Is Jesus really present in the bread and wine at Mass?

Answer 1

Yes, this is what Catholics believe.

At the Last Supper, Jesus said, "Take this bread. It is my body." Then he said, "Take this and drink. This is my blood. Do this in memory of me."

Catholics believe this was the First Eucharist, that through a miracle the bread and wine actually became the body and blood of Jesus Christ.

Catholics reenact the Last Supper during every Mass, where God, acting through the priest, changes the bread and wine into the body and blood of Jesus Christ.

This is a great sacrament of Thanksgiving and unity of Catholics.

By the way, the Eastern Catholic, Oriental Orthodox and Eastern Orthodox Churches, the Assyrian Church of the East, the Lutheran and many Anglican Churches also believe in the Real Presence of Jesus Christ in the Eucharist. This is more than half of all Christians in the world.

For more information, see the Catechism of the Catholic Church, sections 1322 and following: http://www.usccb.org/catechism/text/pt2sect2chpt1art3.shtml

With love in Christ.

Answer 2

Yes, it is the real sacramental presence of the glorified Christ, body, blood, soul, an divinity. This is a mystery of our faith and central to it. The bread and wine remain in appearance and taste but are transubstantiated to the real presence.

Answer 3

Protestants say that Jesus is only symbolically present in the Holy Communion. In other words, he is not really present, but his presence is deemed for sacramental purposes.

Catholics say Jesus is really present, because the bread and wine are actually turned into his flesh and blood, although they retain all the physical properties of bread and wine.

Answer 4

No, that statement, as such, would be considered incorrect. During the Mass, transubstantiation occurs, which is when the entire bread becomes the entire Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity of Jesus Christ - permanently, and nothing remains of the bread, but the "accidents" (the appearance, taste, etc.). The same with the wine, when transubstantiation occurs, the entire wine is replace with the Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity of the entire Christ, and this is permanent: even after the Mass is over, the Body and Blood of Our Blessed Lord remain. After transubstantiation, there is NOTHING remaining of the substance of the bread and wine, only the accidents (the appearance, etc.) and the entire substance is changed permanently.