The Holy Body and Blood of Christ

 Transubstantiation

In order to understand the medieval term of Transubstantiation coined by St. Thomas Aquinas, one must understand the Ancient Philosophical terms of “Accident” and “Substance” used by St. Thomas 

Example :

A Yellow Cotton T shirt :

Yellow is the Accident and Cotton is the Substance  

Accidents can change : blue, orange, green, yellow 

Substance remains : Cotton

In Transubstantiation it is the opposite :

The Accident (Appearance) of Bread and Wine remain visible. 

The Substance however is changed into the Body and Blood of Christ. 

Hence the term “Transubstantiation” 

This is why what we see is the “Accidents" of bread and wine,

But what we receive is the “Substance” of The Body and Blood of Christ,

Transformed through the Words of the priest, who acts “in Persona Christi” and by the power of the Holy Spirit. 

At Communion 

Do not therefore be deceived by what you see,

But believe what you receive,

The Actual Body and Blood of Christ