The Real presence

The presence of Christ by the power of his word and the Holy Spirit

1373 "Christ Jesus, who died, yes, who was raised from the dead, who is at the right hand of God, who indeed intercedes for us," is present in many ways to his Church:[195] in his word, in his Church's prayer, "where two or three are gathered in my name,"[196] in the poor, the sick, and the imprisoned,[197] in the sacraments of which he is the author, in the sacrifice of the Mass, and in the person of the minister. But "he is present . . . most especially in the Eucharistic species."[198]
1374 The mode of Christ's presence under the Eucharistic species is unique. It raises the Eucharist above all the sacraments as "the perfection of the spiritual life and the end to which all the sacraments tend."[199] In the most blessed sacrament of the Eucharist "the body and blood, together with the soul and divinity, of our Lord Jesus Christ and, therefore, the whole Christ is truly, really, and substantially contained."[200] "This presence is called 'real' - by which is not intended to exclude the other types of presence as if they could not be 'real' too, but because it is presence in the fullest sense: that is to say, it is a substantial presence by which Christ, God and man, makes himself wholly and entirely present."[201]
1375 It is by the conversion of the bread and wine into Christ's body and blood that Christ becomes present in this sacrament. The Church Fathers strongly affirmed the faith of the Church in the efficacy of the Word of Christ and of the action of the Holy Spirit to bring about this conversion. Thus St. John Chrysostom declares:
It is not man that causes the things offered to become the Body and Blood of Christ, but he who was crucified for us, Christ himself. The priest, in the role of Christ, pronounces these words, but their power and grace are God's. This is my body, he says. This word transforms the things offered.[202]
And St. Ambrose says about this conversion:
Be convinced that this is not what nature has formed, but what the blessing has consecrated. The power of the blessing prevails over that of nature, because by the blessing nature itself is changed.... Could not Christ's word, which can make from nothing what did not exist, change existing things into what they were not before? It is no less a feat to give things their original nature than to change their nature.[203] (Catechism of the Catholic Church)

The above statement from the Catechism of the Catholic Church is a good succinct description of the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist, but it requires us to spend some time and effort analyzing it if we are to fully understand it. We will spend the rest of this lesson looking at and studying material that should make the above more understandable and give us a greater appreciation of the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist.

Church Fathers

The first mention we have of the Eucharist outside of the Scriptures is in the letter of Clement of Rome to the Corinthians in AD 80. Note in the section below Clement reminds the Corinthians that they were commanded to celebrate sacrifice and services. It will become clear later in our study how sacrifice and the real presence are related.

Chapter 40. Let Us Preserve in the Church the Order Appointed by God.
These things therefore being manifest to us, and since we look into the depths of the divine knowledge, it behooves us to do all things in [their proper] order, which the Lord has commanded us to perform at stated times. He has enjoined offerings [to be presented] and service to be performed [to Him], and that not thoughtlessly or irregularly, but at the appointed times and hours. Where and by whom He desires these things to be done, He Himself has fixed by His own supreme will, in order that all things, being piously done according to His good pleasure, may be acceptable unto Him. Those, therefore, who present their offerings at the appointed times, are accepted and blessed; for inasmuch as they follow the laws of the Lord, they sin not. For his own peculiar services are assigned to the high priest, and their own proper place is prescribed to the priests, and their own special ministrations devolve on the Levites. The layman is bound by the laws that pertain to laymen.

The next place we encounter a mention of the Eucharist is in the Didache 9:2 and 14:1 written around 90 A.D.. In the first paragraph it becomes clear that the Eucharist is considered something more than a symbol it is considered sacred (holy). In the second selection we see that it is once again referred to as sacrifice.

But let no one eat or drink of your Thanksgiving (Eucharist), but they who have been baptized into the name of the Lord; for concerning this also the Lord has said, Give not that which is holy to the dogs.

