No. 41 I want to ask a question about the Lord�s Supper, but I�m not even sure how to ask the proper question. So let me simply ask, would you be willing to discuss the Spirit�s role in the Eucharist? >>DR. LEOPALDO SANCHEZ M.: Much more will be said by Professor Ziegler on the Lord's Supper, Joshua. So I'll be brief on this point. In the Lord's Supper we receive Christ's own flesh, his very body and blood, together with Christ's word of promise that we are receiving these gifts for the forgiveness of our sins. Now, we have already said that the Holy Spirit is inseparably united to Christ's own flesh and words. This means that each time Christ gives us his body and blood together with his promise of forgiveness, he also gives us his Holy Spirit to strengthen us in our faith in Christ. Faith in him. In the life everlasting. In the Roman Catholic tradition, the Holy Spirit works basically to change the bread into the body of Christ and the wine into the blood of Christ. This is the so-called doctrine of transubstantiation. In the classical Reformed tradition, the Holy Spirit leads the believer to eat the supper spiritually through faith as if the body of Christ is suddenly up there in the highest heaven and is only accessible to us when our faith soars into heaven to see Christ's body and blood up there. In either case notice that neither Roman Catholics, nor the Reformed, see Christ giving of the Spirit to us through his very flesh and Word of promise. This is a distinct contribution of the Lutheran understanding of the Holy Spirit's work through the Lord's Supper. There is also another point that could be mentioned briefly. And that is that the Holy Spirit also works in those who have received the gift of forgiveness through the supper. To make him a thankful people. So that in response to the gift, they may give thanks to God for the gifts received. In this way, the Holy Spirit works the eucharistic life in us, the life of thanksgiving to God for the gift of his Son in his body and blood.