For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink' (John 6:53-55). Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him on the last day. In fact, he amplifies the argument by saying in the next verse, 'Amen, amen, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you do not have life within you. Jesus says that the bread is his flesh and they understand him properly (literally) because they reply, 'How can this man give us his flesh to eat?' Now if Jesus was really meaning that the bread was to be consumed symbolically, then it would be expected for him to say, 'You misunderstood me about eating my actual flesh, I meant that you should eat a piece of bread that represents my body.' He does not say that at all. The people listening understand Jesus to be speaking literally, not symbolically, because they reply, 'How can this man give us his flesh to eat?' (John 6:52).

This statement can be understood two ways: literally and symbolically. I am the living bread that came down from heaven whoever eats this bread will live forever.' Jesus next statement is, 'the bread that I will give is my flesh for the life of the world' (John 6:51). For the bread of God is that which comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.' Continuing with verse 50 Jesus says, 'this is the bread that comes down from heaven so that one may eat it and not die. Starting in verse 32 Jesus says, 'Amen, amen, I say to you, it was not Moses who gave the bread from heaven my Father gives you the true bread from heaven. The Catholic understanding of the Real Presence can be seen in John chapter 6 were Jesus promises the Eucharist. The first one is the promise of the Eucharist, the second is the institution of the Eucharist, and the third is the practice of the Eucharist. There are three main Biblical themes used here to support the Catholic position. Protestants do not hold to this belief, but believe that Christ is only symbolically present in the bread and wine. Catholics do not believe in the Real Presence because of human reasoning alone, rather they believe in it out of obedience to Jesus Christ. This change is made possible by the power of the Holy Spirit and the words of Jesus spoken by the priest. Although the outward appearance of the bread and wine is not changed (i.e., the taste, color, and feel still has the quality of bread), the bread and wine actually become Christ’s body and blood. Catholics refer to this as the Eucharist, which means ‘thanksgiving.' The Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist means that the bread and wine in Communion are sacramentally changed into the body and blood of Jesus Christ. One of the most important Catholic beliefs is the real presence of Jesus Christ in the bread and wine of Communion.

Real presence