THE GREAT REVERENCE WITH WHICH WE SHOULD
RECEIVE CHRIST
THE DISCIPLE
THESE are all Your words, O Christ, eternal Truth, though they
were not all spoken at one time nor written together in one place. And
because they are Yours and true, I must accept them all with faith and
gratitude. They are Yours and You have spoken them; they are mine also
because You have spoken them for my salvation. Gladly I accept them
from Your lips that they may be the more deeply impressed in my heart.
Words of such tenderness, so full of sweetness and love,
encourage me; but my sins frighten me and an unclean conscience
thunders at me when approaching such great mysteries as these. The
sweetness of Your words invites me, but the multitude of my vices
oppresses me.
You command me to approach You confidently if I wish to have
part with You, and to receive the food of immortality if I desire to
obtain life and glory everlasting.
"Come to me," You say, "all you that labor and are burdened,
and I will refresh you."[48]
Oh, how sweet and kind to the ear of the sinner is the word by
which You, my Lord God, invite the poor and needy to receive Your most
holy Body! Who am I, Lord, that I should presume to approach You?
Behold, the heaven of heavens cannot contain You, and yet You say:
"Come, all of you, to Me."
What means this most gracious honor and this friendly
invitation? How shall I dare to come, I who am conscious of no good on
which to presume? How shall I lead You into my house, I who have so
often offended in Your most kindly sight? Angels and archangels revere
You, the holy and the just fear You, and You say: "Come to Me: all of
you!" If You, Lord, had not said it, who would have believed it to be
true? And if You had not commanded, who would dare approach?
Behold, Noah, a just man, worked a hundred years building the
ark that he and a few others might be saved; how, then, can I prepare
myself in one hour to receive with reverence the Maker of the world?
Moses, Your great servant and special friend, made an ark of
incorruptible wood which he covered with purest gold wherein to place
the tables of Your law; shall I, a creature of corruption, dare so
easily to receive You, the Maker of law and the Giver of life?
Solomon, the wisest of the kings of Israel, spent seven years
building a magnificent temple in praise of Your name, and celebrated
its dedication with a feast of eight days. He offered a thousand
victims in Your honor and solemnly bore the Ark of the Covenant with
trumpeting and jubilation to the place prepared for it; and I, unhappy
and poorest of men, how shall I lead You into my house, I who scarcely
can spend a half-hour devoutly -- would that I could spend even that
as I ought!
O my God, how hard these men tried to please You! Alas, how
little is all that I do! How short the time I spend in preparing for
Communion! I am seldom wholly recollected, and very seldom, indeed,
entirely free from distraction. Yet surely in the presence of Your
life-giving Godhead no unbecoming thought should arise and no creature
possess my heart, for I am about to receive as my guest, not an angel,
but the very Lord of angels.
Very great, too, is the difference between the Ark of the
Covenant with its treasures and Your most pure Body with its ineffable
virtues, between these sacrifices of the law which were but figures of
things to come and the true offering of Your Body which was the
fulfillment of all ancient sacrifices.
Why, then, do I not long more ardently for Your adorable
presence? Why do I not prepare myself with greater care to receive
Your sacred gifts, since those holy patriarchs and prophets of old, as
well as kings and princes with all their people, have shown such
affectionate devotion for the worship of God?
The most devout King David danced before the ark of God with
all his strength as he recalled the benefits once bestowed upon his
fathers. He made musical instruments of many kinds. He composed psalms
and ordered them sung with joy. He himself often played upon the harp
when moved by the grace of the Holy Ghost. He taught the people of
Israel to praise God with all their hearts and to raise their voices
every day to bless and glorify Him. If such great devotion flourished
in those days and such ceremony in praise of God before the Ark of the
Covenant, what great devotion ought not I and all Christian people now
show in the presence of this Sacrament; what reverence in receiving
the most excellent Body of Christ!
Many people travel far to honor the relics of the saints,
marveling at their wonderful deeds and at the building of magnificent
shrines. They gaze upon and kiss the sacred relics encased in silk and
gold; and behold, You are here present before me on the altar, my God,
Saint of saints, Creator of men, and Lord of angels!
Often in looking at such things, men are moved by curiosity, by
the novelty of the unseen, and they bear away little fruit for the
amendment of their lives, especially when they go from place to place
lightly and without true contrition. But here in the Sacrament of the
altar You are wholly present, my God, the man Christ Jesus, whence is
obtained the full realization of eternal salvation, as often as You
are worthily and devoutly received. To this, indeed, we are not drawn
by levity, or curiosity, or sensuality, but by firm faith, devout
hope, and sincere love.
