'Body of Christ' and 'Blood of Christ' words during communion

[Elzee]

Since the consecreated hosts and wine both are the body, blood, soul, and divinity of Christ, then why, when receiving from the cup does the priest say ‘the Blood of Christ’ (and we hear ‘Body of Christ’ when receiving the host). I’ve found this leads people to believe the consecrated host is the ‘body’ and the consecreated wine is the ‘blood’. I’m sure there is a reason, but I’m finding that many adults and kids in my parish think this way - and it’s being taught that way in our religious ed classes as well.

 

[Verbum_Caro]

Hi Elzee,

You are right that the Church teaches that the Eucharist (in any valid form – i.e. “under both kinds” or “both species”) is the Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity.

At the consecration the bread is changed into Christ’s body and the wine into Christ’s blood. An article of faith is that we receive the WHOLE Christ, now living, glorified. Since He is alive and can die no more, His Body is never sperated from His Blood, or vice versa. Furthermore, since He is alive and posses a human nature, His Soul is also inseperable from his Body and Blood. Furthermore, since He also posesses a Divine Nature, which is united to His human nature by the hypostatic union, His Divine Nature is also present with the Body, Blood, and Soul.

The Soul and Divinity of Christ are present through *concomitance – *a “natural connection”.

It is right and fitting that the Body and Blood of Christ are cosecrated seperately – even though The bread changes into the substance of the Body and Blood (and the Soul and Divinity is concomitant with that substance) and the Blood changes into the substance of the Blood and Body (and the Soul and Divinity of Our Lord are concomitant with that substance). This is a sacramental sign for us – where the matter of the sacrament – bread, wine – conform to the reality: Body, Blood.

Furthermore, the SEPERATE consecrations of the bread and wine, sacramentally represent the seperation of Christ’s Body from His Blood at Calvary.

I hope that this helps – this was sort of a quick answer.
God Bless you,
VC

 

[Deacon_Ed]

Just to add to Verbum’s excellent response…

St. Thomas Aquinas teaches that when the bread is consecrated the Body of Christ is made present, but we get “the rest” by concomitance since we cannot divide Christ. When the wine is consecrated the Blood of Christ is made present, but we get “the rest” by concomitance since, again, we cannot divide Christ. It is for this reason that we speak of the Eucharist as haivn the 'Body and Blood, soul and divinity" of Christ. He is entirely present substantially under either species because of concomitance.

The word “concomitance” simply means existing together. While human beings are alive, there is a concomitance of soul and body. At death this concomitance ends, but for Christ it does not end (since that would implky change and change is impossible for God).

Deacon Ed