XXXIV

Who can doubt the Real Presence? For those who still have doubt about the real presence of Jesus in the Eucharist, there is a story or incident that happened a few years ago. Even sniffer dogs can recognize Jesus’ living presence in the Eucharist.

On the evening of the last day of his October 1995 visit to the United States, Pope John Paul II was scheduled to greet the seminarians at St. Mary's Seminary in Baltimore. It had been a very full day, beginning with Mass at the Oriole Park in Camden Yards, followed by a parade through the downtown streets, a visit to the Basilica of The Assumption, the first cathedral in the country, lunch at a local soup kitchen, run by the Catholic Charities, a prayer service at the Cathedral of Mary Our Queen in the north Baltimore area, and finally a quick stop at St. Mary's Seminary.

The schedule was tight so the plan was to simply greet the seminarians while they stood outside on the steps. But Pope John Paul II made his way through their ranks and into the building. His plan was first to make a
visit to the Blessed Sacrament. When his wishes were made known, security personnel quickly flew into action ahead of the Pope. Their activities included a sweep of the building, paying closest attention to the chapel
where Pope John Paul II would be praying. For this purpose, highly trained dogs were used to detect any persons who might be present.

The dogs are trained to locate living people in collapsed buildings after earthquakes and other disasters. These intelligent and eager canines went through their rounds in the halls, offices and classrooms quickly, and
were then sent into the chapel. They went up and down the aisles and past the pews, and finally into the side chapel where the Blessed Sacrament is reserved. Upon reaching the tabernacle, the dogs sniffed and whined and
pointed, refusing to leave; they were convinced that they discovered SOMEONE there and firmly remained, their attention riveted to the tabernacle, until called out by the handlers. The dogs were right; they found a REAL LIVING PERSON in the tabernacle! (Snopes.com)

In the reception of the communion, we receive the living Christ. St.Augustine says in the reception of the communion, it is Christ who is receiving us and not us receiving him. If you look into the nature, you notice that the higher principle consumes or absorbs the lower principle. The grass absorbs minerals. Cow eats grass and grass doesn’t eat a cow. Tiger eats cows and cows don’t eat tigers. So in receiving communion Christ, God, eats us and we are eaten by him out of love. Just like a mother out of love feels like nibbling her baby, so Jesus out of love for us eats us. But if he eats us we are not going to be alive, therefore he allows us to eat him externally, and allows us to grow in him. Each worthy reception of the communion makes us grow in him and each unworthy reception will make us sick more and more just like junk food or poison eaten little by little can kill us. Therefore communion can be an elixir or venom for us depending on our attitude and disposition. Last supper proved fatal for Judas.