Exploring the Eucharist

Attempts to explain just how bread and wine become the Body and Blood of the Lord are (inevitably) valiant efforts to give us an insight into something which defies words and description. 'Transubstantiation', (a most misunderstood term if ever there was one, unless you know your Aristotle well), 'Transignification', 'Consubstantiation' - it's a long list of noble attempts to try and give us a way into something beyond our imagining.

Explaining why we do what we do in the celebration of the Eucharist/Holy Communion is simpler - that's what this guide tries to do, to show us where some of our prayers and practices come from and what they might tell us about ourselves, one another, the world - and even, from time to time, God himself.