"The Bread That I Will Give is my Flesh."

Recently, I’ve given some serious thought and perhaps gained some personal insight into a religious doctrine that is believed by Catholics but disputed by Protestants.  It is the Catholic belief that Jesus intended the bread and wine consecrated at Mass to be transubstantiated into his body and blood.

The Catholic doctrine is based on the Gospel of John, Chapter 6, known as the Bread of Life Discourse.”  My recent “personal insight” has to do with the use of the word “flesh” in this discourse.  Here are some relevant passages:  1) “…. the bread that I will give is my flesh for the life of the world, 2) “…. unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you do not have life within you,” 3) “Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life ….,” 4) “For my flesh is true food and my blood is true drink,” and 5) ”Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me and I in him.”

If Jesus was only speaking only metaphorically (the Protestant claim), why choose a word that is defined as the tissue and muscle of the human body?  And why did the Jews respond with “who can accept this?” And why did they “return to their former way of life” after hearing this despite previously witnessing many miracles and healings by Christ?  And why didn’t Christ explain his words as only being a metaphor when they turned and began to walk away?  And why did St. Paul defend the eating of Christ’s flesh and drinking his blood in his first letter to the Corinthians:  “For anyone who eats and drinks without discerning the body, eats and drinks judgment upon himself.”  (1 Cor 11:29)?  No, it truly is transubstantiation!

The method used to provide his flesh and blood for us to eat and drink is disclosed in the account of the Last Supper and this account is given in all four gospels.  In the Gospel of Luke (Luke 22:19), he tells them to “do this in memory of me.”  Today we do this (change the bread and wine into his body and blood) at every Catholic Mass.

The  photo accompanying this post is of the tabernacle at Holy Family Catholic Church in Kasson, Minnesota.  A tabernacle is a "vault" in which the consecrated bread is stored between Masses.  Notice the perpetual candle surrounded by red glass hanging above.  This is the sign that the consecrated bread is present there.

My prayer for today:  Lord, I pray that all Christians will unite one day soon, and that Christ’s intention that we eat his flesh and drink his blood can be realized by all.  Amen.  Alleluia!