I was really struck with something Bob Catholic had to say. He said in part:
Jesus uses the ordinary everyday things to proclaim the reality of God. I have just returned from the greatest miracle I can witness - Mass. Here in the form of bread the very presence of my Lord enters my life. All those years ago, the miracle of baptism changed me and made me a Catholic - although it took me a while to realize it. My priest’s words of absolution change me and restore my relationship with God and my neighbor - a miracle.
How true. At times I have felt the real presence of God in a most personal way. As Catholics we know or SHOULD know that it is the Christ that is forgiving our sins in that Confessional. God gives us glimpses of the mysterious at times. I remember one Day I was going to confession at Our Lady of Mercy In Baton Rouge. Just a average day and just average (not downplaying them) ole sins I struggled with. When the priest said:
God the Father of mercies, through the death and resurrection of his Son, has reconciled the world to himself and sent the Holy Spirit among us for the forgiveness of sins; through the ministry of the Church may God give you pardon and peace, and I absolve you from your sins in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit."
There was no doubt who was saying it. It was no doubt that it was not Father X but those words I was hearing were coming from Christ himself. That the voice that was coming from the Priest was the big "I" himself. Ii is something I will always remember.
Historical Christian is one of those people that are gifted by insights had this great story to tell about a Mass she went too. She said:
I love the Eucharist, and have had many beautiful experience of Christ in the Eucharist, entering me in Holy Communion, since I entered the Church, especially when I received my first Holy Communion in the Church, which I wrote about here. This winter I had yet another lovely experience that brought home for me again, deeply and joyfully, the reality of Christ in the Eucharist. I told the story yesterday to my RCIA class, now that they have received Christ themselves in Holy Communion, and I tell it again here:
I attend mass at the Cathedral here with our Archbishop, a very beautiful and uplifting mass which I love. One evening I was watching the Archbishop during the Eucharistic prayer, when suddenly I saw Christ step down from heaven, pause behind him for a moment, and then and lay himself down on the altar in front of the Archbishop.
He was nude, whole and entire, unharmed and unbloody, lying there completely peaceful, calm, and beautiful, as the Archbishop prayed above him – making a complete and perfect offering of Himself. And the Archbishop, as he prayed, was actually praying over Christ Himself. The sight was so beautiful I got lost in prayer for several minutes.
At the close of the consecration I looked back at the altar, to look at Christ again – and to my surprise, He was gone. Where did He go? Then I realized: into the bread and wine. He is now present in the bread and wine. And I joyfully joined the communion line, to go receive Him, whole and entire, in the bread and wine. I wanted to dance up the aisle, I was so excited.
I attend mass at the Cathedral here with our Archbishop, a very beautiful and uplifting mass which I love. One evening I was watching the Archbishop during the Eucharistic prayer, when suddenly I saw Christ step down from heaven, pause behind him for a moment, and then and lay himself down on the altar in front of the Archbishop.
He was nude, whole and entire, unharmed and unbloody, lying there completely peaceful, calm, and beautiful, as the Archbishop prayed above him – making a complete and perfect offering of Himself. And the Archbishop, as he prayed, was actually praying over Christ Himself. The sight was so beautiful I got lost in prayer for several minutes.
At the close of the consecration I looked back at the altar, to look at Christ again – and to my surprise, He was gone. Where did He go? Then I realized: into the bread and wine. He is now present in the bread and wine. And I joyfully joined the communion line, to go receive Him, whole and entire, in the bread and wine. I wanted to dance up the aisle, I was so excited.
I saw Him a few more times like that during the winter, stepping down from heaven to lay Himself down on the altar in front of the Archbishop while he was praying the consecration, and it was beautiful every time. I don’t know if I’ll see Him again like that – I never know – but I know He is there, and I know He is in the bread and wine which I then receive, and it is wonderful – makes me want to sing and dance and shout with joy, every time.
Wow. Well I never experienced that. However if you are open to him and prepare for him who knows what you see. Miracles happen all the time.
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