Explaining the Real Presence to Kids

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powerandglory

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I’m trying to explain to my daughter some of the basic concepts of Catholicism. Recently at mass I told her that Jesus was present in the host even though we can’t see Him. Last night she asked me how God is in church if he doesn’t have a body. I started to say he’s there in spirit but that’s not entirely accurate since the church teaches that at the moment of consecration Christ becomes present body, blood, soul, and divinity in the Host. How would you explain this to a 6 year old?
 
Jesus does have a body, and he will continue to do so for eternity. We receive that body in the Eucharist. How can Jesus body be present in the Eucharist? I don’t know, but I do know that when God makes a promise he delivers, and this is enough for me. To me, the feeding of the 5000 and the 4000 demonstrates that Jesus is able to continually provide what he promises even as this is consumed. The way I explain it to my kids is actually through the story of creation. God spoke, and things happened. When God speaks, his word is fulfilled. God has given us his promise and we believe, teach, and confess, that God fulfills his promises. I wouldn’t try to explain the physics or metaphysics of it, that is above our pay grade. All we need to explain to our kids is that God’s promises are fulfilled, just as through baptism he promises to save us and viola we are saved in Christ.
 
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An explanation for a six year old doesn’t have to have much detail. A six year old explained the real presence to me like this:

Some people think it is just a wafer but we know it is Jesus.
Later on when kids are older they can be given more complex explanations.
 
I would just tell the 6-year-old that God can do the impossible. We do not understand how but we believe because he told us.
 
Thank you! I would definitely like to have a better answer than just believe because. She’s very rational and already decided she doesn’t believe in Santa etc so I need to be prepared with answers.
 
This was the gold standard in youth catechesis for a long time - it’s a hidden treasure of the Church
 
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