"The Devotion to the Eucharist," St. Pius X,
the Pope of the Eucharist, said, "is the most noble, because it has God as
its object; it is the most profitable for salvation, because It gives us the
Author of Grace; it is the sweetest, because the Lord is Sweetness
Itself."
The Devotion to the Eucharist, together with the devotion to the Blessed Mother, is a devotion of Paradise, because it is the devotion which the Angels and Saints of Heaven also have. "There is a school in Heaven," the mystic, St. Gemma Galgani, used to say, "and there, one has only to learn how to love. The school is in the Cenacle; the Teacher is Jesus; the matter taught is His Flesh and His Blood."
The Eucharist is Love Itself, identical to Jesus. Therefore, it is the Sacrament of Love, the Sacrament that overflows with charity. It truly contains the true, living Jesus -- the God Who "is Love," (John 4:8) and Who loved us "unto the end." (John 13:1)
All expressions of love, even the highest and the most profound, are verified in the Eucharist. Thus, it is a Love that is crucified, a Love that unites, a Love that adores, a Love that contemplates, a Love that prays, a Love that delightfully satisfies.
The Eucharistic Jesus is a Love that is crucified in the Most Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, in which He renews the immolation of Himself for us. In Sacramental and Spiritual Communion He is a Love Who unites, making Himself one with the person who receives Him. He is a Love Who adores in the Holy Tabernacle, where He is present as a Holocaust of Adoration to the Father. He is a Love Who contemplates in His encounter with souls who love to be "at His Feet," like Mary of Bethany. (Luke 10:39) He is a Love Who prays in "always living to make intercession for us" before the Father. (Hebrews 7:25) He is a Love Who delightfully satisfies in the heavenly exhilarations of nuptial union with His favored spouses, (virgins of both sexes); whom He draws to Himself in an exclusive Love, as He drew to Himself St. John the Evangelist, the virgin Apostle and the only one who "leaned on His breast" in the Cenacle. (John 21:20)
"To be possessed by Jesus and to possess Him Who is the perfect reign of Love," wrote St. Peter Julian Eymard. "The Eucharist achieves this 'perfect reign of Love' in all, who are pure of heart, approach the Holy Tabernacle and unite themselves to Jesus in the Host with humility and love. In the Eucharist, Jesus sacrifices Himself for us, He gives Himself to us, He remains among us with infinite humility and love.
"For One in such a lofty position to stoop so low is a marvel that is staggering," exclaimed St. Francis. "What sublime humility and humble sublimeness, that the Lord of the Universe, the Divine Son of God, should so stoop as to hide Himself under the appearance of bread for our salvation! Behold the humble way of God, my brothers. Therefore, do not hold yourselves to be anything of yourselves, so that you may be entirely acceptable to One Who gives Himself entirely to you".
Let us learn all this in the school of the Saints. They lived in a way that was ardent and sublime, as true Seraphims of Love for the Eucharist. These are the ones, as Vatican II declares (Lumen Gentium, n.50), who are the "most safe path" to the Eucharistic God of Love.
When St. John Mary Vianney arrived at the obscure little village of Ars, someone said to him with bitterness, "Here there is nothing to do." "Therefore, there is everything to do," replied the Saint.
And he began immediately to act. What did he do? He arose at 2:00 A.M. in the morning and went to pray near the Altar in the dark Church. He recited the Divine Office, he made his meditation and he prepared himself for Holy Mass. After the Holy Sacrifice, he made his thanksgiving; then he remained at prayer until Noon. He would be always kneeling on the floor without any support, with a Rosary in his hand and his eyes fixed on the Tabernacle.
Things continued this way for a short time. But then, he had to start changing his timetable; and things reached a point requiring radical changes in his program. The Eucharistic Jesus and the Blessed Virgin Mary, little by little, drew souls to that poor parish, until the Church did not seem big enough to contain the crowds, and the confessional of the holy Curate became swamped with endless lines of penitents. The holy Curate was obliged to hear confessions for 10, 15 even 18 hours a day! How did such a transformation ever come about? There had been a poor Church, an Altar long unused, an abandoned Tabernacle, an ancient confessional and a priest of little talent with no means to do anything. How could these things achieve such a remarkable change in that obscure village?
We can ask the same question today regarding San Giovanni Rotundo, a town in Gargano, Italy. Until a few decades ago it was an obscure, unknown place amid the rough crags of a promontory. Today, San Giovanni Rotundo is a center of spiritual and cultural life and its reputation is international. Here, too, there had been an unpromising, sickly friar, (the renowned miracle working priest St. Padre Pio) an ancient, dilapidated little Friary, a small neglected Church, with Altar and Tabernacle left ever alone to this poor friar, who wore out his beads and his hands in the untiring recitation of the Holy Rosary.
