In the heart of Catholic faith lies a profound mystery—the Eucharist. As described in the Catechism of the Catholic Church,
the Eucharist is the "source and summit of Christian life" (CCC 1324).
It is more than a mere symbol; it is the real presence of Jesus Christ, body, blood, soul, and divinity. This sacrament, instituted by Jesus Himself at the Last Supper, holds a central place in the life of the Church and in the spiritual journey of every Christian. In the tapestry of our Catholic faith, the Eucharist stands as a radiant thread, woven with stories of miracle, devotion, and theological depth. From ancient times to the present day, Christians have marvelled at the mystery of Christ's real presence in the consecrated bread and wine, a truth that finds its roots in the pages of Scripture and blossoms in the lives of saints.
The Feast of Corpus Christi, also known as the Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ, is a significant celebration in our Catholic Church dedicated to the Eucharist. This feast was established to honour and recognise the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist—the body, blood, soul, and divinity of Jesus Christ. The Feast of Corpus Christi, celebrated on the Thursday after Trinity Sunday or the following Sunday in some countries/regions, highlights the profound mystery of the Eucharist—the real presence of Jesus Christ in the consecrated elements of bread and wine. The Eucharist, central to our Catholic faith, has been the focus of numerous miracles and profound theological reflections throughout history. Highlighting some of the Eucharistic miracles and theological reflections, from the miraculous transformations of bread and wine into flesh and blood in Lanciano and Bolsena to the insights of Saints like Juliana of Liège and Thomas Aquinas, and the reflections of the Fathers of the Church Saint John Chrysostom and Saint Ambrose, the Eucharist stands as a beacon of divine presence and mystery in the life of the Church. These events and teachings affirm the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist, deepening our understanding and reverence for this profound sacrament. Through the Eucharist, we are invited into a mystical union with Christ, experiencing His grace and love in a tangible and transformative way.
The Miracle in Lanciano
The miracle of Lanciano, which occurred around the 8th century, serves as one of the earliest and most significant Eucharistic miracles in the history of the Church. This miracle occurred when a Basilian monk, who struggled with doubts about the real presence of Jesus Christ in the Eucharist, was celebrating Mass in the small church of Saint Legontian in Lanciano, Italy. During the consecration, when he pronounced the words "This is My Body" and "This is My Blood," the consecrated host miraculously transformed into real flesh, and the wine into real blood, right before his eyes.
Several scientific investigations conducted in the later centuries have confirmed that the relics consist of human flesh and blood. The flesh, which is still preserved to this day, has been identified as striated cardiac muscle tissue, and the blood has been classified as type AB. These findings have further solidified the belief in the miracle, drawing countless pilgrims to Lanciano.
The Miracle in Bolsena
The Eucharistic miracle of Bolsena emphasises the profound mystery of the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist. This miracle occurred in 1263 in the town of Bolsena, Italy, when a German priest named Peter of Prague, who was struggling with doubts about the doctrine of transubstantiation, was celebrating Mass at the church of Saint Christina. During the consecration, as he elevated the host, blood began to seep from the consecrated host onto the corporal (the cloth placed on the altar during Mass).
Shocked and awed by this miraculous event, the priest halted the Mass and immediately went to nearby Orvieto, where Pope Urban IV was residing. The Pope, after a thorough investigation, declared it a miracle. In response to various miracles attributed to the Eucharist, Pope Urban IV instituted the Feast of Corpus Christi in 1264 through the papal bull "Transiturus de hoc mundo" to celebrate the mystery of the Eucharist and to encourage reverence for the sacrament. The blood-stained corporal was placed in the Cathedral of Orvieto, where it remains enshrined to this day, drawing pilgrims from around the world.
The Lanciano and Bolsena miracles, along with many other Eucharistic miracles serves as a powerful testament to the real presence of Jesus in the Eucharist. These miraculous occurrences have been pivotal in strengthening our faith, fostering a greater understanding, and encouraging us to have a deeper devotion and reverence to the mystery of the Blessed Sacrament. They remind us that, through the Eucharist, we encounter the living Christ, who nourishes and sustains us spiritually.
Saint Juliana of Liège: The Patroness of Eucharistic Devotion
Saint Juliana of Liège, also known as Juliana of Cornillon, is a significant figure in the history of the Catholic Church, particularly for her role in promoting Eucharistic devotion. From a young age, she experienced mystical visions, one of which profoundly influenced her life's mission. In this vision, she saw the moon in its full brilliance, but with a dark spot, symbolizing the lack of a feast dedicated to the Body and Blood of Christ in the liturgical calendar. Juliana understood this vision as a divine calling to establish a feast in honour of the Blessed Sacrament.
