The Eucharist 102: Miracles

   

I mentioned in yesterday's blog post that transubstantiation can be difficult to wrap our heads around, and that the entire concept is one of the great mysteries of the Church. And it is, the spiritual transformation of something is a little hard to wrap our very human minds around, and that's okay. The whole point of the Eucharist was to give us outward signs of an inner workings; physically receiving Jesus helps us better understand how He nourishes us each week.

But God has provided us other outward signs about this incredible gift. These miracles often happened when someone, usually the priest, struggled with believing in the true presence of Christ in the Eucharist. For over 250 years in Italy, consecrated hosts have been perfectly preserved. Scientists have studied them and have yet to understand why the consecrated hosts have not rotted yet. In Bolsena-Orvieta, Italy, a priest doubting the true presence was convinced when real blood began to seep out of the bread immediately after consecrating. Pope Urban IV commissioned the feast day of Corpus Christi in honor of this miracle. Other Eucharistic miracles include saints or blessed indiciduals who survived on the Eucharist alone, including St. Catherine of Genoa, St. Catherine of Sienna, and most famously, Blessed Alexandra da Costa of Egypt, who died in 1955.

Miracles are not uncommon in the Church, but they are severely scrutinized before they are declared miracles in the first place. The Church has its own process and group of people responsible for investigating and understanding any and all other explanations before they reach the conclusion, that this was indeed a miracle.

Most importantly, what can be drawn from this is that Eucharist (and other sacraments) are physical representations of God's love and mercy on earth, outward signs of God's grace to help us better understand and believe in God, His Son, the Spirit, and the Church.

Tota tua.

Thrive not Survive

The Lord is my Shepherd, there is nothing I shall want PS 23:1-3A

I think oftentimes, when we hear that infamous Psalm, the thought is that because we have God, we should not want for anything. We should be well-fed and well-rested, we should not be afraid or anxious. Only good stuff will happen to us, because God is our Shepherd. All because we believe in God.That doesn't sound quite right to me; this idea that because we believe, we are never going to want.

That passive attitude that by believing, things are all going to be okay is a dangerous one. To have the faith of a child, to have the ability to truly rely on the Lord is an important one, but God is not there to do everything for us. We are called to work and to persevere with God beside us every day. In Paul's letter to the Philippians, we are reminded that we can do all. But there is more context to that quote than just the thirteenth line.

 Not that I speak from want, for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am. I know how to get along with humble means, and I also know how to live in prosperity; in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need. I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.  Nevertheless, you have done well to share with me in my affliction. Philippians 4:11-14

What is being taught is a further, deeper understanding of the Lord's providence. There is more to it than just being provided for, but the reality is we can survive it all through God, the good or the bad. We may want all kinds of things, we may desire the world, but with God walking beside us through that dark valley, we can do more than survive it, we can thrive in it.

We have greater goals than not wanting for anything. There is more to achieve, more to want than just not being in humble circumstances. Abundance or suffering does not matter, as long as you trust in the Lord to help you survive whatever is in front of you.