Occasionally, in social or other situations, someone will
come up to me and announce, rather proudly, “I used to be
Catholic.” Although I am uncertain as to their motives in
approaching me, I almost always get the impression that
they expect me to congratulate them on the fact that they
used to be Catholic. Instead, I usually respond with a sad
question: “Did you ever believe in the Eucharist, because if
you did, how could you leave?” This almost always
reduces the former Catholic to silence and in some cases,
they will almost literally turn and run away.
The Eucharist, according to Lumen Gentium (an official
document of Vatican II) is “The Fount and Apex of the
whole Christian Life.” The Catechism of the Catholic
Church cites St. Ireneus stating, “. . . the Eucharist is the
sum and summary of our faith: ‘Our way of thinking is
attuned to the Eucharist, and the Eucharist, in turn,
confirms our way of thinking.’ ” The word “Eucharist” itself
comes from the Greek “eú?a??st??,” to give thanks. But,
it is more than just a thanksgiving, the Eucharist is the
memorial of the Lord’s Passion and Resurrection. In
celebrating the Liturgy of the Eucharist, the Sacrifice of
Christ on the Cross is made present to us, albeit in an un-
bloody way. As the priest holds aloft the Eucharist for the
congregation to see, the fabric of time is ripped away, and
we stand with the Virgin Mary and the Beloved Disciple at
the foot of the Cross. Through the miracle of the Altar, the
ordinary elements of bread and wine become the very
Body and Blood of Christ. “I am the bread of life,” says
Jesus in John 6:35, “he who comes to me shall not hunger,
and he who believes in me shall never thirst.” Further on
He states, “I am the living bread which came down from
heaven: if anyone eats of this bread he will live forever; and
the bread which I shall give for the life of the world is My
flesh. (John 6:51). Then many of His followers grumble
among themselves so, He continues: “He who eats My
flesh and drinks my blood abides in Me and I in him.” (John
6:56). At this point many leave and tellingly He lets them
go: He does not run after them and say that He is only
speaking symbolically. Matthew reports Jesus saying at
the Last Supper, as He gives the bread to the disciples,
“Take, eat: this is My body,” and then giving them the cup
He says, “Drink of it all of you; for this is My blood of the
covenant which is poured out for many for the forgiveness
of sins.” (Matthew 26: 26-28). Mark’s account of the Last
Supper (or the institution of the Eucharist) closely mirrors
that of Matthew, while in Luke we have the additional
injunction, “Do this is remembrance of Me.” (Luke 22:19).
In none of the accounts of the Last Supper is there any
qualifying language that it is just a symbol. In John 6,
Jesus let people leave rather than say He was speaking in
symbols. Both individually and as a whole, all these
accounts make clear that the Eucharist is the Body and
Blood of Jesus Christ.
So crucial is the Eucharist to our faith that it is celebrated
every single day of the year with the exception of Good
Friday, and during the day of Holy Saturday. Theoretically
we may receive every single day of the year. Whether we
receive the Eucharist frequently or infrequently, we should