In the Holy Eucharist under the appearance of bread and wine,
the Lord Christ is contained, offered and received.
The Eucharist is the source and summit of the whole Christian Life. When we receive Holy Communion we receive the Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord who loves each of us intimately.
The Holy Eucharist
completes Christian initiation whereby we become fully initiated into the Church.
Those who have been raised to the dignity of the royal priesthood by Baptism and configured more deeply to Christ by Confirmation participate with the whole community in the Lord's own sacrifice by means of the Eucharist. Though we have been anointed priest, prophet and king at Baptism, and we have been empowered by Confirmation to spread the good news of what Christ has done for us through his life, death, and resurrection, we carry this new life of the soul in a fragile body which is subject to many kinds of adversities. Christ gave us the sacrament of the Eucharist, the "food of the soul", through which we can grow and mature in this new life and reach the degree of glory Christ has intended for us in Heaven.
The Eucharist is a Sacrament of Love.
Through the Eucharist our union with Christ is increased. As we take time to be with him at Mass and receive him in Holy Communion, we can expect to become more like him day by day. We grow in love as we become more of one mind and heart with Him. When the bread of life is received with attention and sincerity our lesser faults are forgiven and the life of the soul is increased. Just as the well-nourished body will not fall prey to all the germs it inhales, so the soul, regularly nourished with the Body and Blood of Christ, will be able to repel temptations that come our way. Faithfulness to the beloved of our soul, Jesus, will help us to grow in compassion, forgiveness, and caring. We become persons of better quality as we live the new life of the soul. We become more attentive and caring of our brothers and sisters as we come to recognize that we are all one in Christ. We are all God's children and the Eucharist binds us together in love.
Jesus said: "I am the living bread come down from Heaven; if anyone eats this bread, he will live forever,...he who eats my flesh and drinks my blood, has eternal life and ...abides in me, and I in him"(Jn 6:51, 54, 56,).
The Whole Christ is contained in the Eucharist.
The whole Christ is really, truly, and substantially present in the Holy Eucharist. We use these words "really, truly, and substantially" to describe Christ's presence in the Holy Eucharist. This distinguishes Our Lord's teaching from that of mere men who falsely teach that the Holy Eucharist is only a sign or figure of Christ, or that He is present only by his power. We believe Jesus is entirely present in the Holy Eucharist - Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity; God and man.
Christ instituted the Holy Eucharist at the Last Supper.
At the Last Supper He took bread, blessed and broke it, And giving it to his Apostles, said: "Take this, all of you, and eat it: This is my body which will be given up for you."Then he took the cup of wine, blessed it, and giving thanks said: "Take this, all of you, and drink from it: This is the cup of my blood, the blood of the new and everlasting covenant, it will be shed for you and for all so that sins may be forgiven."Finally, he gave his apostles the commission: "Do this in memory of me."
When Our Lord said, "This is my body," the entire substance of the bread was changed into his body; and when he said,"This is the cup of my blood," the entire substance of the wine was changed into his blood. This marvelous change is called transubstantiation.
Christ could not have used clearer words than "This is my Body." He did not say, "This is a sign of my body," or "This represents my body," but, "This is my body."
Catholics take Christ at his word because he is the omnipotent God. On his word they know that the Eucharist is the Body and Blood of Christ. After the substance of the bread and wine has been changed into our Lord's Body and Blood, there remain only the appearances of bread and wine.
