Encountering The Real Presence Of Christ

Belief in the real presence of Christ in the sacrament of the Eucharist has always been the heart of our Catholic faith. Participating at Mass and receiving the Lord’s Body and Blood in holy Communion is the most important thing we do each week as Catholic Christians. Christ’s presence is so great and wondrous that we encounter it in multiple ways. Based on the teachings of the Second Vatican Council, this booklet explores the many presences of Christ as experienced in the liturgy: in the gathered assembly, the minister, the proclaimed Word and, most especially, the Eucharist. This resource also reflects upon Christ’s presence in the Body of Christ, the Church, called forth from the liturgy as a sign of his presence in the world.

Winner of a first-place award for popular presentation of the faith and second-place in pastoral ministry, catechetical resource from the Catholic Media Association. Many Catholics don’t believe that Jesus is really present in the Eucharist. Rather, they see the bread and wine of Holy Communion as mere symbols of Christ’s body and blood. Is that disbelief just a misunderstanding or is it a blatant rejection of one of the central beliefs of the faith? In Real Presence, University of Notre Dame theologian Timothy P. O’Malley clears up the confusion and shows you how to learn to love God and neighbor through a deeper understanding of the doctrine of real presence. A 2019 study by the Pew Research Center found that almost seventy percent of Catholics don’t believe that Jesus is really present in the Eucharist. O’Malley offers a concise introduction to Catholic teaching on real presence and transubstantiation through a biblical, theological, and spiritual account of these doctrines from the early Church to today. He also explores how real presence enables us to see the vulnerability of human life and the dignity of all flesh and blood. O’Malley leads you to a deeper understanding and renewed faith in Catholic teaching about transubstantiation and real presence by helping you learn how the doctrine of real presence is rooted in divine revelation and how the Church’s teaching regarding transubstantiation is spiritually fruitful for the believer today; how to make your own the doctrine of real presence by worshipping Christ in the Eucharist and therefore making a real assent to real presence; how the Eucharist, although not the exclusive presence of Christ in the Church’s liturgy and mission, is crucial in growing our capacity for recognizing those other presences; and the important relationship between Eucharistic communion and adoration.

If changes in the church's liturgical practice were the most obvious development of Vatican II to be noticed by the faithful in the pew, then inevitably, shifts in eucharistic theology were not far behind. The previous focus on Christ's presence in the sacrament itself under the species of bread and wine and the attendant forms of worship that this spawned have gradually yielded to deepening insights into the manifold ways in which Christ is present among the faithful. Drawing upon the best of recent biblical, historical, and theological sources, Bruce Morrill unfolds how the divine Spirit of Jesus works through ways Christ is present in the celebration of the Eucharist--in the assembly, presiding minister, biblical word, and ritual sacrament. Mindful of challenges inherent in eucharistic theologies within and among church traditions and communities, Morrill orients his theology on two key principles from Vatican II's Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy: the celebration of the liturgy as participation in the paschal mystery, and the multiple bodily, symbolic ways Christ is present in the ritual celebration. In the process, he sheds new light on such topics as sacrifice, covenant, divine presence and absence, and the tradition's relationship to Judaism. There are some challenging implications here, not least to the modern tendency to think of liturgy in terms of a personal transaction--"what I got out of it"--and to those who hear God's word only according to their own preconceived ideas: "God's is not a reign limited to our personal histories," Morrill points out, "but, rather, is one that calls us to hear our story as part of one much larger, at times comforting, at others confronting us." Morrill eloquently invokes these human modes of Christ's presence to draw participants into the mystery of the cross and resurrection, into communion with the God whose love for humanity has been revealed unto death, making the Eucharist the source and summit for lives shaped in the pattern of Christ's justice and mercy for the life of the world. +

Remarkable True Stories of Jesus's Supernatural Presence In this new collection, people who have seen Jesus, heard his voice, or had him intervene miraculously in their lives share their fascinating stories. Readers will be inspired as they see Jesus at work in a variety of circumstances, many of which are similar to their own. Though Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forever, these accounts will show how he loves each person individually and manifests himself to each one in a unique and special way. Readers longing for more of Jesus will be drawn closer to the God who is intimately involved and cares about every detail in our lives.

The Practice of the Presence of God is a spiritual classic written by Brother Lawrence, a 17th-century Carmelite monk. This small but impactful work is a compilation of letters and conversations attributed to Brother Lawrence, offering profound insights into cultivating a continuous awareness of the presence of God in everyday life.

Often when we think of Christ’s presence in the liturgy, we think of his risen presence in the sacrament of the Eucharist. Sacrosanctum concilium, the first document of the Second Vatican Council, presents the four-fold presence of Christ in the liturgy as well as in the Body of Christ, the Church. This resource explores these modes of Christ’s presence and calls us to deepen our understanding and experience of how Christ is present to us both in the liturgy and in the world. With biblical and theological foundations, it provides an opportunity for Catholics to engage with the symbols of the liturgy so as to deepen their relationship with God and with each other.

Often when we think of Christ’s presence in the liturgy, we think of his risen presence in the sacrament of the Eucharist. Sacrosanctum concilium, the first document of the Second Vatican Council, presents the four-fold presence of Christ in the liturgy as well as in the Body of Christ, the Church. This resource explores these modes of Christ’s presence and calls us to deepen our understanding and experience of how Christ is present to us both in the liturgy and in the world. With biblical and theological foundations, it provides an opportunity for Catholics to engage with the symbols of the liturgy so as to deepen their relationship with God and with each other.

The most vital and significant moments in life are moments of encounter. Whether we encounter ourselves, others, or God, these moments let us know that life is meaningful. And presence is what makes encounter possible. When we are truly present, everything that has being becomes potentially present to us. In this unique resource, David Benner invites us to live with more presence so we can know the presence of God more deeply in our lives. Drawing on over thirty-five years of experience integrating psychology and spirituality, Benner examines the transformational possibilities of spiritual presence and encounter in fresh, exciting, and practical ways. He helps readers understand the personal and interpersonal dimensions of presence and encounter, revealing how they mediate Divine Presence and serve as sacraments of everyday life. His rich meditations are presented in a voice that is intelligent, compassionate, and engaging. The book includes end-of-chapter reflection exercises for individual or group use and a foreword by Richard Rohr.