She began advocating for this feast in the early 13th century, facing considerable opposition and challenges. Her persistent efforts eventually gained the support of the Archdeacon of Liège, Jacques Pantaléon, who would later become Pope Urban IV. In 1264 Pope Urban IV instituted the Feast of Corpus Christi through the papal bull "Transiturus de hoc mundo", influenced by Saint Juliana's devotion, the Eucharistic miracle of Bolsena and various Eucharistic miracles. This feast was to be celebrated on the Thursday after Trinity Sunday, dedicated to the solemn veneration of the Eucharist.
Saint Juliana's dedication and unwavering commitment to promoting Eucharistic devotion earned her recognition as the patroness of Eucharistic devotion. Her life and efforts significantly contributed to the spread of Eucharistic adoration and the establishment of the Feast of Corpus Christi, which remains a vital celebration in our Church.
St Thomas Aquinas
Saint Thomas Aquinas, one of the Doctors of the Church, made significant contributions to the understanding of the Eucharist, particularly through his articulation of the doctrine of transubstantiation. Transubstantiation is the term used to describe the change that occurs during the consecration of the bread and wine into the Body and Blood of Christ during the Mass. Aquinas’ theological and philosophical insights provided a profound and systematic explanation of this mystery.
Aquinas employed Aristotelian concepts of substance and accidents to explain how the bread and wine could retain their appearances (accidents) while their essence or true nature (substance) is transformed into the Body and Blood of Christ. According to Aquinas, during the consecration at Mass, the substances of the bread and wine are entirely changed into the substances of Christ’s Body and Blood, although the accidents (taste, smell, appearance) remain the same. This explanation was crucial in the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist without contradicting the sensory evidence that the bread and wine still appear to be bread and wine.
The doctrine of transubstantiation was formally defined by the Church at the Fourth Lateran Council in 1215 and later became a “dogma of faith” and reaffirmed by the Council of Trent in the 16th century. Aquinas’ explanations played a pivotal role in shaping this doctrine and defending it against misunderstandings and heresies. In essence, Saint Thomas Aquinas' contributions to the doctrine of transubstantiation helped clarify and deepen the Church's understanding of the Eucharist, reinforcing the belief in the real presence of Christ and highlighting the transformative power of the sacrament.
The Eucharist, as described in the Catechism of the Catholic Church, is the "source and summit of Christian life" (CCC 1324). This profound teaching invites us to contemplate the immense grace and divine presence contained within this sacrament. The Eucharist is not merely a ritual or symbolic act; it is the living, real presence of Jesus Christ, who offers Himself to us as spiritual nourishment. In the celebration of the Mass, the sacrifice of Christ on the cross is made present, transcending time and space to touch our lives directly. As the source, the Eucharist is where our faith originates, drawing us into the mystery of God's love and mercy. It is a divine mystery that nourishes and sustains us, providing the grace necessary to live out our Christian vocation with courage and fidelity. The Eucharist is the highest point of our spiritual journey, where we encounter the fullness of divine love and are united with Christ and the Church. Reflecting on this mystery, we are called to deepen our love for the Eucharist, recognizing it as the heart of our faith. Let us approach the altar with awe and gratitude, fully aware that in receiving the Eucharist, we are intimately united with Jesus, who empowers us to become His living witnesses in the world.
As the Catechism of the Catholic Church explains,
The mode of Christ's presence under the Eucharistic species is unique. It raises the Eucharist above all the sacraments as the perfection of the spiritual life and the end to which all the sacraments tend. In the most blessed sacrament of the Eucharist the body and blood, together with the soul and divinity, of our Lord Jesus Christ and, therefore, the whole Christ is truly, really, and substantially contained. This presence is called 'real' - by which is not intended to exclude the other types of presence as if they could not be 'real' too, but because it is presence in the fullest sense: that is to say, it is a substantial presence by which Christ, God and man, makes himself wholly and entirely present. (CCC 1374)
The Catechism of the Catholic Church 1375 also mentioned affirmations of the Church Fathers,
It is not man that causes the things offered to become the Body and Blood of Christ, but he who was crucified for us, Christ himself. The priest, in the role of Christ, pronounces these words, but their power and grace are God's. This is my body, he says. This word transforms the things offered. – Saint John Chrysostom (347 – 407 AD)
Be convinced that this is not what nature has formed, but what the blessing has consecrated. The power of the blessing prevails over that of nature, because by the blessing nature itself is changed. . . . Could not Christ's word, which can make from nothing what did not exist, change existing things into what they were not before? It is no less a feat to give things their original nature than to change their nature. – Saint Ambrose (339 – 397 AD)
The belief in the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist, although formally celebrated with the Feast of Corpus Christi established in the 11th century, has been a cornerstone of Christian faith and practice since the early days of Christianity. This enduring belief underscores the centrality of the Eucharist in the life of the Church. Through the Eucharist, we are invited into a mystical union with Christ, experiencing His grace and love in a tangible and transformative way.
