THE REAL PRESENCE

CHRIST IN THE EUCHARIST

We Take Jesus Christ At His Word

Fr. Robert Goedert, O.P.

That is why we call the holy Eucharist the Blessed Sacrament. All the sacraments are blessed. All the sacraments give us the grace of Jesus. But this sacrament gives us Jesus Himself!

This is what we Catholics believe. Why do we believe this? Not because some theologian says so. Not even because the Church says so. We believe this for only one reason; because Jesus Christ says so and we believe Him.

Many who try to follow Jesus do not believe this as we Catholics do. This fact should not surprise us any. Jesus had the same problem with some of His own disciples. When Jesus first told His followers that He would give them His Body and Blood as food and drink, as the spiritual nourishment of their souls, many of His followers, His disciples, could not accept this. They would not believe Him. They left Him. Jesus did not try to call them back. He did not say: "Wait a minute, you misunderstood me. I was only talking symbolically." No! He let them go. If they could not believe Him, they could not be His disciples. It was that simple.

Then Jesus asked His Apostles if they wanted to leave Him too. If His words were too hard to accept. Jesus was ready to let His Apostles go also. Peter responded: "Lord, to whom shall we go? We know that only you have the words of eternal life."

The Apostles took Jesus at His word, We do too!