I. "BEHOLD I am with you all days, even to the consummation of the world" (Matt. xxviii. 20).
These words, spoken by Jesus to His disciples, before He ascended into Heaven, are especially sweet and consoling when applied to the Holy Eucharist.
II. He is "always with us" by His word in the Church, by His grace in the sacraments; yet this were still too little were He not also with us by His presence in the Blessed Sacrament.
III. Jesus is "always with us." Why are we so sel dom with Him?
CONSIDERATIONS
St. Teresa tells us that Jesus has clothed His majesty in the Blessed Sacrament with the appearances of bread that we might approach Him without fear and ask favors of Him with confidence as we would of a friend. " He desires," as St. Thomas a Kempis writes, "that we converse with Him as one friend does with another."
The:Redeemer, to use the words of St. Alphonsus Liguori, chose to be born in an open cave, without a door and without guards, in order to be accessible to all at all hours. The same happens in the Sacrament of the Altar. The churches are always open; all can go to converse with the King of heaven whenever they wish.
Jesus Himself has said: "I will no longer call you servants but friends," and in the tabernacle we find our divine Friend ready at all times to receive us. His friendship is always the same; it is constant, not changeable nor selfish like that of men. His friend ship is so genuine, so sincere, that we are ever in His mind and ever in His heart. There is not a thought or action of ours in which He does not enter; not a joy in which He does not participate; not a pain or sorrow with which He does not sympathize.
Could there be friendship more sterling and true than His? Why do we not visit this best of friends oftener? Why is He not more in our minds and in our hearts? Why do we not confide our troubles to Him? He is not only a 'kind Friend, He is an all-powerful Friend. And He wants, He expects, He even pleads for a return of love from us.
The Sacred Heart of Jesus craves for the love and gratitude of our hearts.
Here on the altar Jesus Christ daily offers Himself up in sacrifice; He heals the sick soul and strengthens the infirm will; He releases the captive sinner from the bonds of sin, and feeds the hungry souls with His own body and blood. But why, after He has lavished His favors on us, does He still linger here? Why does He still tarry during the lonely and still hours of the night? It is because He is our Friend and He loves to be with us. He waits here, silent and patient, willing and anxious to help and to heal us, yet we fail to go to Him and tell Him what ails and troubles us; He is ready to listen to the griefs that we shut up in our own hearts, and nights and days pass, and our places are vacant at the altar.
The author of "The Love of Jesus" thus addresses our divine Friend in the tabernacle: "Dearest Jesus, let us no longer remain so cold and reserved towards Thee; let us resolve that we will not wait till some terrible convulsion breaks up the calm surface of our souls, and casts us here at Thy feet, because all else has failed us. Let us come day by day, and pour out to Thee the story of our daily life, and deem nothing too low for Thy notice. Let us lay all at Thy feet, the sorrow and the joy that others would not care to hear, the hopes and the fears that would weary the most loving earthly heart-and then, in the stillness of the sanctuary, do Thou, dearest Lord, gather tenderly all our words in Thy loving heart, solve our doubts, soothe our troubles, and unravel the tangled skein of our conflicting duties.
There is nothing that can draw off Thy attention from our wants and miseries. It is enough for Thee that we suffer and that our hearts are oppressed; for Thy care, love, and interest for us are far deeper than our own. Would that we could feel, when we are crushed and humbled, when the hope that we have lived for has withered, when sorrows and trials that we dare not reveal to anyone make our souls sick well-nigh unto death, when we look in vain for someone to understand us and who will enter into our miseries , when the wildflowers are growing over the graves of our best-loved ones and when all who hold a dear place in our hearts are withered and gone, that there is One on the altar Who knows every fiber of our hearts, every sorrow, every pain special to our peculiar natures, and Who deeply sympathizes with us!
Would that in the days of darkness and grief we came here, and, as friend to friend, told Thee the burden we can no longer bear, the sorrow that is wasting away our existence, and the perplexities that entangle us! When we have done so from time to time, have not the comfort and consolation we have received more than counterbalance-! all we have suffered? Oh, what foolish and inconsistent creatures we are! How many of us are so pining and thirsting for sympathy, that we gladly receive it from a stranger, a pet bird, a dumb animal: But though we can have sterling sympathy, such as the world knows not, such as no human heart has the power of giving, yet, marvelously strange, we neither value it nor care to receive it. But it shall be so no more.
Hence, forth we will come to Thee, truest and most sympathizing of friends, and without a thought for our language, in the simplicity of our souls, we will tell Thee what is uppermost therein. If life is an unclouded success, we will come to Thee, because no one will rejoice more thereat than Thou. If all our schemes and plans wither in our hands, we will come to Thee, because no one will give us truer sympathy. If we have to leave our homes. for a while, and those who are dear to us; fill us with anxiety, we will come here and put them under Thy care, because no one will guard them better. If we are perplexed and harassed, and surrounded with difficulties without hope of escape, we will come to Thee, and Thou wilt enlighten us, and Thy help will make us surmount the greatest obstacles. We will come to Thee, when we begin any important undertaking, be cause Thy blessing alone can make it prosper. Wherever we are, in whatever new place our abode for a time may be, the first visit shall al ways be to Thee.
Compassionate Jesus. our hearts crave for sympathv, and to suffer Seems nothing to the bitterness of suffering alone. Grant, we implore Thee, then, that we may never weep, never suffer, without Thee to comfort us. If ever this dreadful calamity befalls us, it will be through our own willful blindness, because we know that Thou hast no longing greater than to help us, and no task dearer to Thy heart than to soothe and comfort our own. 0 Jcsus, our divine Friend, grant that we may always live in union with Thee, that our time on earth may be only a longing for eternity, where the friendship Thou hast lavished upon us here in this vale of tears will be consummated, and where Thou wilt be our Friend forever and ever.
Our Lady of the Most Holy Sacrament, Mother and model of adorers, pray for us, who have re course 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, Thon Teacher and Sanctifier:, Who givest light and strength to my soul, bless me that I may be more faithful to Jesus, my Saviour 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 Saviour, 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 thy divine Friend, ready to hear thy complaints and eager to help thee in thy difficulties.
II. Love Him as your best and truest friend; trust in Rim, speak to Him with unwavering confidence resolve never to wound His sacred heart by cold ness or neglect.
III. Ask Him for the "Innocence and Simplicity of a Child," so that thou mayest merit His fatherly favors and blessings. God loves simple, humble souls, and reveals to them His love and the secrets of His Heart in preference to the wise and great ones of the world. "Suffer the little children to come unto Me, and forbid them not; for of such is the Kingdom of God" (Mark x. 14). "I confess to Thee, 0 Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because Thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them to little ones" (Matt. xi. 25).
EUCHARISTIC GEMS
The manner most pleasing to God for keeping ourselves in His holy presence is to enter into the heart of Jesus, and confide to Him all care of ourselves.-BLESSED MARGARET MARY.
Jesus, Our True Friend.
There's naught on earth to rest on, All things are changing here:
The smiles of joy we gaze on,
The friends we count most dear.
One friend alone is changeless.
The One too oft forgot,
Whose love hath stood for ages; Our Jesus changeth not.
Even friendship's smiles ,wait not.
To cheer us here below, For smiles are too deceitful,
They quickly ebb and flow..
One smile alone can gladden, Whatever the pilgrim's lot;
It is the smile of Jesus,
For Jesus changeth not.