3. But Holy Scripture proceeds to say: "The Jews therefore strove among themselves." And why did they thus strive? Because they deemed it to be absolutely impossible that Jesus would really give them His flesh to eat.
Now consider for a moment: if Jesus had not intended to give His flesh — His real body, but merely bread as an emblem of His body, what would He undoubtedly have answered the Jews? He would certainly have given them the necessary explanation, and said something as follows: "You must not misunderstand Me, good people; I will only give you an emblem or My flesh, only bread to eat." But did Jesus speak in this manner? No I On the contrary, He repeated His former words, and confirmed them with a sort of oath: "Amen, Amen, I say unto you! Except you eat the flesh of the Son of man and drink His blood, you shall not have life in you. For My flesh is meat indeed, and My blood is drink indeed."
4. And what Jesus promised in this definite and certain manner He has not failed to perform. At the last supper He truly changed bread and wine into His most sacred body ,and blood. He expressly said in reference to the bread which He took into His hands, "This is My body," and not, "This bread signifies My body," or, " It will become My body." And at the same time He commanded His apostles: " Do this in commemoration of Me! "
5. And remark yet a third proof : ever since the apostolic ages the Holy Catholic Church has understood the words of Jesus in the very same sense. For example, one of the earliest Fathers of the Church, St. Justinian, who died in the year 166, expressed in the clearest terms the