But every Lord's day gather yourselves together, and break bread, and give thanksgiving after having confessed your transgressions, that your sacrifice may be pure. But let no one that is at variance with his fellow come together with you, until they be reconciled, that your sacrifice may not be profaned. For this is that which was spoken by the Lord: In every place and time offer to me a pure sacrifice; for I am a great King, says the Lord, and my name is wonderful among the nations.

In the second century many of the Church fathers wrote concerning the Eucharist. I have selected just a few of them for us to look at. The first writings we will look at our those of Justin Martyr. In his apology he makes it clear that he believes that the bread and wine are the body and blood of Christ.

Chapter 66. Of the Eucharist

And this food is called among us the Eucharist, of which no one is allowed to partake but the man who believes that the things which we teach are true, and who has been washed with the washing that is for the remission of sins and unto regeneration, and who is so living as Christ has enjoined. For not as common bread and common drink do we receive these; but in like manner as Jesus Christ our Saviour, having been made flesh by the Word of God, had both flesh and blood for our salvation, so likewise have we been taught that the food which is blessed by the prayer of His word, and from which our blood and flesh by transmutation are nourished, is the flesh and blood of that Jesus who was made flesh. For the apostles, in the memoirs composed by them, which are called Gospels, have thus delivered unto us what was enjoined upon them; that Jesus took bread, and when He had given thanks, said, This do in remembrance of Me, Luke 22:19 this is My body; and that, after the same manner, having taken the cup and given thanks, He said, This is My blood; and gave it to them alone.

St. Irenanaeus of Lyons in his writings Against Heresies, Book 5 Chapter 2,makes it clear that he believed that the Eucharist consisted of the body and blood of Christ.

But vain in every respect are they who despise the entire dispensation of God, and disallow the salvation of the flesh, and treat with contempt its regeneration, maintaining that it is not capable of incorruption. But if this indeed do not attain salvation, then neither did the Lord redeem us with His blood, nor is the cup of the Eucharist the communion of His blood, nor the bread which we break the communion of His body. 1 Corinthians 10:16 For blood can only come from veins and flesh, and whatsoever else makes up the substance of man, such as the Word of God was actually made. By His own blood he redeemed us, as also His apostle declares, In whom we have redemption through His blood, even the remission of sins. Colossians 1:14 And as we are His members, we are also nourished by means of the creation (and He Himself grants the creation to us, for He causes His sun to rise, and sends rain when He wills Matthew 5:45). He has acknowledged the cup (which is a part of the creation) as His own blood, from which He bedews our blood; and the bread (also a part of the creation) He has established as His own body, from which He gives increase to our bodies.

I think by now it is clear the early Church believed the bread and wine when consecrated become the Body and Blood of Christ. Before leaving the early Church Fathers I do want to quote St. Augustine, since he is sometimes quoted by Protestants as not accepting the Eucharist as the Body and Blood of Christ. The following come from his sermons.

... I promised you, who have now been baptized, a sermon in which I would explain the Sacrament of the Lord's Table, which you now look upon and of which you last night were made participants. You ought to know what you have received, what you are going to receive, and what you ought to receive daily. That Bread which you see on the altar, having been sanctified by the word of God, is the Body of Christ. That chalice, or rather, what is in that chalice, having been sanctified by the word of God, is the Blood of Christ. Through that bread and wine the Lord Christ willed to commend His Body and Blood, which He poured out for us unto the forgiveness of sins. If you receive worthily, you are what you have received.
What you see is the bread and the chalice; that is what your own eyes report to you. But what your faith obliges you to accept is that the bread is the Body of Christ and the chalice the Blood of Christ. ... How is the bread His Body? And the chalice, or what is in the chalice, how is it His Blood? Those elements, brethren, are called Sacraments, because in them one thing is seen, but another is understood. What is seen is the corporeal species, but what is understood is the spiritual fruit. ... `You, however, are the Body of Christ and His members.' If, therefore, you are the Body of Christ and His members, your mystery is presented at the table of the Lord, you receive your mystery. To that which you are, you answer: `Amen'; and by answering, you subscribe to it. For you hear: `The Body of Christ!' and you answer: `Amen!' Be a member of Christ's Body, so that your `Amen' may be the truth.

