Host - What Does It Really Mean

~J.M.J.~

Very often, Catholics refer to the Eucharistic Bread as "Host", but some of us are unaware of the true meaning of the word. Yes, if you thought it was called as such because "the bread is a vessel which hosts Jesus," St Thomas Aquinas says you are wrong and the Church agrees with him.

In the Third Part of the Summa Theologiæ, Question 75, Article 2, St Aquinas says that the substances of bread and wine cease to exist after consecration. "Now a thing cannot be in any place, where it was not previously, except by... the conversion of another thing into itself". For example, if a person change for the better, he must cease to be bad. This means that substances of bread changes totally into the Body of Christ and wine into His Precious Blood, thus bread and wine must cease to exist.

This "Host" spoken of when referring to the Eucharist is also a different "Host" referred to in the Sanctus - "Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of Hosts". These "hosts" may refer either to the ancient armies of Israel over which the Lord God gave protection as in Gen 2:1, the host of angels, or just the hosts of stars and consequently the entire universe. Whichever definition you accept, it still cannot be applied to the Blessed Sacrament.

When spoken of in a Eucharistic context, "Host" originates from the Latin word, "Hostiam", which means "Victim". Upon the altar, the sacrifice of Calvary is made present. Precious Body and Precious Blood are consecrated separately to mirror the separation of these two upon the Cross. When we receive the Host, we remember that It is His Precious Body, which was once broken but is now glorified.

The victimhood of Christ upon the Cross is recalled in invoking Jesus Christ as "Host". In the Host lies the promise of Christ - that our broken souls will be glorified for all eternity.

Nativity and the Eucharist

~J.M.J.~

This Christmas (as with every other), we celebrate the coming of our Lord Jesus in His Nativity. There are many similarities between His Nativity and the Eucharist, namely that they are the gifts of Christ to us and that they occur by the power of the Holy Spirit.

In both His Nativity and Eucharist, Christ has one intention: to give Himself to us. Jesus Christ became man because he wanted to dwell amongst us and spread the seed of His Word. And as He instituted the Eucharist, He desired to dwell in us and us in Him (Jn 6:56). St Aquinas very clearly shows us this similarity in the second verse of the Pange Lingua Gloriosi. "Nobis natus, nobis datus, // Ex intacta Virgine; // Et in mundo conversatus, // Sparso Verbi semine; // Sui moras incolatus // Miro clausit ordine. (Born to us, given to us, // Of the untouched Virgin; // And among us dwelt He, // Sowing the seed of the Word; // His life He concluded // With wonderful order.)" Reflecting upon the Blessed Sacrament enshrined on a cross-shaped monstrance, we see a circle in the middle of four corners. The circle has traditionally symbolised God for it is infinite and all-encompassing, while the four corners can be taken to represent those of the earth. And it is indeed true that Christ has made Himself physically present among us in the world today in the Eucharist, so that He may share of Himself up to this day, even though He was born 2000 years ago. There is only one reason for Him to give of Himself to us in His Nativity and Eucharist (and for everything else He does): because He loves us. He does not want to deprive us of His Holy Presence. Because we matter to Him and He to us.

Secondly, they occur by the power of the Holy Spirit. The Incarnation narrative says, 'And the angel said to her in reply, “The holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore the child to be born will be called holy, the Son of God." (Lk 1:35)' By the power of the Holy Spirit, Christ is made present in the Virgin's womb instantaneously. In the Eucharist, Christ is made present, replacing bread and wine, also by the power of the Holy Spirit. For the Prayer of Consecration at Mass says, "Make holy, therefore, these gifts, we pray, by sending down your Spirit upon them like the dewfall, so that they may become for us the Body and Blood of our Lord, Jesus Christ. (Eucharistic Prayer II)" As Christians, we must realise the indispensable role of the Advocate in bringing Christ to us. Each member of the Trinity concerns Himself with bring us to Another. Christ said that "no one can come to the Father except through me. (Jn 14:6)" Yet, He also said, "No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draw him. (Jn 6:44)" Indeed, they love one another and it is their will to reveal another member to us so that we may share in their love - the love of the One God.

Indeed, the mysteries of our Faith are intertwined. No piece of truth stands on its own, for it is all part of one infinite Truth the human mind cannot fully discover: that is God Himself.

Merry Christmas and Blessed MMXIV!