What Sign Can You Do, Lord?

It was October 12, 2008, a Sunday, when during the celebration of the 8:30 am Mass  in St. Anthony Church in Sokolka, Poland, a consecrated host accidently fell from the hands of the priest who was distributing Holy Communion.  The priest conscientiously interrupted the administration of the Body of the Lord, picked up the host and placed it a glass of water according to the protocol of the Church.  After the host would dissolve in the water, the water could be properly disposed of.  

After the Mass the priest asked the sacristan, Sister Julia Dubrowska, a member of the Congregation of the Eucharistic Sisters, to place the host contained in the glass of water in the safe of the sacristy for safekeeping.  

One week later, Sister Julia went to the safe to check on the host expecting that no trace of it would be found in the glass of water. To her surprise, when she opened the door of the safe, she detected clearly the aroma of unleavened bread.  As she looked into the contained of water, she saw the host largely intact. In the middle of the host, Sister saw a curved, bright red stain, resembling blood.  The water remained unstained by the color. 

She immediately notified the priests of the parish who examined the condition of the host and were amazed.  

The priests notified the metropolitan Archbishop of Bialystok. Archbishop Edward Ozorowski and other diocesan officials visited the parish and were astonished by the condition of the host.  He directed that the container with the host be moved to the Divine Mercy Chapel in the parish rectory and was placed in the tabernacle.  The following day the Archbishop ordered that the host be taken from the water and placed on a corporal (a small linen cloth) and was placed back in the tabernacle.  

It was kept there and its condition was observed for three years. For the first year it was kept a secret.  In mid-January of 2009, the changed portion of the host dried out naturally and maintained the appearance of a blood stain or clot.  This appearance has remained to this day.  

Archbishop Ozorowski convened an ecclesiastical commission to investigate what had happened to the host.  Likewise, he requested a medical examination of the host by two independent experts. Both were histopathologists at the University of Bialystok. Without communicating with one another they both arrived at the same conclusion.   They reported that the transformed (red) fragment of the host was identical to myocardial (heart) tissue of a living person who is nearing death due to great trauma, (similar to a person dying on a cross).  The structure of the heart muscle was deeply intertwined with that of the bread, in a way impossible to achieve by any human means.  The results also concluded that no foreign substance was added to the host.

How do you explain such an unusual finding? This kind of phenomenon cannot be explained by the natural sciences.

However, the Church with the eyes of faith can see an explanation. The Church looks to the words of Jesus Himself in the gospels.  In St. Luke’s Gospel we hear, “And he took bread and when he had given thanks, he said, ‘This is my body which is given for you.  Do this in remembrance of me’.”(Lk 22:19)  In St. John’s Gospel we hear Jesus say, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me will never hunger, and whoever believes in me will never thirst.” (Jn 6:35)  The Church teaches that the consecrated host becomes the Body of Christ. This happens at Mass when the priest utters the words of consecration, the words that Jesus said at the Last Supper. 

No one in St. Anthony’s Parish asked for a sign on that October day in 2008.  Nevertheless, God gave them a sign that could be seen and scientifically examined.  To those who do not believe, no explanation is possible.  To those who do believe, no explanation is necessary.

In the passage from the sixth chapter of St. John’s Gospel we heard last Sunday Jesus speaking of signs to the crowd gathered before Him.  “Amen, amen, I say to you, you are looking for me not because you saw signs but because you ate the loaves and were filled.  Do not work for food that perishes but for food that endures for eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you, for on him the Father, God, has set his seal.” (Jn 6:26-27)  Jesus is saying to the crowd that they should not set their hearts on only ordinary food. The multiplication of the loaves was indeed a miracle.  There is even a great miracle or sign in their presence.  They should see who is standing before them – the One who healed the sick, raised the dead, drove out demons, the One who is about to tell them exactly who He is and how He will be present to people. 

The crowd then asks Him, “What can we do to accomplish the works of God?”  Jesus answers them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in the one he sent.”  The Lord is telling them, “Believe what I am going to tell you!”  Then they ask, “What sign can you do, that we may see and believe in you?  Our ancestors ate manner in the desert, as it is written: he gave them bread from heaven to eat.”

Jesus clarifies for them, “Amen, amen, I say to you, it was not Moses who gave you bread from heaven; my Father gives you the true bread from heaven.  For the bread of God is that which comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.”  So it is no ordinary bread, this Bread from heaven.  It was not Moses who gave them manna.  It is far better than manna, this Bread from heaven the Father will give them (and us!).  

They are intrigued and want something more.  They beg Jesus pleading, “Sir give us this bread always.”  Jesus responds.  Get ready!  Here it comes! The truth expressed in clarity!  Jesus says to them, “I am the bread of life, whoever comes to me will never hunger, whoever believes in me will never thirst.”  

Sometimes we hear the argument that this bread is only a symbol of Jesus but not His actual flesh.  Perhaps we could believe this if He had not said at the Last Supper, “Take this and eat; for this is my Body given up for you.  Take this and drink for this is the chalice of my Blood.”  Perhaps we could believe that it is just a symbol of Jesus if He did not really go to the Cross and offer His Body and Blood to the Father for the forgiveness of our sins.  But, in fact, He identified Himself with bread and wine at the Last Supper in anticipation of the incomprehensible sacrifice of love that He offered on the cross.  He did not say, “This a symbol of my body, a reminder of my body.”  He said in no uncertain terms, “This IS my body…”  He did not say, “I am metaphorically the bread of life.”  Rather He clearly said, “I AM the bread of life…”  

In fact, we can say that the Lord Jesus Himself is the sign for us. What He did at the Last Supper, He accomplished in light of what would happen the next day on the cross of Calvary.   On that first Holy Thursday, He made bread and wine His Body and Blood.  At every Mass He makes the saving mysteries of Holy Thursday and Good Friday present again and He gives Himself to us in the Holy Eucharist, the living Bread that comes down from heaven to feed us.  

To draw us more deeply into Himself as the Living Bread come down from heaven, in many places throughout the history of the Church, unexplainable and miraculous phenomenon connected with the Holy Eucharist occur, just like the one recently in Sokolka, Poland.  I would believe that the bread and wine at Mass substantially become Jesus Christ present Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity without the miracles such as Sokola.  Why?  Because Jesus clearly says so in the Gospel.  At the same time, I rejoice in these extraordinary Eucharistic miracles that the Father gives us to strengthen our faith.  Let those who have ears and eyes, hear and see!

By the way, on a trip to visit dear priest friend in Poland in 2013, I visited St. Anthony’s Church in Sokola.  I made a Holy Hour before the monstrance that contains the miraculously changed Host.  Along with the thousands of faithful people who come there on pilgrimage each year, I offered my prayer of faith, “O my Jesus, I adore You and I love You who are really and substantially present in the Blessed Sacrament.  I believe!”   I say that same prayer every morning when I offer Mass.  

William J. Waltersheid
Auxiliary Bishop of Pittsburgh