Eucharist 101 | Catholic Central

Catholics call the Eucharist "the source and summit of the Christian life." But what does that mean? What do Catholics REALLY believe about the Eucharist? Why is it important?
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[@annarodriguez9868]

I'm a 75 year old catechist and I like to watch and listen to other people teach and explain the teachings of the Church to keep my lessons fresh for myself as much as I want to make them interesting for my kids. I plan to borrow or steal the "summit" part of your lesson. I have an aide in my class and we like to "act" whenever we can. Thank you and God bless you!

[@CatholicCentralVideos]

Hi Anna, we are more than happy for you to "appropriate" our content. Please also be sure to check the study guides on our website - CatholicCentral.com - for more ideas.

[@keithwalker104]

This got me a A on my test you guys help people so much thank you

[@CatholicCentralVideos]

So glad we could help!

[@himslim5518]

Catholic Central’s replies to comments are so nice, punctual and well written. I appreciate it. Good work guys.

[@CatholicCentralVideos]

Thank you so much for the kind words. We really appreciate it!

[@michaelgarrett3740]

Excellent! I am teaching RCIT students - this will be SO good for them!

[@CatholicCentralVideos]

Great! If you go to our website, www.CatholicCentral.com, you will find additional resources for each episode.

[@SeraphimVolker]

It is an enjoyable video, I'm very happy to see that you remain strong in stating that the body and blood of Christ isn't a metaphor for anything. Protestants have often attributed it to being a metaphor and nothing more. Orthodoxy, and yourselves, clearly say otherwise. Wonderful.

[@CatholicCentralVideos]

Absolutely, River. As the great Catholic writer Flannery O'Connor once said, "If it's not real, to heck with it!" May the Eucharist remain the source and summit of your faith.

[@BoogieBoogieBoyLock]

“I cannot believe you” “that’s what a lot of the disciples said” 😂 🤣 😂I love you guys

[@cathyjohnson9546]

To help clarify - it is the LITURGY that is the source and summit, during which we receive the Eucharist. See Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy #10: "[T]he liturgy is the summit toward which the activity of the Church is directed; at the same time it is the font from which all her power flows."

[@CatholicCentralVideos]

Here's what the Catechism has to say ... www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p2s2c1a3.htm

[@thomasabraham6833]

I LOVE JESUS❤️

[@HarleyGirl75]

This is really great. Thank you!

[@CatholicCentralVideos]

We are glad you like it.

[@shraddhashrestha795]

SHALOM!❤AMEN!❤HALLELUJAHS!❤

[@mmurph2686]

Very punny, Kai! Thanks be to God for His life-giving gift to us.

[@CatholicCentralVideos]

Amen!

[@food_6734]

theology really be killing us with this video

[@victoriaromero357]

Here because of online school and now online Religious Education Class I 'm teaching.Thanks for Video. I'm gonna share it with my class. I'm going to be looking for more. I've subscribed. You guys are great. Me and my daughter have this Pun thing going on... LOVED your puns. I may steal them for a Pun war...

[@CatholicCentralVideos]

Kai will be glad to hear that. Puns are his thing, too!

[@OskariJuurikkala]

Thanks, really good teaching and explanations!

[@jeffreyraia5804]

I love this video! I wish that I wouldn't have discovered you guys so late though. Oh well ... better late than never.

[@CatholicCentralVideos]

Welcome Jeffrey Raia, we are glad you found us!

[@annarodriguez9868]

Never too late! The last shall be first...😉😇

[@sr.silverado5277]

I love this video!!! So informative :D

[@CatholicCentralVideos]

Thank you!

[@patriciaowens3479]

FROM WAY OF DIVINE LOVE - BEAUTIFUL!PAGE 252: OUR LORD JESUS SPEAKS ON THE BLESSED SACRAMENT: "The Blessed Sacrament is the invention of Love. It is life and fortitude for souls, a remedy for every fault, and viaticum for the last passage from time to eternity. In it sinners recover life for their souls, tepid souls true warmth; fervent souls, tranquility and the satisfaction of every longing . . . saintly souls, wings to fly towards perfection. . . .pure souls sweet honey and rarest sustenance. Consecrated souls find in it a dwelling, their love and their life. In it they will seek and find the perfect exemplar of those sacred and hallowed bonds that unite them inseparably to their heavenly Bridegroom."

