Each spring, we celebrate Holy Trinity Sunday and the following week we celebrate the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ or Corpus Christi. On Holy Trinity Sunday (cycle A) we hear one of the best known but often misunderstood Bible passages: John 3:16. "For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son; so that everyone who believes in Him might not perish but might have eternal life." Our separated brothers and sisters in other Christian denominations love to use this single Bible passage to preach that one only needs to believe in Jesus to be saved.

I ask you, "How does one know whether or not he truly believes?"

Jesus' words in the gospel read at the Corpus Christi Mass (cycle A, Jn 6:51-58) give us the perfect opportunity to address this question. Our Lord says, "Unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood you have no life in you; he who eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life and I will raise Him up on the last day."

Do you truly believe, with your entire being, that Jesus Christ, Lord and Savior, God, is truly present---Body, Blood, soul, and divinity---in a consecrated host?

As you think about this question, let me tell about an event¹ that took place in the early 13th century. Saint Anthony of Padua went from being a humble dishwasher to become one of the greatest, most admired homilists in Europe. He was a staunch defender of the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist. During his life he was a vehicle for many Church recognized miracles. The most famous took placed in Rimini, Italy: a town on the Adriatic Sea. Frequently, heretics made fun of him when he spoke on the Eucharist. One day at the Port of Rimini, when he was preaching, a large group of heretics began to ridicule him. Anthony was known for his sharp temper and the ability to respond to challenging situations quickly. He immediately turned toward the sea, and delivered his homily to the fish. In unison, the fish raised their bodies out of the water, perched themselves on top of the water, and listened to Anthony's homily. When he finished, he blessed the fish, and they returned to the water.

The heretics, on seeing this were completely overwhelmed. Word spread throughout town, and a large number of heretics were converted. But one man, Bonvillo, was not impressed by Anthony's persuasive ways. He said to Anthony, "You, who hold fish spellbound, let's see if you can do the same to my mule." So the two men agreed on a challenge. The heretic would starve his mule for three days; then he would bring him into the town square. Bonvillo would also bring a pail of the mule's favorite food. The mule would be left in the center of the town square. His owner would then move to one end of the square carrying with him the pail of food. Saint Anthony would move to the opposite end of the square. He would carry the Eucharist in his hand. If the mule went to Saint Anthony first, the heretic would agree to stop persecuting Catholics.

The beast was starved for three days. Saint Anthony fasted and prayed for three days. On the third day, Saint Anthony celebrated Mass at the local church. After Mass he took a consecrated host with him out into the town square. It was packed with heretics on one side and converts on the other. Bonvillo lead his mule into the center of the square, tempting him with his favorite food. At the given time, Anthony crossed to one end of the square, and the heretic went off to the opposite end with the pail of food in his hand. Bonvillo tried to lure the mule with the food; but the mule did not move. Saint Anthony spoke softly to the animal, "Creature of God, in His name, I command you to come here to adore Him, so that it will give truth to all, of the Real Presence of Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament of the Eucharist." The mule ignored his owner and the pail of food, and went instead to where Saint Anthony held the Body of Christ. The mule knelt down on his front legs, and lowered his head in reverence. When everyone was convinced that the Lord had won out over the heretic, Saint Anthony blessed the mule, who then got up, and proceeded to eat all the food in the pail. The heretic Bonvillo followed the example of his mule. He quietly approached Saint Anthony, fell down on his knees, and bowed his head to the ground in adoration of the Blessed Sacrament.

From the beginning, Christians have wrestled with belief in the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist. Follow-up verses in Jn 6 tell us that many followers could not accept Jesus' command that we eat His flesh and drink His blood; so they walked away. Most of our separated brothers and sisters do not accept Jesus' Real Presence in the Eucharist. Yet, they profess from the highest mountain top that one only has to believe in Jesus to be saved. I proclaim from the highest mountain top that true belief as Saint John espouses in Jn 3:16 consumes a man's entire being.

This Saint Anthony miracle validates the Catholic belief in the Real Presence; and that's the obvious message. But I think this miracle offers two hidden messages. First, fasting and prayer will deepen your faith. Second, one must be properly disposed to partake of the Eucharist. Saint Anthony fasted and prayed for three days before he confidently ventured into the town square. His deep seeded faith brought about the miracle. Do you fast and pray regularly in order to deepen your faith? Do you arrive early for Mass in order to pray? Do you actively participate in the Mass? Do you reverently receive the Eucharist? Do you spend a few quiet minutes after Mass thanking God? If you do not, then your faith is shallow. Did you notice that Bonvillo did not consume the Eucharist? Why? He was not properly disposed to receive it. Are you properly disposed to receive the Eucharist? If you are in a state of mortal sin, if you do not believe in the Real Presence, remain in your seat at Communion time: do not consume the Eucharist; if you do, you harm you soul.

(¹ This miracle is taken from Bob and Penny Lord's book entitled "This Is My Body, This Is My Blood: Miracles of the Eucharist.")

For more insight read CCC paragraphs 1357-58, 1373-81. Also, pull out your "Catholic" Bible and reference Deut 8:6-16; Mal 1:11; Mt 26:26-28; Mk 14:22-24; Lk 22:19-20; Jn 3:16-18; 6:51-69; 1 Cor 10:16-17; 11:23-29.