Visit 13 Jesus Eucharistic Our Hope and Our Confidence
I.
"It is I, fear not " (Matt. xiv. 27). Thus spoke Jesus to His- disciples when He came to them at night walking upon the sea.
II.
Jesus in the Eucharistic Veil is, as it were, hidden by the shades of night. If we would behold Him only with our corporal eyes, we shall not know Him.
III.
But to the ear of faith He will make Himself known; and from the sacred Host we shall hear: "It is I fear not": It is I; have confidence in Me."
CONSIDERATIONS.
The apostles, were naturally weak and timid. They were little, according to the world, without power or honor for God "chooses the weak things of this world to confound the strong," and hence, in His communications with them, their divine. Master often said: "Fear nothing; confide in Me"
These words should inspire us also with hope
and confidence in Jesus. Not to His apostles only, but to all Christians Our Lord says: "Fear not; I am with you." What coudl be a more unshaken support, a stronger assurance of safety amid the dangers by which we are surrounded, the trials to which we are exposed, than this pledge of His love, this promise of His abiding presence among us? The honor, the wealth, the pleasures of the world cannot be trusted. They are deceitful—" vanity of vanities, all is vanity." But how about my friends? If they are weak, they cannot assist me; if they are powerful, they forget me: one is terrified at the difficulty of serving me; another is torn from me by death, and in the end I find not one who can say to me: "Fear not; rely on me."
Jesus Christ, on the contrary, addresses to all
this consoling promise and He keeps the word He has pledged. "Fear not," He says to the sinner; "it is I";
I, Who am the Lamb of God, immolated on Calvary to blot out thy sins; I Whose heart sighed for thee; I, Whose eyes wept over thee; I Whose feet are weary, running after thee; I, Whose hands are stretched out to thee; I Whose blood has flowed for thee. "It is I; fear not."
"Fear not," He says to the timid and doubtful soul, " it is I,—I, thy Savior, I, thy Light and Salvation. Of whom shalt thou be afraid? If enemies trouble thee, they themselves shall be weakened and shall fall; if armies should encamp around thee, if battle be drawn up against thee, fear not, I am with thee (Psalm xxvi. 1-3)—fear not, it is I."
"Fear not," He says to the just soul; " it is I— I, Who try thee sometimes, it is true, but only to increase thy merit; I, Who chastise thee often, but to preserve thee from evil, and because I love thee and desire thy love and therefore draw thee close to My Heart; I, Who in heaven will be thy reward, exceeding great. It is I; fear not."
The Blessed Eucharist is our hope and our confidence. The voice of Jesus comes from the tabernacle: "It is I; fear not." Fear nothing; for behold the humble veils that conceal Me. Here I am more lowly than in the crib of Bethlehem; and the shepherds did not fear Me. Here I am more docile and meek than in the house of Nazareth; and Mary and Joseph did not fear Me. Here I am more destitute than during My mortal life; I had not then where to repose my head; and now I only ask to rest in your tabernacle and in your heart:—"Fear not."
Fear nothing; for in this Sacrament I have concealed My power, yet I bring with Me My grace and benediction. "Ask and you shall receive; seek and you shall find; knock and it shall be opened unto you." I listen with delight, 0 my God, to these consoling words and I do not hesitate to yield to this appeal for confidence. Yes; when I approach Thy tabernacle and hear Thee say to me: " It is I; fear not," I praise and adore Thee;-I humble myself profoundly; I love and I thank Thee, but I do not fear. I gaze calmly on the enemies of my soul; I despise them and fear them no longer; I resign myself to the sufferings of life, the storms of the world, the tribulations of the flesh, I resign myself and I fear not. I find that this sweet confidence renders it easy to avoid sin and to practice virtue; and I say often to myself that as the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, so its perfection and consummation is a blind confidence in the God of the Eucharist.
0 Jesus 1 strengthen my hope; fortify my confidence. 0 my soul, how canst thou fear? 0 fair hope, last refuge of the miserable, already thou cheerest me! If my God be with me, whom shall I fear? "If God be for us, who is against us? " (Rom. viii. 31.)
0 my God, I thank Thee for so much good; I love Thee and I will love Thee forever; and this love shall be the child of that sweet hope, wherewith Thou inspirest me. Strengthen this hope in me with Thy fatherly benediction, and may it be a benediction of mercy and sweetness, enabling me to serve Thee; a benediction of grace, which shall enrich me with all blessings; a benediction of power, which shall strengthen me and prepare me to receive the fulness of Thy glorious benediction consummated in heaven.
Our Lady of the Most Holy Sacrament, Mother
and model of adorers, pray for us. who have recourse to thee..
St. Joseph, pray for us, that like thee, we may
die in the arms of Jesus and Mary.
PRAYER TO THE HOLY GHOST
0 Holy Ghost, Thou Teacher and Sanctifier, Who givest light and strength to my soul, bless me that I may be more faithful to Jesus, my Savior and my God, Who is hidden in the Blessed Sacrament, and that I may love Him more and more. In the light of the tabernacle I ask of Thee, 0 Holy Spirit, to fill my heart with pure desire for Jesus, the Living Bread. Give me grace to adore Him with the zeal and humble veneration of the holy angels; grant that His will may be done on earth as it is in heaven, and that His will be done in my soul. Help me to thank Him for all His gifts, and, most of all, for Himself. By this Holy Sacrament He strengthens souls on earth, gives rest to souls in purgatory, and gladdens souls in heaven. He is the hidden manna, promised by Himself to all who overcome themselves and love Him. May I taste the sweetness of Jesus! Set up more and more Thy kingdom in my soul, that I may keep my body under and bring it to subjection, lest I should be a castaway from Jesus and from Thee.
SPIRTUAL COMMUNION
0 Jesus, my Savior, Who art truly present in the Blessed Sacrament for the nourishment of our souls! since I cannot now receive Thee sacramentally, I humbly and earnestly beseech Thee to refresh me spiritually. I love Thee above all things and I desire to possess Thee within my soul. Come into my mind to illumine it with the light of heaven; come into my heart to enkindle therein the fire of Thy love. Unite me so intimately with Thee, that it may be no more I that live, but Thou that livest and reigneth in me forever.
FRUIT OF THE VISIT.
I.
Behold Christ seated in thy heart, watching over thy journey to the Promised Land, and raining down manna for thee to eat: regard thyself as a wanderer in the desert, gathering this heavenly manna, day by day, until in that Promised Land itself thou shalt eat of its blessed fruits (Ps. Ixxvii. 24; Jos. v. 12).
II.
Love Him more than all aromatical spices and than all the fragrance of flowers, that so thou mayest run after Him always to the odor of His ointments, that is, follow His example, until He the King, shall bring thee into the cellar of wine (Cant. i. 3; ii. 4: vi. 1). Ask Him for the gift of unwavering "Hope," that with all confidence thou mayest say: "In peace I will sleep, and in peace I will rest; since Thou, 0 Lord, hast marvelously established me in hope " (Ps. iv. 9,10).
Aspiration.
" I rejoice at the things that were said to me: We will go into the house of the Lord. Our feet were standing in thy Saviors, 0-Jerusalem" (Ps. cxxi. 1,2).
EUCHARISTIC GEMS.
"It is I, fear not."—Here is another of the sweet words the Eucharist addresses to us in its mysterious language, and while it is a tender expression of the love of God for us, it is at the same time a motive of that unbounded confidence He invites us to place in Him.
Thy Word, within the Host,
Gives me the pledge of peace:
the promise, well assured,
of joys that never cease.