About a year after I returned to church and to my Catholic faith in 1994 my husband and I were having a fly-by conversation regarding Holy Communion. He had mentioned the Holy Eucharist being the real presence of Jesus Christ. I corrected him and said, "it's symbolic." He corrected me with a baffled look and said, "No, Jesus is truly present in the Holy Eucharist." He had thought that since I grew up in a Catholic home I would know my Catholic faith. I wasn't religious during these years and did not know much of my Catholic faith. I was stunned at this teaching and had to search the Scriptures that would support Jesus being truly present in the Holy Eucharist. I also went to the Catholic book store and bought a book containing quotations of our early Church fathers writings who also believed and taught the Real Presence of Jesus Christ in the Holy Eucharist. To my reading both the Bible and early Church fathers writings, I could not deny Jesus is truly present in the Holy Eucharist--Blood, Body, Soul and Divinity.
If we look at the Last Supper, Jesus' own Words at the breaking of bread and the blessing of the cup is, "This IS my body...This IS my blood." (Matthew 26:26) He did not say, "This means my body...or This symbolizes my body..." but said, "This IS...." (see also Mark 14:22-24 and Luke 22:15-20)
St. Paul passed down Jesus' very Words that was passed down to him: "For I received from the Lord what I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and said, ""This IS my body which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me." In the same way also the cup, after supper, saying, "This cup IS the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes."" (1Corinthians 11:23-25).
St. Paul continues to say, "Whoever, therefore, eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of profaning THE BODY AND BLOOD of the Lord. Let a man examine himself, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup. For any one who eats and drinks without discerning THE BODY eats and drinks judgment upon himself." (1Corinthians 11:27-29)
The question that comes to my mind when I read St. Paul's words is, "How can we "profane" a "symbol"??? It makes perfect sense to be in grace and not in mortal sin when receiving Jesus (NOT a symbol of Jesus) in the Holy Sacrament.
St. Paul also says, "The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not a participation in the BLOOD of Christ? The bread we break, is it not a participation in the BODY of Christ?" (1Corinthians 10:17)
During a Mass attendance, our Deacon stepped aside to retrieve consecrated Hosts from the Tabernacle in the Sanctuary located behind the Altar. As the the liturgy of the Mass was being prepared I was watching the people around me also preparing themselves to receive Jesus in the Sacrament. The scene reminded me of the scene in the Gospel of John (chapter 6) of the "miracle of the loaves." The apostle John tells us Jesus performed a miracle with only five loaves of bread and two fish to satisfy the hungry stomachs of about five thousand followers. After Jesus' blessing of the bread and fish He distributed the food to about five thousand followers whose hunger was satisfied--and with food leftover. This event happened during Passover (John 6:4), and is a foreshadow of the Catholic Mass (the transformation and completion of the Passover) that began in the Upper Room on Passover. We see in the Gospel of John Jesus performing a miracle to satisfy the hungry stomachs of a multitude of people. And at Mass all over the world Jesus feeds a multitude of people with Himself, the true Bread of Heaven, to satisfy our hungry soul. Jesus says, "I am the bread of life; he who comes to me shall not hunger,..."(John 6:35)..."I am the living bread which came down from heaven; if any one eats of this bread, he will live for ever; and the bread which I shall give for the life of the world is my flesh." (John 6:51). Many will read Jesus' words as a metaphor. However Jesus was not speaking metaphorically. If we look at the Gospel of John, verses 48-58, Jesus said, not once, not twice, but SIX times, "For life we must EAT His flesh and DRINK His Blood." To repeat Himself SIX times in ten verses, He was putting much emphasis on the issue. He was speaking in a literal manner. Now, I've had debates about this Gospel teaching and have been told that Jesus was only speaking symbolically. I'm also quoted verse 63 where Jesus also says, "It is the spirit that gives life, the flesh is of no avail; the words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life." (John 6:63) But if we read verse 66 we can see many of Jesus' followers walking away from Jesus because they knew Jesus was not talking symbolically. The apostle John tells us, "After this many of his disciples drew back and no longer went about with Him." (John 6:66) Now, if Jesus made it clear He was only speaking symbolically when He said, "The flesh is of no avail," His followers would have wiped the sweat off their foreheads and continued following Him. But instead they knew Jesus was talking in a literal manner. When Jesus said "it is the spirit that gives life and the flesh is of no avail," He was saying we need FAITH to accept His words, and trying to accept His words from the flesh (and not from the spirit) is of no avail. His followers knew Jesus was talking in a literal manner, but they didn't know how Jesus would give us His flesh to eat. They were thinking cannibalism, rather with FAITH. It was at the Last Supper that Jesus showed us how He would give Himself to us...whole and entire under the species of bread and wine.
The act of cannibalism is thrown at the Catholic Church because like the Jews in the Gospel of John, the unbelievers does not understand how Jesus gives Himself to us to eat. The cannibalism argument does not fly with me. If we look at the meaning of cannibalism, we see that it means "one that eats flesh of its OWN kind." Jesus is both God and Man in a glorified Body without limitations. We are not God, but only partakers of His Divine Nature. And we remain in a body with limitations. We cannot possibly hurt Jesus by "eating" Him. Jesus cannot be destroyed nor shred to pieces at Holy Communion. As God, and in His glorified resurrected human Body, comes to us whole and entire under the species of bread and wine. Not even walking through closed doors could bring harm to Jesus in His glorified and resurrected Body! (John 20:19) How then can Catholics be guilty of cannibalism when Jesus both God and Glorified Man does not share the same flesh as us with limitations? Jesus does not get ripped to shreds during Holy Communion. Instead He is received by us, whole and entire, to nourish our soul with His Life. It takes FAITH to believe in His Real Presence in the Holy Eucharist, and to believe in His Words that was believed and taught by His apostles and their successors. We have a choice with Jesus' hard saying in the apostle John's Gospel. We can walk away from Jesus like many of His disciples in verse 66. Or like the apostle Peter in verse 68, We can say to Jesus, "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of everlasting life."
I've also been questioned many times during this debate in an attempt to trip me to not believing in the Real Presence. I've been asked, "If Jesus is truly present in the Sacrament, do we not flush Him when we go to the bathroom?" There are many types of questions like this, and the reasoning are just as weak as believing we are participating in cannibalism when we receive Jesus in the Sacrament. Our bodily functions such as chewing and bowel movements cannot hurt Jesus when He comes to us whole and entire under the species of bread and wine. These questions are suppose to make a believer of the Real Presence to believe they are committing harm to Jesus and profaning His Body and Blood. However, not being a believer and poking fun at the belief is profaning the Body and Blood of Jesus. The Holy Eucharist of Jesus' Real Presence can also be deliberately profaned according to St. Paul. (1Corinthians 11:27-29). But our deliberate sin and offense against Jesus does not make His Word and sacrifice less truthful. But if there is deliberate sin against God we bring death to our soul.
The Real Presence of Jesus under the species of bread and wine is another miracle of God. I do not know how God can pull off this act, but He has given me the "faith" to believe in His Words that "NOTHING is impossible with Him." (Luke 1:37;Mark 10:27) If Jesus, being God, can change water into wine, than why is it impossible to some that Jesus can change wine into His Blood?
Water into wine=miracle Wine into blood=symbol |
What do we believe? |
Water into wine=miracle Wine into blood=miracle |
It wasn't long for me to become a believer of the Real Presence after reading and studying the Scriptures, and seeing how our early Church fathers interpreted the Scriptures. The early Church fathers lived closer to the Savior's time on earth and to His Word, and their beliefs and teachings passed down to them carry more weight than any modern day unbeliever and teacher.
EARLY FATHERS QUOTATIONS FROM THEIR WRITINGS:
"They abstain from the Eucharist and from prayer, because they confess not THE EUCHARIST TO BE THE FLESH OF OUR SAVIOUR JESUS CHRIST, WHICH SUFFERED FOR OUR SINS, AND WHICH THE FATHER, OF HIS GOODNESS, RAISED UP AGAIN. Those, therefore, who speak against this gift of God, incur death in the midst of their disputes. But it were better for them to treat it with respect, that they also might rise again." (Ignatius epistle to the Smyrnaeans, Chapter VII.-Let Us Stand Aloof from Such Heretics, 110 A.D.)
