THE TESTIMONY OF JESUS CHRIST Videte quia Ego ipse sum. See, . . . that it is I Myself. (Luke xxiv. 39.) THE Church has told us: "Jesus Christ is truly present in the Sacred Host." Jesus Himself manifests His presence in two ways: interiorly and publicly. I-----INTERIOR MANIFESTATION The interior manifestation takes place in the soul of the communicant. Jesus works a threefold miracle in the one that receives Him. A miracle of reformation. Jesus gives the communicant an assured mastery over his passions. In fact, it is the same Jesus Who said, "Have confidence, I have overcome the world," and Who also said to the tempest, "Peace, be still." And now to the proud man, to tire miser, to the man who is tormented by the revolt of his senses, to the man who is a slave to his evil inclinations, He says, "Loose him, and let him go." And the communicant feels stronger. On rising from the Holy Table we can say with Saint Paul, "In all these things we overcome because of Him that hath loved us." There has been a sudden change, the sudden flaming of a fire. But if Jesus Christ were not in the Sacred Host, no such great wonders would be wrought. It is harder to reform nature than to form it. Man finds greater difficulty in correcting or overcoming himself than in performing some exterior good deed, be that deed heroic. Habit is second nature. The Eucharist alone, at least according to the ordinary course of events and of facts based on experience, gives us the power to reform the bad habits that lord it over us. A miracle of transformation. There is only one means of changing a natural life into a supernatural one; that is the triumph of the Eucharist, in which Jesus Christ Himself sees to the education of man. The Eucharist develops faith in us. It elevates, ennobles, and purifies love in us. It teaches us to love. Love is the gift of self. Now, in the Eucharist Jesus gives Himself in His entirety; He supplements His counsel with His example. The Eucharist transforms even our exterior. It imparts to the body a certain charm and beauty which is a reflection of the beauty within. There is in the countenance of the communicant a certain transparency of the Divine; in his words a gentleness and in his actions a sweetness that indicate the presence of Jesus Christ. This is the good odor of Jesus. A miracle of strength, which leads one to self-forgetfulness and self-sacrifice. A man suffers a misfortune; he draws from the Eucharist a strength superior to his misfortune. In the midst of adversity, calumny, and worries the Christian finds peace and calm in the Eucharist. The faithful soldier of Jesus overcomes temptation and the assaults of men and of Hell through Holy Communion. In vain will you seek this superhuman strength outside the Eucharist. But if the Eucharist gives that strength, then Jesus, the Savior, the God of strength, is really there. Such is the interior evidence that Jesus Christ gives of His presence in the Most Blessed Sacrament. II-----PUBLIC MANIFESTATION Sinners and profaners of this august Sacrament have been punished publicly for their temerity; Jesus was manifesting His justice. Scarcely had Judas sacrilegiously received the Body of his God than "Satan entered into him." Before this sacrilegious Communion the devil merely tempted him; after it the devil took possession of him: Introivit in eum Satanas.-----"Satan entered into him." Saint Paul attributed the lethargic sleep of the Corinthians and their apathy for good to their lukewarm or sacrilegious Communions. Ideo inter vos multi infirmi et imbecilles, et dormiunt multi.-----"Therefore are there many infirm and weak among you, and many sleep." History records terrible instances of unworthy communicants, smitten without warning by the justice of our Lord Whom they were insulting in the Eucharist. Jesus manifests also therein His power over demons. When demons, who had resisted every other form of exorcism, were confronted with the Sacred Host, they howled with rage and yielded to the presence of their God. Once at Milan, after the Pater of the Mass, Saint Bernard placed the chalice and paten on the head of a possessed woman, and the devil left her in a fury, uttering frightful howls, "Jesus Christ, the Good God is there!" So many sick people have been cured by the Eucharist! These facts are not all known, but, history proves it, the Blessed Sacrament is a cure for all infirmities. Saint Gregory of Nazianzen relates this touching incident. His sister had been ill for a long time. One night she arose, went to kneel before the holy tabernacle, and in the fervor of her faith said to our Lord: "O my Lord, I will not rise from here until Thou hast cured me." She stood up and was cured. Lastly, our Lord has appeared so many times under divers forms! From time to time He is pleased to renew the miracle of Thabor. These manifestations are not necessary since we have the word of Truth itself as a guarantee. They merely prove that the words of Jesus Christ have indeed effected what they signified. Yes, Lord Jesus, we believe that Thou art present in the Most Blessed Sacrament, truly and substantially present; increase, increase our faith .  . . . Contact Us HOME---------------THE HOLY EUCHARIST DIRECTORY-----------------------BLESSED SACRAMENT VISITS www.catholictradition.org/Eucharist/real-presence9.htm