Book Review: “The Real Presence”

This book is a clever and interesting tale about two young cousins living in Capernaum during the time of Christ. The story is based on the mystery of transubstantiation and John 6:54 (“Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him on the last day”). 

“The Real Presence” is written by Claudia Cangilla McAdam, “award-winning author of two dozen books, most of them for kids and teens.” McAdam clearly demonstrates her special talent for writing easy-to-read and easy-to-relate Christian stories and Gina Capaldi’s illustrations bring life to the characters and the various settings and scenes.

The cousins, Zedekiah and Abigail, constantly engage in friendly competition trying to outdo each other on everything. They banter about which of their families’ crops are better, the wheat grown by Zedekiah’s family, or the grapes grown by Abigail’s family. They argue about who is taller. They argue about who is faster. However, it is the argument over the families’ crops that becomes dominant.

One day, Zedekiah suggests that the two of them ask Jesus to settle the argument. Abigail agrees to the idea and the two cousins go to the synagogue where Jesus will be teaching. 

Standing at the far end of the synagogue they hear Jesus telling the crowd, “I am the living bread that came down from heaven” and they observe the crowd’s strong reaction. The cousins decide it wasn’t the right time to ask Jesus their question about whose crop was better. They agreed to wait and ask him at the upcoming Passover feast.

Zedekiah and Abigail each make a special present to give Jesus at the feast, hoping it might help sway Jesus’ decision. Zedekiah has made a tray from wheat and Abigail a cord from grape vines. The feast will be held in the Upper Room of their aunt’s home and Jesus, Mary and the disciples are in attendance. 

The cousins stand next to Jesus’ mother, Mary, awaiting opportunity to give Jesus the presents they had made. Jesus is explaining how the bread and wine represents his true body and blood. Just as Zedekiah and Abigail begin to interrupt, they hear Mary whisper to them, “Do whatever he tells you.” 

As Jesus continues by breaking the bread and sharing the cup of wine with the disciples, Zedekiah and Abigail “come to their senses” and realize that the bread and wine have been changed into the body and blood of Jesus. 

The presents they had planned to give now are insignificant. It is the very presence of Jesus that is what matters. Through God’s grace, the two cousins are blessed to experience transubstantiation in the presence of Jesus.

John Dolezal is a freelance writer for the Sooner Catholic.