Now that we know that the early Church believed that the Eucharist is truly the Body and Blood of Christ is is time to start working on understanding this mystery. The first thing we will do is study the term "sacrament."

Sacrament

A somewhat basic definition of a sacrament can be found in the old Baltimore Catechism.

A sacrament is an outward sign instituted by Christ to give grace. ........ The sacraments receive their power to give grace from God through the merits of Jesus Christ.

This definition gives us a start at understanding the three main aspects of a sacrament. First, a sacrament is an outward sign. It is something visible to us. Second, a sacrament gives grace, which is a share in God's life. Third, the sacraments were instituted by Christ. The definition in the Catechism of the Catholic Church provides us with a definition of sacrament using passages from scripture which gives us a deeper understanding of sacraments.

Sacraments are 'powers that come forth' from the Body of Christ, which is ever-living and ever-giving. They are actions of the Holy Spirit at work in His Body, the Church. They are 'the masterworks of God' in the new and everlasting covenant. (1116)

If we take time and meditate on the above definition we get a sense of what sacraments are; Powers that come forth from the Body of Christ. Think of all the times Christ healed people while He was on earth. His powers went forth to heal people both physically and spiritually. The same is true today His power goes forth to bring us salvation from sin. Today the normal way for Christ to distribute this power we call grace is through the sacraments through the actions of the Holy Spirit.
The sacraments, which were established by Christ, are the normal means of extending salvation to each and every one of us.

Could Christ have used some other means to provide us with grace? Yes, but he chose to use the same method of communicating with us that we use for communicating with each other. We use signs all of the time. Words are signs, flags are signs, coat of arms are signs. Many things serve as signs. A sign is nothing more than a visible symbol of something that we can not see at the moment. For example the word "apple" is a sign for an apple. When we read the word apple we get an idea of what an apple is, but what ever comes to mind probably does not fully describe apples. Signs reveal something about the object they represent, but they also conceal much.

Sacraments like all signs tell us something about the reality they represent, but its symbolic value is infinitely richer. To better understand this let's take a look at the sacrament of Baptism. When a baby is baptized water is poured over the forehead three times. The primary symbolism represents the washing away of sins. The three pourings represent Christ's death, burial, and resurrection. It also represents are death to sin and a new birth to the divine life. Baptism may also bring to mind many scenes from scripture. Such as: the baptism of Jesus; the Spirit moving over the waters at the moment of creation; the passing of Isreal through the Red Sea; and many many more. As you can see sacramental signs represent many realities all at once. Soon we will look at the many realities present in the Eucharist.

It is important to keep in mind that sacraments are symbols that genuinely convey the reality they signify. In Baptism the removal of sin is not just symbolized but actually occurs.

The Eucharist

Now let's look at the Eucharist the summit of all sacraments. What does the sacrament signify. It signifies three things:

First, It signifies the Lords passion, which was a true sacrifice;

Second, it signifies ecclesiastical unity into which all men are incorporated through the sacrament (communion);

Third, It is a pledge of the glory to come, a figure of the divine fruition which will occur in heaven. It gives us the means of getting to heaven. In this vain it is called Eucharist, which means "good grace." It is "good grace because the grace of God is eternal life.

Eucharist as sacrifice

According to Abbot Vonier "the Catholic says that Christ's Body under the appearance of bread and Christ's blood under the appearance of wine represent His natural Body and Blood as they were on Calvary. This is the true and final expression of sacramental representation; and such representation suffices by itself to constitute the sacrifice, because the representation is of that moment of Christ's wonderful existence when He was truly the victim of sacrifice, His precious Blood drained from His Body."

Eucharist as Ecclesiastical Unity

When we receive Holy Communion our union with Christ becomes more intimate. In John 6:56 Christ says "He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me and I in him." Through this unity with Christ we are also united with all the the faithful, as the body of Christ.