[@getzoinked5915]

I have 8 of these of these vids to watch this

[@CatholicCentralVideos]

We hope you enjoy them!

[@johnmcmahon4222]

This may be your best video- so well done

[@CatholicCentralVideos]

Thank you!

[@adrianapaz4411]

It’s straightforward. God is the very Earth we were all born in, on, of. Alive, mystical, and Our creator. These intense, loud, distracted material, ignorant noises we created have blocked out nature’s true beauty. Through all the basic elements that sustains us, plus the Sun and Moon providing that extra magic and energy that realise miracles. Jesus tried to show us we have everything we need right on Earth. Bread is made of Earth. Wine is made of wet Earth.

[@warren6395]

Sorry - but.. no. Earth is material. God, as creator of everything that is material (matter, time, space), cannot be material as how can a material "thing" create ALL material things out of nothing? Also - Sun and Moon are not magical, and there is no energy in them except that which God intended. Sun = light and heat energy -> giving us just the right amount for life to flourish. Moon = gravity and light reflected from the sun. Intended to assist in time tracking, protection / some visibility at night, and stabilising Earth's orbit, protection from meteors etc. All part of His plan, but nothing magical or psychic energies from these. "Jesus tried to show us we have everything we need right on Earth" Definitely not. The gospels and good news was all about saving us from our sins (thus the need to repent), to believe Jesus is the only Son of God (and everything He did and said); and thus his sacrifice would allow us to enter His Kingdom, which was not of the world; to be baptised INTO Christ, thus allowing us to be part of His salvific plan; and to tell others of the kingdom of God. Jesus also said "Man cannot live by bread alone, but from every word that comes from God". Again - He did not say we have everything we need on Earth, but in fact encourages us all to "Look to Heaven".

[@pvp_mania5182]

🙏

[@ninezers_is_sane]

Kai who made 6 puns

[@curtpiazza1688]

Excellent...entertaining!

[@CatholicCentralVideos]

We are glad you enjoyed it! Please be sure to subscribe.

[@joemelhem3653]

Thank-you for these

[@CatholicCentralVideos]

You're welcome!

[@davidwv7370]

As Catholics we hear that, at Mass, bread and wine are changed into the body and blood of Jesus. Yet what we see, feel, smell, and taste are bread and wine. Should we believe what we hear, or what our natural senses are telling us to be true ?? … Our Catholic Church is simply asking us, and telling us, to see what God the Father is seeing at communion. God does not see bread and wine. God is seeing what happened about 2000 years ago when Jesus said “yes” to the cross and gave His Body and Blood so that our sins could be forgiven. … At communion (the Eucharist) God sees you, me, everyone else as imperfect sinners who do not deserve Heaven or His help. Yet He also sees Jesus as a sacrifice for our sins so that we can be forgiven. God does NOT see bread and wine. God sees Body and Blood. … At communion do you see what God sees? Do you see yourself as totally unworthy of Heaven? Or do you say “God knows I am not perfect, but, yet not bad enough for Hell?” IF you, or me, or St. Peter, or the Pope could possibly be “good enough” for Heaven there would have been no need for Jesus to die on the cross. … At communion we are being given the Body and Blood of Jesus. The same Body and Blood that became a sacrifice 2000 years ago. Do you believe that your only hope for Heaven is THE Body and Blood? Or do you assume you will be found “good enough” for Heaven? Stop thinking the good things you have done will get you to Heaven and start believing in the Body and Blood sacrificed at Calvary. … So are the Protestants correct to say we are “Saved by Faith Alone and NOT Good Works ?? ” No, God wants you to do good works. Yes! Jesus died so we could be forgiven ! AND Jesus died so we can have the help of God the Holy Spirit ! Once you see Jesus as your only hope for Heaven, Jesus will send the Holy Spirit to help you become more and more like the person God wants you to be. … You will not need a miracle or scientific proof to believe that bread and wine become Body and Blood. You will have the help of God the Holy Spirit to know it is true !!

