The Eucharist is the source and summit of the Christian life, as it is the highest form of worship and communion with God.
But how can we understand this mystery of faith? How can bread and wine become the body and blood of Christ? And how can we experience his presence in our lives through this sacrament?
The Church teaches that the Eucharist is a miracle of God's love, a gift of his grace, and a sign of his covenant. The Eucharist is not a mere symbol or a reminder of Christ, but a real and effective participation in his sacrifice and his resurrection.
The Eucharist is not only a meal, but also a sacrifice, as it re-presents (makes present again) the one sacrifice of Christ on the cross.
The Eucharist is also a mystery of transformation, as the Holy Spirit changes the bread and wine into the body and blood of Christ by the power of his word.
This change is called transubstantiation, which means that the substance (the essence or reality) of the bread and wine is changed into the substance of Christ, while the accidents (the appearances or properties) remain unchanged. This means that we do not see, taste, or touch the body and blood of Christ, but we perceive them by faith.
The Eucharist is also a mystery of communion, as it unites us with Christ and with one another.
By receiving the Eucharist, we become what we receive: the body of Christ. We are nourished by his word and his flesh, and we are transformed into his likeness.
We are also called to share his love and his mission with others, as we are members of his mystical body, the Church.
The Eucharist is therefore a great gift that God gives us to encounter him in a personal and intimate way.
The Eucharist is not only something that we do, but someone that we meet: Jesus Christ, who is truly present among us.
The Eucharist invites us to adore him, to thank him, to offer him our lives, and to receive him with reverence and love.