"And this food is called among us [the Eucharist], of which no one is allowed to partake but the man who believes that the things which we teach are true, and who has been washed with the washing that is for the remission of sins, and unto regeneration, and who is so living as Christ has enjoined. FOR NOT AS COMMON BREAD AND COMMON DRINK DO WE RECEIVE THESE; BUT IN LIKE MANNER AS JESUS CHRIST OUR SAVIOUR, HAVING BEEN MADE FLESH BY THE WORD OF GOD, HAD BOTH FLESH AND BLOOD FOR OUR SALVATION, SO LIKEWISE HAVE WE BEEN TAUGHT THAT THE FOOD WHICH IS BLESSED BY THE PRAYER OF HIS WORD, AND FROM WHICH OUR BLOOD AND FLESH BY TRANSMUTATION ARE NOURISHED, IS THE FLESH AND BLOOD OF THAT JESUS WHO WAS MADE FLESH. For the apostles, in the memoirs composed by them, which are called Gospels, have thus delivered unto us what was enjoined upon them; that Jesus took bread, and when He had given thanks, said, "This do ye in remembrance of Me, this is My body; "and that, after the same manner, having taken the cup and given thanks, He said, "This is My blood; "and gave it to them alone. Which the wicked devils have imitated in the mysteries of Mithras, commanding the same thing to be done. For, that bread and a cup of water are placed with certain incantations in the mystic rites of one who is being initiated, you either know or can learn." (Justin Martyr, First Apology, Chapter LXVI.-Of the Eucharist, 148-155 A.D.)
"2. But vain in every respect are they who despise the entire dispensation of God, and disallow the salvation of the flesh, and treat with contempt its regeneration, maintaining that it is not capable of incorruption. But if this indeed do not attain salvation, then neither did the Lord redeem us with His blood, NOR IS THE CUP OF THE EUCHARIST THE COMMUNION OF HIS BLOOD, NOR THE BREAD WHICH WE BREAK THE COMMUNION OF HIS BODY. For blood can only come from veins and flesh, and whatsoever else makes up the substance of man, such as the Word of God was actually made. By His own blood he redeemed us, as also His apostle declares, "In whom we have redemption through His blood, even the remission of sins." And as we are His members, we are also nourished by means of the creation (and He Himself grants the creation to us, for He causes His sun to rise, and sends rain when He wills). HE HAS ACKNOWLEDGED THE CUP (WHICH IS A PART OF THE CREATION) AS HIS OWN BLOOD, FROM WHICH HE BEDEWS OUR BLOOD; AND THE BREAD (ALSO A PART OF THE CREATION) HE HAS ESTABLISHED AS HIS OWN BODY, FROM WHICH HE GIVES INCREASE TO OUR BODIES.
3. When, therefore, the mingled cup and the manufactured bread RECEIVES THE WORD OF GOD, AND THE EUCHARIST OF THE BLOOD AND THE BODY OF CHRIST IS MADE, FROM WHICH THINGS THE SUBSTANCE OF OUR FLESH IS INCREASED AND SUPPORTED, HOW CAN THEY AFFIRM THAT THE FLESH IS INCAPABLE OF RECEIVING THE GIFT OF GOD, WHICH IS LIFE ETERNAL, WHICH [FLESH] IS NOURISHED FROM THE BODY AND BLOOD OF THE LORD, AND IS A MEMBER OF HIM?-EVEN AS THE BLESSED PAUL DECLARES IN HIS EPISTLE TO THE EPHESIANS, THAT "WE ARE MEMBERS OF HIS BODY, OF HIS FLESH, AND OF HIS BONES." He does not speak these words of some spiritual and invisible man, for a spirit has not bones nor flesh; BUT [HE REFERS TO] THAT DISPENSATION [BY WHICH THE LORD BECAME] AN ACTUAL MAN, CONSISTING OF FLESH, AND NERVES, AND BONES,-THAT [FLESH] WHICH IS NOURISHED BY THE CUP WHICH IS HIS BLOOD, AND RECEIVES INCREASE FROM THE BREAD WHICH IS HIS BODY. And just as a cutting from the vine planted in the ground fructifies in its season, or as a corn of wheat falling into the earth and becoming decomposed, rises with manifold increase by the Spirit of God, who contains all things, and then, through the wisdom of God, serves for the use of men, and having RECEIVED THE WORD OF GOD, BECOMES THE EUCHARIST, WHICH IS THE BODY AND BLOOD OF CHRIST; so also our bodies, being nourished by it, and deposited in the earth, and suffering decomposition there, shall rise at their appointed time, the Word of God granting them resurrection to the glory of God, even the Father, who freely gives to this mortal immortality, and to this corruptible incorruption, because the strength of God is made perfect in weakness, in order that we may never become puffed up, as if we had life from ourselves, and exalted against God, our minds becoming ungrateful; but learning by experience that we possess eternal duration from the excelling power of this Being, not from our own nature, we may neither undervalue that glory which surrounds God as He is, nor be ignorant of our own nature, but that we may know what God can effect, and what benefits man receives, and thus never wander from the true comprehension of things as they are, that is, both with regard to God and with regard to man." (Irenaeus, Against Heresies, Book 5:2-3, Exhibiting to Us His True Flesh in the Eucharist, 140- 202 A.D.)
