Miracles of the Eucharist

I went to an Apologetics class last night. The topic was the Real Presence in the Eucharist. We looked at what other Christians believe, and then we looked at the scriptural evidence for what we believe. One of the points that I would think is hard to argue against is that if it were a symbol, as Protestants believe, why would the disciples say, "This teaching is hard. Who can accept it?" and they left. Then Jesus asked his apostles, "Will you leave too?" And the apostles say "Where would we go, you have the words of eternal life" (I'm paraphrasing John 6 here). If it were symbolic then the disciples would have no problem and it would be easy for them to stay! But it was so shocking and difficult for them that they stopped following Jesus!

Anyway, the class was really interesting, and at the end of the class we talked about Eucharistic Miracles, where the Body and Blood appeared in their real and natural form (as opposed to under the appearance of bread and wine).

The reference was to the Eucharistic Miracle at Lanciano, Italy. This website states, in part, states:


"Ancient Anxanum, the city of the Frentanese, has contained for over twelve centuries the first and greatest Eucharistic Miracle of the Catholic Church. This wondrous Event took place in the 8th century A.D. in the little Church of St. Legontian, as a divine response to a Basilian monk's doubt about Jesus' Real Presence in the Eucharist. 

During Holy Mass, after the two-fold consecration, the host was changed into live Flesh and the wine was changed into live Blood, which coagulated into five globules, irregular and differing in shape and size. 

The Host-Flesh, as can be very distinctly observed today, has the same dimensions as the large host used today in the Latin church; it is light brown and appears rose-colored when lighted from the back.
The Blood is coagulated and has an earthy color resembling the yellow of ochre."

The website goes on to detail various scientific studies, but the one that both shocked me and made my heart burst in love for Him was this one:

The Flesh consists of the muscular tissue of the heart.

How truly amazing and beautiful is that!!!