She Saw Him Standing There
While in the Air Force during the early 1950s, Helen made it a practice of going to daily Mass. In military service, however, opportunities to succumb to temptation and worldly pleasures were abundant. She began to regret how she was acting and to see that it was wrong.
Then she was discharged and returned home. One morning, she was at Mass, at the parish church of her childhood. She was upset at the offense she had caused Jesus and vowed that she would remain loyal to Him in the future.
She went forward to receive Communion. As she stood in front of the priest, she “saw Jesus standing there with His precious body and blood, offering them to me.” She understood that her past sins were forgiven and she was back in His graces again. The relief for her was overwhelming.
She wrote of this event in 2004. 50 years later, it still remained fresh in her mind. During Communion, her thoughts still would return to that singular moment that made such an indelible impression on her.
Source: Proctor, Sister Patricia, O.S.C., 201 Inspirational Stories of the Eucharist (Spokane, Washington, Francisan Monastery of Saint Clare, 2004) p. 15-16.
St. Catherine Fieschi
St. Catherine Fieschi of Genoa died in 1510. For the last 23 years of her life, she celebrated Advent, as well as Lent, in a rather unique way. She did not eat. She did not drink. She lived only on the Blessed Sacrament.
Once her confessor ordered her to eat. She obeyed, but her body rejected the food and she became very ill.
Normally, a person can only survive 7-10 days without any food or water. She did it for these four and six-week periods for 23 years in a row, with the solitary sustenance she obtained through the Eucharist.
Source: Cruz, Caroll, Eucharistic Miracles (Charlotte, North Carolina, Tan Books, 2010) p. 236.
The Adoration Angels
Not too many years ago, a woman from Minnesota sent a letter to the Catholic author Michael Brown. In it, she recounted an experience at Mass:
“I looked up and all of a sudden I could see with my physical eyes a multitude of adoration angels, suspended in a devout posture, encircling the altar, adoring the Eucharist – Jesus. Their presence enhanced the devotion to God within my own heart. At the very moment of Consecration, several angels were lying prostrate at the foot of the altar. I noticed every single adoration angel positioned lower than the Eucharistic Host as Father held it up for all to praise and take notice of. Many were dressed in light, translucent gowns of heavenly colors shown in pinks, aqua, yellow, blue, and green, bathed in light. I was given the knowledge that these are adoration angels and their place before God is to adore the Eucharistic Jesus during Mass and they are always present during Consecration.”
Source: Brown, Michael H., Secrets of the Eucharist (Goleta, CA, Queenship Publishing Co., 1996), p. 29.
Brother John of Alvema
Brother John of Alvema was a disciple of St. Francis of Assisi. It was said that he saw angels at Mass, angels that have been seen by other saints and mystics and are reportedly present at every Mass.
Once during Mass, at the time of consecration, the Host vanished from his sight and he instead saw Christ Himself. He collapsed in this ecstasy and was carried into the sacristy, enrapt and motionless.
Is one to believe such unseen happenings transpire only at certain Masses? If not, then the very same will be the case at the next Mass we attend.
Source: Brown, Michael H., Secrets of the Eucharist (Goleta, CA, Queenship Publishing Co., 1996), p. 67.