03-15-2021, 02:36 PM
MEDITATION 4: EXCELLENCE OF THE SACRAMENT OF THE EUCHARIST
Lord, I will praise Thee with all my heart in the assembly of the just (Ps. 110. 1-5).
Creation, the government of the universe are great works showing forth your power, wisdom
and goodness; but nowhere are they more resplendent than in the Eucharist, memorial of all the
wonders you have wrought upon the earth. I devote my voice, my heart, my soul to bless you; give
me the love and reverence of the Cherubim and Seraphim who adore you with a holy fear.
1. THE POWER AND THE GOODNESS OF GOD ARE SHOWN FORTH IN THE EUCHARIST BETTER
THAN IN CREATION.
If we consider all that God has made: the heavens, the earth, the wonderful order that reigns
in this vast universe, all declare to us an infinite power that created all things. an admirable wisdom
which governs all, a supreme goodness which provides for all with the same care, as if it was
concerned only with one single being — so many wonders must fill us with amazement and
admiration.
But if we speak of the adorable Sacrament of the Eucharist, we can say that here is the prodigy
of the love of a God for us; it is here that His power, grace, and goodness shine in a marvellous
manner. Here is the bread come down from heaven, the bread of Angels which is given to us to be
the food of our souls; the bread of the strong to comfort and sweeten our sorrows; here is the bread
of the wayfarers; it is the key which opens heaven for us; so said the Saviour: “whosoever will
receive Me will have life eternal.” To give us this bread, Jesus multiplies miracles, inverts the order
of nature and suspends its laws.
2. HIS LIBERALITY AND HIS MERCY ARE MORE VIVIDLY SHOWN HERE THAN IN THE OTHER
SACRAMENTS.
None can be compared to the Eucharist. By Baptism we receive, it is true, the character of
children of God, and, in consequence. heaven is open to us and we share in all the treasures of the
Church; by Penance, the wounds of our souls are healed and the friendship of God is restored to
us; by Confirmation, Jesus Christ gives us the spirit of light and strength; by Extreme Unction He
covers us with the merits of His Death and His Passion; by Holy Orders He gives to priests all His
powers; by Marriage He sanctifies all our actions, even those that seem only to follow the
inclinations of nature. Mercies truly of a God who is infinite. But all this seems to be only an
apprenticeship to His love for men. In the adorable Sacrament of the Eucharist He goes much
further. We receive not only the application of His precious Blood, but Christ Himself, the Author
of all Grace, who has Himself merited it for us by His Passion and Death. He is there as living as in
Paradise. He communicates Himself to us with His glorious wounds, shining eternal witnesses of
His love, source inexhaustible of all supernatural life. O my God, may you be blessed! I bow down
and adore.
MEDITATION 5: THE EUCHARIST THE FOOD OF OUR SOULS
There is in every house a place where the provisions of the family are kept: the storeroom. The
church is the house of souls. This house belongs to us who are Christians. Well, in this house there
is a storeroom. Do you see this tabernacle? If one asks Christian souls, what is that? Your souls
answer: “it is the storeroom. It is there that the Body and Blood of Jesus is, and this good Saviour
says to us: ‘Take and eat . . . take and drink’.”
A mortal man, a creature, feeds himself, satiates himself with his God, making of Him his daily
food and drink! O miracle of miracles! O love beyond all love! O happiness beyond all happiness! I
thank you, O my God, and I ask of you the grace to hunger always for this heavenly food.
1. THE BODY AND BLOOD OF JESUS CHRIST FEEDS OUR SOULS IN THE EUCHARIST.
All creatures have need of food in order to live, that is why God has made the trees and plants.
It is a table well served where all the animals come to take the food which suits each one.
But the soul also must be fed. Where then is its food? When God wished to give food to our
soul to sustain it in the pilgrimage of this life, He looked over all the creation and found nothing
worthy of it. Then He fell back on Himself and resolved to give Himself.
