Eucharist as Real Presence

     At the heart of all the other aspects of the mystery of the Eucharist is the fact that it is truly the Body and Blood of Christ. For if the Eucharist were only “blessed bread and holy wine”, then it would not have the ability to truly represent the sacrifice of the cross, nor could it give us true communion with Christ and with our fellow communicants. And all the other dimensions of the Eucharist - offering, memorial, banquet, pledge - would be greatly devalued.

 

     Traditionally, Catholic belief that the Eucharist is the Body and Blood of Christ is referred to as belief in the Real Presence (of Christ in the Eucharist). I would like to begin my reflection on this topic by first looking at the word “real.” A woman stopped to visit her uncle at Christmas. She admired his Christmas tree and asked, “Is that a real tree?” “No,” he said, “it’s only a figment of your imagination.”

 

     The point of this story is that “real” can mean different things. A tree can be real or imaginary. But it can also be really natural or really artificial. So the risen Lord can be really present in a variety of ways. He is really present where two or three gather in His name, He is really present when a priest celebrates the sacraments, He is really present when the Gospel is proclaimed, He is really present in the poor, the least of His brothers and sisters.

 

     So how do these “real presenses” differ from the Real Presence? Well, the Lord is really present through the priest or the assembly or the poor, but they still remain human beings. He is really present in the words of the Gospel, but they remain human words. But in the Eucharist the Lord is present in the bread and wine to such an extent that they cease to be bread and wine any longer. This is what the traditional word “transubstantiation” tries to get across to us. The bread and wine are gone after the consecratory prayers are prayed by the priest. Only their appearances remain. To put it bluntly and simply - this is Jesus!

 

     This is why although we show (or should show) great respect for the liturgical assembly, the priest, the poor and the scriptures, we don’t genuflect to them. We genuflect only to the Eucharist, to show our faith that it is the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ, true God and true man.

(To be continued after my vacation.)