What happens when we receive the sacrament of the Eucharist? Are we just eating a piece of unleavened bread, maybe taking a sip of wine, in a symbolic remembrance of Jesus’ sacrifice, a re-enacting of the Last Supper? Is that all it is, or is it something more?
Imagine you hold the unconsecrated host in your hands. Take a good look at it. It has a certain texture, shape, size, color, weight, taste. Smooth, round, about one inch in diameter, off-white, less than an ounce, with the taste of somewhat bland bread. These are qualities of the bread. The same exercise can, of course, be done for the wine. These qualities are called by theologians “accidents.” But lets stick with the word “quality.” What is it, exactly, that has the qualities of smooth, round, one-inch diameter, off-white, half-an-ounce, and a somewhat bland taste? In the above case, it is the unconsecrated host. That is what is called by theologians “substance.” A substance has qualities. Pretty simple concept, right?
Normally, qualities are known through our senses; our mind is able to know the substance. And in just about everything we come into contact with in our daily lives, we assume that the substance we are regarding always has the sets or types of qualities we habitually experience. Bread always has a certain texture, shape, weight, taste, etc.
However, Christ has revealed to us, through the words spoken to us in John 6 and at the Last Supper, that there is at least one exception to this normal, everyday rule.
The bread and the wine, through the sacrament of Holy Communion, undergo a change in substance, not in quality. Outwardly, to our senses, they appear to still be an ordinary host and ordinary wine. But to our enlightened minds, they are now the Body and Blood of Our Lord Jesus Christ. Once the priest, acting in the role of Christ, pronounces the words of consecration, the host and wine become the Body and Blood.
Because He says so.
Transubstantiation is just the fancy name for this change in substance.
This is what the Catholic Church teaches, and has always taught, and this is what Catholics believe.
In my research I have found that there are literally thousands of pages written on this complex subject. I am fully aware that it is completely ludicrous to believe that I could possibly give a tidy explanation of the subject in a couple hundred words. But it fascinates me in some strange way that encourages me to keep reading on.
Imagine you hold the unconsecrated host in your hands. Take a good look at it. It has a certain texture, shape, size, color, weight, taste. Smooth, round, about one inch in diameter, off-white, less than an ounce, with the taste of somewhat bland bread. These are qualities of the bread. The same exercise can, of course, be done for the wine. These qualities are called by theologians “accidents.” But lets stick with the word “quality.” What is it, exactly, that has the qualities of smooth, round, one-inch diameter, off-white, half-an-ounce, and a somewhat bland taste? In the above case, it is the unconsecrated host. That is what is called by theologians “substance.” A substance has qualities. Pretty simple concept, right?
Normally, qualities are known through our senses; our mind is able to know the substance. And in just about everything we come into contact with in our daily lives, we assume that the substance we are regarding always has the sets or types of qualities we habitually experience. Bread always has a certain texture, shape, weight, taste, etc.
However, Christ has revealed to us, through the words spoken to us in John 6 and at the Last Supper, that there is at least one exception to this normal, everyday rule.
The bread and the wine, through the sacrament of Holy Communion, undergo a change in substance, not in quality. Outwardly, to our senses, they appear to still be an ordinary host and ordinary wine. But to our enlightened minds, they are now the Body and Blood of Our Lord Jesus Christ. Once the priest, acting in the role of Christ, pronounces the words of consecration, the host and wine become the Body and Blood.
Because He says so.
Transubstantiation is just the fancy name for this change in substance.
This is what the Catholic Church teaches, and has always taught, and this is what Catholics believe.
In my research I have found that there are literally thousands of pages written on this complex subject. I am fully aware that it is completely ludicrous to believe that I could possibly give a tidy explanation of the subject in a couple hundred words. But it fascinates me in some strange way that encourages me to keep reading on.
No comments:
Post a Comment