An artistic proclamation of the
Real Presence of Our Lord Jesus
in the Blessed Sacrament of the Altar
Real Presence of Our Lord Jesus
in the Blessed Sacrament of the Altar
The Last Supper
The Jews then disputed among
themselves, saying, "How can this man give us his flesh to eat?" So
Jesus said to them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of
the Son of man and drink his blood, you have no life in you; he who eats my
flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last
day. For my flesh is food indeed, and my blood is drink indeed. He who eats my
flesh and drinks my blood abides in me, and I in him. As the living Father sent
me, and I live because of the Father, so he who eats me will live because of me.
This is the bread which came down from heaven not such as the fathers ate and
died; he who eats this bread will live forever." This he said in the
synagogue, as he taught in Caper'na-um. Many of his disciples, when they heard
it, said, "This is a hard saying; who can listen to it?" But Jesus,
knowing in himself that his disciples murmured at it, said to them, "Do you
take offense at this? Then what if you were to see the Son of man ascending
where he was before? It is the spirit that gives life, the flesh is of no avail;
the words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life. But there are some of
you that do not believe." For Jesus knew from the first who those were that
did not believe, and who it was that should betray him. And he said, "This
is why I told you that no one can come to me unless it is granted him by the
Father." After this many of his disciples drew back and no longer went
about with him. Jesus said to the twelve, "Will you also go away?"
(Jn 6:52-67)
(Jn 6:52-67)
And he took bread, and when he had given thanks he broke it and gave it to them saying, "This is my body which is given for you. Do this in memory of me."
(Luke 22:19)
St.
Augustine, Sermons, [272] A.D. 391-430:
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.
Lord
I believe,
help my unbelief
(Mk 9:24)
THE EUCHARIST - "PLEDGE OF THE GLORY TO COME"
In an ancient prayer the Church acclaims the mystery of the Eucharist: "O sacred banquet in which Christ is received as food, the memory of his Passion is renewed, the soul is filled with grace and a pledge of the life to come is given to us." If the Eucharist is the memorial of the Passover of the Lord Jesus, if by our communion at the altar we are filled "with every heavenly blessing and grace," then the Eucharist is also an anticipation of the heavenly glory.
At the Last Supper the Lord himself directed his disciples'
attention toward the fulfillment of the Passover in the kingdom of God: "I tell
you I shall not drink again of this fruit of the vine until that day when I
drink it new with you in my Father's kingdom." Whenever the Church
celebrates the Eucharist she remembers this promise and turns her gaze "to him
who is to come." In her prayer she calls for his coming: "Marana tha!" "Come, Lord
Jesus!" "May your grace come and this world pass away!"
The Church knows that the Lord comes even now in his Eucharist
and that he is there in our midst. However, his presence is veiled. Therefore we
celebrate the Eucharist "awaiting the blessed hope and the coming of our Savior,
Jesus Christ," asking "to share in your glory when every tear will be wiped
away. On that day we shall see you, our God, as you are. We shall become like
you and praise you for ever through Christ our Lord."
There is no surer pledge or dearer sign of this great hope in
the new heavens and new earth "in which righteousness dwells," 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 for ever in
Jesus Christ."
(Catechism of the Catholic Church #1402-1405)