Weekly Reflections for June 11, 2023

“Unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man…” or “This is My body” was Jesus speaking symbolically or is it Jesus? The answer is both/and. The Eucharist is the Real Presence of Jesus and the Eucharist is truly what it symbolizes. John 6:53, CCC 1373-1381;1148,1412.
Declaring Himself a constituted priest forever, according to the order of Melchizedek, Jesus offered up to His Father His own body, blood, soul and divinity, in His substantial reality (His mode of presence unlike any other, basic presence without any other distinguishing properties or qualities) under the species (appearances or accidents of bread and wine, which its inner reality is changed) for the spiritual sustenance of the people of God. This mysterious miracle of the true substance of Jesus (not a physical but Jesus’ Resurrected and glorified body and blood) is the Real presence of Jesus in the Eucharist in a unique and incomparable way (like Jesus’ Mystical Presence in His church, His Mystical body).
The sacrifice of Jesus and the Eucharistic sacrifice are one and the same; only the manner of offering is different.“Do this in memory of Me” (Anamnesis) speaks of the memorial of Jesus’ sacrifice: the same priest and victim being offered, but in an unbloody manner (Heb10:10-14;1Cor11: 23-26). His sacrifice and death is represented by the species’ separation; and the glorified body and blood is represented when the priest breaks a piece of the Host and places it into the Chalice. The words and actions of the Eucharist celebration also reenacts the Last Supper, makes present that reality to those remembering, and celebrates the Messiah Himself.
The Eucharist is thanksgiving and praise to the Father, the sacrificial memorial of Jesus and His body, and the presence of Jesus by the power of His word and by the power of the Holy Spirit. “This is My body. This cup is the new covenant in My blood” (Mt 26:26-28; Mk14:22-24; Luke 22:19-20; 1Cor 10:14-21). How does this happen?
When a validly ordained priest (Roman Catholic or Greek Orthodox)  acts in the Person of Jesus and asks the Father to send down the Holy Spirit (Epiclesis) to make holy the gifts of wheat bread and grape wine “that they may become for us (as he blesses them) the Body and Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ”; and by repeating the sacred words of Jesus that He said at the Last Supper over each (Luke 22:19-20), Transubstantiation takes place: the change of bread and wine into the body, blood, soul and divinity of Jesus even though their outward appearances remain the same. THANK GOD WE ARE A CATHOLIC BOY AND GIRL!
RESOURCES: Catholic Answers, New Advent, “The Fathers Know Best,” Chpt.41, Jimmy Akin, David Akers, CCC           – MAC AND MARCIA