3. In consecrated wine and bread
No eye perceives the mystery dread;
But Jesus' words are strong and clear:
"My body and My blood are here."
The Lutheran Hymnal, #304
We were singing this hymn during the worship service this morning when I began to wonder how the ELS and WELS could deny the obvious and obfuscate the Real Presence with these oily words: "We do not know the Moment of Consecration." Perhaps it was a burst of honesty for men trained against and training against the efficacy of the Word. They would not know anymore than Zwingli or C. Peter Wagner.
However, even the girly-men of WELS/ELS need to face a contradiction. If they do not know the efficacious Word consecrates, then how can they sing this glorious Holy Communion hymn? Have they crossed their fingers each time, objected to the worship commission, or left during the singing of this verse?
