What is the "substance" of the Eucharist?

[urban-hermit]

A friend and I were discussing transubstantiation and trying to get a clearer understanding of the difference between the accidents and the substance in the Eucharist.

I repeated to him the somewhat simple explanation I’d heard from a trusted priest, but I’m not sure that explanation, which has always been so helpful to me, was as helpful for him.

What is the best clearest way to explain this?

 

[Jimdandy]

Substance=what something actually is.

Accidents=what something appears to be.

 

[po18guy]

A friend and I were discussing transubstantiation and trying to get a clearer understanding of the difference between the accidents and the substance in the Eucharist.

I repeated to him the somewhat simple explanation I’d heard from a trusted priest, but I’m not sure that explanation, which has always been so helpful to me, was as helpful for him.

What is the best clearest way to explain this?

Run over to Blessed Sacrament Parish in the U district and ask parishioner/apologist/author Mark P. Shea. He can not only clear it up, he has written a 50 page book, This Is My Body, which specifically addresses the real presence.

Mr. Shea occasionally co-hosts the “Sound Insight” program with Dr. Tom Curran on Sacred Heart Radio AM1050.

Christ’s peace.

 

[Deacon_Ed_B]

The Church teaches that in Transubstantiation, the substance of bread and wine are changed into the body blood, soul and divinity of Jesus. . The term substance is used in a metaphysical sense of meaning “that which makes a thing what it is.” Accidents are descriptive of a thing. The accidents of bread and wind remain. Meaning it looks like, feels like, tastes like bread and wine. but is bread and wine no longer. Accidents can differ, but do not make a thing any less than what it is. e.g., a man has two arms, two legs, two ears, two eyes, etc. Take away any of them and that person is no less of a man than before. Accidents do not make a thing, they describe a thing. The substance of man, is the immortal, and rational soul. Take away the soul and you have a dead body of a man.
Prayers & blessings
Deacon Ed B

 

[bpbasilphx]

Keep in mind that “substance” and “accidents” have technical phiilosophical and theological meanings here.

In “transubstantiation” the “breadness” is replaced by the “Body-of-Christness” and the “wineness” is replaced by the “Blood-of-Christness”, though the taste, color, and other qualities perceived by the senses (the “accidents”) remain.

 

[urban-hermit]

Substance=what something actually is.

Accidents=what something appears to be.

So far this is the best clearest explanation I have seen.

It seems to summarize and agree with all the other answers here.

Thanks!

 

[Deacon_Ed_B]

The terms substance and accident are metaphysical terms used to describe the Eucharist. They are taken from Thomistic Philosophy which is used as a basis for the study of theology in the seminary. They are used so as to keep exactness in understanding of terms throughout the 4 years of theology one has in the seminary.
Metaphysically, substance is “that which makes a thing what it is”.
Metaphysically, “accident” is that which describes a thing which is.
Hope this helps.
Prayers & blessings
Deacon Ed B