Eucharistic Stories

Lanciano: The Greatest Eucharistic Miracle

In the eighth century, a Basilian monk who doubted the Real Presence of the Lord in the Eucharist was astounded when, during the Consecration of the Mass he was celebrating, the Host turned into flesh and the wine turned into blood, which coagulated into five different globules.

Since 1713, the Flesh has been preserved in an artistic silver Ostensorium, delicately embossed by an artisan of the Neapolitan school. The Blood is enclosed in a rich and very old cup made of rock-crystal.

In 1970, scientists came up with the following findings:

•       The flesh is real flesh and the blood is real blood.

•       The flesh comes from the heart.

•       The preservation of the flesh and blood, left in their natural state without preservatives, is an extraordinary phenomenon.

Another unusual finding is that the blood type (AB positive) of the flesh and blood is the same as the blood type of the Man of the Shroud of Turin. The Shroud of Turin, still another great miracle, is believed to be the sheet used to wrap the Lord Jesus when He was buried.

The miraculous Host and Blood are kept by the Minor Conventual Friars in the Sanctuario del Miracolo Eucaristico.

The Majestic Architecture or the Presence of the Eucharist?

After visiting the cathedral in Milan, St. Francis de Sales heard someone ask him, “Your Excellency, did you see what a wealth of marble there is, and how majestic the lines are?” The holy bishop answered, “What do you want me to tell you? Jesus’ presence in the tabernacle has my spirit so absorbed, that all the beautiful architecture escapes my notice.”

(What a lesson this reply is for us who go unthinkingly to visit celebrated churches as though they were museums!)

God’s Great Love in the Eucharist

One day, an Arabian prince, Abd-ed Kader, while passing through the streets of Marseille with a French official, met a priest who was carrying the Holy Eucharist to a dying man. The French official stopped, uncovered his head, and knelt. The Arabian prince asked him the reason for this gesture.

“I adore my God whom the priest is carrying to a sick person,” replied the official. “How is it possible,” the Arabian prince said, “for you to believe that God who is so great, makes himself so little and lets himself go even to the homes of the poor? We Mohammedans have a much higher idea of God.” The official answered, “It is because you have only an idea of the greatness of God; that you do not know His love.”

Mary and the Eucharist

The reply St. Bernadette Soubirous gave was very beautiful when someone put this tricky question to her: “What would please you more, to receive Holy Communion, or to see the Madonna in the grotto?” The little saint thought for a minute and then answered, “What a strange question! The two cannot be separated. Jesus and Mary always go together.”

But….First the Storm Will Come

The following Eucharistic story takes place in Amsterdam. The seer is Ida Peerdeman (1905-1996) to whom the Blessed Mother appeared as the Lady of All Nations. Our Lady appeared to Ida 56 times and later, Ida was granted many Eucharistic experiences which took place during the Holy Mass. The apparitions of the Lady of All Nations to Ida Peerdeman were given the stamp of authenticity by Bishop Jozef Punt, Bishop of Haarlem-Amsterdam, on 31 May 2002.

This Eucharistic story is quite unique. Ida was given a vision which is alarming and yet comforting at the end.

Ida Peerdeman, 8 December 1972:

At the Offertory, during Holy Mass (in the Chapel on Diepenbrockstraat), `the Light’ came over the whole altar and the priests. It was a magnificent, brilliant `Light’ that remained stationary. On receiving Holy Communion I had a heavenly vision. I saw a vast, empty earthy plain before me. Then, suddenly, I saw that the plain was covered with trees in leaves as if it were summer. Then I saw all those leaves fall off so that soon all the trees were bare as if it were winter. Then I saw and heard that the branches were being broken off one by one by an invisible hand. I did hear the noise of it, which was so piercing and ghastly that an awful distress and pain seized me at every crack. The whole vision saddened me profoundly. Now I saw only bare trunks. Suddenly these too crashed down to the ground with a thundering noise. As I was watching the ravage of dead branches and trunks, great sadness and pain came over me. Then I saw a beam of ‘Light’ approaching in the air above the plain. In that ‘Light’ a hand appeared with a finger raised in warning, and I heard resounding through the sky: ‘Woe to you who made this havoc.’ Whilst these words were spoken, I saw the hand and finger pointing downwards to those branches and trunks. I watched that scene and was again seized by terrible anguish. Then I saw the ground bursting open. All branches and trunks disappeared into the rift and the ground closed over it. And there was a silence round about me. After that I saw again a plain in front of me. But there was a difference. This time it affected me as if I were gazing at a heavenly plain. A bundle of rays descended on it from on high. It was as if heaven opened and I heard: ‘And you, My apostles, who still are serving the altar, don’t be discouraged. Don’t fear. Continue faithfully along the same lines. Believe in Me and in the Transubstantiation. The Lord is with you. Gather the remnants and assemble My flock. I am with you.’ Then I heard: `Watch well!’ And I surveyed anew that heavenly plain.

Suddenly a very thin twig shot up from the soil, like an arrow of fire. Watching that little twig, I saw it growing thicker and taller and it became a sturdy stem. Then I saw that stem putting forth branch after branch, alternately from the right and the left side, until I saw a magnificent golden tree standing in front of me. Then buds sprang from the top of every branch. At first they closed, then suddenly they burst open. Now I saw a pure golden tree in bloom. I cannot describe how grand that tree was. Again I heard the ‘Voice’ from heaven: ‘Don’t be afraid. The Lord is with you. But…first the storm will come.’

Then the vision faded away. Holy Mass was over. And the Sacred Host was still unconsumed on my tongue. I said inwardly: ‘Lord, I don’t understand anything of these visions. But I thank You in all humility for what I have seen.’

Then `the Light’ disappeared.

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