What is the Eucharist?

6 min

Awaiting theological review

What you will understand today

Why Catholics call the Eucharist the source and summit of the Christian life — and what they believe happens.

In simple words

Eucharist means thanksgiving. On the night before he died, Jesus took bread and said, This is my body; then the cup, This is my blood — and told his apostles to do this in memory of him.

Catholics believe that at Mass, through the words of Christ spoken by the priest and the power of the Holy Spirit, the bread and wine truly become the Body and Blood of Christ, while still looking and tasting like bread and wine. The Church calls this change transubstantiation. Christ is present whole and entire: not a symbol, but himself.

The Eucharist also makes present the one sacrifice of the Cross — not repeating it, but making it present — and it is a meal of communion. That is why Catholics prepare before receiving it, and why they keep the consecrated Host in the tabernacle and adore him there.

Key Bible passage

How John opens the Last Supper: Jesus loved his own to the end.

¹Before the festival day of the pasch, Jesus knowing that his hour was come, that he should pass out of this world to the Father: having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them unto the end.
John 13:1 · Douay-Rheims 1899 American Edition

What the Eucharist is

Thanksgiving
Praise to the Father
Memorial
The sacrifice of the Cross made present
Presence
Christ himself, Body and Blood
Communion
A meal that makes us one

Go deeper

In John 6, after feeding the five thousand, Jesus calls himself the bread of life and says that his flesh is meat indeed and his blood drink indeed. Many disciples found this too hard and left him; Jesus did not soften his words. Peter answered: Lord, to whom shall we go?

Catholics receive Communion after preparing: being in a state of grace (going to confession first after a serious sin) and fasting for one hour before. Communion can be received on the tongue or in the hand, and in some Masses from the cup as well.

Outside Mass, the consecrated Host is kept in the tabernacle, first of all so that it can be taken to the sick and dying. From this grew the practice of adoration: spending time in silent prayer before Christ present in the Eucharist.

Questions people ask

Can non-Catholics receive Communion?

Ordinarily, Holy Communion is for Catholics, because receiving it expresses full communion of faith with the Church. Others are warmly welcome at Mass and may come forward for a blessing where that is the custom.

How can bread become the Body of Christ?

The Church teaches that by the power of the Holy Spirit and the words of Christ the substance of bread and wine is changed, while what we see and taste remains. It is a mystery of faith, believed on the word of Jesus.

Why is it called the source and summit?

Because in the Eucharist Christ himself is present and gives himself; every other sacrament and all the Church's work flows from it and leads to it.

Did you know?

Early Christian source

Around 107, Ignatius of Antioch criticised a group who stayed away from the Eucharist because, he wrote, they did not confess that it is the flesh of our Saviour Jesus Christ.

Ignatius of Antioch, Letter to the Smyrnaeans 7(awaiting verification)

A common misconception

Catholics believe the Mass sacrifices Jesus again.

In fact

Christ died once for all. The Mass does not repeat his sacrifice: it makes the one sacrifice of the Cross present, so that every generation can share in it.

A question to take with you

Jesus chose to stay with his friends under the humblest signs: bread and wine. What does that say about how he wants to be close to you?

One small thing for today

Visit a church this week and sit for five minutes near the tabernacle — the place with the lit lamp beside it. You do not need to say anything.