This fruit of the vine?

[VociMike]

In the Synoptic Gospels at the Last Supper Jesus, after declaring the cup to be the blood of the covenant, then says that He will not drink of “this fruit of the vine” until He drinks it in the kingdom of God. Those who do not believe in the Real Presence use this statement to claim that the contents of the cup were still wine and not the blood of Christ. What is the Catholic understanding of Christ’s words regarding the “fruit of the vine”?

 

[Fr.Vincent_Serpa]

Hi Voci,

That’s like saying that there must be wine in heaven because Jesus planned to drink there. The point of what He was saying was that He had much to endure until He could have another such moment with them. This is the context of the statement.

There is no way that this remark about the fruit of the vine can nullify:
“For my flesh is real food indeed, and my blood is drink indeed. He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me and I in him.” Jn 6:55-57—and several others!

Fr. Vincent Serpa, O.P.