The Holy Eucharist, also known as Holy Communion or the Lord’s Supper, is one of the seven sacraments of the Catholic Church. It involves the consumption of consecrated bread and wine, which Catholics believe become the actual body and blood of Jesus Christ through a process called transubstantiation. The Eucharist is considered the central sacrament, as Catholics believe it makes Christ’s sacrifice on the cross truly present again. Here is an in-depth look at this important Catholic sacrament:
Instituted by Jesus at the Last Supper
According to the Gospels, Jesus instituted the Eucharist at the Last Supper, the final meal he shared with his disciples before his death and resurrection. While they were eating bread and drinking wine, Jesus said “This is my body” and “This is my blood” (Matthew 26:26-28, Mark 14:22-24, Luke 22:19-20). By these words and actions, Jesus transformed the bread and wine into his actual body and blood, while their appearances remained the same. Catholics believe this was Jesus establishing the sacrament that would make his sacrifice on the cross present in a mystical way whenever it is celebrated.
Transubstantiation
The doctrine of transubstantiation is central to Catholic Eucharistic theology. It means that when the priest consecrates the bread and wine during Mass, their substances literally change into the body and blood of Christ, while the appearances remain the same. This change happens by the power of God, through the priest acting in Christ’s person and saying his words at the consecration. The Church teaches that Christ becomes truly and substantially present under the species of bread and wine. They cease to be regular bread and wine in substance, even if they still look, taste, smell, feel like bread and wine. (Catechism of the Catholic Church 1376).
True Presence of Jesus
The Catholic belief in transubstantiation implies that Jesus Christ is truly and fully present in the Eucharist – body, blood, soul, and divinity. It is not a mere symbol, representation or memorial, but the actual risen Christ made present again. Consecrated hosts are therefore reserved in tabernacles as the real presence of Christ. Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament is the worship of Jesus in the Eucharist. When Catholics receive Holy Communion, they are intimately united with Jesus himself, not just spiritually but also physically, just as the disciples were united with him in the flesh at the Last Supper.
Sacrifice of the Mass
The Eucharist is a sacrifice because it re-presents (makes present) the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross (Catechism, 1366). The Catholic Church teaches that the sacrament is not just a reminder or reenactment of Christ’s sacrifice, but it truly makes the original sacrifice present again. The Eucharistic sacrifice is also “the memorial of Christ’s death and resurrection, the sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving, the memorial of the Church, the reaffirmation of the new covenant, and participation in the eternal wedding feast” (Richstatter O.F.M., Thomas. “Sacraments 101: Eucharist (How We Celebrate)”). In the Mass, Catholics are joined to the one definitive sacrifice of Christ on the cross.
Celebrated during Mass
The sacrament of the Eucharist is celebrated during Mass, the central act of worship in the Catholic Church. The Liturgy of the Eucharist is the major part of the Mass when the sacrament is celebrated, through the consecration of bread and wine and the reception of Holy Communion by the faithful. The consecration happens during the Eucharistic Prayer, when the priest consecrates the bread and wine which become the body and blood of Christ (Catechism, 1412).
Matter, Form, Minister
The matter for the Eucharist is wheat bread and grape wine. Catholic teaching specifies that for bread to be valid matter, it must be made only from wheat and be baked; hosts may have small amounts of water and gluten. For wine to be valid matter, it must be natural grape wine with no additions, not corrupt, and not spoiled through age (Richstatter). The form are the words of consecration spoken by Jesus: “This is my Body” and “This is my Blood.” Only a validly ordained priest can be the minister of the Eucharist and consecrate the Eucharist at Mass (Catechism, 1411).
Real Presence continues after Mass
The real presence of Jesus in the Eucharist persists after the Mass. The consecrated hosts are kept in the church tabernacle, where Jesus is present. They are brought to the sick who cannot attend Mass. Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament is a devotional practice of worshiping Christ present in the consecrated Eucharistic species outside of Mass. During processions like Corpus Christi, the Eucharist is displayed publicly. The real presence ceases when the appearances of bread and wine no longer remain, after being consumed or otherwise destroyed.
Holy Communion
Catholics believe receiving Holy Communion, consuming the body and blood of Christ, unites them intimately with Jesus and with each other as the Church (Catechism, 1391). Christ allows them to share in his body and blood as spiritual food, to sustain them on their journey towards heaven (John 6:54-56). Catholics should receive Communion frequently, ideally at every Mass. However, one must be in a state of grace (free from mortal sin) before receiving Communion. This may require the Sacrament of Reconciliation beforehand. The Church requires the faithful to prepare by fasting, prayer and repentance (Catechism, 1385).
