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Chapter XI - That the Body and Blood of Christ and the Holy Scriptures are most
necessary to a faithful soul
The Voice of the Disciple
O most sweet Lord Jesus, how great is the blessedness of the
devout soul that feedeth with Thee in Thy banquet, where there is
set before it no other food than Thyself its only Beloved, more
to be desired than all the desires of the heart? And to me it
would verily be sweet to pour forth my tears in Thy presence from
the very bottom of my heart, and with the pious Magdalene to
water Thy feet with my tears. But where is this devotion? Where
the abundant flowing of holy tears? Surely in Thy presence and
in the presence of the holy Angels my whole heart ought to burn
and to weep for joy; for I have Thee in the Sacrament verily
present, although hidden under other form.
2. For in Thine own Divine brightness, mine eyes could not endure
to behold Thee, neither could the whole world stand before the
splendour of the glory of Thy Majesty. In this therefore Thou
hast consideration unto my weakness, that Thou hidest Thyself
under the Sacrament. I verily possess and adore Him whom the
Angels adore in heaven; I yet for a while by faith, but they by
sight and without a veil. It is good for me to be content with
the light of true faith, and to walk therein until the day of
eternal brightness dawn, and the shadows of figures flee away.(1)
But when that which is perfect is come, the using of Sacraments
shall cease, because the Blessed in heavenly glory have no need
of Sacramental remedy. For they rejoice unceasingly in the
presence of God, beholding His glory face to face, and being
changed from glory to glory(2) of the infinite God, they taste
the Word of God made flesh, as He was in the beginning and
remaineth for everlasting.
3. When I think on these wondrous things, even spiritual comfort
whatsoever it be becometh sore weariness to me; for so long as I
see not openly my Lord in His own Glory, I count for nothing all
which I behold and hear in the world. Thou, O God, art my
witness that nothing is able to comfort me, no creature is able
to give me rest, save Thou, O my God, whom I desire to
contemplate everlastingly. But this is not possible, so long as
I remain in this mortal state. Therefore ought I to set myself
unto great patience, and submit myself unto Thee in every desire.
For even Thy Saints, O Lord, who now rejoice with Thee in the
kingdom of heaven, waited for the coming of Thy glory whilst they
lived here, in faith and great glory. What they believed, that
believe I; what they hoped for, I hope; whither they have
attained to, thither through Thy grace hope I to come. I will
walk meanwhile in faith, strengthened by the examples of the
Saints. I will have also holy books for comfort and for a mirror
of life, and above them all Thy most holy Body and Blood shall be
for me a special remedy and refuge.
4. For two things do I feel to be exceedingly necessary to me in
this life, without which this miserable life would be intolerable
to me; being detained in the prison of this body, I confess that
I need two things, even food and light. Thou hast therefore
given to me who am so weak, Thy sacred Body and Blood, for the
refreshing of my soul and body, and hast set Thy Word for a
lantern to my feet.(3) Without these two I could not properly
live; for the Word of God is the light of my soul, and Thy
Sacrament the bread of life. These may also be called the two
tables, placed on this side and on that, in the treasury of Thy
holy Church. One table is that of the Sacred Altar, bearing the
holy bread, that is the precious Body and Blood of Christ, the
other is the table of the Divine Law, containing holy doctrine,
teaching the true faith, and leading steadfastly onwards even to
that which is within the veil, where the Holy of Holies is.
5. Thanks be unto Thee, O Lord Jesus, Light of Light everlasting,
for that table of holy doctrine which Thou has furnished to us by
Thy servants the Prophets and Apostles and other teachers.
Thanks be to Thee, O Creator and Redeemer of men, who to make
known Thy love to the whole world has prepared a great supper, in
which Thou hast set forth for good not the typical lamb, but
Thine own most Holy Body and Blood; making all Thy faithful ones
joyful with this holy banquet and giving them to drink the cup of
salvation, wherein are all the delights of Paradise, and the holy
Angels do feed with us, and with yet happier sweetness.
6. Oh how great and honourable is the office of the priests, to
whom it is given to consecrate the Sacrament of the Lord of
majesty with holy words, to bless it with the lips, to hold it in
their hands, to receive it with their own mouth, and to
administer it to others! Oh how clean ought those hands to be,
how pure the mouth, how holy the body, how unspotted the heart of
the priest, to whom so often the Author of purity entered in!
From the mouth of the priest ought naught to proceed but what is
holy, what is honest and profitable, because he so often
receiveth the Sacrament of Christ.
7. His eyes ought to be single and pure, seeing they are wont to
look upon the Body of Christ; the hands should be pure and lifted
up towards heaven, which are wont to hold within them the Creator
of heaven and earth. To priests is it specially said in the Law,
Be ye holy, for I the Lord your God am holy.(4)
8. Assist us with Thy grace, O Almighty God, that we who have
taken upon us the priestly office, may be able to converse
worthily and devoutly with Thee in all purity and good
conscience. And if we are not able to have our conversation in
such innocency of life as we ought, yet grant unto us worthily to
lament the sins which we have committed, and in the spirit of
humility and full purpose of a good will, to serve Thee more
earnestly for the future.
(1) Cant. ii. 17. (2) 2 Corinthians iii. 18.
(3) Psalm cxix. 105. (4) Leviticus xix. 2.
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