I’m blogging from Poland, and meant to do a fair bit of writing from this wonderful country, but the schedule of our pilgrimage has been full of faith and fellowship, so the blogging and writing has gotten pushed back.
On our departure a week ago we heard about the new Eucharistic miracle at Legnica in Poland. I announced to the group at the airport that we would try to visit the parish there, but it is too far out of our way.
The miracle seems to be well established, and it joins a spate of recent Eucharistic miracles around the world. These events strengthen the faith of Catholics, but they remind me of several other things. Not to throw stones at our Protestant brothers and sisters, but you’ve never heard of a Protestant Eucharistic miracle have you? I mean, that’s okay isn’t it, because Protestants deny the truth of transubstantiation. You wouldn’t expect them to either experience a Eucharistic miracle at their communion services, or expect such a thing to happen.
Nevertheless, when Protestants get upset that they are not admitted to communion in a Catholic Church, Eucharistic miracles remind us that Catholic do actually believe that something different is going on at Mass. Sure, we share baptism and faith in Jesus Christ with non Catholic Christians, but they themselves deny transubstantiation so I always wonder why they get upset when we affirm their denial and say they shouldn’t come to communion.
I have one friend who is regularly upset when she visits our family and can’t receive communion so I say, “Hey. It’s okay. You can receive communion!”
“Really? That’s wonderful!”
“Sure.” I say cheerfully, “All you need to do is sign up for RCIA and become a Catholic.”
The face darkens. “I could never do that. I can’t go along with all those ridiculous beliefs!”
“Right, then if you think our beliefs are ridiculous why do you want to receive communion in our church?”
Eucharistic miracles should remind Catholics (in case they’ve forgotten) that the Catholic Church reaches out to all non Catholic Christians, but we reach out with the fullness of the Christian faith and welcome them to join us.
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