"Then, having taken the bread and given it to His disciples, He made it His own body, by saying, "This is my body," that is, the figure of my body. A figure, however, there could not have been, unless there were first a veritable body. An empty thing, or phantom, is incapable of a figure. If, however, (as Marcion might say, ) He pretended the bread was His body, because He lacked the truth of bodily substance, it follows that He must have given bread for us. It would contribute very well to the support of Marcion's theory of a phantom body, that bread should have been crucified! But why call His body bread, and not rather (some other edible thing, say) a melon, which Marcion must have had in lieu of a heart! He did not understand how ancient was this figure of the body of Christ, who said Himself by Jeremiah: "I was like a lamb or an ox that is brought to the slaughter, and I knew not that they devised a device against me, saying, Let us cast the tree upon His bread," which means, of course, the cross upon His body. And thus, casting light, as He always did, upon the ancient prophecies, He declared plainly enough what He meant by the bread, when He called the bread His own body. He likewise, when mentioning the cup and making the new testament to be sealed "in His blood," affirms the reality of His body. For no blood can belong to a body which is not a body of flesh. If any sort of body were presented to our view, which is not one of flesh, not being fleshly, it would not possess blood. Thus, from the evidence of the flesh, we get a proof of the body, and a proof of the flesh from the evidence of the blood. In order, however, that you may discover how anciently wine is used as a figure for blood, turn to Isaiah, who asks, "Who is this that cometh from Edom, from Bosor with garments dyed in red, so glorious in His apparel, in the greatness of his might? Why are thy garments red, and thy raiment as his who cometh from the treading of the full winepress? "The prophetic Spirit contemplates the Lord as if He were already on His way to His passion, clad in His fleshly nature; and as He was to suffer therein, He represents the bleeding condition of His flesh under the metaphor of garments dyed in red, as if reddened in the treading and crushing process of the wine-press, from which the labourers descend reddened with the wine-juice, like men stained in blood. Much more clearly still does the book of Genesis foretell this, when (in the blessing of Judah, out of whose tribe Christ was to come according to the flesh) it even then delineated Christ in the person of that patriarch, saying, "He washed His garments in wine, and His clothes in the blood of grapes"-in His garments and clothes the prophecy pointed out his flesh, and His blood in the wine. Thus did He now consecrate His blood in wine, who then (by the patriarch) used the figure of wine to describe His blood." (Tertillian, The Five Books Against Marcion, Chapter XL, The Institution of the Lord's Supper. The Docetic Error of Marcion Confuted by the Body and the Blood of the Lord Jesus Christ, 155-250 A.D.)
"But we give thanks to the Creator of all, and, along with thanksgiving and prayer for the blessings we have received, we also eat the bread presented to us; AND THIS BREAD BECOMES BY PRAYER A SACRED BODY, WHICH SANCTIFIES THOSE WHO SINCERELY PARTAKE OF IT." (Origen, Against Celsus, Book 8:33, 185-254 A.D.)
"1. Even of itself the teaching of the Blessed Paul is sufficient to give you a full assurance concerning those Divine Mysteries, of which having been deemed worthy, ye are become of the same bad and blood with Christ. For you have just heard him say distinctly, That our Lord Jesus Christ in the night in which He was betrayed, took bread, and when He had given thanks He brake it, and gave to His disciples, saying, Take, eat, this is My Body: and having taken the cup and given thanks, lie said, Take, drink, this is My Blood. Since then He Himself declared and said of the Bread, THIS IS MY BODY, WHO SHALL DARE TO DOUBT ANY LONGER? AND SINCE HE HAS HIMSELF AFFIRMED AND SAID, THIS IS MY BLOOD, WHO SHALL EVER HESITATE, SAYING, THAT IT IS NOT HIS BLOOD?
2. He once in Cana of Galilee, turned the water into wine, akin to blood, AND IS IT INCREDIBLE THAT HE SHOULD HAVE TURNED WINE INTO BLOOD? When called to a bodily marriage, He miraculously wrought that wonderful work; and on the children of the bride-chamber, shall He not much rather be acknowledged to have bestowed the fruition of His Body and Blood?