The roots of the Eucharist can be traced back to the Old Testament, where the significance of bread and wine is evident. In Genesis 14:18, Melchizedek, the king of Salem and a priest, brings out bread and wine and blesses Abram. This prefigures the Last Supper, where Jesus, the true high priest, offers bread and wine as His body and blood. Furthermore, it also invites us to reflect on the profound connection between the Last Supper, where Jesus instituted the Eucharist, and the ancient Passover celebrated by the Israelites in Exodus.
Then take a bunch of hyssop, and dipping it in the blood that is in the basin, apply some of this blood to the lintel and the two doorposts. And none of you shall go outdoors until morning. You will keep this practice forever as a statute for yourselves and your descendants. – Exodus 12: 22,24
In the Passover of Exodus, God commanded the Israelites to commemorate their liberation from slavery in Egypt by sacrificing a lamb and marking the doorposts and lintels of their homes with its blood, protecting them from the angel of death. This act of sacrifice and redemption foreshadowed the ultimate Passover sacrifice fulfilled in Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God, whose sacrifice on the cross delivers us from sin and death, and who, at the Last Supper, offered himself as the true Paschal Lamb. As Jesus gathered with his disciples for the Passover meal, he imbued the ancient ritual with new meaning, fulfilling Old Testament prefiguration, and establishing a new covenant in His blood, in the sacrament of the Holy Eucharist. Just as the Israelites were commanded to keep the Passover as a perpetual statute, Jesus instructed his disciples to "do this in remembrance of me," establishing the Eucharist as the everlasting memorial of his sacrificial love.
Then he took the bread, said the blessing, broke it, and gave it to his disciples, saying, “This is my body, which will be given for you; do this in memory of me.” And likewise the cup after they had eaten, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which will be shed for you.” – Luke 22:19
In addition to the Passover of Exodus, the miraculous provision of manna from heaven during the Israelites' 40-year journey in the wilderness of Sin further illuminates the significance of the Eucharist. Just as God provided manna to sustain the Israelites physically during their sojourn, the Eucharist provides spiritual nourishment throughout our journey in life. The manna foreshadows the true bread from heaven—the body of Christ—which Jesus himself identifies as the bread of life that gives eternal sustenance. Thus, the Eucharist not only recalls the Passover of Exodus but also fulfils the deeper longing expressed by the Israelites for sustenance and communion with God.
Then the LORD said to Moses: I am going to rain down bread from heaven for you. On seeing it, the Israelites asked one another, “What is this?” for they did not know what it was. But Moses told them, “It is the bread which the LORD has given you to eat. The house of Israel named this food manna. It was like coriander seed, white, and it tasted like wafers made with honey. – Exodus 16:4, 15, 31
In the Eucharist, we encounter the Paschal mystery—the death and resurrection of Christ made present to us in a tangible way. As we receive the body and blood of Christ, we participate in the new Passover, wherein we are liberated from sin and death and brought into communion with God. Just as the Israelites were nourished by the flesh of the Paschal Lamb, so too are we nourished by the true Bread of Life, who sustains us on our journey of faith. The Lamb of God, “who takes away the sin of the world,” as proclaimed by Saint John the Baptist, offers Himself to us in the Eucharist, continually reminding us of Christ's sacrificial love and are inviting us to partake in the divine life He offers. This profound connection between the Old and New Testaments reveals the continuity of God's salvific plan and His enduring presence among His people.
In the Gospel of John, Chapter 6, Jesus provides profound teaching about the Eucharist, emphasizing the importance of His flesh and blood as true food and drink. This chapter opens with the miraculous feeding of the five thousand, where Jesus multiplies loaves and fishes to feed the crowd. This miracle prefigures the Eucharist, showing that Jesus not only provides physical nourishment but also spiritual sustenance.
Do not work for food that perishes but for the food that endures for eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For on him the Father, God, has set his seal. – John 6:27
Jesus calls us to prioritise our spiritual nourishment over worldly pursuits. In a culture often preoccupied with material success and transient pleasures, this teaching redirects our focus to the enduring and transformative power of divine grace. The Eucharist, the true bread from heaven, "food that endures", which sustains not just our bodies but our souls, drawing us into deeper communion with God.
