Develop the spirit of Communion
The love of Jesus Christ reaches its highest perfection and professionalduces the richest harvest of graces within the ineffable union He contracts with the soul in Holy Communion. Subsequently, by each want for goodness, holiness, and perfection that piety, the virtues, and love can encourage in us, we’re sure to direct our course towards this union, towards frequent and even every day Communion.
Since we have now in Holy Communion the grace, the mannequin, and the observe of all of the virtues, all of them discovering their exercise on this divine motion, we will revenue extra by Communion than by all different technique of sanctification. However to that finish, Holy Communion should turn into the thought that dominates thoughts and coronary heart. It should be the goal of all research, of piety, of the virtues. The receiving of Jesus should be the purpose in addition to the legislation of life. All our works should converge towards Communion as towards their finish and stream from it as from their supply.
Allow us to so dwell that we could also be admitted with revenue to frequent and even every day Communion. In a phrase, allow us to good ourselves as a way to obtain Communion worthily, and allow us to dwell with a continuing view to Communion.
However maybe you’ll say that your nothingness is overwhelmed by the majesty of God. Ah, however no! That majesty, the celestial and divine majesty which reigns in Heaven, shouldn’t be current in Holy Communion. Do you not see that Jesus has veiled Himself so as to not frighten you, as a way to embolden you to look upon Him and are available close to to Him?
Or maybe the sense of your unworthiness retains you away from this God of all sanctity. It’s true that the best saint and even the purest of the Cherubim is unworthy to obtain the divine Host. However do you not see that Jesus is hiding His virtues, is hiding His very sanctity, to indicate you His goodness merely and solely? Do you not hear that candy voice inviting you: “Come unto me”? Do you not really feel the nearness of that divine love like a magnet drawing you? In spite of everything, it’s not your deserves that provide you with your rights, neither is it your virtues that open to you the doorways of the Cenacle; it’s the love of Jesus.
“However I’ve so little piety, so little love; how can my soul obtain our Lord when it’s so lukewarm and due to this fact so repulsive and so undeserving of His discover?”
Lukewarm? That’s however another reason why it is best to plunge many times into this burning furnace. Repulsive? Oh, by no means, to this good Shepherd, this tender Father, fatherly above all fathers, motherly above all moms! The extra weak and ailing you’re, the extra you want His assist. Just isn’t bread the sustenance of each sturdy and weak?
“But when I’ve sins on my conscience?” If, after examination, you aren’t morally sure or positively aware of any mortal sin, you might go to Holy Communion. If you happen to forgive all who’ve offended you, already your individual offenses are forgiven you. And as to your every day negligences, your distractions during prayer, your first actions of impatience, of self-importance, of self-love, as likewise to your failure, in your sloth, to place away from you instantly the hearth of temptation — bind collectively all these shoots of Adam’s sin and solid them into the furnace of divine love. What love forgives is forgiven certainly.
Ah, don’t let your self be turned away from the Holy Desk by useless pretexts! If you’ll not talk to your personal sake, then talk as a substitute for Jesus Christ. To communicate for Jesus Christ is to console Him for the neglect to which the vast majority of males have deserted Him. It’s to conagency His knowledge in instituting this Sacrament of non secular sustenance. It’s to open the riches of the treasures of grace that Jesus Christ has saved up within the Eucharist, solely in order that He might bestow them upon mankind. Nay, extra, it’s to present to His sacramental love the overflowing life it needs, to His goodness the happiness of doing good, and to His majesty the glory of bestowing His presents. By receiving Communion, therefore, you fulfill the wonderful objective of the Holy Eucharist, for if there have been no communicants, this fountain would stream in useless, this furnace of affection would inflame no hearts, and this King would reign with out topics.
Holy Communion not solely provides to the sacramental Jesus the chance to fulfill His love; it provides Him a brand new life that He’ll consecrate to the glory of His Father. In His state of glory, He can now not honor the Father with a love free and meritorious. However in Communion, He’ll enter into man, associate with him, and unite with him. In return, by this surpriseful union, the Christian will give members, dwelling and sentient schools, to the glorified Jesus; he’ll give Him the freedom that constitutes the advantage of advantage. Thus, by way of Communion, the Christian will probably be reworked into Jesus Himself, and Jesus will dwell once more in him.
One thing divine will then come to go within the one who communicates; man will labor, and Jesus will give the grace of labor; man will preserve the advantage, however to Jesus would be the glory. Jesus will be capable of say to His Father: “I like Thee, I like Thee, and I nonetheless undergo, dwelling anew in my members.”
That is what provides Communion its highest energy: it’s a second and perpetual incarnation of Jesus Christ. Between Jesus Christ and man, it kinds a union of life and love. In a phrase, it’s a second life for Jesus Christ.