Is the Eucharist magic?
Catechism Meditation:
In the epiclesis, the Church asks the Father to send his Holy Spirit (or the power of his blessing) on the bread and wine, so that by his power they may become the body and blood of Jesus Christ and so that those who take part in the Eucharist may be one body and one spirit (some liturgical traditions put the epiclesis after the anamnesis).
In the institution narrative, the power of the words and the action of Christ, and the power of the Holy Spirit, make sacramentally present under the species of bread and wine Christ’s body and blood, his sacrifice offered on the cross once for all. ―No. 1353
REFLECTION. Creating the Eucharist was one of Jesus’ last acts before His death and Resurrection. The Church at the Second Vatican Council proclaimed that the Eucharist is “a sacrament of love, a sign of unity, and a bond of charity.” Today, the Eucharist continues to bring us together in community, nourishes our personal relationship with God, and comes with a unique call through the Gospel for us to share God’s love through service and prayer.
In her article for Catholic Stand: The Power of the Eucharist, Lilia Borlongan-Alvarez writes… Priests are vested with the power to change bread and wine into the sacred Body and Blood of Christ with these words at the consecration: “This is My body…this is the cup of My blood….”, Catholics are taught that the term transubstantiation refers to the conversion of the host and wine into Christ’s Body and Blood. The Eucharist retains the appearance of bread and wine while the inner substance is changed. Yes, it is a mystery, one that is based on Christ’s promises experienced only through faith.
The Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist is not magical act, but an encounter with the living God. Christ gives us His own Body and Blood in the Holy Eucharist for these reasons: to be offered as a sacrifice recalling the sacrifice of Christ on the Cross and His great love for us. What a tragedy indeed if the faithful neglect or refuse to receive Christ in Holy Communion.
PRAYER. Faithful Father, when I receive Holy Communion, I declare my unwavering faith in You. I believe in the power of Your broken Body and shed Blood to cleanse, heal, and deliver.
Timeless Wisdom Quote:
“All the priest’s powers over the Mystical Body of Christ derive from his power over the True Body of Christ or the Eucharist.” ― Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen