By Jacqueline Kelly –
The working of miracles is very closely related to the charisma of healing, but it includes miracles of different kinds. There are people whose prayers result in real miracles. They have the gift from the Holy Spirit.
The miracles reported in the Bible include physical wonders, casting out demons and resurrection of the dead. Miracles and healings constantly accompanied the evangelists and apostles. They resulted in the conversion of many people. As stated by Kathryn Kuhlman, “The Bible itself is the greatest of miracles, and the Son of God more wonderful than any of the wonders that confirm His claims!”
According to Dr. Elmer Hess, President-elect of the American Medical Association, “All healing is Divine, it is the Divine power of God that heals”. A doctor has the power and ability to set a bone, but he must wait for Divine power to heal. “Any doctor who lacks faith in the Supreme Being has no right to practice medicine,” said the Erie, Pennsylvania, specialist in urology.
The Eucharistic Miracle of Lanciano
Ancient Anxanum, in the Church dedicated to Saints Legontian and Domittian in Lanciano, Italy, has contained for over twelve centuries the first and greatest Eucharistic Miracle of the Catholic Church. This wondrous event took place in the 8th century A.D. as a divine response to a Basilian monk’s doubts about Jesus’ Real Presence in the Eucharist.
During Holy Mass, after the two-fold consecration, the host was changed into live Blood, which coagulated into five globules, irregular and different in shape and size. The Host Flesh, as can be very distinctly observed today, has the same dimensions as the large host used today in the Latin Church; it is light brown and appears rose coloured when lighted from the back. The Blood is coagulated and has an earth colour resembling the yellow of ochre.
Since 1713 the Flesh has been preserved in an artistic 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 1970-71 and again partly in 1981 there took place a scientific investigation by the most illustrious scientist Prof. Odoardo Linoli, eminent Professor in Anatomy and Pathological Histology and in Chemistry and Clinical Microscopy. He was assisted by Prof. Ruggero Bertelli of the University of Siena.
The analysis was conducted with absolute and unquestionable scientific precision and they were documented with a series of microscopic photographs. This analysis sustained that The Flesh is real Flesh, consists of the muscular tissue of the heart, complete in its essential structure. The Blood is real Blood, proteins and minerals were found in the same normal proportions.
The Flesh and the Blood belong to the human species having the same blood-type: AB [Blood type identical to that which Prof. Baima Bollone uncovered on the Holy Shroud of Turin.]
Santarem, Portugal 1200 A.D.
Sometime between 1225 and 1247, a woman who was very unhappy with her husband, went to a sorceress to find a method of making her husband love her. She was asked to bring a Consecrated Host to the sorceress. The woman did not consume the Host but wrapped the Host in her veil.
On her way out, the Host began to bleed profusely. Afraid, she hurried home and kept the veil and Host in the bottom of a trunk.
In the night, husband and wife were awakened by a bright light coming from the trunk, lighting up the entire room.
They spent the rest of the night adoring the Miraculous Host. The next day people were attracted by the light and came into the house to witness the miracle for themselves. The Parish Priest came and took the Host back to the Church in a solemn procession.
The Host was placed in a wax container in the Tabernacle. The next day, when the Priest opened the Tabernacle door, he found the wax container shattered into pieces, in its place, was a crystal container with the Blood of the Host inside. The silver Monstrance is kept in Saint Stephen’s Church where it can be seen today; the Church has been renamed “The Church of the Miracle”. From the time of the miracle until today, the incident is re-enacted by the local people on the Second Sunday of April. This Blood is still in liquid form 750 years after the miracle.
Bolsena and Orvieto, Italy 1263 A.D.
A German Priest named Peter of Prague, who was having great doubts about the physical presence of Jesus in the Eucharist, was travelling on a pilgrimage. He stopped at Bolsena, about 60 miles from Rome; he stayed for the night at the Church of St. Christina, a local saint of the early Church. He requested permission to celebrate Mass at the altar of the saint and prayed for the grace of Faith in the Eucharist.
At the time of Consecration, as he said, “This is My Body”, the unleavened Bread turned into Flesh and began to bleed profusely. The priest, not knowing what to do, wrapped the Host in the corporal and left the altar, drops of Blood spilling on the marble floor in front of the altar. Fr. Peter of Prague immediately went to report this to Pope Urban IV, who was close to Orvieto. Pope Urban sent a Bishop to Bolsena to verify the facts and bring the sacred Relics to Orvieto. Pope Urban set forth to meet the Bishop, fell on his knees before the sight of His Lord manifested before Him in physical form; he went to the balcony of the Papal Palace and raised the Corporal reverently, declaring that this Eucharistic Miracle dispelled the heresies running rampant at that time.