When the people recall the manna their ancestors ate in the desert, Jesus redirects their understanding, highlighting that the manna was temporary and could not grant eternal life. He declares,
“I am the bread of life. Your ancestors ate the manna in the desert, but they died; this is the bread that comes down from heaven so that one may eat it and not die.” – John 6:48-50
Jesus highlights the profound difference between the manna given to the Israelites in the desert and the true bread from heaven, which He offers in the Eucharist. The Old Testament prefigures the New, as the manna provided by God to the Israelites was a foreshadowing of the Eucharist. While the manna was a miraculous gift from God that sustained the Israelites during their 40-year journey in the wilderness of Sin to the Promised Land, it was only a shadow of the greater gift to come. This divine provision in the wilderness prepared the way for the ultimate gift of Jesus Christ, the true bread of life. The manna was a temporary provision to sustain physical life, pointing to the eternal nourishment that Jesus provides through the Eucharist, the living bread from heaven, given by the Father, which grants eternal life. Jesus reveals Himself as the true bread, the ultimate source of spiritual fulfilment, a divine gift that nourishes our souls and unites us with God. The Israelites' 40-year journey through the wilderness of Sin to the Promised Land of Jerusalem serves as a poignant parallel to our earthly pilgrimage towards the new Jerusalem, our eternal unity with God. Jesus continued,
“I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Whoever eats this bread will live forever. This bread is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world”. – John 6:51
Here, Jesus reveals Himself as the fulfilment of the Old Testament type, offering not just temporary relief from physical hunger, but the promise of eternal life through His flesh, given up for the salvation of humanity.
In a radical and deeply challenging statement, Jesus further asserts,
“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.” – John 6:53-54
Despite the murmuring and disbelief of the people, Jesus intensifies His Eucharistic teaching, emphasizing its importance by repeating "Amen, amen, I say to you" three times. This repetition underscores the truth and gravity of His words, drawing a clear connection between belief in the Eucharist and eternal life. This teaching was difficult for many to accept, yet it underscores the necessity of the Eucharist. By doing so, He affirms the necessity of the Eucharist for spiritual sustenance and eternal salvation. The Eucharist is not merely symbolic but a true participation in the body and blood of Christ. Through the Eucharist, we receive the actual presence of Jesus – body, blood, soul, and divinity, bringing us into a profound and intimate union with Him. This real presence is a cornerstone of our Christian faith, affirming that in the Eucharist, we receive Jesus Himself, who sustains us spiritually and promises resurrection and eternal life.
"For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me and I in him." – John 6:55-56
These profound words encapsulate the essence of the Eucharist, where Christ offers Himself to us as the ultimate nourishment for our souls. Through the reception of His body and blood in the Eucharist, we enter into a deep and intimate union with Him. This communion is not merely symbolic but entails a mystical reality where we abide in Christ and He in us. It is a union of love and intimacy, where we become partakers of the divine life and experience the transformative power of His presence within us. This declaration is profoundly Eucharistic, emphasizing that in the sacrament of the Eucharist, we receive Jesus Himself, who satisfies our deepest spiritual longings. The bread and wine, transformed into His body and blood, are not merely symbols but the true presence of Christ, offering us sustenance that transcends physical hunger and thirst. This passage invites us to fully embrace the Eucharist, recognizing the Eucharist as the source of our strength, the fulfilment of God's promise, and the means by which we are continually united with Jesus, who gave His life for the salvation of the world.
Reflecting on these passages, we see the depth of God's love and the central role of the Eucharist in the life of the Church. The Eucharist is the source and summit of Christian life, as taught by the Catechism of the Catholic Church. It is in the Eucharist that we encounter Jesus Christ most intimately, receive His grace, and are strengthened for our spiritual journey. This sacrament is a perpetual reminder of Jesus’ sacrifice and His desire for communion with us. We are called to approach the Eucharist with reverence and faith, fully aware that in receiving the Eucharist, we are united with Christ and empowered to live out our faith in the world. The Eucharist nourishes us, sustains us, and transforms us, enabling us to become more like Christ. Let us invite our fellow Christians, to rediscover the profound mystery and beauty of the Eucharist. Encourage them to participate in Eucharistic adoration, where we can spend time in the presence of Jesus, allowing His love to penetrate our hearts, as the Eucharist is not just a symbol but a living encounter with Christ.
The Feast of Corpus Christi thus becomes a celebration of our redemption and a testament to God's faithfulness throughout the history of our salvation. It is a reminder that, like the Israelites of old, we are called to keep the Passover feast forever, partaking of the Eucharist with hearts full of gratitude and awe for the great gift of God's love and mercy. It calls us to deepen our love and reverence for the Eucharist. It is a reminder of the incredible gift of Christ's real presence among us, a mystery that invites us to partake in the divine life. And as we partake the Eucharist, we are reminded of God's faithfulness in providing for our needs and His desire to nourish us with His very presence. Through the Eucharist, we receive the grace to live out our Christian calling, drawing closer to Christ and becoming more like Him in our daily lives. By embracing this truth, we can experience a deeper relationship with Him and be transformed by His grace. Let us spread the word and share the joy of the Eucharist with others, fostering a community united in love and devotion to the Blessed Sacrament.
Comments