1375. It is by the conversion of the bread and wine into Christ’s body and blood that Christ becomes present in this sacrament. the Church Fathers strongly affirmed the faith of the Church in the efficacy of the Word of Christ and of the action of the Holy Spirit to bring about this conversion. Thus St. John Chrysostom declares:
It is not man that causes the things offered to become the Body and Blood of Christ, but he who was crucified for us, Christ himself. the priest, in the role of Christ, pronounces these words, but their power and grace are God’s. This is my body, he says. This word transforms the things offered.202
and St. Ambrose says about this conversion:
Be convinced that this is not what nature has formed, but what the blessing has consecrated. the power of the blessing prevails over that of nature, because by the blessing nature itself is changed…. Could not Christ’s word, which can make from nothing what did not exist, change existing things into what they were not before? It is no less a feat to give things their original nature than to change their nature.203
Aprofunde seus conhecimentos
275. What are the names for this sacrament?
151. In what way is the Church a mystery?
421. Where does one find the New Law?
489. What is involved in the virtue of chastity?
519. In what way do Christians participate in political and social life?
540. What is the importance of the Psalms in prayer?
Acesse nossos estudos biblicos:
What is the example of perseverance in the faith that Paul set in 2 Timothy 4:7?
What does Titus 2:7-8 teach about the standard of conduct for the church?
How important is the supremacy of Christ according to Colossians 1:15-20?
The Fall of Mankind: How Did Adam and Eve’s Disobedience Affect the World? (Genesis 3:1-24)
What does the image of the river of life in Ezekiel (Ezekiel 47) represent?
What do the horseman, angel, and Lord symbolize in Zechariah’s vision described in Zechariah 1:8-17?
