The Real Presence

Grab

What is greatest gift that you want to receive now?

Grace

Read: “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 Real Presence of Jesus in the Eucharist is a central tenet of our Catholic faith. When the Church says that Jesus is present in the Holy Eucharist, she talks about an amazing miracle: the substance and reality of bread and wine have been changed into the substance and reality of the Body and Blood of the resurrected Jesus Christ. 

Widespread doubts and denials are present in our society about the doctrine of the Real Presence. Some people mistakenly refer to the Eucharist as a mere symbol. The transformed bread and wine that are the Body and Blood of Christ are not merely symbols because they truly are the Body and

Blood of Christ. Believing and Receiving the Real Presence:

1.     We will have life in us.

“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.” (John 6:53) Jesus is the Life, and it is his life that we need to live. We need to live in Christ.

2.     We will recognize that Jesus remains in us.

“Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me and I in him.” (John 6:56). Jesus sustains us in our day-to-day lives. He lives in us and he gives us the grace and strength to endure challenges that inevitably come.

3.     We will attain eternal life.

“Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him on the last day.” (John 6:54). Jesus won for us our salvation, making heaven our eternal destination. The Eucharist is the key.

Jesus over and over again speaks of his flesh and blood that we need to partake. The Real Presence is a great mystery. It is a great gift. It is always present and in all ways an assuring presence in our lives. The Holy Eucharist is life giving as it sustains and strengthens us. Through the Holy Eucharist, we recognize that Jesus remains and is always with us. We need the Holy Eucharist to attain eternal life.  

Gather

What hinders me from being fully present when I attend the Holy Mass? 

How can I show my respect and reverence to the Eucharist as the real body and blood of Christ?

Go Forth

Attend mass with a renewed vision and love for the Eucharist.

Fall in love even more with the Eucharist and learn about the International Exhibition of Eucharistic Miracles created and designed by Blessed Carlo Acutis, the upcoming millennial saint of the Church. Visit: www.miracolieucaristici.org

Give

God is Generous and in response, let us be good stewards by consistent Spiritual Giving, our tithing. 

For Tithes Remittance of NCR Members: bit.ly/mfctithes