What great truths are hidden from the eyes even of Christians who think themselves most enlightened! How few among them understand that every cross, every circumstance, every leading of the will of God gives us God Himself in a way that can best be explained by comparing them with the most august Mystery of all, the Holy Eucharist.
Yet what is more certain? Does not reason as well as faith reveal to us the presence of divine love in all creatures, and in all the events of life, just as indisputably as the words of Jesus Christ and of the Church reveal the presence of the sacred flesh of our Savior under the Eucharistic elements? Do we not know that by all created things, and by every event God's love desires to unite itself to us, that He has ordained, arranged, or permitted everything that concerns us, everything that happens to us, with a view to this union? This is the sole end of all His designs. To attain this He uses the worst as well as the best of His creatures, the most distressing events as well as those which are pleasant and agreeable, and the more naturally repellant the means of that union, the more meritorious it becomes.
If this is true, why should not each moment of our lives become a form of communion with the love of God? And why should not this communion of every moment produce as much fruit in our souls as that which we receive in the Communion of the Body and Blood of the Son of God? The holy Eucharist, it is true, has a sacramental efficacy which the "sacrament of the present moment" cannot have, but on the other hand, how much more frequently can this form of communion be repeated! And how greatly may its value be increased by the growing perfection of our dispositions towards it! Consequently, how true it is that the more holy the life, the more mysterious it becomes by its apparent simplicity and lowliness!
O heavenly banquet! O never-ending feast! God ever given and received in utter infirmity, weakness and nothingness! That which human nature abhors and human reason rejects, God chooses and makes into mysteries, sacraments of love, and by that which seems as if it would do most harm to souls, He gives Himself to them as often and as much as they desire to possess Him.
Father Jean-Pierre de Caussade - Purchase The Joy of Full Surrender
WOW, every time I read one of your posts I wonder if a part of it is going over my head. yet, I still read, I still follow. Let me give you my simple thought. I have received the Eucharist (Almost)faithfully for forty something years since my very first communion and yet somehow I didn't know Him intimately. I wanted to know Jesus. When I was young I practiced going to The Father. This was a gift given by necessity. My father was not to be counted on for support or guidence. I can't blame him, he was a bad alchoholic. So, when I was alone and afraid I went to HIM (God The Father) faithfully, and time after time her parented me. Somehow recently through the gift of The Spirit(which was given unexpectedly after the death of my mother) I have been brought into a relationship of that same nature, with Jesus himself. I can't explain how it happened but gradually he has become my confidant. I finally undertand that He is there to converse with me. Guiding me every moment. Yet with that gift also comes the awareness of evil and temptation that surrounds me. I think for me that is most difficult. I guess that knowing my weaknesses shows me truly how much I need Him in everthing. Once on a Sunday after returning from mass,when I first felt these gifts I heard in prayer (In my mind) "The table has been set, now you are left to enjoy the banquet" I think until this very moment I questioned what that meant. Now, I feel when united with your teaching I might understand. Thank you
ReplyDelete