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The EucharistIntermediate

At what point do the bread and wine become Christ's body and blood?

The Eucharist

The short answer

When the words of consecration complete the sentence: once "This is my body" has been said, the change takes place. The same holds for the wine becoming his blood.

The bread becomes Christ's body when the words of consecration complete the sentence: when the object "body," modified by "my," completes the subject "This" and the verb "is." Once the thought "This is my body" is articulated, the change takes place. The same is true of the wine becoming his blood.

Knowing the parts of speech turns out to be useful after all.