Praise Jesus
How was your week?
I hope that blessed God will lead us to the path of everlasting life.
“Do you also want to leave?” (John 6,67) Jesus asks the twelve apostles.
Faith is a type of a challenge. Faith is a mystery and goes beyond the common sense. ‘God became man. A virgin conceived a child. Jesus resurrected.'
Do I believe? Do I not? Do I stay? Do I leave?
We are faced with another challenge: The bread of life.
We have encountered stories of bread for the past weeks. Elisha fed hundreds of people with barley bread and Jesus fed five thousand people. The Israel people ate manna in the desert. The stories of bread are examples of foretelling the bread of life. And the bread of life is Eucharist. Jesus, after performing the miracle of bread, talks about the bread of life.
“I am the living bread that came down from heaven.” (John 6,51). “Whoever eats my flesh and drink my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him on the last day.” (John 6,54)
When they heard this, the Jews and the apostles quarreled among themselves. “This saying is hard” (John, 6,60). They are directly faced with a challenge. Do I believe? Do I not? Do I stay? Do I leave?
In fact, many apostles left as they could not believe this. Although the sacrament of Eucharist happens during mass, we doubt the real existence of Jesus’ body and blood. Hence, God solidifies our faith through the miracle of the Sacrament of Eucharist. In the 8th century in Italy, during mass at Lanciano church, a priest belonging to the order of Basilio, had a doubt: “Does Jesus really exist in Eucharist”
He, with this doubt, consecrated the bread and the wine as usual. At that very moment, the bread and the wine literally turned into human body and blood. And, On November 18, 1970, a scientific probe began on this miracle. Odoardo Rinoli, a professor/doctor of anthropotomy, microanatomy, chemistry and clinical microscopy, conducted a biopsy of the sample and concluded that:
1. This is real human body and blood
2. The flesh is comprised of human heart tissue
3. The blood type of the flesh and blood is that of type AB
4. Normal protein, sodium, calcium and mineral are discovered
5. No trace of chemical or preservatives are found
The fact that this body and blood have not been contaminated for over 1300 years in the open air is another miracle.
“Do you also want to leave?” (John 6,67)
I wish we, relying on the miracle of Eucharist, can answer with Apostle Peter.
“Master, to whom shall we go? You have the words eternal life.” (John 6,68)
Amen
