well since she has at all times paid this great Sacrament the worship known as "latria," which may be given to God alone."Where is the worship given the sacrament by the disciples anywhere in the New Testament? It is not there.
How would you respond to that!?
A. By pointing out that nowhere in the New Testament do we find the disciples reading the Bible. It is not there. (As we keep repeating: the Bible itself was not there. 70 years would pass after Jesus glorious Ascension before the last Apostle (St. John) wrote the final "instalment" of the New Testament (his Gospel, not the book of Revelation. Books in the Bible are not arranged in the order they were written). It would take another 300 years before the Bible as we know it today would be compiled.
Were there any Christians in this interim period? Of course!
We're they true Christians? Of course!
Even without the Bible? Of course!
Then how did they know what to believe and how to practice their Faith? Through what the Apostles taught. By word of mouth (see 2 Thes 2:15). The example and traditions the Apostles set up (1 Cor 4:16, 11:1, Phil 3:17, etc).
Q. Just occurred to me all those Christians who lived in those early centuries quite literally depended on every word the Apostles preached in order to learn how to live their new found Faith. As you say, they didn't have a Bible to read on their own much less interpret on their own. So the words and example of the Apostles must have been super fundamental.
A. Wow! Hadn't thought of it that way...
Q. So do we have anything from the first Christians about them celebrating the Mass or worshipping the elements?
A. Well St. Luke in his account of the Acts of the Apostles already notes that on the very day of the birth of the Church - that is, on Pentecost Sunday - after Peter's preaching, about three thousand repented and were baptised that very day. And they begun living their new found Faith that same day. How? St. Luke answers: "And they devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers." (Acts 2:42) This is the same "breaking of bread" also called "the Lord's Supper" or "Eucharist" or "Mass" that Jesus himself celebrated the night before He died (see Mt 26:26, Mk 14:22, Lk 22:19, 1 Cor 11:24) and on the day He resurrected (Lk 24:30).
Happy Sunday!
13thNovember 2016