From the introduction:
“While they were eating, he took bread, said the blessing, broke it and said: Take it; this is my body. Then he took the cup, gave thanks, handed it to the disciples, and they all drank from it. And he said to them: This is my blood, the blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many.” (Mark 14:22–24)
In these simple and yet mighty and clear words the evangelist Mark tells of how Jesus instituted the Lord’s Supper on the eve of his execution. With slight variations, these words of Jesus are also handed down in the Gospels of Matthew and Luke and in the apostle Paul’s First Letter to the Corinthians.
From the very beginning the Lord’s Supper played a central part in the fellowship of Christians and in the presence of Jesus in his Church. “They devoted themselves to the teaching of the apostles and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer,” we read in the Acts of the Apostles (Acts 2:42). And the apostle Paul urgently warns the community in Corinth not to treat the celebration of the Lord’s Supper carelessly: “Whoever, therefore, eats the bread and drinks from the cup unworthily will be guilty of the body and the blood of the Lord.” (1 Corinthians 11:27)
Since that time the Lord’s Supper, which the Catholic and Orthodox Churches call the “Eucharist” (thanksgiving), has become for millions, indeed billions, of Christians a source of encounter with Jesus Christ and a cornerstone of the unity of the Church. At the same time, though, it has always been a source of wondering and questioning reflection. How can it be that Jesus says of the bread: “This is my body”, and of the wine: “This is my blood”?
This study attempts to approach the Catholic teaching on the Eucharist in a new way and to clarify its concerns. In doing so it takes into account problems that arise from the change, or further development, of philosophical world views. It can help Catholics and non-Catholics alike to understand what the transformation of bread and wine means for the Catholic attitude of faith. In this way the text also hopes to help ensure that present or future discussions about the different practice of the Lord’s Supper in the various denominations are conducted with respect and regard for the other side’s convictions of faith.
In this spirit I wish everyone who wants to engage with the text a stimulating and fruitful read. The text is free of charge and meant to be passed on. You will find some notes on copyright and the use of my texts here.