The Real Presence
Objection: “As for the Eucharist, no one in the early Church believed
that the bread and wine changed into the real body and blood of
Christ!”
The sacrament of the Blessed Eucharist is the Body, Blood, Soul and
Divinity of Jesus Christ under the appearances, or accidents, of bread and
wine. Unlike the other sacraments, it not only bestows grace but contains
the Author of Grace Himself. So, by giving us His Body and Blood to
drink, Christ has left us the legacy of His very self: “He has gained renown
by his wonderful deeds; the Lord is gracious and merciful. He provides
food for those who fear him” (Ps. 111 [110]:4-5).
Christ fulfilled His promise to give us His Flesh and Blood at the Last
Supper:
“Jesus took bread, and blessed, and broke it, and gave it to the disciples
and said, Take, eat; this is my body. And he took a cup, and when he had
given thanks he gave it to them, saying, Drink of it, all of you; for this is my
blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of
sins” (St. Matt. 26:26; cf. St. Mark 14:22; St. Luke 22:19; 1 Cor. 10:4-21).
The Church calls this mysterious change of the bread and wine into Christ’s
Body and Blood Transubstantiation (Lateran IV, 1215). The substances of
the bread and the wine are changed respectively into the substances of
Christ’s Body and Blood, while the accidents (i.e., color, shape, taste, etc.)
of the bread and the wine remain unchanged.
In St. John’s Gospel chapter 6 we find the great discourse of Our Lord
concerning the future promise of the Eucharist. For our purposes it is best
to outline the principal verses in full:
“Jesus said to them, I am the bread of life; he who comes to me shall not
hunger, and he who believes in me shall never thirst … For I have come
down from heaven, not to do my own will, but the will of him who sent me;
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