CHRIST, LUTHER, AND ZWINGLI IN ONE PAINTING

Christ is present in the Holy Sacrament of the altar. There have been numerous heretical teachers who have denied the Catholic doctrine of Our Lord’s presence in the Holy Eucharist and have given various interpretations to his words: “This is My body; this is My blood.” Consequently, the Council of Trent declared that Christ is truly, really, and actually present in the Blessed Sacrament. He is present in the Holy Sacrament truly, consequently, not as it were in an image. He is, moreover, really present and not merely so in a spiritual sense. Finally, He is actually present and not only by the actions of his grace. An artist once conceived the idea of refuting those erroneous doctrines by means of his brush. He painted a picture wherein Christ was portrayed seated at the Last Supper and on the same canvas were Luther and Zwingli. Beneath the picture he inscribed these words: Christ says: “This is My body.” Luther says: “This will become my body.” Zwingli says: “This symbolizes my body.” Which of the three is right? This brief description is more convincing than a multitude of arguments.