Pope Urban instituted the Feast of Corpus Christi. St. Thomas Aquinas wrote the Liturgy for that Mass and composed the hymns “O Salutaris Hostia” and “Tantum Ergo.” The Sacred Relics are preserved in Orvieto, while the marble chips on which the Blood spilled are preserved at Bolsena.
Offida, Italy 1273 A.D.
A lady named Ricciarella, wanted a happy married life with her husband, Giacomo Stasio. A local sorceress told her to take a consecrated Host home [by not swallowing the Host at the time of receiving the Communion] and to burn it and mix it with her husband’s drink. When she did so the outside of the Host [which she placed in a pot over a fire for the Host to burn] turned into Flesh, and while the centre of the Host retained its original form, Blood gushed from the Host turned Flesh. Rieciarella was frightened and hid it in a pot. The pot was placed in a hole in the stable housing the animals. After seven years when she confessed her sin, on recovering it, they found the Flesh and Host incorrupt. Holy Relics are installed in the Sanctuary of St. Augustine in Offida.
Cascia, Italy 1300 A.D.
In Cascia, Umbria, known to everyone as the city of St. Rita, a Priest lost respect for the Eucharist. One day, on receiving a sick call, he took the Eucharist irreverently and placed it between the pages of his breviary. When he opened his breviary to give the sick man Communion, this priest was shocked to find two large Blood stains on the pages facing each other. These two pages were removed from the breviary, after the priest had confessed his sin; one page was kept in a Tabernacle in Perugia while the other in a monastery in Cascia in the Church built next to the monastery in honour of St. Rita, the stigmatic nun, who joined the convent after the death of her husband and two sons. Over the years, the people noticed a change on the blood-stained page of Cascia . The face of Christ can be seen on it, when a flashlight is placed at the back of the page.
Bologna, Italy 1333 A.D.
Imelda Lambertini , born in a noble Bolognese family, was known for her piety and spirituality. She was permitted to join a Religious Order at the age of nine, but could not receive Communion with her other sisters as she was not yet 12 years old. But the Lord had a special gift for her. On the feast of the Ascension in 1333 after mass, the sisters saw a bright white HOST hovering over Imelda’s head.
A priest took a Paten and the Host settled on it; he took it as a sign for Imelda to be given First Holy Communion.
On receiving First Holy Communion, Imelda went into Ecstasy and died the same day- May 12, 1333, when she was eleven years old. Blessed Imelda’s body is venerated in the Parish Church of San Sigismondo, near the University of Bologna; her body is incorrupt.
Zaragoza, Spain 1427 A.D.
There was a married couple at Zaragoza whose marriage was very stormy. Some friends wrongly advised the wife to consult a sorcerer for a love potion. The sorcerer asked her to bring a consecrated Host from the Church. The woman received Communion, and swiftly withdrew the Host from her mouth, placed it in a cloth bag and went to the sorcerer. When she opened the bag, she did not find the host; instead, there was a perfectly formed, beautiful little live baby; a bright aura surrounded His Body.
The sorcerer told the woman to take the Baby home and burn it in a fire and carry the ashes back to him. The woman tied the Baby to a metal rod and turned it over the fire. When the fire went out, the Baby was not dead but very much alive and brilliant in light. The woman ran throughout the streets of Zaragoza, fear, repentance and tears streaming down her face. The sorcerer too fell to his knees in fear and begged pardon from God he had so hated and was so willing to blaspheme. The woman went to the Cathedral to confess her sins, while the sorcerer went to the Vicar General of the diocese to ask how he could receive pardon for his terrible sin.
The Baby was taken in a procession to the Cathedral on a golden plate. The Baby was placed under heavy guard on the altar of San Valero. On Sunday morning, the Archbishop celebrated the votive Mass of the Blessed Sacrament in honour of the Eucharist Miracle. During the Offertory as the gifts of Bread and Wine were offered, the Baby disappeared, and in its place the Consecrated Host reappeared. As a result of this Eucharistic Miracle, the people of Zaragoza were renewed in their devotion to the Blessed Sacrament.
There are many more Eucharistic Miracles. All the saints and holy people, put themselves entirely in God’s hands for their physical and spiritual nourishment. The LORD is our nourishment too.
The Eucharist is Jesus’ fulfilment of the promise He made before His ascension; the promise that He would remain with us till the end of time. He is not only present to us by the gift of the Holy Spirit sent by the Father. Jesus is truly present to us-physically present to us – in this total gift of Himself.