Visit 26 Jesus Eucharistic and the Saints
I.
"How lovely are Thy tabernacles, 0 Lord of hosts; my soul longeth and* fainteth for the courts of the Lord " (Ps. Ixxxiii. 2, 3). " I have loved, 0 lord, the beauty of Thy house and the place where Thy glory dwelleth " (Ps. xxv. 8).
II.
These words of the Royal Psalmist might properly be placed in the mouth of every saint. The Blessed Sacrament was to the saints the life nf their souls, the soul of their ministiy, and the source of their sanctity.
III.
How is it with us? Let the example of the saints open our eyes to the fact that it is little indeed wc offer Our Lord in return for all the love Jesus and the Saints. that He manifests for us in the Sacrament of the Altar.
CONSIDERATIONS.
Many beautiful and edifying examples are related by pious authors of the love of the saints for Jesus in the tabernacle and of their devotion to the Blessed Sacrament. The Countess Feria, we read in the " Love of Jesus," was so enamoured of the altar, that she obtained permission to live continually in the church. St. Ignatius, that he might not even in sleep be separated from the object of his love, selected as his bed-chamber the one which was nearest to the church.
dddSt. Francis Xavier frequently passed the night in the
church and took his repose in the sacristy. St John Francis Regis, when worn out with laboi, would retire to the church and there he would find rest and refreshment in communion with Jesus, and when at times he found the church closed, he would remain at the door and pour forth his soul in love and adoration. St. Casimir, King of Poland, deeming the spot where a church stood holy ground, used to take off his shoes and go barefoot to adore the Blessed Sacrament.
dddSt Francis, Duke of Gandia, would leave the plea
sure of the chase to accompany the Viaticum to the sick and dying. Ferdinand V. of Austria, Sebastian, King of-Portugal,.and Theodosius IL, Duke of Braganza, would abandon the society of friend* anti the pleasun s of the table tn join the. procession of the Blessed Sacrament; and Leopold, Duke of Austria, would leave his carriage or dismount from his horse, and, falling on his knees, would adore his Savior, as the procession of the Blessed Sacrament moved along; then rising, would bear a lighted taper in his hand, as a manifestation of respect and of the fame of love that glowed in his generous heart.
dddSt. Wenceslas, Duke of Bohemia, although
tired with the business of the day, would nevertheless spend whole nights before the tabernacle in supplication for his people. He was daily present at holy Mass, kneeling-on the bare stone flags of the church. It was his great delight to dress the altar and to serve the priests. His devotion for the Blessed Sacrament was so great that he not only prepared the altar breads with his own hands, but set aside a special field, tilling it himself and sowing it with corn, which, after gathering in the harvest, he would himself grind, knead, and bake, and then humbly present these oblations to the priest. On the coldest winter nights he would arise from his bed in order to visit Our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament; and so inflamed with divine love was his soul that it imparted heat to his very body. On one occasion, accompanied by a servant, the saint went barefoot to the church in the depth of winter. The ground was covered with frozen snow. The holy duke stepped forward bravely, the servant following, shivering with Jesus and the Saints. cold, and bitterly complaining of the pein he suffered in his feet. His master lovingly consoled him, advising him to tread in the footprints he had himself ahead) tracked in the snow; no sooner had the man followed this advice than lo! a pleasant warmth imparted itself to his feet and with all gladness he followed the saint on his holy errand.
dddBlessed Maurice, a Dominican, considered it a
privilege to be allowed to beg from door to door for the oil to be used in the sanctuary lamps, and he met princes who thought themselves happy in being allowed to trim the lamps. Blessed Margaret of Hungary, though a princess, rejoiced to be able to hold the communion-cloth before those who were to receive the body of Our Lord, such was her profound respect and ardent love for the Blessed Sacrament. Blessed Victoria loved to spin with special care the linen for the corporals, and Blessed Cecilia delighted in washing the 4 altar-linens.
dddSt. Aloysius of Gonzaga spent as much time as
his superiors permitted him before the tabernacle and obedience alone could compel him to interrupt his sweet communion with Jesus. St. Teresa, St. Gertrude, and St. Meeh tilde are called the saints of the Blessed Sacrament on account of their great devotion to and rapturous adoration of the Holy Eucharist. To many saints the body of Our Lord received in holy communion was frequently, for many consecutive days and even weeks, almost their only nourishment, bodily as well as spiritual.
dddNow it is true that we cannot imitate the saints
in many things that they have done, still we might easily do much more than we are doing as an expression of our love, gratitude, and devotion to the Blessed Sacrament. If we caunot visit the church or hear Mass every day, could we not do this once or twice a week? Could we not read one of these " Visits " at home every day and make an act of spiritual communion, while we kneel and turn our face towards the nearest tabernacle wherein Jesus is present in the Holy Sacrament?
dddCould we not, whenever we are awakened
during the night, make an act of love and union, while we reflect how Jesus sleeps not, but is watching with His loving heart in the tabernacle? Could we not assist in the work for poor churches? Could we not give generous alms to our parish priest and enter with zeal into all his schemes for the greater beauty and appropriate furnishing of the sanctuary? Could we not make the Weekly or, at least, the Monthly Hour of Adoration? Could we not receive holy communion once a week or at least once a month? Could we not be present at Benediction more frequently?
dddIt is a pity and a shame that this beautiful and fruitful evening ser
vice of Benediction is utterly neglected by so many Catholic men and even women.
dddCould we not imitate the saints and saintly people, who, when
passing a church, always stepped in for a moment of adoration, or at least showed Our Lord in the tabernacle some little act of reverence, either by lifting the hat or bowing the head? Could we not live in constant union with Jesus in the tabernacle, causing Him to enter into all our thoughts, words, and actions? Could we not say very often during the day: " Blessed and praised be the adorable Sacrament of the Altar!
