While reading “This Is My Body” by Bishop Robert Baron I was dismayed to discover that 69% of Catholics do not believe in the Real Presence of Jesus Christ in the Eucharist. How sad! I take that to mean that they believe that the consecrated bread and wine are not really Jesus’ body and blood, soul and divinity. I have heard many arguments for the idea that what Jesus intended to say was that the consecrated bread and wine are just symbols or metaphors for his body and blood. Meaning that he is not really there, that the consecrated bread and wine are just regular bread and wine.
I want to list some of my objections to this kind of thinking. First of all, I believe that Jesus is everywhere. He said that wherever two or three are gathered in his name that he is there with them. Very present, huh? Also, Jesus was not speaking metaphorically at the Last Supper when he instituted Eucharist. In many other places in the Bible when Jesus spoke metaphorically, he used the word “like”. The Kingdom of God is “like”… Jesus doesn’t say that the bread and wine used at the Last Supper are “like” his body and blood. He said that they “are” his body and blood. Jesus then commanded his Apostles to continue this sacrament in his memory. Jesus explained things metaphorically, told stories to explain things (parables), and showed his power through miracles. Yet he does not represent himself symbolically in the Eucharist and we do not receive a symbol of Jesus in the Eucharist. We receive Jesus.
There are many mysteries in creation. A mystery by definition is something we cannot rationally explain. Mysteries by definition are beyond our ability to cognitively explain them. We, as humans cannot put into words, a mystery. Even the most brilliant scientist cannot explain gravity, and why it works. We just know by observation that it does. Why do electrons sometimes behave like waves and sometimes like particles? No one knows. The most brilliant psychiatrist cannot explain awareness. Yet, it’s there! With all of our intelligence, in the end we must admit that we can’t explain everything and that our explanations beg explanation.
Who can explain the mysteries of faith? The Trinity, Incarnation, Resurrection, the miracles of Jesus, and Love are mysteries that will never be fully understood. The Eucharist is a mystery that we will never fully understand. At the same time when the Priests says the words of consecration, we believe that Jesus is once again doing what he did at the Last Supper. The bread and wine become his body and blood, which we receive, after saying, “Amen”. Jesus is not just present in the Eucharist, he is the Eucharist. We receive and have eternal life.
“May the Lord bless and keep you. May he let his face shine upon you, be gracious to you and give you his peace.” Shalom.