The most interesting and comprehensive study of
a Eucharistic miracle was conducted in 1996, it was a miracle that occurred in the
parish of Saint Mary in Buenos Aires. At
Mass, during consecration, the bread began to bleed and upon further
examination, this bleeding bread, was found to have become human tissue. After several intense studies, it was found
that the tissue was part of a heart, a muscle of the myocardium, the left
ventricle, the muscle that gives life to the whole heart and body.
The tissue revealed further that it belonged
to a person who had gone through intense pain, experiencing extended periods of
time where the person could barely breathe, putting immense strain on the heart
and had been stabbed in the left side. What
was most insane was that despite the fact this should have killed the person,
the tissue showed signs of being ‘alive’.
As evidenced by intact white blood cells found in the tissue. This showed the heart sample was pulsating
otherwise the white blood cells would have disintegrated 15 minutes outside of
a living body. This was truly living
bread. The Archbishop who commissioned the research, was none other than Pope
Francis! (Diocese of Westminster)
Bread and water, is all that was given to Elijah,
by the angel, for his 40 day and 40 night walk to God’s mountain, Horeb. What is the significance of the number 40? Well, 40 is often mentioned in Bible stories; Noah’s
ark and the flood lasted 40 days and 40 nights; Moses lived 40 years in Egypt,
40 years in the desert, 40 days on Mount Sinai; Jesus went into the desert, after his baptism,
for 40 days and 40 nights.
The number 40 symbolizes a period of testing, trial,
or probation.[1]
There are times in our lives when we can arrive
at the same place we find Elijah, in today’s scripture readings: drained,
tired, overwhelmed, to the point of just giving up. If you haven’t already felt the opposition,
the challenge of community life, in time you will as a minister of the Church. We also need to be mindful that, it’s not
always the opposition of the community or the world, but an opposition within
our own human nature. We have our own
internal battles, strife, and vices. Maybe it’s a quick temper, fits of anger, holding
a grudge or bitterness towards a person who has hurt or received a benefit or
accolade we felt deservedly should be ours.
These interior battles can wear on us, sucking the very life from us,
tempting us to reject the journey we are called to walk. This is the
point of choice, “Give up” or “Get up” and be nourished
“else the journey will be too long for you!” (1 Kgs 19:5)
There’s an old African proverb that says, “If
you want to go quickly, go alone. If you
want to go far, go together.”
We all have a choice in responding to our 40
something. Witnessing to the faith requires
us to GET UP and continue along the long winding road we call life and ministry. St. Paul encourages us to “be
imitators of God, as beloved children, and live in love, as Christ loved us and
handed himself over for us as a sacrificial offering to God…” (Eph 5:1-2) What
a marvelous call. It can seem impossible,
unless we accept and are nourished by this reviving meal, the Eucharist.
The Eucharist sets before us what we are
called to BE (not what we do): a faithful and believing people, selfless
servants, a people of hope, we are a resurrection people. In sharing this Eucharist, we are transformed
into ONE people to journey together as witnesses of a future hope. The living bread we share sustains us on this
earthly journey and the graces that flow from this precious Sacrament gives us:
wisdom, understanding, counsel, fortitude, knowledge, piety and
fear of the Lord. Gifts
that aid us to persevere in our faith that God will fulfill all our needs.
Today Jesus invites each of us to GET UP, take
and eat of “the living bread that [comes] down from
heaven” (Jn 6:51) to nourish us on our journey to eternal life.
[1] Meaning of the number 40
bible study.org
No comments:
Post a Comment