DO NOT LIGHTLY FOREGO HOLY COMMUNION
THE VOICE OF CHRIST
YOU must often return to the source of grace and divine mercy,
to the fountain of goodness and perfect purity, if you wish to be free
from passion and vice, if you desire to be made stronger and more
watchful against all the temptations and deceits of the devil.
The enemy, knowing the great good and the healing power of Holy
Communion, tries as much as he can by every manner and means to hinder
and keep away the faithful and the devout. Indeed, there are some who
suffer the worst assaults of Satan when disposing themselves to
prepare for Holy Communion. As it is written in Job, this wicked
spirit comes among the sons of God to trouble them by his wonted
malice, to make them unduly fearful and perplexed, that thus he may
lessen their devotion or attack their faith to such an extent that
they perhaps either forego Communion altogether or receive with little
fervor.
No attention, however, must be paid to his cunning wiles, no
matter how base and horrible -- all his suggestions must be cast back
upon his head. The wretch is to be despised and scorned. Holy
Communion must not be passed by because of any assaults from him or
because of the commotion he may arouse.
Oftentimes, also, too great solicitude for devotion and anxiety
about confession hinder a person. Do as wise men do. Cast off anxiety
and scruple, for it impedes the grace of God and destroys devotion of
the mind.
Do not remain away from Holy Communion because of a small
trouble or vexation but go at once to confession and willingly forgive
all others their offenses. If you have offended anyone, humbly seek
pardon and God will readily forgive you.
What good is it to delay confession for a long time or to put
off Holy Communion? Cleanse yourself at once, spit out the poison
quickly. Make haste to apply the remedy and you will find it better
than if you had waited a long time. If you put it off today because of
one thing, perhaps tomorrow a greater will occur to you, and thus you
will stay away from Communion for a long time and become even more
unfit.
Shake off this heaviness and sloth as quickly as you can, for
there is no gain in much anxiety, in enduring long hours of trouble,
and in depriving yourself of the divine Mysteries because of these
daily disturbances. Yes, it is very hurtful to defer Holy Communion
long, for it usually brings on a lazy spiritual sleep.
How sad that some dissolute and lax persons are willing to
postpone confession and likewise wish to defer Holy Communion, lest
they be forced to keep a stricter watch over themselves! Alas, how
little love and devotion have they who so easily put off Holy
Communion!
How happy and acceptable to God is he who so lives, and keeps
his conscience so pure, as to be ready and well disposed to
communicate, even every day if he were permitted, and if he could do
so unnoticed.
If, now and then, a man abstains by the grace of humility or
for a legitimate reason, his reverence is commendable, but if laziness
takes hold of him, he must arouse himself and do everything in his
power, for the Lord will quicken his desire because of the good
intention to which He particularly looks. When he is indeed unable to
come, he will always have the good will and pious intention to
communicate and thus he will not lose the fruit of the Sacrament.
Any devout person may at any hour on any day receive Christ in
spiritual communion profitably and without hindrance. Yet on certain
days and times appointed he ought to receive with affectionate
reverence the Body of his Redeemer in this Sacrament, seeking the
praise and honor of God rather than his own consolation.
For as often as he devoutly calls to mind the mystery and
passion of the Incarnate Christ, and is inflamed with love for Him, he
communicates mystically and is invisibly refreshed.
He who prepares himself only when festivals approach or custom
demands, will often find himself unprepared. Blessed is he who offers
himself a sacrifice to the Lord as often as he celebrates or
communicates.
Be neither too slow nor too fast in celebrating but follow the
good custom common to those among whom you are. You ought not to cause
others inconvenience or trouble, but observe the accepted rule as laid
down by superiors, and look to the benefit of others rather than to
your own devotion or inclination. |
That Holy Communion is not lightly to be omitted
The Voice of the Beloved
Thou must frequently betake thee to the Fountain
of grace and divine mercy, to the Fountain of goodness and all purity;
to the end that thou mayest obtain the healing of thy passions and
vices, and mayest be made stronger and more watchful against all
temptations and wiles of the devil. The enemy, knowing what profit
and exceeding strong remedy lieth in the Holy Communion, striveth by
all means and occasions to draw back and hinder the faithful and
devout, so far as he can.