O my soul, how great thou art since only a God can satisfy thee! The food of the soul is the
Body and Blood of a God! What beautiful nourishment! The soul can only feed on a God! No
other than God can suffice. Only God can satisfy its hunger. It needs God absolutely.
O my soul, bless this God who is so magnificent. Come often to this divine banquet to satiate
thyself with justice and holiness. Those who refuse to sit down here or who partake of it only at
long intervals, condemn themselves to certain death or to weakness, because one cannot live
without food nor enjoy vigorous health without eating frequently.
2. JESUS, OUR FOOD, GLORY OF THE CHRISTIAN SOUL AND WITNESS OF THE DIVINE
CONDESCENSION.
Jesus our food, incomparable glory of the Christian soul. What the Angels behold only with
awe, the radiant splendour of which they cannot sustain, we make our food, we receive it into us,
we become with Jesus Christ one same Body one sole Flesh. Who shall declare the works of the
Lord, and who shall declare all His praises (Ps. cv. 2).
3. JESUS OUR FOOD, WITNESS OF A LOVE MORE THAN MATERNAL. WHERE, THEN, IS THE
SHEPHERD WHO FEEDS HIS SHEEP WITH HIS OWN FLESH?
But why do I say shepherd! Some mothers there are who give their children to
strangers to be nourished. Our Lord does not act thus. He feeds us with His own Blood and unites
us to Himself in every way. By His Incarnation He has willed to be born of our race, to come to all.
By the Eucharist He comes to each one of us, and those to whom He gives life He feeds on
Himself.
It is without doubt very humiliating for the good God to come into our hearts, but it is to find
there a soul that He loves, that He has bought at the cost of His Blood. Do not let us then be
indifferent since we have been favoured with such love and such glory. Have you ever noticed how
eagerly an infant sucks at his mother’s breast? Let us come with the same eagerness to this Holy
Table to this breast whence we draw a spiritual drink. Let us draw with greater strength still than
the little ones, the grace of the Holy Spirit. Let us only have one regret — to be deprived of this
heavenly nourishment. (St. John Chrysostom, Horn. 82 in Math.)
Lord, I will praise Thee with all my heart in the assembly of the just (Ps. 110. 1-5).
Creation, the government of the universe are great works showing forth your power, wisdom
and goodness; but nowhere are they more resplendent than in the Eucharist, memorial of all the
wonders you have wrought upon the earth. I devote my voice, my heart, my soul to bless you; give
me the love and reverence of the Cherubim and Seraphim who adore you with a holy fear.
1. THE POWER AND THE GOODNESS OF GOD ARE SHOWN FORTH IN THE EUCHARIST BETTER
THAN IN CREATION.
If we consider all that God has made: the heavens, the earth, the wonderful order that reigns
in this vast universe, all declare to us an infinite power that created all things. an admirable wisdom
which governs all, a supreme goodness which provides for all with the same care, as if it was
concerned only with one single being — so many wonders must fill us with amazement and
admiration.
But if we speak of the adorable Sacrament of the Eucharist, we can say that here is the prodigy
of the love of a God for us; it is here that His power, grace, and goodness shine in a marvellous
manner. Here is the bread come down from heaven, the bread of Angels which is given to us to be
the food of our souls; the bread of the strong to comfort and sweeten our sorrows; here is the bread
of the wayfarers; it is the key which opens heaven for us; so said the Saviour: “whosoever will
receive Me will have life eternal.” To give us this bread, Jesus multiplies miracles, inverts the order
of nature and suspends its laws.
2. HIS LIBERALITY AND HIS MERCY ARE MORE VIVIDLY SHOWN HERE THAN IN THE OTHER
SACRAMENTS.