[@CatholicCentralVideos]

Hi David. Thank you for your passionate testimonial. We certainly agree with you that “Our Catholic Church is simply asking us, and telling us, to see what God the Father is seeing at communion” -- the Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Jesus. Because of this we approach the Eucharist with joy and gratitude … but also with humility. Humility helps us recognize that we can’t see into others’ hearts and minds. So, as one of our team-members put it, “the ultimate decision of who is saved is above our pay grade.” As wonderful as the gift of Eucharist is for us - the source and summit of our faith - the Eucharist may not save us if we walk reverently to Communion every Sunday and then swear at the car in front of us as we try to get out of the parking lot after Mass! What ultimately saves us is God’s infinite mercy and forgiveness.... because not a single one of us, in your words, is “good enough.” And who knows what happens in those final moments when we pass from this life to the next? Regarding faith versus works, in fairness to our Protestant sisters and brothers, not all of them (as you imply) have the same understanding of James 2: 14-26 and Eph 2: 8-9. What all Christians do understand, hopefully, is that there is a divine plan for each of us, and each of us is called to live it in a way that is pleasing to God. Keep the flame burning bright, David, and thanks again for joining the conversation .

[@Alfredo8059]

@@CatholicCentralVideos , thank you so much for such a clear explanation. God bless you

[@seanluu7188]

the guy looks like my teacher

[@essequamvideri]

4:08 ...now I can't share this with kids. Wish you used a different image or edited out the junk.

[@CatholicCentralVideos]

Sorry!

[@tahasham8823]

My Self, this is the famous Vitruvian Man by Leonardo Da Vinci and the Church has always used art to teach.

[@CatholicCentralVideos]

@@tahasham8823 It is, indeed!

[@essequamvideri]

@@tahasham8823 - true, but i wasnt planning to teach Theology of the Body... during Eucharist talks. ;)

[@kobblesgaming7208]

0:10 hmm did i hear a swear???

[@CatholicCentralVideos]

We don't think so. Last we checked, "Abominable" and "Hairy" were not swear words. Can you elaborate?

[@kobblesgaming7208]

Nah when she says Kai or something it sounds like the c word

[@danielscuiry2847]

Okay I’m not saying this to annoy you but how is this not cannibalism? I have a few ideas of my own but I haven’t met one priest or who can answer this question for me. I think it deserves an intelligent response.

[@CatholicCentralVideos]

Yours is a question that is old as our faith itself. As a matter of fact, when Jesus makes this pronouncement in the Gospel of John, 6:22-59, it caused many in the crowd to argue. But, In Catholic theology, the Eucharist is understood as the sacrament in which the bread and wine are transformed into the body and blood of Jesus Christ. While it might appear similar to cannibalism on the surface, there are significant theological distinctions between it being Cannibalism and our understanding it as a sacrament: The Catholic Church teaches that the Eucharist is not cannibalism for several reasons. Firstly, in the Eucharist, while the appearances of bread and wine remain, their substance is changed into the body, blood, soul, and divinity of Jesus Christ. This transformation is referred to as transubstantiation, and it is understood to be a profound mystery of faith. Secondly, cannibalism is the consumption of human flesh for the purpose of nourishment or ritualistic practices. In contrast, the reception of the Eucharist is an act of faith and worship. Catholics believe that through the Eucharist, they are partaking in the Paschal sacrifice of Christ, commemorating His death and resurrection, and receiving spiritual nourishment for their souls. Additionally, the Eucharist is part of a sacred liturgical practice instituted by Jesus Himself at the Last Supper, where He commanded His disciples to 'do this in memory of me.' It is a sacrament of unity, communion, and love, symbolizing the intimate union between Christ and His Church. Furthermore, cannibalism implies the destruction or harm of another human being for one's own benefit, which is contrary to the Christian understanding of love and respect for the dignity of every human person. In the Eucharist, Christ willingly offers Himself out of love for humanity, and His sacrifice is understood as salvific, bringing redemption and eternal life to believers. Overall, while the Eucharist may seem similar to cannibalism from an external perspective, its theological significance and the context of faith and worship within which it is practiced make it fundamentally distinct. We hope that helps in your understanding.

[@danielscuiry2847]

Okay this is TMI. I can’t show this to any of my friends and expect them to understand all this. So it’s not like the Donner Party or plane crash survivors eating the remains of the passengers because…?

