In brief, the Eucharist is the sum and summary of our faith: "Our way of thinking is attuned to the Eucharist, and the Eucharist in turn confirms our way of thinking." (The Catechism of the Catholic Church, paragraph 1327) Last weekend I went on a short pilgrimage led by Fr. Cozzens, who was here teaching a course to some of the St. Paul Seminarians. It was a last minute excursion, seeking miracles and saints. Such are the adventures in the life of a Roman.
Saturday morning we departed en route to Lanciano. The pilgrimage include Fr. Cozzens, Deacon Al from St. Paul (going to be ordained to the priesthood of Jesus Christ May 30th! Pray for him!), and four of us younger students.
Here, in the early centuries, around 800, a priest of the order of St. Basil in the Church of St. Francis, doubted the Real Presence of Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament. After the words of consecration, the host was changed into a circle of flesh and the wine transformed into blood. I’ll quote the rest from a holy card I received which explains it well.
“Many verifications of this miracle have been performed over the past 1,200 years, but the most convincing was made in November of 1970. This miracle underwent scientific scrutiny and the conclusions were presented on March 4, 1971 in detailed medical and scientific terminology. The microscopic studies ascertained and documented these facts:
The flesh was identified as striated muscular tissue of the myocardium (heart wall) having no trace whatsoever of materials or agents used to preserve the flesh from decay. Both the flesh and blood were found to be of human origin. The flesh and blood type were found to belong to the same blood type, AB.”
Praised be Jesus Christ!
We got there around noon, watched a short video introducing the history of the miracle and the church. Afterwards, Father was able to celebrate the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass here for us. These are the wonderful blessings of being able to travel with a priest and a deacon! Many blessings and the sacraments immediately available for you.
Moreover, it was such a beautiful reality to be before this miracle, still preserved in the chapel today. There is a big beautiful church of St. Francis, and in the front the miracle is adored. The Body of Christ is in a monstrance and His Blood is in a chalice, and is in the front of the church, where a tabernacle would be in a church. Behind the Miracle, there is a window, and on the other side is another smaller chapel. This is where Father celebrated mass for us. Visually, it was so beautiful. Father was at the altar right before the miracle and through saying the words of consecration, the bread and wine at the altar in his hands were being transubstantiated into the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ in the Eucharist that we have the blessing of being able to receive every day.
The privilege of being able to receive our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament is something I know I can easily take advantage of. It was not after some time of prayer and meditation that I could really contemplate the beauty of this opportunity, esp. here. Here is this Miracle that has been preserved for thousands of years, physically and substantially changed into true Flesh and Blood of Christ and here is the Eucharist, instituted by Christ at the Last Supper, The Lord’s Real Presence is here. We consume Him every time we receive Holy Communion. Here is our Lord, giving Himself to you, to me, to all of us, every day…wanting to be totally united by allowing us to consume Him, Body and Blood, in the Blessed Sacrament—if only we would be just a tiny bit open to Him to allow HIM to totally consume our HEARTS AND LIVES!
How unworthy we are, yet how merciful and beautiful that our Lord would choose to humble Himself in order to reach us, that we might TOUCH Him, in our weak physical state…so that we would be part of His Body.
May we pray every day to be made small and humble in order to let Him rule our hearts and lead us in every action that we may learn to live lives of total charity. How much He truly desires us! He gazes at us—every single person on earth—and already loves us, and wants to be in relationship with us more than we ever dare to think or desire every day.
I will elaborate more from my pilgrimage later, because this is getting quite long, and I need to write a bit more for my paper.
I am praying for all of you, especially whenever I receive Holy Communion.
Please pray for me
Most importantly, for an increase of faith in all of us
May we always be united in the Holy Eucharist.
God love you
Sam
Saturday morning we departed en route to Lanciano. The pilgrimage include Fr. Cozzens, Deacon Al from St. Paul (going to be ordained to the priesthood of Jesus Christ May 30th! Pray for him!), and four of us younger students.
Here, in the early centuries, around 800, a priest of the order of St. Basil in the Church of St. Francis, doubted the Real Presence of Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament. After the words of consecration, the host was changed into a circle of flesh and the wine transformed into blood. I’ll quote the rest from a holy card I received which explains it well.
“Many verifications of this miracle have been performed over the past 1,200 years, but the most convincing was made in November of 1970. This miracle underwent scientific scrutiny and the conclusions were presented on March 4, 1971 in detailed medical and scientific terminology. The microscopic studies ascertained and documented these facts:
The flesh was identified as striated muscular tissue of the myocardium (heart wall) having no trace whatsoever of materials or agents used to preserve the flesh from decay. Both the flesh and blood were found to be of human origin. The flesh and blood type were found to belong to the same blood type, AB.”
Praised be Jesus Christ!
We got there around noon, watched a short video introducing the history of the miracle and the church. Afterwards, Father was able to celebrate the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass here for us. These are the wonderful blessings of being able to travel with a priest and a deacon! Many blessings and the sacraments immediately available for you.
Moreover, it was such a beautiful reality to be before this miracle, still preserved in the chapel today. There is a big beautiful church of St. Francis, and in the front the miracle is adored. The Body of Christ is in a monstrance and His Blood is in a chalice, and is in the front of the church, where a tabernacle would be in a church. Behind the Miracle, there is a window, and on the other side is another smaller chapel. This is where Father celebrated mass for us. Visually, it was so beautiful. Father was at the altar right before the miracle and through saying the words of consecration, the bread and wine at the altar in his hands were being transubstantiated into the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ in the Eucharist that we have the blessing of being able to receive every day.
The privilege of being able to receive our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament is something I know I can easily take advantage of. It was not after some time of prayer and meditation that I could really contemplate the beauty of this opportunity, esp. here. Here is this Miracle that has been preserved for thousands of years, physically and substantially changed into true Flesh and Blood of Christ and here is the Eucharist, instituted by Christ at the Last Supper, The Lord’s Real Presence is here. We consume Him every time we receive Holy Communion. Here is our Lord, giving Himself to you, to me, to all of us, every day…wanting to be totally united by allowing us to consume Him, Body and Blood, in the Blessed Sacrament—if only we would be just a tiny bit open to Him to allow HIM to totally consume our HEARTS AND LIVES!
How unworthy we are, yet how merciful and beautiful that our Lord would choose to humble Himself in order to reach us, that we might TOUCH Him, in our weak physical state…so that we would be part of His Body.
May we pray every day to be made small and humble in order to let Him rule our hearts and lead us in every action that we may learn to live lives of total charity. How much He truly desires us! He gazes at us—every single person on earth—and already loves us, and wants to be in relationship with us more than we ever dare to think or desire every day.
I will elaborate more from my pilgrimage later, because this is getting quite long, and I need to write a bit more for my paper.
I am praying for all of you, especially whenever I receive Holy Communion.
Please pray for me
Most importantly, for an increase of faith in all of us
May we always be united in the Holy Eucharist.
God love you
Sam
For more information on the Eucharist:
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