“How can this man give us His flesh to eat?” So Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of man and drink his blood, you have no life in you; he who eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day.”
John 6:52-54
The liturgical life of the Church revolves around the sacraments, with the Eucharist at the center. At Mass, we are fed by the Word and nourished by the Body and Blood of Christ. We believe that the Risen Jesus is truly and substantially present in the Eucharist. The Eucharist is not a sign or symbol of Jesus; rather we receive Jesus Himself in and through the Eucharistic species. The priest, through the power of his ordination and the action of the Holy Spirit, transforms the bread and wine into the Body and Blood of Jesus. This is called transubstantiation, and we receive “His Body and His Blood, with His Soul and His Divinity.” (CCC 1413)
The Catechism teaches that all Catholics who desires to receive Christ in Eucharistic communion must be in the state of grace. Anyone aware of having sinned mortally must not receive communion without having received absolution in the sacrament of penance. (CCC 1415)
Understanding the Mass
The central act of worship in the Catholic Church is the Mass. It is in the liturgy that the saving death and resurrection of Jesus once and for all is made present again in all its fullness, the same event two thousand years ago is present to us now – and we are privileged to share in His Body and Blood, fulfilling His command as we proclaim His death and resurrection until He comes again.
The liturgical celebration is divided into two parts: the Liturgy of the Word and the Liturgy of the Eucharist. First, we hear the Word of God proclaimed in the scriptures most especially in the Gospel, where the Word of God Himself, Jesus, proclaims and teaches us our salvation. In the Liturgy of the Eucharist, we offer up our intentions, pains, joys, and petitions with the gifts of bread and wine up to Jesus. We are then given a share in His Body and Blood, broken and poured out for us. Finally, we are sent forth to proclaim the Good News!
First reception of Holy Communion is the full initiation of a Christian. For adults, it happens at the Easter Vigil at the conclusion of your O.C.I.A. preparations. For baptized children, it is typically received after first penance, in 3rd grade through the PREP program.
Learn more about the Eucharist
https://www.usccb.org/eucharist
Guidelines for the Reception of Holy Communion
The Veil removed – Short film on what Happens at Mass
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OOLZDaTgIaM
“I have no taste for corruptible food. I desire the bread of God, which is the flesh of Jesus Christ, who was of the seed of David; and for drink I desire His blood, which is love incorruptible”
Saint Ignatius of Antioch, A.D. 110