[@danielscuiry2847]

Anyway the average person hearing those words can easily take it exactly as it sounds. People I talk with about this topic have no context for anything you’ve said. I don’t have this problem personally but what PASTORAL response can we give them?

[@CatholicCentralVideos]

Okay, in simplest terms, cannibalism is the consumption of the corpse of a deceased human. In the sacrament of Eucharist, we are consuming the living body, blood, soul and divinity of Jesus Christ who is alive at the right hand of God the Father. Eucharist does not diminish Jesus in substance, as it would if he were a corpse we were eating. But it does increase our growth - not physically, but spiritually.

[@Lucstar07]

It's a bit odd how the Marshmallows in that Hot Chocolate don't move the slightest when Kai raises/lowers his hand...hmm...

[@CatholicCentralVideos]

Movie magic ...

[@ryanchow2165]

You say that the Body of Christ we take in is not real, but instead the totality of. Personal. This seems false. As Catholics we are taught that we are eating g a part of Jesus’ actual body and that the transubstantiation is real, not just figurative.

[@CatholicCentralVideos]

We never meant to imply that the Eucharist is not real. We apologize if Kai's phrase “make this real in your time” suggests that consubstantiation is reliant on an act of personal will or imagination. In Catholic doctrine, the efficacy of the Eucharist is based on the sacrament itself (ex opere operato, Latin for "by the work performed") rather than on the personal disposition or belief of the recipient. This means that the Eucharist is inherently efficacious because it is instituted by Christ, and its grace comes from God, not from the worthiness or belief of the individual. But the Church does teach further that if someone receives the Eucharist without believing in it, they do not fully receive the spiritual benefits of grace because their lack of faith is seen as an obstacle to that grace. Failing to “make it real” is similar in some ways to the non-believer's failure to personally experience the transcendent reality of Christ's presence in the sacrament and thus to experience the fullness of its grace. Our phrase “make it real” was meant to connect the Eucharistic meal with the Passover meal, which indeed is a collective rite of remembrance that connects the participants spiritually and historically to the original event of Jewish liberation. But unlike our remembrance of the Lord's Supper, the Passover meal is not a sacrament that imparts grace. Making the Eucharist real to our religious imaginations does not create the spiritual benefits the sacrament offers us but it does fulfill them, and also helps us avoid thinking of sacraments in strictly mechanistic terms. We hope this helps. Meantime, please note that all our content is subject to theological review by priests of the Congregation of the Holy Cross throughout the scripting process and there are priests and a deacon on our staff as a backstop during filming, should a question arise. At no point in the process was there ever a concern that we were misrepresenting Catholic doctrine or teaching on the Eucharist, and we apologize for any confusion or misunderstanding. God bless.

[@kobblesgaming7208]

OMG YOU SHOULD TOTALLY MAKE MERCH, I WOULD 100% BUY!!!

[@CatholicCentralVideos]

The thought has crossed our minds! But we are not in this for the money.

[@patrice-clips]

@@CatholicCentralVideos Could be for charity

[@its.fr3j4]

Hi

[@CatholicCentralVideos]

Hello.

[@FongCal]

wait joe did this already :(

[@berniedaberd9997]

who is joe?

[@hamishswish4418]

Fish are delicious ngl

[@lanceey4171]

yis

[@kobblesgaming7208]

EPIC RE CLASS

[@CatholicCentralVideos]

Great! Glad we could help.

[@karlarodriguez3449]

This is great!

[@CatholicCentralVideos]

Thank you, we are glad you like it.

[@poorfamousadoptmeguy3225]

I got sent this by my teacher 😐

[@CatholicCentralVideos]

We hope you enjoyed it.

[@ThePianoLover12]

Best pun ever :D

[@CatholicCentralVideos]

Glad you like it!

[@zormite]

bro this is usefull but broing

[@CatholicCentralVideos]

Hi Zormite, we are glad you found it useful but disappointed that you thought it was boring. Most of the feedback on this episode has been very positive.

[@allisonbergamorto2336]

Ok now I am really confused.

[@CatholicCentralVideos]

The Eucharist isn't easy to understand.

[@patrice-clips]

Hello

[@CatholicCentralVideos]

Hello

[@patrice-clips]

@@CatholicCentralVideos This video was part of my hwk

[@CatholicCentralVideos]

We hope you got a lot out of it!