Eucharist as Viaticum
The Eucharist received as Viaticum is the last sacrament before death. Viaticum provides the dying with spiritual nourishment and comfort as they make their final journey to God (Catechism, 1524). It also unites them to Christ’s redemption and to the rest of the Church in heaven and on earth. The Church exhorts all the dying to receive Viaticum in a timely manner, while they are still able to receive Communion (Catechism, 1516).
Necessary Dispositions
Receiving the Eucharist fruitfully requires proper dispositions in soul and body. One’s soul needs to be in a state of grace, free from mortal sin through the Sacrament of Reconciliation if needed. Proper preparation includes prayer, repentance and faith. Fasting for one hour before Communion from food and drink is also required, with exceptions for health reasons (Catechism, 1385). One should approach the sacrament with reverence, devotion and humility. It is a solemn and transcendent mystery to be received worthily and attentively.
Effects and Graces of the Eucharist
Catholics believe the Eucharist effects numerous graces and spiritual benefits (Catechism 1391-1401):
– Increases union with Christ through his true Body and Blood
– Cleanses venial sins and preserves from future sins
– Renews, strengthens and deepens the life of grace received at Baptism
– Unites the Church community in charity
– Committs the Church to the poor
– Signifies the unity of Christians still divided
– Reinforces the commitment to the mission of evangelization
The Eucharist fills Catholics with every grace and heavenly blessing, as they are nourished by the bread of angels.
Institution Narratives
The three Synoptic Gospels give accounts of the Last Supper where Jesus instituted the Eucharist (Matthew 26:26-29, Mark 14:22-25, Luke 22:14-23). Though the details differ slightly, they consistently show Jesus taking bread and wine, blessing them to make them his body and blood, and giving them to the disciples to eat and drink in remembrance of him. These narratives provide scriptural foundations for the Catholic belief in the Eucharist.
John 6 and the Bread of Life Discourse
John 6 contains the Bread of Life Discourse, where Jesus strongly states that his flesh is true food and his blood is true drink (John 6:53-58). He commands people to eat his flesh and drink his blood to have eternal life. When disciples call this teaching “hard”, Jesus does not retract or symbolize it, but reaffirms it more forcefully. Catholics see this passage as confirming the literal sense of consuming Jesus’ body and blood in the Eucharist.
1 Corinthians 11 on the Lord’s Supper
1 Corinthians 11:23-29, in which Paul recalls receiving directly from Jesus what he also delivered to the Corinthians on the Lord’s Supper, confirms early Christian belief in partaking of Christ’s actual body and blood. It supports the “real presence” doctrine and shows that Eucharistic abuses also occurred early on. Paul says that receiving the sacrament unworthily results in sin against the body and blood of the Lord. This points to the elements being really Jesus’ body and blood.
Early Church Fathers on the Eucharist
The Church Fathers, early Christian writers, have many testimonies affirming Catholic Eucharistic doctrine:
St. Ignatius of Antioch (35-108 AD) speaks of “the flesh of our Savior Jesus Christ, which suffered for our sins and which the Father raised up” indicating the Eucharist (Letter to Smyrnaeans 7:1).
St. Justin Martyr (100–165 AD) describes the Eucharist being the flesh and blood of Jesus in his writings (First Apology 66).
St. Irenaeus of Lyons (130–202 AD) declared that the bread and wine are Christ’s very body and blood by calling it a “eucharist” (Against Heresies V:2,3).
Early Church Fathers stand as witnesses to the Catholic belief in the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist from the very beginning.
Development of Doctrine
Though the core of Eucharistic doctrine was fixed, there was an articulation and refinement over the centuries. Transubstantiation was defined clearly in the 13th century and reaffirmed at the Council of Trent in response to the Reformation (Ott, 242). Eucharistic adoration and Corpus Christi devotion developed in the Middle Ages. Church authority also formally prohibited Communion only under one kind. The Church has continued to expand Eucharistic understanding while holding to its essence.
Eucharistic Miracles
Miraculous events associated with the Eucharist occasionally occur in Church history, like bleeding hosts and Eucharistic wine transforming into visible blood. While not mandatory to believe, some Catholics see them as confirming Real Presence and transubstantiation. Recent examples are the approved miracles at Lanciano, Italy in 750 A.D., and in Buenos Aires in 1996. The Church investigates alleged Eucharistic miracles for authenticity and does not require accepting any specific instance.
Conclusion
The Catholic sacrament of Holy Eucharist is the true body and blood of Jesus Christ made present under the appearances of consecrated bread and wine. Instituted by Christ at the Last Supper, it is a memorial of his sacrifice that also makes it truly present again. The Eucharist builds up the Church in unity and charity, strengthening her members spiritually for their journey towards heaven. This sublime sacrament has been cherished and believed in from the very beginnings of Christianity, as attested by Scripture and Tradition.
