Transubstantiation

The sacrament of the Holy Eucharist is the Body and Blood of Christ, whole and entire. It is not a “sign” or a “symbol” or a “representation” of the Body and Blood of Christ — it IS the Body and Blood of Christ. When we receive Holy Communion, the minister offers us the host and says, “The Body of Christ;” and we respond, “Amen,” a Hebrew word found throughout the Bible that means “I believe it.” The Lord Jesus Christ is fully present in the host and wine consecrated by the priest at Mass. The appearance of unleavened bread remain visible — the “sign” of the sacrament and the taste remains the same — but they are totally, entirely and completely transformed into the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ. The theological term used for this transformation is “transubstantiation,” the mysterious process by which the Lord Jesus Christ becomes present. When we receive the host consecrated by the priest at Mass, we receive Christ’s Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity.