The Real Presence of the Eucharist

The Catholic Church professes that in the Eucharist, the bread and wine truly become the Body and Blood of Christ. This belief rests firmly on the words of Scripture.

In John 6:51, our Lord declares: “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.” When His listeners struggled with this teaching, Christ did not soften His words, but emphasized them all the more: “My flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink” (John 6:55).

At the Last Supper, Jesus instituted this gift, saying over the bread, “This is my body” (Luke 22:19), and over the chalice, “This is my blood of the covenant” (Matthew 26:28). He spoke not of mere symbols, but of a true reality.

St. Paul testifies to the same in 1 Corinthians 10:16: “The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not a participation in the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not a participation in the body of Christ?”

Thus, from Christ’s own words and apostolic witness, the Church has always recognized that the Eucharist is the true and abiding presence of the Lord Himself.