The Eucharist is the Body and Blood of Christ

Abba Daniel ca. 3rd-4th cent.
 
This is what Abba Daniel the Pharanite said, ‘Our father Abba Arsenius told us of an inhabitant of Scetis, of notable life and simple faith; through his naivete he was deceived and said, ‘The bread which we receive is not really the body of Christ, but a symbol.” Two old men having learnt that he uttered this saying, knowing that he was outstanding in his way of life, knew that he had not spoken through malice, but through simplicity. So they came to find him and said ‘Father, we have heard a proposition contrary to the faith on the part of someone who says that the bread which we receive is not really the body of Christ, but a symbol.’ The old man said, ‘It is I who have said that.’ Then the old men exhorted him saying, ‘Do not hold this position, Father, but hold one in conformity with that which the Catholic Church has given us. We believe, for our part, that the bread itself is the body of Christ and that the cup itself is His blood and this in all truth and not a symbol. But as in the beginning, God formd man is His image, taking dust from the earth, without anyone being able to say that it is not the image of God, even though it is not seen to be so; thus it is with the bread of which He said that it is His body; and so we believe that it is really the body of Christ.’ The old man said to them, ‘As long as I have not been persuaded by the thing itself, I shall not be fully convinced.’ So they said, ‘Let us pray God about this mystery throughout the whole of this week and we believe that God will reveal it to us.’ The old man received this saying with joy and he prayed these words, ‘Lord, you know that it is not through malice that I do not believe and so that I may not err through ignorance, reveal this mystery to me, Lord Jesus Christ.’ The old men returned to their cells and they also prayed to God, saying, ‘Lord Jesus Christ, reveal this mystery to the old man, that he may believe and not lose his reward.’ God heard both the prayers. At the end of the week they came to church on Sunday and sat all three on the same mat, the old man in the middle. Then their eyes were opened and when the bread was placed on the holy table, there appeared as it were a little child to these three alone. And when the priest put out his hand to break the bread, behold an angel descended from heaven with a sword and poured the child’s blood into a chalice. When the priest cut the bread into small pieces, the angel cut the child in pieces. When they drew near to receive the sacred elements the old man alone received a morsel of bloody flesh. Seeing this he was afraid and cried out, ‘Lord, I believe that this bread is your flesh and this chalice your blood.’ Immediately the flesh which he held in his hand became bread, according to the mystery and he took it, giving thanks to God. Then the old men said to him, ‘God knows human nature and that man cannot eat raw flesh and that is why he has changed his body into bread and his blood into wine, for those who receive it in faith.’ Then they gave thanks to God for the old man, because he had allowed him not to lose the reward of his labor. So all three returned with joy to their own cells. (The Sayings of the Desert Fathers: The Alphabetical Collection trans. by Benedicta Ward. Daniel 7)

On the Identity of Melchizedek

Abba Daniel ca. 420

Abba Daniel told of another great old man who dwelt in lower Egypt, who in his simplicity, said that Melchizedek was the son of God. When the blessed Cyril, archbishop of Alexandria (412-444), was told about this, he sent someone to him. Learning that the old man was a worker of miracles and that all he asked of God was revealed to him, and that it was because of his simplicity that he had given utterance to his saying, using guile the archbishop said to him, “Abba, I think that Melchizedek is the son of God, while a contrary thought says to me, no, that he is simply a man, a high priest of God. Since I am thus plagued, I have sent someone to you that you may pray God to reveal to you what he is.” Confident of his gift, the old man said without hesitation, “Give me three days, I will ask God about this matter and I will tell you who he is.” So he withdrew and prayed to God about this question. Coming three days later he said to the blessed Cyril that Melchizedek was a man. The archbishop said to him, “How do you know, Abba?” He replied, “God has shown me all the patriarchs in such a way that each one, from Adam to Melchizedek, passed before me. Therefore be sure that it is so.” Then the old man withdrew, having preached to himself that Melchizedek was a man. Then the blessed Cyril rejoiced greatly. (Sayings of the Desert Fathers)