2. For when some set about to prepare themselves
for Holy Communion, they suffer from the more evil suggestions of
Satan. The very evil spirit himself (as is written in Job), cometh
among the sons of God that he may trouble them by his accustomed evil
dealing, or make them over timid and perplexed; to the intent that he
may diminish their affections, or take away their faith by his
attacks, if haply he may prevail upon them to give up Holy Communion
altogether, or to come thereto with lukewarm hearts. But his wiles and
delusions must not be heeded, howsoever wicked and terrible they be;
but all his delusion must be cast back upon his own head. The wretch
must be despised and laughed to scorn: neither must Holy Communion be
omitted because of his insults and the inward troubles which he
stirreth up.
3. Often also too much carefulness or some
anxiety or other touching confession hindereth from obtaining
devotion. Do thou according to the counsel of wise men, and lay aside
anxiety and scruple, because it hindereth the grace of God and
destroyeth devotion of mind. Because of some little vexation or
trouble do not thou neglect Holy Communion, but rather hasten to
confess it, and forgive freely all offences committed against thee.
And if thou hast offended any man, humbly beg for pardon, and God
shall freely forgive thee.
4. What profiteth it to put off for long time the
confession of thy sins, or to defer Holy Communion? Cleanse thyself
forthwith, spit out the poison with all speed, hasten to take the
remedy, and thou shalt feel thyself better than if thou didst long
defer it. If to-day thou defer it on one account, to-morrow perchance
some greater obstacle will come, and so thou mayest be long time
hindered from Communion and become more unfit. As soon as thou canst,
shake thyself from thy present heaviness and sloth, for it profiteth
nothing to be long anxious, to go long on thy way with heaviness of
heart, and because of daily little obstacles to sever thyself from
divine things: nay it is exceeding hurtful to defer thy Communion
long, for this commonly bringeth on great torpor. Alas! there are
some, lukewarm and undisciplined, who willingly find excuses for
delaying repentance, and desire to defer Holy Communion, lest they
should be bound to keep stricter watch upon themselves.
5. Alas! how little charity, what flagging
devotion, have they who so lightly put off Holy Communion. How happy
is he, how acceptable to God, who so liveth, and in such purity of
conscience keepeth himself, that any day he could be ready and well
inclined to communicate, if it were in his power, and might be done
without the notice of others. If a man sometimes abstaineth for the
sake of humility or some sound cause, he is to be commended for his
reverence. But if drowsiness have taken hold of him, he ought to
rouse himself and to do what in him lieth; and the Lord will help his
desire for the good will which he hath, which God specially approveth.
6. But when he is hindered by sufficient cause,
yet will he ever have a good will and pious intention to communicate;
and so he shall not be lacking in the fruit of the Sacrament. For any
devout man is able every day and every hour to draw near to spiritual
communion with Christ to his soul's health and without hindrance.
Nevertheless on certain days and at the appointed time he ought to
receive the Body and Blood of his Redeemer with affectionate
reverence, and rather to seek after the praise and honour of God, than
his own comfort. For so often doth he communicate mystically, and is
invisibly refreshed, as he devoutly calleth to mind the mystery of
Christ's incarnation and His Passion, and is inflamed with the love of
Him.
7. He who only prepareth himself when a festival
is at hand or custom compelleth, will too often be unprepared.
Blessed is he who offereth himself to God for a whole burnt-offering,
so often as he celebrateth or communicateth! Be not too slow nor too
hurried in thy celebrating, but preserve the good received custom of
those with whom thou livest. Thou oughtest not to produce weariness
and annoyance in others, but to observe the received custom, according
to the institution of the elders; and to minister to the profit of
others rather than to thine own devotion or feeling. |