None can be compared to the Eucharist. By Baptism we receive, it is true, the character of
children of God, and, in consequence. heaven is open to us and we share in all the treasures of the
Church; by Penance, the wounds of our souls are healed and the friendship of God is restored to
us; by Confirmation, Jesus Christ gives us the spirit of light and strength; by Extreme Unction He
covers us with the merits of His Death and His Passion; by Holy Orders He gives to priests all His
powers; by Marriage He sanctifies all our actions, even those that seem only to follow the
inclinations of nature. Mercies truly of a God who is infinite. But all this seems to be only an
apprenticeship to His love for men. In the adorable Sacrament of the Eucharist He goes much
further. We receive not only the application of His precious Blood, but Christ Himself, the Author
of all Grace, who has Himself merited it for us by His Passion and Death. He is there as living as in
Paradise. He communicates Himself to us with His glorious wounds, shining eternal witnesses of
His love, source inexhaustible of all supernatural life. O my God, may you be blessed! I bow down
and adore.
MEDITATION 5: THE EUCHARIST THE FOOD OF OUR SOULS
There is in every house a place where the provisions of the family are kept: the storeroom. The
church is the house of souls. This house belongs to us who are Christians. Well, in this house there
is a storeroom. Do you see this tabernacle? If one asks Christian souls, what is that? Your souls
answer: “it is the storeroom. It is there that the Body and Blood of Jesus is, and this good Saviour
says to us: ‘Take and eat . . . take and drink’.”
A mortal man, a creature, feeds himself, satiates himself with his God, making of Him his daily
food and drink! O miracle of miracles! O love beyond all love! O happiness beyond all happiness! I
thank you, O my God, and I ask of you the grace to hunger always for this heavenly food.
1. THE BODY AND BLOOD OF JESUS CHRIST FEEDS OUR SOULS IN THE EUCHARIST.
All creatures have need of food in order to live, that is why God has made the trees and plants.
It is a table well served where all the animals come to take the food which suits each one.
But the soul also must be fed. Where then is its food? When God wished to give food to our
soul to sustain it in the pilgrimage of this life, He looked over all the creation and found nothing
worthy of it. Then He fell back on Himself and resolved to give Himself.
O my soul, how great thou art since only a God can satisfy thee! The food of the soul is the
Body and Blood of a God! What beautiful nourishment! The soul can only feed on a God! No
other than God can suffice. Only God can satisfy its hunger. It needs God absolutely.
O my soul, bless this God who is so magnificent. Come often to this divine banquet to satiate
thyself with justice and holiness. Those who refuse to sit down here or who partake of it only at
long intervals, condemn themselves to certain death or to weakness, because one cannot live
without food nor enjoy vigorous health without eating frequently.
2. JESUS, OUR FOOD, GLORY OF THE CHRISTIAN SOUL AND WITNESS OF THE DIVINE
CONDESCENSION.
Jesus our food, incomparable glory of the Christian soul. What the Angels behold only with
awe, the radiant splendour of which they cannot sustain, we make our food, we receive it into us,
we become with Jesus Christ one same Body one sole Flesh. Who shall declare the works of the
Lord, and who shall declare all His praises (Ps. cv. 2).
3. JESUS OUR FOOD, WITNESS OF A LOVE MORE THAN MATERNAL. WHERE, THEN, IS THE
SHEPHERD WHO FEEDS HIS SHEEP WITH HIS OWN FLESH?
But why do I say shepherd! Some mothers there are who give their children to
strangers to be nourished. Our Lord does not act thus. He feeds us with His own Blood and unites
us to Himself in every way. By His Incarnation He has willed to be born of our race, to come to all.
By the Eucharist He comes to each one of us, and those to whom He gives life He feeds on
Himself.
It is without doubt very humiliating for the good God to come into our hearts, but it is to find
there a soul that He loves, that He has bought at the cost of His Blood. Do not let us then be
indifferent since we have been favoured with such love and such glory. Have you ever noticed how
eagerly an infant sucks at his mother’s breast? Let us come with the same eagerness to this Holy
Table to this breast whence we draw a spiritual drink. Let us draw with greater strength still than
the little ones, the grace of the Holy Spirit. Let us only have one regret — to be deprived of this
heavenly nourishment. (St. John Chrysostom, Horn. 82 in Math.)