dddCould we not be more recollected in church, and stop
the bad habit of gazing about and nodding and smiling to friends and even gossiping with them?
dddCould we not make a decent genuflection, on pass
ing the tabernacle, by bending the knee in pro
dddNo matter how found and reverent adoration?
exalted your state or condition of life may be there was one person more exalted than the greatest queen on the face of the earth and she worked and toiled unceasingly for Our Lord and Savior during thirty years—our Blessed Lady, the virgin Mother of God; she passed her life and spent her days in acts of humblest service. Nor was she unconscious of her glory; for she herself foretold that" all generations " would call her " Blessed." But she also knew that although she was exalted above all the angels and saints, and her throne was next to that of Almighty God Himself, yet she was but a creature and her Son was God. And knowing this, she recognized that there can he no labor, no action, no service, however menial in the eyes of the world, which does not become an unspeakable honor for the creature when performed in the direct service of the Creator.
dddThe example of Mary and the example of saintly kings
and queens, as also of holy men and women in every state of life, should stimulate us to greater acts of love and more profound reverence for Jesus in the tabernacle.
ddd0 glorious Queen of Heaven and Mother of
God, Our Lady of the Blessed Sacrament! teach us. how to love and venerate daily, more and more, this Holy Sacrament, in which we possess our divine Lord, thy Son, even as thou didst possess him in thy peaceful home of Nazareth.
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 Spouse most worthy of love; Who freely loved thee, when thou wast a wanderer on the face of the earth, poor and full of confusion; Who thinketh of thee, as His spouse joined by so many bands to Himself, and drawn by so many gifts to love Him greatly in return (Ezech. xvi. 5,1; Osee xiv. 5).
II.
Love Him in the spirit of liberty; so that thou mayest not indulge thyself in body or soul, but that thy Spouse may rule thee, Who hath given thee His own soul and body and blood (1 Cor. vii, 4).
III.
Ask Him for the spirit of " Wisdom; " ‘that thou mayest be able to dwell on all that is most utterly near to God, viz.: His essence, His attributes, His processions, His decrees, that so thou mayest excite thyself to greater love.
EUCHARISTIC GEMS.
In your visits, sometimes invite the different choirs of saints to accompany thee to the feet of Jesus in the tabernacle.
1. O all ye holy patriarchs of teh Old Law, obtain for me your lively faith, that I may believe
more and more, even as you believed God’s promises. "I do believe, Lord; help my unbelief."— Mark.ix. 23.
2. O all ye holy prophets, obtain for me your firm hope that as you lived in hope of a Redeemer
to come, so my hope in God may daily grow and increase. "In Thee, 0 Lord, have I hoped, let me never be confounded."—Ps. xxx. 2:
3. O all ye holy postles of the Lamb, obtain for me your ardent charity, that I may love my divine
Lord for His own sake, and my neighbor as myself, for the love of Him. " By this shall all men know that you are m’y disciples, if you have love one for another."—John xiii. 35.
4. O all ye holy martyrs, obtain for me your fortitude, that I may endure patiently and will
ingly the sufferings of life in order to become more like my divine Master, crucified for me. " If any man will come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me."—
5. O all ye holy bishops obtain for me your burning zeal that I may do all that lies in my
power, at least by fervent prayer, to promote the salvation of souls. "Pray ye IJie Lord of the harvest; that He send forth laborers into His harvest."—Matt. ix. 38.
6. O all yet holy confessors, obtain for me your contempt of the world, that I may value only the
things of eternity. " Love not the world, nor the things which are in the world."—1 John ii. 15. purity, that I may live all my days free from the slightest breath of sin. " Flee from 'sin as from the face of a serpent."—Eccl. xxi. 2.
dddSt. Philip Neri.
A.D. 1595.
Holy Church affirms that the heart of this de
vout lover of the Blessed Sacrament was so enJesus and the Saints. larged by the action of divine love that its natural place was unable to contain it. That love also imparted a peculiar heat to his body, with which it appeared to glow. It not unfrequently happened during holy Hass that sparklets of fire appeared to be emitted from his countenance. This fact is thus mentioned in the Bull of his canonization: " That interior heat ofttimes overflowed upon his entire body, when he directed his attention to divine things, so that his face and eyes sent forth sparks of fire." His love for the 3Iost Holy Sacrament, and the fulness with which Le realized the love of Jesus Christ in thus giving Himself to us, caused him to lead his penitents to frequent confession and communion, a practice* which in his days had become very rare. It was not then the general custom for every priest to say holy Mass daily. His exhortations effected a complete reformation in Rome, and the number of the communions was wonderfully increased, while the Sacrament of Penance was once more raised to its proper place in the daily lives of the people.
dddJesu Dulcedo Cordium.
'Jesus, Thou Joy of living hearts,
Thou Fount of life, Thou Light of men j
From the best bliss that earth imparts,
We turn unfilled to Thee again.
Thy Truth unchanged hath ever stood;
Thou savest those that on Thee call 5
To them that seek Thee Thou art good,
To them that find Thee, all in all I
We taste Thee, 0 Thou living Bread,
And long to feed upon Thee still;
We drink of Thee, the Fountain-Head,
And thirst from Thee our souls to fill.
Our restless spirits yearn for Thee,
Where’er our changeful lot be cast;
Glad, when Thy gracious smile we see,
Blest, when our faith can hold Thee fast
O Jesus, ever with us stay!
Make all our moments calm and bright
Chase the dark night of sin away ;
Shed o’er the world Thy holy light,
—St. Bebnard