Eucharist - Channelling

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Bread is an important part of our diet. It nourishes us and gives our bodies the strength to do our daily work. It helps keep us fit and healthy. In the Catholic Church, we have access to a very special bread which feeds our spirits as well. It is called the "Eucharist" or "Blessed Sacrament".

Before Jesus Christ, left this earth, he gathered his friends together to share a meal. At this meal, Jesus didn't offer his friends a normal menu. He offered them his very body and blood to eat, so that they might receive spiritual life. It must have come as quite a shock! (See the Bible, Matthew’s Gospel, chapter 26, verse 26). Every year, on the Thursday evening before Easter Sunday, Catholics gather in church to commemorate the very first "eucharistic meal" offered by Jesus. This day is called Maundy Thursday

He told his friends that they should come together to share this meal after he had gone in remembrance of him. Each Sunday (and sometimes during the week as well) his Catholic followers go to Church to celebrate and share in this unique meal. They believe that although they may eat what appears to be bread, through the hands of the priest, the bread and also the wine used, are truly turned into the body and blood of Christ!

Colour illustration by Elizabeth Wang:

The Miracle at Cana

www.radiantlight.org.uk

Catholics believe God becomes truly present to them – body, blood, in spirit and in his Godliness (divinity) - at this meal, and they consume him. They believe they eat the body of Christ. It's altogether an incredible and unexplainable gift from God.

The effects of eating this heavenly bread are that people are strengthened to live good lives. This channel also helps people draw very close to God.

Over the centuries, some people have doubted whether or not the special bread and wine eaten by Catholics at Mass, does become the body and blood at Christ. Some unexplained events have happened during history to offer proof to this Catholic belief. In the eighth century in an Italian town, called Lanciano, for example, the bread and wine offered by a priest at Mass, visibly turned into human flesh and blood.

A close up photograph of the host at Lanciano, Italy.

Your guide for this section is Lloyd. He is 56, and lives in London. Click here to read his story.


	"I am the bread of life, No one who comes to me will ever hunger." Jesus Christ, The Bible, John's Gospel, chapter 6, verse 35.

The special celebration where this meal takes place is called "The Sacrifice of the Holy Mass". It is believed to be a re-presentation of the death of Jesus Christ on the cross which took place some 2000 years ago. Every time we go to Mass we are seeing this sacrifice happen, not as a symbol, but as a real event.

The priest during the Mass acts in the person of Christ. He is not just playing a part as an actor would, he makes Christ present to us as on the cross.

Pause for thought - Image of a glacial mountain by the sea

What do you do or eat that feeds your spirit?

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Channelling:

Eucharist.
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