Published in the bulletin of Holy Ghost Catholic Church in Knoxville, TN, on the 6th Sunday of Easter.
My dear Parishioners,
Peace! There are fourteen (14) In Brief passages in the Catechism of the Catholic Church regarding the Sacrament of the Most Holy Eucharist. The following is a reflection on article 1413.
Some specific terms are used by Catholics when speaking about the eucharistic reality. Here we consider three of them.
“Consecration” occurs at Holy Mass, during the Eucharistic Prayer. The words of consecration are: “this is My body… this is .. My blood…”
The term “transubstantiation” refers to the effect of the consecration of the bread and wine at Holy Mass so that they become Christ whole and entire. Transubstantiation means an underlying change of the substance (being) of the bread and wine into Christ, whole and entire. (There are heretical ways people have spoken about the Eucharist: consubstantiation, transignification, impanation…).
When using the terms “consecrated species” Mother Church refers to what was bread and wine before the consecration, namely bread and wine. What does remain the same before and after the consecration are the weight, shape, taste of bread and wine.
Seven (7) aspects of the phrase “Real Presence” in connection with the Eucharist should be considered:
Christ’s body is present in the Eucharist. The same who was born in Bethlehem and who died and was buried and who rose and ascended to Heaven and who will come to judge the living and the dead is present in the Eucharist.
Christ’s blood is present in the Eucharist. Part of the reality of the resurrection is that Jesus’ body and soul have been reunited (although the Person of the Word remained present to both during the three days in the tomb, and during the Harrowing of Hell, (cf. 1 Peter 3:19).
Christ’s soul is present in the Eucharist. Again, because of the reality of the resurrection, because Christ is present in the Eucharist, He is present entirely. If His soul were not present in the Eucharist but His body and blood were… something would be missing.
Christ’s divinity is present in the Eucharist. Because Jesus Christ is true God and true man, wherever His human nature is His divine nature also should be, hence in the Eucharist Christ’s divinity is also present.
The living Christ is present in the Eucharist, again, reaffirming our Easter faith in the resurrection.
The glorious Christ is present in the Eucharist. Christ who is victorious over sin and death, the Cross and the grave, who is at the Father’s right hand in heavenly glory is really present.
Christ is substantially present in the Eucharist. Christ’s substantial presence, refers to Jesus’ very being, which according to our Trinitarian faith He shares in common with the Father and the Holy Spirit.
The Catechism cites the Council of Trent (AD 1545–1563) reminding us that doctrine does not change. Saint Thomas Aquinas (+1274) lived before Trent, what he believed, the Fathers at Trent believed, the Fathers at the two councils at the Vatican (AD 1869–1870, AD 1962–1965) believed, we believe…
God bless you!
Father John Arthur Orr