READING for the Day: CHAPTER II. OF THE MARVELOUS INSTITUTION OF THE MOST BLESSED SACRAMENT OF THE EUCHARIST 1. The voice of Jesus.-----I am the living Bread, that came down from Heaven. He that comes to Me shall not hunger, for the Bread which I shall give him is My Flesh for the life of the world. When I had said these things, My Child, the Jews disputed among themselves, saying: How can this man give us His Flesh to eat? And, in reply to them, I declared positively: Verily, verily, I say to you, unless ye eat the Flesh of the Son of man, and drink His Blood, ye shall not have life in you. For My Flesh is meat indeed, and My Blood is drink indeed. 2. Before the festival day of the Passover, knowing that My hour had come, that I should pass out of this world to the Father, having loved My Own who were in the world, I loved them unto the end. It being now evening, I sat down to the last Supper, and the twelve Disciples with Me: to them, as they were seated around, I said: With desire, I have desired to eat this Passover with you. And whilst they were at Supper, I took bread, and blessed, and broke, and gave it to My Disciples, saying: Take ye and eat; this is My Body. And taking the chalice, I gave thanks, and gave to them, saying: Drink ye all of this; this is My Blood. Do this for a commemoration of Me. 3. The voice of the Disciple.-----These, then, are Thy words, Lord God, truth eternal, whereby Thou didst solemnly promise beforehand, that Thou wouldst give Thyself to us as the Bread of Life: these are the deeds whereby Thou didst afterwards truly fulfill what Thou hadst promised. Thy Church, taught by these words and deeds, even before they had been recorded, enjoyed this, Thy Divine gift; and was doing this, as Thou hadst enjoined, for a commemoration of Thee. By these words, Thou didst overthrow and thwart the foreseen difficulties of infidels, and the objections of heretics, and the temptations of demons. For, by them, Thou taughtest, that whatsoever Thou, the infallible truth, utterest, must be believed, even if we do not understand how these things can be. And through the holy Church, Thy true Spouse, we know the things Thou didst utter; but in what manner the mysteries which Thou didst proclaim by words, are inwardly constituted, or realized, that we do not comprehend, since our limited reason cannot reach those things which transcend all the bounds of reason. If we do not understand the things which are below ourselves, how shall we understand those which are above us? That a seed sown in the ground, after it has decayed, grows up into a new stalk, and produces much fruit, we believe, because we perceive it outwardly; but how these things happen intrinsically, although they belong to the natural order, we are unable to penetrate. Should he not deservedly be regarded as unsound in mind, who, whilst, by means of the senses, he perceives that there are mysteries of nature, would not be willing to admit them, because he does not comprehend how they do exist? Now, even by means of the senses, we perceive that there are mysteries of religion revealed by Thee; because faith comes by hearing: and. moreover, by reason itself, we see that those mysteries are true; because it is evident to reason, that it is impossible that Thou, the essential truth, shouldst utter what is false. The submission, therefore, of all them that faithfully believe in Thee, is reasonable. But they that refuse to believe Thee, thinking themselves wise, have become fools, and altogether unreasonable. And it proceeds from a secret pride, instigated by the cunning of the devil, that they are unwilling to subject to Thee, its Author, the noblest gift, their reason; and to honor Thee, by the submission of the same. But all they that at any time have been humble children of the Church,-----how greatly soever they were distinguished for their genius,-----have brought their intellect under subjection, to obey Thee by faith. By this Thou showest that Thou art the Lord of all, good towards all, no respecter of persons: and that from all, from the learned, as well as from the unlearned, Thou desirest the obedience of a subdued intellect and a submissive will. 4. Lord God, my Creator and Redeemer, I prostrate myself before Thee, and submit my reason wholly to Thee: ay, my whole intellect and will, my body, and all my senses, in obedience to faith, for Thy glory. But it is also my glory and advantage that I may return to Thee, their beginning