60. Eucharistic Miracles

Big news, everyone: I think this will be our final Catholic Massterclass! I never thought it would last this long, and yet I think it could go even longer. Holy Mass is so rich! We’re going out with a mystery, which is fitting for our mysterious worship. Today we’re talking about Eucharistic miracles. A Eucharistic miracle is an extraordinary event in which God makes visible what is normally hidden. At every Mass, a true miracle takes place: bread and wine become the Body and Blood of Christ, though this change is invisible. In Eucharistic miracles, that same reality becomes visible in a way that we can perceive. In that sense, they are something like a “double miracle.” I have three miracles that I’d like to briefly share with you.

 

First is the Eucharistic Miracle of Lanciano, the earliest recorded Eucharistic miracle. It took place in Italy around the year 700. A priest who was experiencing doubts about the Real Presence saw the appearance of the bread and wine change at the words of consecration. The Host became visible flesh, and the wine became visible blood. These miraculous species have been preserved for over 1,300 years. Scientific studies in the 1970s found that the flesh is human heart tissue and the blood is real human blood, type AB.

 

Next is the Eucharistic Miracle of Bolsena. Once again, a priest wrestling with doubt witnessed the Host begin to bleed during Mass. The blood stained the corporal, which is still preserved today in Orvieto, Italy.

 

Finally, we turn to the Eucharistic Miracle of Buenos Aires. A discarded Host was found and placed in water so that it would dissolve. Instead, it became a bloody substance. Scientific analysis later revealed that it was human heart tissue with AB blood type. Even more striking, white blood cells were present, indicating that the tissue was living at the time of examination. The scientist who analyzed the sample was not told its origin.

 

There are many more examples of Eucharstic miracles from history, some of them seem unbelievable - I suppose they all seem unbelievable, which is part of what makes it a miracle - but they all point to the reality of the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist, which comes to us at Holy Mass.

You could read more about them by going to this website, designed by St. Carlo Acutis when he was just a teenager: https://www.miracolieucaristici.org/

May the Lord grant us all a greater love for the Mass and for the Holy Eucharist!