According to the Catechism of the Catholic Church, "The Council of Trent summarizes the Catholic faith by declaring: "Because Christ our Redeemer said that it was truly his body that he was offering under the species of bread, it has always been the conviction of the Church of God, and this holy Council now declares again, that by the consecration of the bread and wine there takes place a change of the whole substance of the bread into the substance of the body of Christ our Lord and of the whole substance of the wine into the substance of his blood. This change the holy Catholic Church has fittingly and properly called transubstantiation." CCC1376
It is highly fitting that Christ should have wanted to remain present to his Church in this unique way. Since Christ was about to take his departure from his own in his visible form, he wanted to give us his sacramental presence; since he was about to offer himself on the cross to save us, he wanted us to have the memorial of the love with which he loved us "to the end," even to the giving of his life. In his Eucharistic presence he remains mysteriously in our midst as the one who loved us and gave himself up for us, and he remains under signs that express and communicate this love:
The Church and the world have a great need for Eucharistic worship. Jesus awaits us in this sacrament of love. Let us not refuse the time to go to meet him in adoration, in contemplation full of faith, and open to making amends for the
serious offenses
and crimes of the world. Let our adoration never cease. CCC 1380
"The Holy Eucharist is the highest expression of our life in Christ, for it unites us sacramentally to Christ in the Sacrifice of the Cross, which is made always new in the celebration of the Holy Mass."3
St. Paul tells us, the Eucharist is no ordinary food. It is actually the Body and Blood of Christ according to the “tradition which I handed on to you, that came to me from the Lord Himself.”
St. Alphonsus Liguori tells us, know also that you will probably gain more by praying fifteen minutes before the Blessed Sacrament than by all the other spiritual exercises of the day. True, Our Lord hears our prayers anywhere, for He has made the promise, 'Ask, and you shall receive,' but He has revealed to His servants that those who visit Him in the Blessed Sacrament will obtain a more abundant measure of grace.“
John Paul II told us "this is the wonderful truth, my dear friends: the Word, which became flesh two thousand years ago, is present today in the Eucharist."
"I encourage Christians regularly to visit Christ present in the Blessed Sacrament, for we are all called to abide in the presence of God.“
Eucharistic Miracles -
There are over 140 documented Eucharistic Miracles.
Eucharistic Miracle of Lanciano – Italy 750 A.D
These images are of the Monstrance containing the Sacred Relics.
At the moment of the Consecration, the priest was tormented by strong doubts as to whether the Body and Blood of Jesus were truly present in the consecrated Host. After Consecration he noticed that the Host had been transformed into Flesh and the Wine into Blood.
On March 4, 1971, a Professor presented a detailed summary of the various studies carried on the relics. Here are the basic conclusions:
The “miraculous Flesh” is truly flesh, made up of striated muscle tissue of the myocardium (heart).
The “miraculous Blood” is truly blood: the (color) analysis proves this with absolute and irrefutable certainty.
The immunological study shows that the Flesh and the Blood are definitely those of human being the test allows us to affirm that both belong to the same blood group AB, the same group as that of the man of the Shroud (of Turin) and the blood group typical of the populations in the Middle East.
World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations (UN), published in December of 1976 in New York and Geneva, it was declared that “science, aware of its limitations, is forced to admit the impossibility of giving an explanation.”
1263 Bolsena-Orvieto
Perhaps the best known miracle in which there was a lack of faith in the Real Presence was the miracle of Bolsena-Orvieto. In 1263 A Bohemian priest by the name of Peter of Prague was tempted into questioning the Real Presence. When he broke the Host after the Consecration he was stunned to see blood flowing from it and dripping onto the corporal (the square piece of linen on which the Host and chalice are placed during Mass). The bloodstained corporal was taken to the Cathedral of Orvieto where it is preserved to this day.
Jesus wants to help you, just ask Him:
“Jesus in the Eucharist, remains with us sacramentally to travel with us along our ways, so that with His power, we can cope with our problems, our toil, our suffering.
– International Eucharistic Congress 1980, John Paul II
“He is in our midst, He dwells with us, full of grace and truth...he restores morality, nourishes virtues, consoles afflicted and strengthens the weak.” Pope Paul
Though we cannot see or touch the Body of Christ in the Eucharist, in reality, He is there.
Pray for faith to believe!
Jesus is Here:
Jesus is here, ADORABLE AND ENTREATABLE
There are MANY things to be curious about… be curious about this. Many curiosities will lead you into trouble… This one won’t.
What to do when you adore?
Visit Him in the Tabernacle or at your Adoration Chapel". You can pray before the very presence of Our Lord.
• Recite your favorite prayers
• Read the bible
• Contemplate acts of faith, hope, charity, thanksgiving, reparation
• Pray a rosary
• Whatever type of prayerful devotion that suits you before Our Lord
• You can just sit and say nothing simply keeping Him company, just as you would with a dear friend 1
For more information about Eucharistic Adoration, miracles, etc. Please visit here.
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References
1 - Bishop Jerome J. Hastrich Gallup, New Mexico, U.S.A. EWTN
2 - Talk: "Jesus, True Presence in the Eucharist" Song: "Trust In Me“ CD: Our Catholic Faith http://www.donnacorigibson.com/OurCatholicFaith.html
3 - Real Presence Eucharistic Education and Adoration Association.
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