3. WHEREFORE WITH FULL ASSURANCE LET US PARTAKE AS OF THE BODY AND BLOOD OF CHRIST: for in the figure of Bread is given to THEE HIS BODY, and in the figure of Wine HIS BLOOD; that thou by partaking of the Body and Blood of Christ, mayest be made of the same body and the same blood with Him. For thus we come to bear Christ in us, because HIS BODY AND BLOOD ARE DISTRIBUTED THROUGH OUR MEMBERS; thus it is that, according to the blessed Peter, we became partakers of the divine nature.
4. Christ on a certain occasion discoursing with the Jews said, Except ye eat My flesh and drink My blood, ye have no life in you. They not having heard His saying in a spiritual sense were offended, and went back, supposing that He was inviting them to eat flesh.
5. In the Old Testament also there was shew-bread; but this, as it belonged to the Old Testament, has come to an end; but in the New Testament there is Bread of heaven, and a Cup of salvation, sanctifying soul and body; for as the Bread corresponds to our body, so is the Word appropriate to our soul.
6. Consider therefore the Bread and the Wine not as bare elements, for they are, according to the Lord's declaration, the Body and Blood of Christ; FOR EVEN THOUGH SENSE SUGGESTS THIS TO THEE, YET LET FAITH ESTABLISH THEE. JUDGE NOT THE MATTER FROM THE TASTE, BUT FROM FAITH BE FULLY ASSURED WITHOUT MISGIVING, THAT THE BODY AND BLOOD OF CHRIST HAVE BEEN VOUCH-SAFED TO THEE.
7. Also the blessed David shall advise thee the meaning of this, saying, Thou hast prepared a table before me in the presence of them that afflict me. What he says, is to this effect: Before Thy coming, the evil spirits prepared a table for men, polluted and defiled and full of devilish influence; but since Thy coming. O Lord, Thou hast prepared a table before me. When the man says to God, Thou hast prepared before me a table, what other does he indicate but that mystical and spiritual Table, which God hath prepared for us over against, that is, contrary and in opposition to the evil spirits? And very truly; for that had communion with devils, but this, with God. Thou hast anointed my head with oil. With oil He anointed thine head upon thy forehead, for the seal which thou hast of God; that thou mayest be made the engraving of the signet, Holiness unto God. And thy cup intoxicateth me, as very strong. Thou seest that cup here spoken of, which Jesus took in His hands, and gave thanks, and said, This is My blood, which is shed far many for the remission of sins.
8. Therefore Solomon also, hinting at this grace, says in Ecclesiastes, Come hither, eat thy bread with joy (THAT IS, THE SPIRITUAL BREAD; Came hither, he calls with the call to salvation and blessing), and drink thy wine with a merry heart (THAT IS, THE SPIRITUAL WINE); and let oil be poured out upon thy head (thou sees he alludes even to the mystic chrism); and let thy garments be always white, far the Lord is well pleased with thy works; for before thou camest to Baptism, thy works were vanity of vanities. But now, having put off thy old garments, and put on those which are spiritually white, thou must be continually robed in white: of course we mean not this, that thou art always to wear white raiment; but thou must be clad in the garments that are truly white and shining and spiritual, that thou mayest say with the blessed Esaias, My saul shall be joyful in my God; far He hath clothed me with a garment of salvation, and put a robe of gladness around me.
9. HAVING LEARN THESE THINGS, AND BEEN FULLY ASSURED THAT THE SEEMING BREAD IS NOT BREAD, THOUGH SENSIBLE TO TASTE, BUT THE BODY OF CHRIST; AND THAT THE SEEMING WINE IS NOT WINE, THOUGH THE TASTE WILL HAVE IT SO, BUT THE BLOOD OF CHRIST; and that of this David sung of old, saying, And bread strengtheneth man's heart, to make his face to shine with oil, "strengthen thou thine heart," by partaking thereof as spiritual, and "make the face of thy soul to shine." And so having it unveiled with a pure conscience, mayest thou reflect as a mirror the glory of the Lord, and proceed from glory to glory, in Christ Jesus our Lord:-To whom be honour, and might, and glory, for ever and ever. Amen." (Cyril of Jerusalem,Catechetical Lectures,XXII,1-9, On the Body and Blood of Christ, 350 A.D.)
