Consecration

[dominikus28]

Is the eucharist the body and blood of Jesus. If I take the ‘wafer’ only, am I missing the blood?
I heard that just the bread and just the wine become both the body and the blood.
True?

 

[LilyM]

Each ‘species’ in itself does indeed become the entire body, blood, soul and divinity of Jesus.

So what you heard is right, it wouldn’t matter if you had just the host or just the chalice, you’d get the whole body and blood and not be missing out on anything.

 

[dominikus28]

Why does the priest take both ‘species’ then?

 

[LilyM]

Why does the priest take both ‘species’ then?

For the same reason he says the words - because he can!

 

[Br.Rich_SFO]

Why does the priest take both ‘species’ then?

The priest in receiving both the forms is following Jewish custom of the priest offering the sacrifice, in this case bread and wine, must receive from each item sacrificed. After the Consecration, when the Bread and Wine have become the Body and Blood of Christ, a piece of Host is placed in the main Chalice, uniting the Body and Blood.