Hard Teaching

Upon hearing that Jesus was inside that beautiful gold tabernacle, my four year old granddaughter exclaimed, “In that box?”

To which I responded with my much greater experience and gave a four year old theological explanation: “Yup.”

Upon hearing that the Body and Blood of Jesus was truly inside the bread and wine, a RCIA candidate exclaimed, “Do Catholics really believe that?”

To which I responded with a little more experience and gave a humble reply:

“Definitely! 

It is a hard teaching.  Jesus realizes this Himself.  In John 6: 60-69, Jesus knows that my granddaughter and RCIA candidates and many others will be shocked by this teaching.  (John 6: 61)  He goes on to say that this understanding of the Eucharist is only by grace. (John 6: 65)  The grace of faith allows us to believe that the bread and wine become the Body and Blood of Jesus.  If you don’t have that faith, please pray for the grace of faith to be given to you.  This understanding will not only enhance your life but save your soul.

The Eucharist is called a sacred banquet.  It does feed your soul.  Jesus becomes our food.  More than a single meal, the Eucharist gives us a taste of what is to come in eternity.  You see in eating this sacred meal, we are drawn into divinity.  We eat and become one with Jesus.  We get a taste of heaven.”

This hard teaching is what keeps me Catholic.  I believe it.  I believe Jesus when He said, “This is my body…this is my blood.” (Mark 14: 22-24) And I thank God for this blessing of faith.