"LET US THEN IN EVERYTHING BELIEVE GOD, AND GAINSAY HIM IN NOTHING, THOUGH WHAT IS SAID SEEM TO BE CONTRARY TO OUR THOUGHTS AND SENSES, BUT LET HIS WORD BE OF HIGHER AUTHORITY THAN BOTH REASONINGS AND SIGHT. THUS LET US DO IN THE MYSTERIES ALSO, NOT LOOKING AT THE THINGS SET BEFORE US, BUT KEEPING IN MIND HIS SAYINGS. FOR HIS WORD CANNOT DECEIVE, BUT OUR SENSES ARE EASILY BEGUILED. THAT HATH NEVER FAILED, BUT THIS IN MOST THINGS GOETH WRONG. SINCE THEN THE WORD SAITH, "THIS IS MY BODY," LET US BOTH BE PERSUADED AND BELIEVE, AND LOOK AT IT WITH THE EYES OF THE MIND. For Christ hath given nothing sensible, but though in things sensible yet all to be perceived by the mind. So also in baptism, the gift is bestowed by a sensible thing, that is, by water; but that which is done is perceived by the mind, the birth, I mean, and the renewal. For if thou hadst been incorporeal, He would have delivered thee the incorporeal gifts bare; but because the soul hath been locked up in a body, He delivers thee the things that the mind perceives, in things sensible. How many now say, I would wish to see His form, the mark, His clothes, His shoes. Lo! thou seest Him, Thou touchest Him, THOU EATEST HIM. And thou indeed desirest to see His clothes, but He giveth Himself to thee not to see only, BUT ALSO TO TOUCH AND EAT AND RECEIVE WITHIN THEE." (John Chrysostom,Gospel of Matthew, LXXXII, 4, 370 A.D.)
"Then He added: "For My Flesh is meat indeed, and My Blood is drink [indeed]." Thou hearest Him speak of His Flesh and of His Blood, thou perceivest the sacred pledges, [conveying to us the merits and power] of the Lord's death, and thou dishonourest His Godhead. Hear His own words: "A spirit hath not flesh and bones." NOW WE, AS OFTEN AS WE RECEIVE THE SACRAMENTAL ELEMENTS, WHICH BY THE MYSTEROUS EFFICACY OF HOLY PRAYER ARE TRANSFORMED INTO THE FLESH AND THE BLOOD, "DO SHOW THE LORD'S DEATH."" (Ambrose, Exposition of the Christian Faith, Book IV, Chapter 10:125, 380 A.D.)
"The Eucharist unites the body, as Baptism the soul, to God. Our bodies, having received poison, need an Antidote; and only by eating and drinking can it enter. One Body, the receptacle of Deity, is this Antidote, thus received. But how can it enter whole into each one of the Faithful? This needs an illustration. Water gives its own body to a skin-bottle. So nourishment (BREAD AND WINE) BY BECOMING FLESH AND BLOOD gives bulk to the human frame: the nourishment is the body. Just as in the case of other men, our Saviour's nourishment (bread and wine) was His Body; BUT THESE, NOURISHMENT AND BODY, WERE IN HIM CHANGED INTO THE BODY OF GOD BY THE WORD INDWELLING. SO NOW REPEATEDLY THE BREAD AND WINE, SANCTIFIED BY THE WORD (THE SACRED BENEDICTION), IS AT THE SAME TIME CHANGED INTO THE BODY OF THAT WORD; AND THIS FLESH IS DISSEMINATED AMONGST ALL THE FAITHFUL." (Gregory of Nyssa, The Great Catechism, The Sacraments, 37, 383 A.D.)
""And was carried in His Own Hands:" HOW "CARRIED IN HIS OWN HANDS"? BECAUSE WHEN HE COMMENDED HIS OWN BODY AND BLOOD, HE TOOK INTO HIS HANDS THAT WHICH THE FAITHFUL KNOW; AND IN A MANNER CARRIED HIMSELF, WHEN HE SAID, "THIS IS MY BODY."" (Augustine, Psalms 34:1, 392-418 A.D.)
"Dearly-beloved, utter this confession with all your heart and reject the wicked lies of heretics, that your fasting and almsgiving may not be polluted by any contagion with error: for then is our offering of the sacrifice clean and oar gifts of mercy holy, when those who perform them understand that which they do. For when the LORD says, "unless ye have eaten the flesh of the Son of Man, and drunk His blood, ye will not have life in you," you ought so to be partakers at the Holy Table, AS TO HAVE NO DOUBT WHATEVER CONCERNING THE REALITY OF CHRIST'S BODY AND BLOOD. FOR THAT IS TAKEN IN THE MOUTH WHICH IS BELIEVED IN FAITH, AND IT IS VAIN FOR THEM TO RESPOND AMEND WHO DISPUTE THAT WHICH IS TAKEN." (Pope Leo the Great, Sermon 91:3, 461 A.D.)