Don’t the Body and Blood of Christ come to an end when we partake of them in the Eucharist? How do you answer this?

By CopticBot.ai (Coptic Space Inc.) · Last reviewed 2026-10-10

What happens to the Body and Blood of Christ after we partake of them is a matter of Sacramental Realism. In the Coptic Orthodox Church, we do not believe the Eucharist "disappears" or "finishes" in a biological or temporary sense.

1. It Becomes "One" With Us

When we receive the Holy Mysteries, it is not like eating ordinary food that is digested and eliminated. As Source 1 states, we are taught to believe that the Bread and Wine are truly the Flesh and Blood of Jesus, and they are assimilated into our own flesh and blood.

However, there is a "Divine Reversal" in the Eucharist:

• When you eat regular food, the food becomes like you.
• When you eat the Body of Christ, you become like Him.

St. Augustine noted that the Bread of Life says to the soul, "You shall not change Me into yourself, as food of your flesh, but you shall be changed into Me." The Eucharist "finishes" its journey by transforming the believer into a member of Christ's Body.

2. The Persistence of the Sacrifice

We do not believe Christ is sacrificed again in every Liturgy. Rather, as Source 2 and Source 3 explain, the bread and wine are transformed into the one eternal Sacrifice of the Cross.

Because Christ is risen and immortal, His Body is "Life-Giving." When you partake of it, you are receiving Eternal Life. Therefore, the Eucharist cannot "finish" because Life Himself cannot die or be exhausted. It remains in you as a seed of the Resurrection.

3. "For the Remission of Sins and Eternal Life"

The Priest declares in the Confession at the end of the Liturgy (Source 4) that this is the Body and Blood given for the "remission of sins and eternal life to everyone who partakes of Him."

• If the Eucharist simply "finished" after swallowing, it would not have the power to grant Eternal Life.
• The grace of the Sacrament stays with the believer, sanctifying their thoughts, senses, and body, provided they do not drive that grace away through unrepentant sin.

4. Handling the "Remnants" (The Purity of the Altar)

To ensure the Body and Blood are never "lost" or treated as finished:

• The Priest and Deacons must meticulously consume every drop and every crumb (the and the washing of the vessels).
• The water used to rinse the chalice and the Priest's hands is swallowed by the Priest.
• This shows that not a single "iota" of the Mystery is considered "done with." It is all Holy.

5. Answering the "Biological" Objection

To those who ask a disrespectful or biological question about digestion, the Fathers are straightforward:

• The Eucharist is a Spiritual and Divine Mystery. Just as the Divinity of Christ was united with His humanity without being affected by human frailty, the Holy Spirit ensures that the Body and Blood accomplish their spiritual work of sanctification.
• We do not subject the King of Kings to biological analysis. We believe that once the "Honored Blood" and "Holy Body" enter the person, they act as "Burning Coal" (as seen in Isaiah 6), purifying the person from the inside out.

Summary

The Eucharist does not "finish"; it fulfills. It fulfills its purpose by uniting the mortal human to the Immortal God. As we say in the final blessing of the Liturgy, we have received the "pledge of the Kingdom." You carry the Lord within you as a living temple from the moment of partaking until you stand before Him in glory.