Quora Answer: Is the Eucharist Really the Body of Christ (a.s.)?

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ

The following is my answer to a Quora question: “How do we know if the Eucharist is really the body of Christ, and not just a symbolic gesture?” 

You are referring to the doctrine of Transubstantiation, which is a Catholic doctrine, within the Sacrament of the Eucharist.  It is a re-enactment of the Last Supper, which is an event found in all four canonical gospels. 

Matthew 26:26-28

²⁶ And while they were still at table, Jesus took bread, and blessed, and broke it, and gave it to his disciples, saying, “Take, eat, this is my body.”  ²⁷ Then he took a cup, and offered thanks, and gave it to them, saying, “Drink, all of you, of this; ²⁸ for this is my blood, of the new testament, shed for many, to the remission of sins.” 

²⁶ Ἐσθιόντων δὲ αὐτῶν λαβὼν ὁ Ἰησοῦς ἄρτον καὶ εὐλογήσας ἔκλασεν καὶ δοὺς τοῖς μαθηταῖς εἶπεν: λάβετε φάγετε: τοῦτό ἐστιν τὸ σῶμά μου.  ²⁷ καὶ λαβὼν ποτήριον καὶ εὐχαριστήσας ἔδωκεν αὐτοῖς λέγων: πίετε ἐξ αὐτοῦ πάντες: ²⁸ τοῦτο γάρ ἐστιν τὸ αἷμά μου τῆς διαθήκης τὸ περὶ πολλῶν ἐκχυννόμενον εἰς ἄφεσιν ἁμαρτιῶν. 

²⁶ Cœnantibus autem eis, accepit Jesus panem, et benedixit, ac fregit, deditque discipulis suis, et ait: Accipite, et comedite: hoc est corpus meum.  ²⁷ Et accipiens calicem, gratias egit: et dedit illis, dicens: Bibite ex hoc omnes.  ²⁸ Hic est enim sanguis meus novi testamenti, qui pro multis effundetur in remissionem peccatorum. 

In Catholicism, when the bread and wine are consecrated by the priest at Mass, they cease to be bread and wine.  Instead, they have become the Body and Blood of Christ.  The bread has now become the Host.  Catholic doctrine states that the appearances and attributes are not changed, but the reality of the substance is.  This consecration represents the separation of Jesus’ (a.s.) body from his blood at Calvary; thus also representing the Vicarious Sacrifice of Christ. 

We could argue on a doctrinal basis for or against it, but for adherents of Roman Catholicism, it is an established doctrine.  At the end of the day, we do not know empirically if it is so.  This is an article of faith.