http://www.realclearreligion.com/index.htmlreal clearengen@realclearreligion.comCopyright 2007 2007-03-21T13:56:54-07:00 hourly 1 2000-01-01T12:00+00:00 Sun, 30 Sep 2007 15:48:27 -0700gen@realclearreligion.comRELIGION, DEATH OF THE WEST, THE BLOOD OF JESUS AND A EUCHARIST CRUSADE2007-03-21T13:56:54-07:00http://www.realclearreligion.com/religion_death_of_the_west__files/304504bf8b08c37c52abb8b38dd0cae5-0.html#unique-entry-id-0http://www.realclearreligion.com/religion_death_of_the_west__files/304504bf8b08c37c52abb8b38dd0cae5-0.html#unique-entry-id-0The antidote against the death of Western culture is Jesus Christ.  We need the Real Presence of Jesus.  We need Him Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity - as He is only present in the Eucharist.



Many of his disciples, when they had heard this, said, This is a hard saying; who can hear it?   From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him. 
Jesus then said to His Apostles  "will ye also go away?"    

Our culture abandoned the real and true presence of Jesus at the reformation, and continues to do so today.  Protestants who take the bible literally strain against the clear words of scripture to interpret Jesus words as merely symbolic. 

We cannot walk away from Him now as we have in the past.  We must put our faith in His Blood-literally.  Our response to Jesus words must be as Peter's:   "Lord, to whom shall we go?   thou hast the words of eternal life".

But to whom has the Western culture gone?  We have become the culture of death whose ruler is the Father of lies.  We arrogantly think that we know better than God when it comes to life and death issues.  The father of lies tickles our ears with promises that we surely shall not die if we eat of the fruit of the tree.  We are indeed on a suicidal course with death.  Left to our own devises our culture will destroy itself by sheer depopulation which results from our "choice" to eliminate the natural consequences of sexual union.
The antidote to our death however is Jesus.

As God proved Himself faithful when the angel of death passed over the homes of the Israelites in Egypt he will do so again today.  The Israelites ritually sacrificed a lamb, and not only sprinkled it's blood upon their doorposts with hyssop, but also had to consume the lamb in its entirety while the Jews awaited their release from slavery and death.  Exodus 12:8. 

God will be faithful to those who put their faith in His blood.   Like the Israelites we must consume the lamb to be free from the slavery of sin and the death of our culture.  

"Behold!  in the midst of this desert of sinfulness and helplessness there arises before our eyes an altar.  A priest ascends the steps...He places upon the altar a chalice and a host.  From his lips proceed a few omnipotent words which he pronounces over this chalice and this host--and oh wonder!  the body and blood of the Son of God are present upon the altar." 

"What has happened?  Why this jubulation, this hope? The Church has offered upon the altar the pure, unspotted lamb to the Eternal Father.  By this Sacrifice man worthily acknowledges God's sovereign rights, thanks Him for His gifts, renders atonement for his misdeeds and petitions for His help.  The Eternal Father accepts the Sacrifice of His Son, the homage of mankind:  It is the Holy Mass--the rescuing oasis..."  Excerpted from The Heart of The Mass, Sarto House.

MIRACLE INVOLVING THE EUCHARIST

I recently came across a wonderful story in This is My Body This is My Blood, Miracles of The Eucharist by Bob and Penny Lord, that shows  God's faithfulness to His people who truly believe in the power of His Blood.  This story takes place in Spain in the Thirteenth Century.  Valencia had already fallen to the Muslims but a group of armies based out of Aragon had come together to take back the land from their enemies.   

"The spaniards had their camp on the outskirts of a village called Luchente, and were preparing to capture the castle of Chio in Luchante. 
There were six commanders present...They also had their priest present, Fr. Mateo Martinez.  As was the custom at the time, the commanders went to Confession and attended a Mass performed at the camp.  After the consecration but before the commanders were able to receive our Lord Jesus in the Eucharist, word came to them that the Moors had launched a sneak attack. 

"The commanders returned to the field of battle immediately.  The priest wrapped the consecrated hosts in the corporal, and hid them under a rock some 10 yards away. 

"The Spaniards were victorious in the battle against the Moors.   They took many of the enemy prisoner.  When the commanders returned to the camp they were exhilarated.  They asked the priest to give them communion in thanksgiving to the Lord for the victory over the infidels.  Fr. Mateo ran to the spot where the  Hosts had been buried.  He took the corporal from under the rock and unfolded it.  He gasped at the sight beore his eyes.  The hosts had begun to bleed.  They stuck to the corporal making spots appear on the cloth. 

"The commanders rejoiced at the site.  They took this as a sign from Jesus that they were to be victorious.  They had the priest raise the blood stained corporal on a standard, as a banner,  They marched back into battle against the Moors, and the castle of Chio was recaptured.  Credit for the triumphant battle was given to the Eucharistic miracle that the Lord had graciously bestowed on them."  ]]>