How did the change come about? What caused the wonderful transformation that came to Ars and to San Giovanni Rotundo, so that millions have come there from every part of the earth?
Only God could work such transformations using, according to His ways, "the things that are not to bring to naught the things that are." (1 Cor. 1:28) It is all due to Him, to the Divine and infinite power of the Eucharist, to the Almighty force of attraction which radiates from every Tabernacle, and which radiated from the tabernacles of Ars and San Giovanni Rotundo, reaching souls through the ministry of those 2 priests, true "Ministers of the Tabernacles" and "dispensers of the Mysteries of God." (1 Cor. 4:1)
What is the Eucharist? It is God among us. It is the Lord Jesus present in the Tabernacles of our Churches with His Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity. It is Jesus veiled under the appearance of bread, but really and physically present in the consecrated Host, so that He dwells in our midst, works within us and for us, and is at our disposal. The Eucharistic Jesus is the true Emmanuel, the "God with us." (Matt. 1:23)
"The faith of the Church," Pope Pius XII teaches us, "is this: That one and identical is the Word of God and the Son of Mary Who suffered on the Cross, Who is present in the Eucharist, and Who rules in Heaven."
The Eucharistic Jesus is here with us as a brother, as a friend, as spouse of our souls. He wishes to enter within us to be our food for eternal life, our love, our support. He wants to make us part of His Mystical Body in which He would redeem us and save us, and then take us into the Kingdom of Heaven to settle us in an everlasting bliss of love.
With the Eucharist, God has truly given us everything. St. Augustine exclaimed: "Although God is all-powerful, He is unable to give more; though supremely wise, He knows not how to give more; though vastly rich, He has not more to give."
To the Eucharist, then, we should go. To Jesus we should turn -- to Jesus, Who wishes to make Himself ours in order to make us His by rendering us "godlike." "Jesus, Food of strong souls," St. Gemma Galgani used to say, "strengthen me, purify me, make me godlike." Let us receive the Eucharist with a pure and ardent heart. This is as the Saints have done. It should never be too much trouble for us to grow familiar with this unspeakable mystery. Meditation, study and reflection on the Eucharist should have an important place each day on our time-table. It will be the time of our day richest in blessings.
The Devotion to the Eucharist, together with the devotion to the Blessed Mother, is a devotion of Paradise, because it is the devotion which the Angels and Saints of Heaven also have. "There is a school in Heaven," the mystic, St. Gemma Galgani, used to say, "and there, one has only to learn how to love. The school is in the Cenacle; the Teacher is Jesus; the matter taught is His Flesh and His Blood."
The Eucharist is Love Itself, identical to Jesus. Therefore, it is the Sacrament of Love, the Sacrament that overflows with charity. It truly contains the true, living Jesus -- the God Who "is Love," (John 4:8) and Who loved us "unto the end." (John 13:1)
All expressions of love, even the highest and the most profound, are verified in the Eucharist. Thus, it is a Love that is crucified, a Love that unites, a Love that adores, a Love that contemplates, a Love that prays, a Love that delightfully satisfies.
The Eucharistic Jesus is a Love that is crucified in the Most Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, in which He renews the immolation of Himself for us. In Sacramental and Spiritual Communion He is a Love Who unites, making Himself one with the person who receives Him. He is a Love Who adores in the Holy Tabernacle, where He is present as a Holocaust of Adoration to the Father. He is a Love Who contemplates in His encounter with souls who love to be "at His Feet," like Mary of Bethany. (Luke 10:39) He is a Love Who prays in "always living to make intercession for us" before the Father. (Hebrews 7:25) He is a Love Who delightfully satisfies in the heavenly exhilarations of nuptial union with His favored spouses, (virgins of both sexes); whom He draws to Himself in an exclusive Love, as He drew to Himself St. John the Evangelist, the virgin Apostle and the only one who "leaned on His breast" in the Cenacle. (John 21:20)
"To be possessed by Jesus and to possess Him Who is the perfect reign of Love," wrote St. Peter Julian Eymard. "The Eucharist achieves this 'perfect reign of Love' in all, who are pure of heart, approach the Holy Tabernacle and unite themselves to Jesus in the Host with humility and love. In the Eucharist, Jesus sacrifices Himself for us, He gives Himself to us, He remains among us with infinite humility and love.
"For One in such a lofty position to stoop so low is a marvel that is staggering," exclaimed St. Francis. "What sublime humility and humble sublimeness, that the Lord of the Universe, the Divine Son of God, should so stoop as to hide Himself under the appearance of bread for our salvation! Behold the humble way of God, my brothers. Therefore, do not hold yourselves to be anything of yourselves, so that you may be entirely acceptable to One Who gives Himself entirely to you".
And
St. Alphonsus Liguori adds with his usual affectionate tenderness, "My
Jesus! What a lovable contrivance this Holy Sacrament was -- that You would
hide under the appearance of bread to make Yourself loved and to be available
for a visit by anyone who desires You!"
