What would we do, if a deceased friend had been buried for three days, and suddenly they stand near us for everyone in the room to see?
First, we would think that we are seeing things. Then we would wonder if what we were seeing was a ghost. In order to prove it wasn’t a ghost we would have to touch them and perhaps watch them eat something, because a ghost would not have a body nor could it eat.
When Jesus suddenly appeared to the apostles in the upper room, the Gospel states, “they were startled and terrified and thought they were seeing a ghost.” But what they were seeing wasn’t a ghost. It was real body of Jesus. Not just an apparition or a spiritual image. But rather, His entire person, His resurrected body and soul--- stood before them.
In order to prove He wasn’t a ghost, He encouraged them to touch Him, and to let them watch Him eat something. He said, “Why are you troubled? And why do questions arise in your hearts? Look at my hands and feet, that it is I myself. Touch me, and see, because a ghost does not have flesh and bones as you can see I have.”
When He showed them His hands and feet, they were overcome with joy and were amazed. Then He said, “Have you anything here to eat?” at which time, they gave Him a piece of baked fish. He took it and ate it in front of them.
By seeing the wounds in His hands, touching His body, and watching Him eat; they came to understand it was really Jesus, whom they knew, and loved, and not a ghost.
After Jesus rose from the dead, He appeared to hundreds of people. And 40 days after His resurrection, He went to heaven on a cloud.
Today, many believe Jesus is physically present only in heaven. But this is not true. Yes, Jesus is physically in heaven, but Jesus is also, physically on earth, in a very unique way.
The same Jesus, who rose from the dead on Easter Sunday; who ascended into heaven; who has wounds in His hands and feet and side the apostles touched; who appeared to His Mother Mary, to Mary Magdalene, is the same Jesus, who is now really and truly present in the Eucharist, and whom you will receive today in Holy Communion.
In the Eucharist, many people think they are receiving only the spiritual presence of Jesus, but this not correct. Some treat the Eucharist-- as though it were only bread-- and that Jesus is in the bread. But this not what the Church teaches. Jesus is not in the bread. He is not only spiritually present, but is physically present in the Eucharist. What appears to bread and tastes like bread, is not bread at all. What was the bread-- has totally and completely changed into the entire person of the risen Christ. The Church describes the presence of Jesus in the Eucharist by stating, He is present body, blood, soul and divinity in the Eucharist. This does not mean only His body, only His blood, only His soul, and only His divinity. Rather, this is a way to describe His presence, as wholly and entirely present.
The Eucharist is not a hunk of flesh. Rather, Jesus is really truly sacramentally present in the Eucharist, totally and completely, just as He appeared to the apostles. He is fully present in His human nature and in His divine nature in His resurrected body. Today, when you hear the words, “The body of Christ,”-- imagine and believe the resurrected Jesus will truly stand before you. Listen to Him, perhaps you may hear Him say, “Peace be with you!”