Behold It is I

The Catholic Faith begins and ends with Jesus Christ, culminating in the Eucharist as its Source and Summit. “Behold, it is I,” Jesus says, and the faithful believe. Examining these words of Jesus, Fr. George Elliott and Dr. Stacy Trasancos provide some of the most convincing proofs for the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist from Scripture, Tradition, and the scientific investigation of Eucharistic miracles. In three sections, they walk readers through:

• A holistic and contextual reading of the Bible which points to the words of Christ at the Last Supper: “This is my body,” and “This is my blood,”
• How the Church Fathers handed on the teachings of the Apostles to the early Church in the centuries following Christ's earthly ministry,
• How the data from the investigation of Eucharistic miracles begs the ultimate question of the certainty of faith. Do we need Eucharistic miracles to prove that Jesus is truly present in the Eucharist? Should our certainty of faith be contingent upon Eucharistic miracles?

The reader may be joyfully surprised at where the journey of this book will lead you, from the burning faith of the saints all the way back to Christ in the Gospels. It plainly sets forth the reality that the Eucharist is the Body of Christ. Just as in Biblical times, Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament is not a ghost and not a myth, but flesh and bone, hands and feet. “Behold,” He said, “It is I.”

Stacy A. Trasancos is executive director of the St. Philip Institute of Catechesis and Evangelization in the Diocese of Tyler. She is a fellow for Bishop Robert Barron’s Word on Fire Institute and teaches theology at Seton Hall University and science at Holy Apostles College and Seminary. Trasancos is the author of Particles of Faith, Science Was Born of Christianity, and 20 Answers: Bioethics.

She has written numerous articles for publications including National Catholic Register, Catholic World Report, St. Austin’s Review, and Catholic Answers. Trasancos has appeared on Salt + Light Television, SiriusXM’s The Catholic Channel, Relevant Radio, Redeemer Radio, Ave Maria Radio, Radio Maria, EWTN radio, and Catholic Answers Live.

Trasancos earned a bachelor’s degree in science from East Texas State University, a doctorate in chemistry from Penn State University and a master’s degree in dogmatic theology (summa cum laude) from Holy Apostles College and Seminary. She previously worked as a research chemist at DuPont.

Trasancos and her husband, José, live in Hideaway, Texas, with their family.

Fr. George Elliott is a Catholic priest of the Diocese of Tyler, TX. He is the co-founder and president of Catholic CAST Media (catholiccastmedia.com), which includes Catholic Bytes (catholicbytes.com) and Catholic-Link English (catholic-link.org).

He grew up across the US, living in Connecticut, Arkansas, Wisconsin, North Carolina, Quebec, Canada, and Texas. He went to college at the US Air Force Academy in Colorado, St. Charles Borromeo Seminary in Philadelphia, The University of the Holy Cross in Rome, and the Patristic Institute Augustinianum in Rome.

He was ordained a priest in 2015 and has worked as a parochial vicar, administrator, chaplain and pastor. He is currently pastor of Sacred Heart Catholic Parish, Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Mission, Immaculate Conception Catholic Mission, Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Mission, and chaplain of St. Mary's Catholic Campus Ministry at Stephen F. Austin University in Nacogdoches, TX.

His books come from his pastoral experience in parishes, the campus ministry, and the Catholic media apostolate.