Eucharist as Pledge of Glory to Come

When at the Last Supper Christ said "I tell you I shall not drink again of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father's kingdom" He is letting us know that the Eucharist looks forward to the time when we are with Him in Heaven. What greater gift can we have?

I think the Catechism puts it best in paragraph 1405.

There is no surer pledge or clearer sign of this great hope in the new heavens and the new earth "in which righteousness dwells," (2Pet 3:13) than the Eucharist. Every time this mystery is celebrated "the work of our redemption is carried on" and we "break the one bread that provides the medicine of immortality, the antidote for death, and the food that makes us live forever in Jesus Christ." St Ignatius of Antioch.

Transubstantiation

Transubstantiation is the name given to the hidden act of God that takes place at the consecration of the bread and wine. When the priest in the person of Christ pronounces the words of consecration the substance of the bread and the substance of the wine are changed into the substance of Christ's body and the substance of Christ's blood.

It is important to note that the Body and Blood of Christ are not brought down from heaven, but the Body and Blood of Christ are truly produced in an act of divine power. Just as in Baptism grace is produced in the human soul. Of course, the thing produced in the Eucharist -- the Body and Blood of Christ -- is far greater than the thing -- sanctifying grace -- produced in Baptism

When we say the substance of the bread and wine are changed we are saying that the essence of the bread and wine are changed. The bread and wine become the sacramental body and blood of Christ. The accidents of the bread and wine remain the same. The accidents of a thing are the outward appearances of a thing. In other words the color, shape, feel, etc..

We might ask if this body and blood of Christ which is produced in the Eucharist is the same as the natural body of Christ. The answer to the question is yes they are identical, but they are also different. The esse (mode of being) is different. In the Eucharist we have the Body of Christ and the Blood of Christ in a mode of being entirely different from the mode of being in which Christ was at the Last Supper, in which He is now in heaven. How can this be? This can be, because we are dealing with two different realms. The realm of sacraments and the realm of natural reality. Because we are dealing with the sacramental realm many things are possible that seem impossible when we think only of the natural realm of things.

Concomitance

If you look back to the description of the real presence in the Eucharist from the Catechism of the Catholic Church you will notice that it says the Eucharist contains the body, blood, soul, and divinity of Christ. How is this to be if when the priest consecrated the host it became the Body of Christ, and when he consecrated the wine it became the Blood of Christ. If the Body and Blood on the alter is the same as the Body and Blood in Heaven then they must be as they are in heaven. Thus the consecrated bread and wine consist of the Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity of Christ. Just like with transubstantiation concomitance is a mystery which we can not fully understand, but if we accept the fundamental principle that God has power to transpose reality and being from one order into the other then we can accept these two actions. God the creator of all things certainly has the ability to transpose reality and being from the realm of the natural order to the realm of the sacramental order.

Summary

Two thousand years ago Jesus, the only begotten Son of God became man. He was born of a virgin, lived as we live, was crucified, died, buried, and rose from the dead that we might have eternal life with God. His love for us manifest itself today in the Eucharist. A lover always wants to be physically close to the one loved. Jesus makes it possible for us to be close to Him in the Eucharist.

Increase Your Understanding

If you would like to receive feedback from me copy and paste the questions into your e-mail, answer them and send to mass1@musingsofacatholic.com

1. What do you think Jesus meant when He said "I am the living bread which came down from heaven; if any one eats of this bread he will live forever; and the bread I shall give for the life of the world is my flesh."?

2. In the Catechism of the Catholic Church we read that the whole Christ is truly, really, and substantially contained in the Eucharist. What is meant by this?

3. What is being talked about in the Didache when it speaks of sacrifice?

4. In the second century Justin Martyr placed several restrictions on the reception of communion. What were they?

5. What did St. Augustine say our faith obliged us to see in the Eucharist?

6. What is the basic definition of a sacrament?

7. What are the three main aspects of a sacrament?

8. What three things does the Eucharistic sacrament signify?

9. What is Transsubstantation?

10. What is meant by Concomitance?