1 Corinthians 11:24  And when he had given thanks, he broke it and said ‘This is my body which is given for you; do this in remembrance of me.’

Whose body is the bread; whose blood flows like wine. But whose is the ‘whose’ here – son of God, or son of yours and mine?

Let’s say it’s the son of man, then bread-into-body is what we create.

To transubstantiate is no loftier than the higher state which people, plain people, may enter into when we come together.

No need for the grace of God; these moments we ourselves make in order to make ourselves more human.

Yet just because we can, does not mean that the body politic will always be provided.

Take the recent summit of G7 foreign ministers, holding court in a grand palazzo.

Circular table, tastefully decorated, all set for History to sit down for supper with the secretaries of state. But that day, History must have had another date.

Pity the poor ministers, who don’t know how to celebrate.*

*In the liturgy of the Mass, the celebrant performs Jesus’ role at the Last Supper.