and end, all the gifts of soul and body which I have received from Thee; and that, by means of whatsoever I have received, in the order of nature, I may freely co-operate with Thy grace for the supernatural order, and, consequently, for my own everlasting honor, my never-ending bliss. Reason and faith are both Thy gifts, Lord; the former a natural, the latter a supernatural gift: both ever assist each other, are never contrary : both given for truth, each one in its own order. If I believe, because my natural reason moves me thereto, my faith is a natural one,-----neither supernatural nor saving. If I believe, because a supernatural motive impels me, my faith is supernatural and salutary. Blessed are they who have not seen and have believed. And, certainly, how can the senses perceive what does not fall under the senses? Or, how can reason comprehend what does not lie within the grasp of reason? Or, how can the cold utterance of man explain that which the exceeding love of Thy Heart has effected? 5. In the spirit, therefore, of Thy Church, I do firmly believe that Thou, O Lord Jesus Christ, true God and man, art truly and substantially contained in the most Blessed Sacrament, under the appearance of things visible, bread and wine. I do firmly believe that Thou art wholly and entirely present under each species, and under every part of each species, if they be separated. I do firmly believe that Thou, there present in Thy glorified state, art the same, Whom, at Thy entrance into the world, the Angels adored, Whom Mary and Joseph, the Shepherds and the Magi, worshipped under the form of a Child, Who, meek and humble of Heart, didst go about doing good; Who, having died for us, didst rise again; Who, having gone up to Heaven, art seated in glory at the right of God the Father. I do not, as the Jews, ask for signs, nor search into the manner; I do not desire, like the unbelievers, to understand reasons intrinsically concealed, I do not require, like heretics, that my individual judgment be gratified: for me the testimony of Thy infallible Spouse, the holy Church, which is the ground of the truth, is sufficient. I reject whatsoever is opposed to her doctrine: this is my security, my faith. 6. O Lord God of infinite Majesty, Thou the Saint of the Saints! Who art so marvelously and so lovingly hidden in this mystery. Thee I adore, Thee I worship devotedly. Humbly prostrate, with body and soul, in Thy presence, I profess before Heaven and earth that Thou art my God and my Saviour; to Thee do I pay the supreme worship, due to Thy Majesty. I offer to Thee also the adorations, honors, and homage which the Angels, and the Saints, and Thy whole Church pay to Thee. O that all men would acknowledge Thee, would adore Thee, would show Thee homage and reverence! But, since so many fail in their duty, I, O Lord, uniting myself with Thy Saints and Angels, and all faithful souls, do adore and venerate Thee, in their stead: and I desire, in this manner, to make amends for the negligence of all unfaithful souls. 7. O Jesus! whatsoever I may be able to do for Thee, is as nothing in comparison of what I owe to Thee. In this most delightful Sacrament, by the pure love of Thy Heart, Thou hast given me whatever Thou possessest, Thy Body and Soul, Thy Humanity and Divinity, with all their treasures. I owe, therefore, to Thee, as much as Thou art worth, Thou Who art infinite. I give to Thee, in return, my body and soul, whatsoever I have, whatsoever I am: but behold! after I have given all this, my debt remains infinite. It is good for me, Lord Jesus, that I am thus indebted to Thee, that I may be moved and impelled to love without bounds the infinite goodness of Thy Heart. Mindful of Thy pure and boundless love, O Jesus, I love Thee, in return, with my whole heart, and I long to be able to satisfy Thee by an unlimited love. 8. Help me, O most loving Jesus, that I may love Thee with that affection, that tenderness, that reverence, which love alone can inspire. Grant that, henceforth, I may live by pure love for Thee, Who by infinite love livest for me in the most holy Tabernacle. By Thy most Sacred Heart, thus made a captive, thus detained by love, I beg and implore Thee, so bind my heart to Thine, that it may be a captive of Thy love, and be never dissevered nor separated therefrom. catholictradition.org/Classics/sacred-heart21.htm
Posted on: Mon, 05 Aug 2013 23:47:38 +0000
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