The Eucharist

It is the sacrament that makes truly present the whole Christ—Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity—along with His redemptive sacrifice, under the appearances of bread and wine. It is the «source and summit» of the entire Christian life: in it, Christ Himself gives Himself to us as spiritual food (sacraments).

At the Last Supper, on the night before He died. He took bread and said, «This is my Body, which will be given up for you»; and then the chalice, «This is the chalice of my Blood». And He commanded: «Do this in memory of me», entrusting to the Apostles the priestly power to renew it perpetually. Earlier He had solemnly promised: «I am the bread of life».

The Mass is the liturgical celebration in which the Eucharistic sacrifice is made present; the Eucharist is the divine gift received within it, which remains reserved in the Tabernacle. They are never opposed: the Mass re-presents the sacrifice of Calvary, and Holy Communion unites us intimately with Christ truly present in the Sacrament.

He is truly present. Under the species of bread and wine He Himself is substantially, wholly, and livingly present. It is not an image or a symbol designed to prompt thoughts of a Christ situated elsewhere: it is He Himself, truly present. Jesus' words leave no room for misunderstanding: He did not say "this represents my body," but «This IS my Body». So unmistakable was His declaration that many disciples, upon hearing that they must eat His flesh, abandoned Him as speaking too harshly; yet Jesus did not call them back to soften His words as a mere metaphor.

That, through the words of consecration and the efficacious power of the Holy Spirit, the entire substance of bread is converted into the Body of Christ, and the entire substance of wine into His Blood, while the physical accidents—taste, appearance, weight, smell—of bread and wine remain unchanged. In a word: what they truly are changes, while what can be seen remains.

By trusting the word of Him who revealed it, who is God. This presence «cannot be apprehended by the senses, but only by faith» (faith). This is not believing contrary to reason, but placing trust in Someone who possesses supreme divine authority. Moreover, our Lord has occasionally confirmed this truth through visible signs, such as the Eucharistic miracle of Lanciano, where the Host visibly turned into human heart muscle.

What bodily food accomplishes in the body, but in reverse: ordinary bread is assimilated by the one who consumes it; here, the one who receives Holy Communion is transformed into Christ. Specifically:

• it unites us intimately with Christ and increases sanctifying grace.
• it forgives venial sins and preserves us from future mortal sin.
• it unites Christians with one another, building up the Church.
• it is a «pledge of future glory»: food for our pilgrimage toward heaven.

With deep faith, exterior reverence, and above all, in the state of grace: anyone conscious of grave sin must receive sacramental absolution beforehand (Confession). One does not welcome an eminent guest into a house that is untidy and neglected. The Eucharistic fast, a few minutes of recollected preparation beforehand, and a heartfelt prayer of thanksgiving afterward are essential helps: never rushing away with Jesus newly received within.

Because Christ remains truly present as long as the Eucharistic species subsist, He is to be adored in the Tabernacle and in solemn Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament. Making a visit or spending time in prayer before the Tabernacle is conversing heart-to-heart with Someone who is really there, waiting for us. Few realizations transform a human life as profoundly as discovering that in the neighboring church, Someone is truly present (prayer).