May
some remembrance of the priest, who every day gives us Jesus, and of the
Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of Jesus our God and all priests, be always in our
affections toward the Most Holy Sacrament; for the Eucharist, Our Lady, and the
priest are inseparable, just as Jesus, Mary and St. John the Evangelist were
inseparable on Calvary.
Let us learn all this in the school of the Saints. They lived in a way that was ardent and sublime, as true Seraphims of Love for the Eucharist. These are the ones, as Vatican II declares (Lumen Gentium, n.50), who are the "most safe path" to the Eucharistic God of Love.
Eucharistic Jesus is Emmanuel, that is,
"God with us." (Matt. 1:23)
CHAPTER 1
O DIVINE
EUCHARIST!1
EUCHARISTIC JESUS IS GOD AMONG US
When St. John Mary Vianney arrived at the obscure little village of Ars, someone said to him with bitterness, "Here there is nothing to do." "Therefore, there is everything to do," replied the Saint.
And he began immediately to act. What did he do? He arose at 2:00 A.M. in the morning and went to pray near the Altar in the dark Church. He recited the Divine Office, he made his meditation and he prepared himself for Holy Mass. After the Holy Sacrifice, he made his thanksgiving; then he remained at prayer until Noon. He would be always kneeling on the floor without any support, with a Rosary in his hand and his eyes fixed on the Tabernacle.
Things continued this way for a short time. But then, he had to start changing his timetable; and things reached a point requiring radical changes in his program. The Eucharistic Jesus and the Blessed Virgin Mary, little by little, drew souls to that poor parish, until the Church did not seem big enough to contain the crowds, and the confessional of the holy Curate became swamped with endless lines of penitents. The holy Curate was obliged to hear confessions for 10, 15 even 18 hours a day! How did such a transformation ever come about? There had been a poor Church, an Altar long unused, an abandoned Tabernacle, an ancient confessional and a priest of little talent with no means to do anything. How could these things achieve such a remarkable change in that obscure village?
We can ask the same question today regarding San Giovanni Rotundo, a town in Gargano, Italy. Until a few decades ago it was an obscure, unknown place amid the rough crags of a promontory. Today, San Giovanni Rotundo is a center of spiritual and cultural life and its reputation is international. Here, too, there had been an unpromising, sickly friar, (the renowned miracle working priest St. Padre Pio) an ancient, dilapidated little Friary, a small neglected Church, with Altar and Tabernacle left ever alone to this poor friar, who wore out his beads and his hands in the untiring recitation of the Holy Rosary.
How did the change come about? What caused the wonderful transformation that came to Ars and to San Giovanni Rotundo, so that millions have come there from every part of the earth?
Only God could work such transformations using, according to His ways, "the things that are not to bring to naught the things that are." (1 Cor. 1:28) It is all due to Him, to the Divine and infinite power of the Eucharist, to the Almighty force of attraction which radiates from every Tabernacle, and which radiated from the tabernacles of Ars and San Giovanni Rotundo, reaching souls through the ministry of those 2 priests, true "Ministers of the Tabernacles" and "dispensers of the Mysteries of God." (1 Cor. 4:1)
What is the Eucharist? It is God among us. It is the Lord Jesus present in the Tabernacles of our Churches with His Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity. It is Jesus veiled under the appearance of bread, but really and physically present in the consecrated Host, so that He dwells in our midst, works within us and for us, and is at our disposal. The Eucharistic Jesus is the true Emmanuel, the "God with us." (Matt. 1:23)
"The faith of the Church," Pope Pius XII teaches us, "is this: That one and identical is the Word of God and the Son of Mary Who suffered on the Cross, Who is present in the Eucharist, and Who rules in Heaven."
The Eucharistic Jesus is here with us as a brother, as a friend, as spouse of our souls. He wishes to enter within us to be our food for eternal life, our love, our support. He wants to make us part of His Mystical Body in which He would redeem us and save us, and then take us into the Kingdom of Heaven to settle us in an everlasting bliss of love.
With the Eucharist, God has truly given us everything. St. Augustine exclaimed: "Although God is all-powerful, He is unable to give more; though supremely wise, He knows not how to give more; though vastly rich, He has not more to give."
To the Eucharist, then, we should go. To Jesus we should turn -- to Jesus, Who wishes to make Himself ours in order to make us His by rendering us "godlike." "Jesus, Food of strong souls," St. Gemma Galgani used to say, "strengthen me, purify me, make me godlike." Let us receive the Eucharist with a pure and ardent heart. This is as the Saints have done. It should never be too much trouble for us to grow familiar with this unspeakable mystery. Meditation, study and reflection on the Eucharist should have an important place each day on our time-table. It will be the time of our day richest in blessings.
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