The Presence of Christ in the Eucharist
- Luis Nava
- Sep 21
- 3 min read
By: Luis Nava
One of the most beautiful aspects of the Catholic faith is that we truly have Jesus Christ present, body, blood, soul, and divinity, in the Eucharist. The Catholic Church’s teachings on the Eucharist are essential to the Faith, and they are among the characteristics that distinguish Catholicism from other denominations; however, unfortunately, many believers are uninformed about the teachings of the Church regarding the Most Holy Sacrament, which is why it is imperative to propagate this teaching.
Let’s take a look at the Bible to shed light on what the Eucharist is. In John 6:51, Jesus says, “‘I am the living bread that came down from heaven; whoever eats this bread will live forever; and the bread that I will give is my flesh for the life of the world.’” Here Jesus clearly says that we are meant to eat His flesh, which is His body. The Jews who were listening to him were distraught at the idea of eating Jesus’ body, but, in John 6:53-54, Jesus reaffirms what He just said: “Jesus said to them, ‘Amen, amen, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you do not have life within you. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him on the last day.’”
This teaching caused many of Jesus’ followers to stop following Him. Consequently, in verse 67 (still in John chapter 6) Jesus asks his 12 apostles, “‘Do you also want to leave?’” At this poignant moment, “Simon Peter answered him, ‘Master, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. We have come to believe and are convinced that you are the Holy One of God’” (John 6:68-69).
Like Peter, we must hold fast to Jesus and His teachings. The Eucharist is the true body and blood of Christ, as stated by Jesus Himself. Many Christians stray by thinking that the Eucharist is merely a symbol or a representation of the body and blood.
As Catholics, we believe that during the Mass, in the liturgy of the Eucharist, the bread and wine become the body and blood of Christ. And that’s NOT a symbol! There are many Church fathers that have written about the Eucharist, and the universal truth is that the Eucharist is truly Jesus Christ, and that He is present Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity.
Let’s quickly establish some vocabulary. The substance of something is what is at its core; its deepest and most profound reality. The accidents of something is what is visible to the eye; its superficial qualities. St. Thomas Aquinas - one of the most important Church Fathers, a theologian, and an author - says that, in the Mass, the substance of the bread and wine is changed into the substance of the Body and Blood of Jesus, while the accidents remain those of bread and wine. The process by which this occurs is known as transubstantiation.
It is also important to note that the presence of Jesus is not simply added to the bread and wine. Rather, the bread and wine are completely gone, what is substantially present is Jesus Christ. It is a complete and utter change on the deepest level.
Throughout Church history, there have been instances in which this doctrine is challenged, but the Church has held fast to Jesus’ word, proclaiming through the centuries the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist.
Knowing that Jesus is present in the Eucharist, we should seek to be with Him as much as we can. Take for example, a sports game or a concert. Tickets often sell out with eager fans who want to catch a glimpse of their favorite celebrity, athlete, musician, etc. However, what about Jesus? Jesus is present in the Eucharist! So, we should go to Mass not just on Sundays and Holy Days of Obligation, but whenever we can! We need to unite ourselves to Jesus. Apart from going to Mass, we should try to make time to visit Jesus in adoration. He is there, waiting for each and every one of us, individually. Just like we might enthusiastically rush to a game with our favorite sports team, let us go out to meet Jesus, whom we should love with all our heart, soul, mind, and being. Jesus is here, so we should visit Him!
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