His First Mass
St. Thomas of Aquinas was ordained a priest at the age of twenty-five. In anticipation of this singular event, he spent night after night before the tabernacle. It was hardly something new to him. He had engaged in this practice of prayer before the Holy Presence since his childhood.
Now, however the day arrived, as well as the day he himself celebrated Mass for the first time. At that Mass, an extraordinary illumination was seen in front of his forehead.
Shapcote, Emily Mary, Legends of the Blessed Sacrament (London, Burns & Oates) p. 41.
St. John of the Cross in the Chapel
When a monastery was being built, St. John of the Cross regularly helped to carry bricks, mortar and timber to the workmen. One day he was absent and the workmen went to look for him. They found him in the chapel before the tabernacle. He was in deep prayer. He was also suspended in the air, to the point where his head was touching the ceiling.
Source: Cruz, Caroll, Eucharistic Miracles (Charlotte, North Carolina, Tan Books, 2010) p. 291.
Marseilles
More than 60 people gave witness, under oath, to the following story.
It seems that, in 1718, the Forty Hours Devotion was being celebrated in the convent church of the Cordeliers, in Marseilles, France. At one point during the event, the Blessed Sacrament in the monstrance disappeared and, in Its place, the people saw the countenance of the Lord Himself. The figure emanated such brightness, and the simultaneous emotions of mildness and severity so intense, that people could not bear to meet His gaze.
Source: Etlin, Rev. Lukas, O.S.B., Eucharistic Miracles (Clyde, Missouri, Benedictine Convent of Perpetual Adoration 1947), p. 19-20.
Saint Lucia Filippini
Saint Lucia Filippini was on her way to Pitigliano, about 100 miles north of Rome, to supervise a school for craftsmen which she had founded. First, however, she stopped at the church of the Franciscan Fathers to attend Holy Mass. When the priest was breaking the large Host in half to place a small Fragment in the chalice, this very Part escaped his hand and flew into the air, radiating light, and came to rest on the tongue of the future saint. Today, the shrine where the miracle took place is under the care of the devout Filipini Sisters.
Source: “The Eucharistic Miracles of the World,” a Vatican international exhibition, as reported by The Real Presence Eucharistic Education and Adoration and Association,http://www.therealpresence.org/eucharst/mir/english_pdf/communions1.pdf
St. Francis of Posadas
One day, St. Francis of Posadas was saying Mass. As he was pronouncing the words of consecration, the moment when the bread and wine are changed into the Body and Blood, he was raised off the ground. He remained suspended in the air until the conclusion of the Mass. After that, the congregation also saw that he was enveloped in a great light.
Source: Cruz, Caroll, Eucharistic Miracles (Charlotte, North Carolina, Tan Books, 2010) p. 290-91..
Right Here With You On Earth
A woman lay in bed following her surgery. She was depressed and wanted nothing more than to leave this world and be with God in heaven so she could talk things over with Him.
Soon, she fell asleep and dreamed that she was driving up a mountain road. It was a sunny day with a clear blue sky. She reached the top of the mountain, as high as she could go, and got out of the car.
Then she felt herself going still higher. Her spirit had left her body and was floating upward.
She looked down below, into a valley, with a river running through it. She saw a car driving alongside the river. It surprised her to see both herself and her husband in the car.
Then, there was a brilliant flash of light in the sky and a shower of glowing points of light began to rain down onto the earth. For some reason, she understood that it was time for her to return to earth. She did and immediately woke up.
For years afterward, she wondered what this dream meant. One evening, in front of the Blessed Sacrament in Adoration, she thought about the dream again. She asked the Lord why she had it. Once again, she understood something very clearly. This time it was a message telling her that while she wanted to leave this earth to find Him, she “needed to learn that I am right here with you on earth.”
Source: Proctor, Sr. Patricia, OSC, 201 Inspirational Stories of the Eucharist (Spokane, Washington, The Franciscan Monastery of St. Clare, 2004) p. 142-43.
Fr. Lerma
Over a period of time, Fr. Francis Lerma gradually lost his eyesight. He accepted his fate but was distraught over the fact that he could no longer celebrate the Mass. One day, he prayed for the ability to see only for such time as was necessary to celebrate Mass. As he was praying, he received the inspiration to open a missal. To his surprise, he could read it.
He was elated, went to the sacristry, put on his vestments and then did, in fact, celebrate the Mass. When it was over, he returned to the sacristy, where he could not longer see. Day after day, this same event repeated itself. He could see in order to say the Mass, but as soon as it was over, he once again returned to his blindness.
Source: Cruz, Caroll, Eucharistic Miracles (Charlotte, North Carolina, Tan Books, 2010) p. 209.
Niervaart
In the year 1300, the area known today as the Netherlands was occupied by Spanish troops. During an episode of pillaging, a Sacred Host was stolen, and later discarded.
On June 24th, a farmer found it. He was hoeing a plot of land near the village of Niervaart. As he lifted a clod of earth, he caught sight of the Host, completely intact. He immediately gave it to the pastor of the village.
The Host was placed in a precious container, and despite the passage of time, the species of the bread remained intact. News quickly spread among the people, who began to venerate the Sacred Host. In 1449 the Holy Eucharist was moved to the Collegiate Church of Our Lady of Breda, and an artistic monstrance was made in which to preserve the Blessed Sacrament.
It was later lost during a time of warfare, but not before it had survived for over a hundred years. It had not decomposed or deteriorated, which the laws of physics say should have occurred over a span of months.
To this day, processions and public prayers are held each year in honor of the miracle.
Source: “The Eucharistic Miracles of the World,” a Vatican international exhibition, as reported by The Real Presence Eucharistic Education and Adoration and Association, http://www.therealpresence.org/eucharst/mir/english_pdf/Breda.pdf
Hanging Hosts
Before becoming a priest, Anthony was trying to discern whether he should take up such a vocation. He frequented daily Mass. One day, he said to the Lord, “OK, if you want me to be a priest, make something strange, very strange happen when I receive you in Holy Communion.”
When he went up to receive the Sacrament, two Hosts were stuck together. Now sometimes that happens, but not as occurred here. Here, the Hosts were hanging from each other. They were not stuck side by side. The priest tried to separate them, but could not. So, Anthony was given both.
This happened on just the occasion when Anthony prayed for something strange.
Source: Proctor, Sr. Patricia, OSC, 201 Inspirational Stories of the Eucharist (Spokane, Washington, The Franciscan Monastery of St. Clare, 2004) p. 242.
The Lamb Who Went To Mass
Once, at Santa Maria della Porziuncola, some people brought a lamb to St. Francis of Assisi as a gift. During the celebration of the Mass, the lamb would enter the church and, at the elevation of the Host, he would bow down, knees bent, as if in reverence towards the Blessed Sacrament.
Source: “The Eucharistic Miracles of the World,” a Vatican international exhibition, as reported by The Real Presence Eucharistic Education and Adoration and Association, http://www.therealpresence.org/eucharst/mir/english_pdf/Francisofassisi.pdf.