On
the night he was betrayed our Lord Jesus Christ took bread, and when he had
given thanks, he broke it and gave it to his disciples and said: “Take,
eat: this is my body.” He took the cup, gave thanks and said: “Take,
drink: this is my blood.” Since Christ himself has declared the bread to
be his body, who can have any further doubt? Since he himself has said quite
categorically, This is my blood, who would dare to question it and say that it
is not his blood?
Therefore,
it is with complete assurance that we receive the bread and wine as the body
and blood of Christ. His body is given to us under the symbol of bread, and his
blood is given to us under the symbol of wine, in order to make us by receiving
them one body and blood with him. Having his body and blood in our members, we
become bearers of Christ and sharers, as Saint Peter says, in the divine
nature.
Do
not, then, regard the Eucharistic elements as ordinary bread and wine: they are
in fact the body and blood of the Lord, as he himself has declared. Whatever
your senses may tell you, be strong in faith.
You
have been taught and you are firmly convinced that what looks and tastes like
bread and wine is not bread and wine but the body and the blood of Christ. You
know also how David referred to this long ago when he sang: Bread gives
strength to man’s heart and makes his face shine with the oil of gladness. Strengthen
your heart, then, by receiving this bread as spiritual bread, and bring joy to
the face of your soul.
May
purity of conscience remove the veil from the face of your soul so that be
contemplating the glory of the Lord, as in a mirror, you may be transformed
from glory to glory in Christ Jesus our Lord. To him be glory for ever and
ever. Amen
Photograph by Brother Brian. Lines from Saint Cyril of Jerusalem.
