The Eucharist

The Eucharist is the sacrament of the Body and Blood of Christ, instituted by Jesus at the Last Supper. Under the appearances of bread and wine, Christ makes himself really present in it, offers his sacrifice, and gives himself as food. It is the centre of the life of the Church.

The prefigurations

The Eucharist was prefigured from afar. Melchizedek, king and priest, offers God bread and wine: “Melchizedek, king of Salem, brought out bread and wine; he was priest of God Most High.” Genesis 14:18 In the desert, the manna fallen from heaven to feed Israel announces the true bread that Christ will give: “I am the living bread come down from heaven.” John 6:51 And the paschal lamb, slain to spare the people, prefigures Christ: “Christ, our Passover, has been sacrificed.” 1 Corinthians 5:7 These figures awaited their fulfilment at the Last Supper.

The institution at the Last Supper

On the eve of his Passion, during the paschal meal, Jesus took bread, blessed it, broke it and gave it to his disciples: “This is my body.” Then he gave them the cup: “This is my blood, the blood of the covenant, poured out for the multitude for the forgiveness of sins.” Matthew 26:26-28 And he commanded that this be renewed: “Do this in memory of me.” Luke 22:19 Since then, the Church does what the Lord did, and the bread and wine become his Body and Blood.

The real presence

The words of Christ effect what they say: the bread becomes his Body, the wine becomes his Blood. He himself had announced it: “My flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink.” John 6:55 This change bears on the substance itself: what was bread and wine is now the Body and Blood of Christ, while the appearances remain, the taste and the look, which are called the species. The Church calls this passage transubstantiation. Under these species, Christ is wholly present, living and glorious.

The sacrifice

The Eucharist is a sacrifice. It makes present the one sacrifice of Christ on the cross. He offered himself once for all, and the Mass does not repeat it: it makes present what he accomplished on Calvary, his offering to the Father. The Cross and the Mass are one and the same sacrifice, offered once in blood, offered now under the species of bread and wine. This is why the Church calls it the holy sacrifice.

The adoration of the Blessed Sacrament

Since Christ is really present under the species, the Eucharist receives the adoration due to God alone. It is Christ himself whom one adores, present wholly under the appearances of bread. The Church keeps the Eucharist in the tabernacle, the place where it is kept at the heart of the church, exposes it to the adoration of the faithful, and kneels before the Blessed Sacrament as before the Lord. Eucharistic adoration is the homage rendered to this presence.

Communion

To receive the Eucharist is to commune with the Body of Christ. The Lord promised it: “Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me, and I in him.” John 6:56 Communion unites intimately to Christ, and through him unites the faithful among themselves: “Since there is one bread, we who are many form one body.” 1 Corinthians 10:17 The Church is thus built up by the Eucharist, which makes of it the Body of Christ.