Written by Bridget Klawitter, Pastoral Associate

    Transubstantiation- the idea that during Mass, the bread and wine used for Holy Communion become the Precious Body and Blood of Jesus Christ- is central to the Catholic faith. Indeed, the Catholic Church teaches that “the Eucharist is ‘the source and summit of the Christian life.’” During the consecration, the whole substance of the bread and wine into the substance of the Precious Body and Blood of Christ. The Catholic Church has fittingly and properly called this change transubstantiation (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1376). It is difficult to point to one definitive person or event to explain how transubstantiation entered the Catholic Church as it was more of a gradual development that reached a decisive moment at the Fourth Lateran Council in 1215, where the teaching and belief were officially declared. The teaching aims at safeguarding the literal truth of Christ’s presence while emphasizing the fact that there is no change in the empirical appearances of the bread and wine at consecration. 

    Something happened at that Last Supper that Jesus celebrated with his disciples that had never happened before: Jesus declared ordinary bread and wine were transformed into His Body and Blood, the Second Person of the Holy Trinity:  While they were eating, Jesus took bread, said the blessing, broke it, and giving it to his disciples said, “Take and eat; this is my body”. Then he took a cup, gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you, for this is my blood of the covenant, which will be shed on behalf of many for the forgiveness of sins.” (Matthew 26:26-28 with parallel scriptures Mark 14:22-24, Luke 22:19-20, and 1 Corinthians 11:23-28). The disciples didn’t fully understand what had just happened, nor what would happen when they went on to celebrate “Last Suppers” with the early Christian community. Yet they believed and had faith in the Lord’s words, even though they didn’t fully understand them.

    For Catholics today, not much has changed. Sadly, only 28% of all Catholics know that the bread and wine actually become the body and blood of Christ. About 63% of the most observant Catholics- those who attend Mass at least once a week- accept the church’s teaching about transubstantiation. Even among this most observant group of Catholics, 37% don’t believe that the Communion bread and wine actually become the Body and Blood of Christ. 

    The Catholic tradition teaches and believes that at every Mass bread and wine become Jesus- his Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity- even though we can’t fully understand how it happens. The lit eternal candle next to the tabernacle reminds us of the presence of Jesus in the consecrated hosts. The miracle of the Eucharist is a mystery, something that human reason and intelligence can never fully grasp. Transubstantiation describes this miracle, the mystery of the Eucharist. Like the apostles, we have faith in the Lord’s words, that He meant what He said; but, also like the apostles, we will never fully understand those words but are asked to have faith and to believe. Do you believe?