THE ARDENT LONGING OF DEVOUT MEN FOR THE BODY OF
CHRIST
THE DISCIPLE
HOW great is the abundance of Your kindness, O Lord, which You
have hidden from those who fear You!
When I think how some devout persons come to Your Sacrament
with the greatest devotion and love, I am frequently ashamed and
confused that I approach Your altar and the table of Holy Communion so
coldly and indifferently; that I remain so dry and devoid of heartfelt
affection; that I am not completely inflamed in Your presence, O my
God, nor so strongly drawn and attracted as many devout persons who,
in their great desire for Communion and intense heart love, could not
restrain their tears but longed from the depths of their souls and
bodies to embrace You, the Fountain of Life. These were able to
appease and allay their hunger in no other way than by receiving Your
Body with all joy and spiritual eagerness. The faith of these men was
true and ardent -- convincing proof of Your sacred presence. They
whose hearts burn so ardently within them when Jesus lives with them
truly know their Lord in the breaking of bread.
Such affection and devotion, such mighty love and zeal are
often far beyond me. Be merciful to me, O sweet, good, kind Jesus, and
grant me, Your poor suppliant, sometimes at least to feel in Holy
Communion a little of the tenderness of Your love, that my faith may
grow stronger, that my hope in Your goodness may increase, and that
charity, once perfectly kindled within me by tasting heavenly manna,
may never fail.
Your mercy can give me the grace I long for and can visit me
most graciously with fervor of soul according to Your good pleasure.
For although I am not now inflamed with as great desire as those who
are singularly devoted to You, yet by Your grace I long for this same
great flame, praying and seeking a place among all such ardent lovers
that I may be numbered among their holy company. |
Of the fervent desire of certain devout persons to
receive the Body and Blood of Christ
The Voice of the Disciple
O how great is the abundance of Thy sweetness, O
Lord, which Thou hast laid up for them that fear Thee. When I call to
mind some devout persons who draw nigh to Thy Sacrament, O Lord, with
the deepest devotion and affection, then very often I am confounded in
myself and blush for shame, that I approach Thine altar and table of
Holy Communion so carelessly and coldly, that I remain so dry and
without affection, that I am not wholly kindled with love before Thee,
my God, nor so vehemently drawn and affected as many devout persons
have been, who out of the very earnest desire of the Communion, and
tender affection of heart, could not refrain from weeping, but as it
were with mouth of heart and body alike panted inwardly after Thee, O
God, O Fountain of Life, having no power to appease or satiate their
hunger, save by receiving Thy Body with all joyfulness and spiritual
eagerness.
2. O truly ardent faith of those, becoming a very
proof of Thy Sacred Presence! For they verily know their Lord in the
breaking of bread, whose heart so ardently burneth within them(1) when
Jesus walketh with them by the way. Ah me! far from me for the most
part is such love and devotion as this, such vehement love and ardour.
Be merciful unto me, O Jesus, good, sweet, and kind, and grant unto
Thy poor suppliant to feel sometimes, in Holy Communion, though it be
but a little, the cordial affection of Thy love, that my faith may
grow stronger, my hope in Thy goodness increase, and my charity, once
kindled within me by the tasting of the heavenly manna, may never
fail.
3. But Thy mercy is able even to grant me the
grace which I long for, and to visit me most tenderly with the spirit
of fervour when the day of Thy good pleasure shall come. For,
although I burn not with desire so vehement as theirs who are
specially devout towards Thee, yet, through Thy grace, I have a desire
after that greatly inflamed desire, praying and desiring to be made
partaker with all those who so fervently love Thee, and to be numbered
among their holy company. |