Dear Andrew:

We will be praying for your discernment on a vocation.

God does make this happen in every valid Mass. The bread and wine are transformed into the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ in substance. The accidentals, that is the appearance, remains the appearance and taste bread and wine.

In the Miracle of Lanciano, God decided to not only transform the substance of the bread and wine, but also the accidentals (the appearance). There are a number of these Eucharistic Miracles around the world.

As to why God does not transform the accidentals as well as the substance at every Mass in the world, we need to remember that God does not owe us that or any other miracle beyond the transubstantiation of the bread and wine. We should also remember the words of Jesus who said, "it is an evil and adulterous generation that seeks after a sign."

Another Biblical story gives us some insight as well in Luke 16:19-31, the Parable of the rich man and Lazarus. The rich man, who was in hell, begged Abraham to allow Lazarus to warn the his brothers:

(Luke 16:27-31)  And he said, 'Then I beg you, father, to send him to my father's house, for I have five brothers, so that he may warn them, lest they also come into this place of torment.' But Abraham said, 'They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.' And he said, 'No, father Abraham; but if some one goes to them from the dead, they will repent.' He said to him, 'If they do not hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they be convinced if some one should rise from the dead.'

The situation is similar here. We have the Bible and the Church. If we do not hear the teaching of the Bible and the Church, then they will not be convinced by a more obvious miracle.

However, you can see this miracle. Here is a picture. Click on the Picture to enlarge. For more information click here.

Anyone on the Internet who can buy a book can see pictures and read accounts from people who have personally seen the miracle and relic. What more do you need?

As for this particular exception to the rule, it appears that God performed this miracle primarily for the priest who was doubting the Real Presence of our Lord. 

We all benefit from this grace and miracle that God gave to this priest as the miracle can be seen today 1300 years later.

God gives to people what they need, not necessarily what they want. Apparently that priest really needed this miracle. He does not owe any miracles, but he will do miraculous things if He feels you need it.

I am reminded of a 95 year old nun who entered cloister when she was 17. She had never been off the property of the monastery for all those years. I was on retreat with some Lay Carmelites to that monastery. One of our guys asked the sister, "Wouldn't you like to see Rome or Jerusalem?" The old nun smiled and said, "Why when Jesus is right over there." She pointing to the adoration chapel.

The most important thing to remember is that God performs a miracle in every Mass. I count myself blessed that God sees me worthy enough to see and taste this miracle. That worthiness only comes by God saying the word, which is what we pray in every Mass, "Lord I am not worthy, but only say the word and I shall be healed."

God Bless,
Bro. Ignatius Mary