God is everywhere, in everything. When you see something beautiful – a sunset, a mountain, a stream – these are reminders of God’s presence, revealing his beauty. But when we talk about the real presence, his sacramental presence, that is a very, very important concept.

God is everywhere, in everything. When you see something beautiful – a sunset, a mountain, a stream – these are reminders of God’s presence, revealing his beauty. But when we talk about the real presence, his sacramental presence, that is a very, very important concept.

The real presence is the consecrated bread and wine. When I go into a church I always genuflect. Why? Because I believe that in a marvellous way, far beyond our understanding, Christ is truly present in the Tabernacle. If you ask me how this is, then that is theology. But you genuflect because Christ has said it is so. If you try to work out how and why it is, you will never get there. You receive that truth from him. As in friendship, love between two people, you don’t work out why you love them – it would kill the spark between you if you analysed it. But once you love a person, then you grow in the knowledge of them. That is what faith is like, the beginning of a love story. The more you get involved then the more you begin to trust.

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