Visit 16 Jesus Eucharistic Model of Obedience, Meekness, and Mortification
I.
Consider, at the foot of the altar, the words of Martha to Mary: "The Master is come and calls for thee." "He has come." He is here, upon the altar, not only by His immensity, but as the Man-God in His body, blood, soul, and divinity.
III.
" He calls for thee." He has called thee from all eternity: He calls thee today.
CONSIDERATIONS.
"Obedience," says St. Augustine, "is the greatest of virtues; it is the mother and guardian of other virtues." It is possible that we may not find it hard to give up all our possessions, but it is impossible that we should find it easy to give up ourselves. Thus the Holy Spirit says: "Obedience is better than sacrifices " (1 Kings xv. 22). The measure of the love of Jesus Christ towards His Father was that of His obedience.
His whole life was one uninterrupted act of
obedience. Learn to love obedience in meditating upon that of Our Lord Jesus Christ. Behold Him at Bethlehem, in Egypt, at Nazareth: does He not go from one place to another in submissive obedience to His Father? During thirty years, what wonderful docility does He not show to His Mother’s voice, to her slightest wish!
"When the awful hour of the Passion arrived, He
said to His disciples: "Arise, let us go hence." He rendered obedience to a heathen judge—to the soldiers, who loaded His hands with chains, who commanded Him to take off or put on His garments, that they might inflict upon Him new sufferings. He allowed Himself to be bound to the pillar of flagellation. On Calvary, when He stretched Himself upon the cross, when He tasted the vinegar and gall, He still obeyed, and death was the consummation of His obedience. In view of this picture, how can I hesitate to submit my will to those, who stand in the place of God to me? When a painful sacrifice is required of me, let me recall the last cry of Our Lord: "Father, into Thy hands I commend My spirit" (Luke xxiii. 46), and like Him, let me resign myself to the sacrifice, were it even unto death.
If I desire to serve God only as seems right to
me, I show but little love for Him, and I shall have to bear the entire responsibility of my actions in His sight. ’ Let us be faithful to duty, no matter how hard it may be, and let us for the love of Jesus Christ cultivate the spirit of the most humble submission to our superiors and of sweetest meekness towards all with whom we come in daily contact.
When our blessed Lord was upon the earth He was "obedient‘unto death, even to the death of the Cross" (Phil. ii. 8). In the holy tabernacle He becomes obedient unto the consummation of the world. He renders immediate, universal obedience to every priest who pronounced the words of consecration—a free and voluntary obedience, which exposes His adorable person to the outrages of perverse humanity; an entire obedience, without regard to the worthiness of the priest. During all these centuries, no interruption has ever occurred to this meek and humble subordination, which, on account of His love to us, is more dear to Him than His glory.
Jesus Christ has solemnly engaged Himself to continue this great subjection of Himself, not for His own sake, but to console us in our exile, by filling up the interval which separates earth from heaven, to which He again ascended after His death. How different are our lives from this life of Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament!
How impatient are we of control! Scarcely does the respect due to authority, age, or experience suffice to silence our petulant murmurs when our will is thwarted. We fret and chafe under opposition or else we inwardly resolve to obey for a time only, and certain persons only, for whom we feel affection or esteem. We think that we have made a prodigious effort when we have managed to hide the struggle which it cost us to maintain a meek, submissive behavior under provocation for a few moments only, whereas Jesus is here in the tabernacle, week after week, month after month, year after year, submitting unreservedly to the wishes, to the tyranny, and to the neglectful caprices of His creatures. 0 my Jesus! I will treasure up in my heart this sweet and earnest instruction.
0 Lord! I consecrate myself to Thee without reserve. Receive my soul with all its faculties, my body with all its senses, my thoughts, my desires, all the days, hours, and moments of my life, that they may all yield a perfect submission to Thy will in all things.
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 as a kind Lord, Who hath made a friend of thee, His unworthy servant: regard thyself as a guest at His table, or rather as a hired laborer, since thou dost love Him when thou receivest consolation, but, when thou art scourged for thy good, dost grow cold in love.
II.
Love Him with thy whole strength, that so, in union with His strength and senses, thou may offer to God all the strength and powers of thy soul, all the senses and members of thy body, and mayt resolve to use them always in obedience to Him.
III.
Ask thy Lord for the virtue of " Obedience; " that thou may imitate Him, Who for thy salvation humbled Himself and became "obedient to death, even to the death of the cross " (Phil. ii. 8).
EUCHARISTIC GEMS.
"Learn of Me, because I am meek and humble of heart" (Matt. xi. 29). Bear patiently the little contradictions which come to you from your neighbor without showing any resentment; for that is contrary to the Sacred Heart of Jesus.—St. Margaret Mary
To Jesus in like Blessed Sacrament,
O Jesus, dearest Lord, I cry to Thee:
With all the strength I have, I worship Thee;
With all my soul, I long to be with Thee ;
And never fear to fail nor fall from Thee.
0 Jesus, sweetest Love, come Thou to me;
Come down in all Thy beauty unto me;
Thou who didst die for longing love of me;
And never, never more depart from me.
0 God, most beautiful, most treasured One!
0 God, most glorious uncreated One!
O God eternal, beatific One!
Forever loving! ever gracious One!
Oh, melts my heart receiving Thee, my Own;
My eyes are dim for lack of Thee, my Own ;
My flesh doth hunger, needing Thee, my Own ;
My soul doth faint apart from Thee, my Own.
Where in the height of heaven is light like Thee?
Where in the deep abyss is strength like Thee?
Where in creation is there bliss like Thee?
Where among creatures is there love like Thee?
Free me, 0 beauteous God, from all but Thee;
Sever the chain that holds me back from Thee
Call me. 0 tender Love, I cry to Thee;
Thou art my all! 0 bind me close to Thee.
0 suffering Love, that hast so loved me;
O patient Love, that weariest not of me;
Alone, 0 Love I thou weariest not of me!
Ah! weary not till I am lost in Thee;
Nay, weary not till I am found in Thee.
E, M. Shapcote