Bread Turning Into Flesh and Blood - a Miracle Involving Pope Francis

Many of you have attended, or have been attending, my church programs. Due to my personal interest in the Scriptures and Catholicism, the approach I use in explaining the Catholic faith is usually intellectual and theological in nature, always referring back to the Scriptures and magisterial teachings to support my point of view. I use the same approach even when Marian topics are discussed, never venturing into Fatima, Lourdes, and other well-known Marian apparitions; not because I don't believe them but because my personal repertoire in experiencing miracles and supernatural phenomenons is very limited.

Like many of you, I have seen not a few videos, photos, and articles about Eucharistic miracles. In most cases, the consecrated host inexplicably turned into human flesh and blood. (For non-Catholic friends, based on scriptural teachings and the Catholic tradition, the Catholics believe that when the bread - otherwise referred to as the "host" - is consecrated or blessed by the priest in the Mass, it changes into the flesh and blood of Christ or "the body of Christ" - a supernatural change that is called "transubstantiation".) But I find this one involving our current Pope really intriguing. Dr. Ricardo Castanon, a staunch atheist in his whole life, was asked by Pope Francis, who was at the time the auxiliary bishop of Buenos Aires, to do a scientific lab test on the host-turned bloody substance. The miracle was so convincing and had had such a profound impact on Dr. Castanon that he subsequently converted to become a Catholic.

Watch video on this Eucharistic miracle involving Pope Francis.

I thought I should share this miracle with my contacts, which is not something I usually do. Hope it would inspire you the way it inspired me. At the same time let's keep in mind that while God sometimes gives us miracles to strengthen our faith, as Christians what sustains us and keeps us going is first and foremost our faith in Christ, "For Jews demand signs (miracles) and Greeks look for wisdom, but we proclaim Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles" (1 Corinthians 1:22-23).

Amen, amen, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you do not have life within you. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him on the last day. For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me and I in him. (John 6:53-56)