O God, hidden Creator of the world, how wonderfully You deal
with us! How sweetly and graciously You dispose of things with Your
elect to whom You offer Yourself to be received in this Sacrament!
This, indeed, surpasses all understanding. This in a special manner
attracts the hearts of the devout and inflames their love. Your truly
faithful servants, who give their whole life to amendment, often
receive in Holy Communion the great grace of devotion and love of
virtue.
Oh, the wonderful and hidden grace of this Sacrament which only
the faithful of Christ understand, which unbelievers and slaves of sin
cannot experience! In it spiritual grace is conferred, lost virtue
restored, and the beauty, marred by sin, repaired. At times, indeed,
its grace is so great that, from the fullness of the devotion, not
only the mind but also the frail body feels filled with greater
strength.
Nevertheless, our neglect and coldness is much to be deplored
and pitied, when we are not moved to receive with greater fervor
Christ in Whom is the hope and merit of all who will be saved. He is
our sanctification and redemption. He is our consolation in this life
and the eternal joy of the blessed in heaven. This being true, it is
lamentable that many pay so little heed to the salutary Mystery which
fills the heavens with joy and maintains the whole universe in being.
Oh, the blindness and the hardness of the heart of man that
does not show more regard for so wonderful a gift, but rather falls
into carelessness from its daily use! If this most holy Sacrament were
celebrated in only one place and consecrated by only one priest in the
whole world, with what great desire, do you think, would men be
attracted to that place, to that priest of God, in order to witness
the celebration of the divine Mysteries! But now there are many
priests and Mass is offered in many places, that God's grace and love
for men may appear the more clearly as the Sacred Communion is spread
more widely through the world.
Thanks be to You, Jesus, everlasting Good Shepherd, Who have
seen fit to feed us poor exiled people with Your precious Body and
Blood, and to invite us with words from Your own lips to partake of
these sacred Mysteries: "Come to Me, all you who labor and are
burdened, and I will refresh you." |
With how great reverence Christ must be received
The Voice of the Disciple
These are Thy words, O Christ, Eternal Truth;
though not uttered at one time nor written together in one place of
Scripture. Because therefore they are Thy words and true, I must
gratefully and faithfully receive them all. They are Thine, and Thou
hast uttered them; and they are mine also, because Thou didst speak
them for my salvation. Gladly I receive them from Thy mouth, that
they may be more deeply implanted in my heart. Words of such great
grace arouse me, for they are full of sweetness and love; but my own
sins terrify me, and my impure conscience driveth me away from
receiving so great mysteries. The sweetness of Thy words encourageth
me, but the multitude of my faults presseth me down.
2. Thou commandest that I draw near to Thee with
firm confidence, if I would have part with Thee, and that I receive
the food of immortality, if I desire to obtain eternal life and
glory. Come unto Me, sayest Thou, all that labour and are heavy
laden, and I will refresh you. Oh, sweet and lovely word in the ear
of the sinner, that Thou, O Lord my God, dost invite the poor and
needy to the Communion of Thy most holy body and blood. But who am I,
O Lord, that I should presume to approach unto Thee? Behold the
heaven of heavens cannot contain Thee, and yet Thou sayest, Come ye
all unto Me.
3. What meaneth this most gracious condescension,
this most lovely invitation? How shall I dare to come, who know no
good thing of myself, whence I might be able to presume? How shall I
bring Thee within my house, seeing that I so often have sinned in Thy
most loving sight? Angels and Archangels stand in awe of Thee, the
Saints and just men fear Thee, and Thou sayest, Come unto Me! Except
Thou, Lord, hadst said it, who should believe it true? And except
Thou hadst commanded, who should attempt to draw near?
4. Behold, Noah, that just man, laboured for a
hundred years in building the ark, that he might be saved with the
few; and I, how shall I be able in one hour to prepare myself to
receive the Builder of the world with reverence? Moses, Thy servant,
Thy great and especial friend, made an ark of incorruptible wood,
which also he covered with purest gold, that he might lay up in it the
tables of the law, and I, a corruptible creature, shall I dare thus
easily to receive Thee, the Maker of the Law and the Giver of life?
Solomon, the wisest of the kings of Israel, was seven years building
his magnificent temple to the praise of Thy Name, and for eight days
celebrated the feast of its dedication, offered a thousand peace
offerings, and solemnly brought up the Ark of the Covenant to the
place prepared for it, with the sound of trumpets and great joy, and
I, unhappy and poorest of mankind, how shall I bring Thee into my
house, who scarce know how to spend half an hour in devotion? And oh
that it were even one half hour worthily spent!
