Corpus Christi
Today is the Feast of Corpus Christi – The Body and Blood of Jesus in the Eucharist. The topic of our meditation today is Eucharistic Miracles.
The Eucharist is not a symbol
The Eucharist is not a symbol, it is the Real Living, Physical Presence of Jesus Christ, Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity. Because we cannot observe that the Eucharist is Jesus - it is, therefore, hard to believe. God in his mercy gives us Eucharistic Miracles to strengthen our faith. Around year 700 there was a priest in Lanciano, Italy. He doubted the Real Presence of Jesus in the Eucharist.
When he pronounced the words of Consecration, “This is My Body, this is My Blood,” the bread changed into the Body of Christ and the wine changed into the Blood of Christ like it always does. But this time the Host appeared as Human Flesh and Blood - so that everyone could see it!
They didn’t consume the Host because of this Miracle. They kept it and it remained – and it remained – and it remained.
Finally, in 1971 a group of scientists tested it. Guess what they found? It was human flesh – heart tissue with nothing to preserve it
Buenos Aires
August 18, 1996 a consecrated Host was discarded in the back of St Mary Church after communion. A woman found it and told the priest who placed the host in a container of water to dissolve, before being poured on a living plant.
August 26, 1996 the priest opened the tabernacle and saw that the host had not dissolved. IN fact, the host had changed in appearance to bloody human flesh and had grown significantly in size.
The priest informed the Bishop, who is now Pope Francis and he gave instructions for a fragment of the Host to be sent to Dr. Frederick Zugibe, a Cardiac Forensic Pathologist in NY for analysis. However they did not tell the Pathologist the fragment was from a Host. In his pathology report the Dr. concluded it was
Human Heart tissue from the Left Ventricle
The tissue was infiltrated with white blood cells
Which told him two things
This heart was Alive when the sample was taken
This Heart has suffered trauma (White blood cells go to address injury).
The Pathologist was asked how long the white blood cells would have remained alive if they had come from a piece of tissue kept in water?
“They would have died in a matter of minutes,” he responded.
The sample had been kept in ordinary water for a month and then in distilled water for three years in a container of distilled water
Only then had the sample been taken for analysis
It was only then that it was revealed to the Pathologist the sample was taken from a consecrated host
The DNA revealed a Man who lived in the Middle East
That it was Human Heart tissue from the Left Ventricle
Blood type AB+ - Universal Recipient. Jesus will refuse no one who comes to Him
The lab report was then compared to a similar study of the Eucharistic Miracle of Lanciano Italy
They matched perfectly
The test results must have come from the Same Person
2013 in Poland
On Christmas Day 2013, a consecrated Host fell to the floor at the parish of St Hyacinth in Legnica Poland. It was picked up and placed in a container with water, in accordance with Church procedures. Soon after, red stains appeared on the host, according to Fr. Ziombra. The local bishop allowed a scientific study of the Host by two university forensic departments. The report concluded, after the histopathological research, the specimen, was that of heart muscle, in agony.
“A dying heart was found in the consecrated Host … [This] undoubtedly emphasizes the nature of the Mass as the sacrifice of Jesus made present each time it is celebrated.
“The fact that the Lord Jesus gave his life for me … His suffering, which in turn calls me, as a Catholic, to make my life a sacrifice, so that my life may be truly incorporated to this sacrifice, with total dedication … ” Ziombra said.
John 6
Jesus said, “I am the living bread which has come down from heaven. Anyone who eats this bread will live forever; and the bread that I shall give is my flesh, for the life of the world.” Then the Jews started arguing with one another: 'How can this man give us his flesh to eat?' they said. Jesus replied: I tell you most solemnly, if you do not eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you will not have life in you. Anyone who does eat my flesh and drink my blood has eternal life, and I shall raise him up on the last day. For my flesh is real food and my blood is real drink. He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood lives in me and I live in him. As I, who am sent by the living Father, myself draw life from the Father, so whoever eats me will draw life from me. This is the bread come down from heaven; not like the bread our ancestors ate: they are dead, but anyone who eats this bread will live forever.'
Why this is important
Why is it so important that the bread and wine become the Body and Blood of Christ? Why insist on this point? Because when we receive them, we are meant to become Christ. We are transformed into Him. In the words of St. Paul “It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me.” They are true. Christ lives in us. When we receive Christ, we become Christ. And therefore, we can live a new life. We can think with the mind of Christ. We can work with the hands of Christ. We can love with the heart of Christ. We can forgive with the mercy of Christ. What is impossible for you right now? Stop. Stop trying to do it on your own. Let Jesus do it in you.