5. O my God, how earnestly these holy men strove
to please Thee! And alas! how little and trifling is that which I do!
how short a time do I spend, when I am disposing myself to Communion.
Rarely altogether collected, most rarely cleansed from all
distraction. And surely in the saving presence of Thy Godhead no
unmeet thought ought to intrude, nor should any creature take
possession of me, because it is not an Angel but the Lord of the
Angels, that I am about to receive as my Guest.
6. Yet there is a vast difference between the Ark
of the Covenant with its relics, and Thy most pure Body with its
ineffable virtues, between those sacrifices of the law, which were
figures of things to come, and the true sacrifice of Thy Body, the
completion of all the ancient sacrifices.
7. Wherefore then do I not yearn more ardently
after Thy adorable presence? Why do I not prepare myself with greater
solicitude to receive Thy holy things, when those holy Patriarchs and
Prophets of old, kings also and princes, with the whole people,
manifested so great affection of devotion towards Thy Divine Service?
8. The most devout king David danced with all his
might before the Ark of God, calling to mind the benefits granted to
his forefathers in days past; he fashioned musical instruments of
various sorts, put forth Psalms, and appointed them to be sung with
joy, played also himself ofttimes on the harp, being inspired with the
grace of the Holy Ghost; he taught the people of Israel to praise God
with the whole heart, and with unity of voice to bless and praise Him
every day. If so great devotion was then exercised, and celebration
of divine praise was carried on before the Ark of the Testimony, how
great reverence and devotion ought now to be shown by me and all
Christian people at the ministering of the Sacrament, at receiving the
most precious Body and Blood of Christ.
9. Many run to diverse places to visit the
memorials of departed Saints, and rejoice to hear of their deeds and
to look upon the beautiful buildings of their shrines. And behold,
Thou art present here with me, O my God, Saint of Saints, Creator of
men and Lord of the Angels. Often in looking at those memorials men
are moved by curiosity and novelty, and very little fruit of amendment
is borne away, especially when there is so much careless trifling and
so little true contrition. But here in the Sacrament of the Altar,
Thou art present altogether, My God, the Man Christ Jesus; where also
abundant fruit of eternal life is given to every one soever that
receiveth Thee worthily and devoutly. But to this no levity draweth,
no curiosity, nor sensuality, only steadfast faith, devout hope, and
sincere charity.
10. O God, invisible Creator of the world, how
wondrously dost Thou work with us, how sweetly and graciously Thou
dealest with Thine elect, to whom Thou offerest Thyself to be received
in this Sacrament! For this surpasseth all understanding, this
specially draweth the hearts of the devout and enkindleth their
affections. For even thy true faithful ones themselves, who order
their whole life to amendment, oftentimes gain from this most
excellent Sacrament great grace of devotion and love of virtue.
11. Oh admirable and hidden grace of the
Sacrament, which only Christ's faithful ones know, but the faithless
and those who serve sin cannot experience! In this Sacrament is
conferred spiritual grace, and lost virtue is regained in the soul,
and the beauty which was disfigured by sin returneth again. So great
sometimes is this grace that out of the fulness of devotion given, not
only the mind but also the weak body feeleth that more strength is
supplied unto it.
12. But greatly must we mourn and lament over our
lukewarmness and negligence, that we are not drawn by greater
affection to become partakers of Christ, in whom all the hope and the
merit of those that are to be saved consist. For He Himself is our
sanctification and redemption.(5) He is the consolation of pilgrims
and the eternal fruition of the Saints. Therefore it is grievously to
be lamented that many so little consider this health-giving mystery,
which maketh heaven glad and preserveth the whole world. Alas for the
blindness and hardness of man's heart, that he considereth not more
this unspeakable gift, and even slippeth down through the daily use,
into carelessness.
13. For if this most holy Sacrament were
celebrated in one place only, and were consecrated only by one priest
in the whole world, with what great desire thinkest thou, would men be
affected towards that place and towards such a priest of God, that
they might behold the divine mysteries celebrated? But now are many
men made priests and in many places the Sacrament is celebrated, that
the grace and love of God towards men might the more appear, the more
widely the Holy Communion is spread abroad over all the world. Thanks
be unto Thee, O good Jesus, Eternal Shepherd, who hast vouchsafed to
refresh us, poor and exiled ones, with Thy precious Body and Blood,
and to invite us to partake these holy mysteries by the invitation
from Thine own mouth, saying, Come unto Me, ye who labour and are
heavy laden, and I will refresh you. |