Our children need these constant exterior reminders that THIS IS GOD! They will have much less chance of losing what that means and where their help is as they journey in a world that disregards His presence!
From Jesus, Our Eucharistic Love
What shall we say about the delicacy of the saints in regard to the Eucharistic Species? They had uncompromising faith in the Real Presence of Jesus in even the smallest visible fragment of a Host.
It suffices merely to have seen St. Pio to realize with what conscientious care he purified the paten and the sacred vessels at the altar. Adoration could be read on his face!
Once when St. Thérèse of Lisieux saw a small Particle of a Host on the paten after Holy Mass, she called the novices, and then carried the paten in procession into the sacristy with a gracious and adoring comportment that was truly angelic.
When St. Teresa Margaret found a fragment of a Host on the floor near the altar, she broke into tears because she realized what irreverence might be shown to Jesus; and she knelt in adoration before the Particle until a priest came to take It and put It in the tabernacle.
Once when St. Charles Borromeo was distributing Holy Communion, he inadvertently dropped a Sacred Host from his hand. The Saint considered himself guilty of grave irreverence to Jesus, and was so afflicted that for four days he had not the courage to celebrate Holy Mass, and, as a penance, he imposed an eight-day fast on himself!
What shall we say of St. Francis Xavier who at times when distributing Holy Communion felt so carried away by a sense of adoration toward Our Lord who was in his hands, that he got on his knees and in that position continued giving Holy Communion? Did that not present a spectacle of faith and love worthy of Heaven?
Something still more beautiful has been the thoughtful care of the saints, who were priests, in handling the Blessed Sacrament. Oh, how they would have liked to have the same virginal hands as the Immaculate!
The index fingers and thumbs of St. Conrad of Constance used to shine at night on account of the faith and the love which inspired the use of those fingers to hold the most Sacred Body of Jesus.
St. Joseph of Cupertino, the ecstatic saint who flew like an angel, revealed the exquisite delicacy of his love for Jesus when he expressed a desire to have another pair of index fingers and thumbs so that they could be used solely for holding Jesus’ most Holy Flesh.
At times St. Pio of Pietrelcina quite plainly experienced great difficulty in placing the Sacred Host between his fingers, judging himself unworthy to allow his hands, which bore the stigmata, to have contact with the Host.
Modesty of women
In view of the decorum of churches and the salvation of souls, the saints were greatly concerned about modesty and decency on the part of the women.
A strict insistence on this particular point is a constant in the lives of all the saints, from the Apostle, St. Paul [telling the woman to wear a veil so that she may not need to have her head appear “as if she were shaven”: (1 Cor. 11: 5– 6)], to St. John Chrysostom, St. Ambrose, etc., down to St. Pio of Pietrelcina, who would permit no halfway measures, but always insisted on modest dresses clearly below the knees.
And how could it be otherwise?
St. Leopold of Castelnuovo used to chase women immodestly dressed out of church, calling them “carne da mercato” (flesh for sale). What would he say today, when so many women are abandoning modesty and decency even in church?
They are carrying on, even in sacred places, the old diabolical art of seducing men to lust, of which the Holy Spirit warns us (Ecclus. 9: 9). But God’s justice will not let such great madness and filth go unpunished.
On the contrary, St. Paul says, “for these things (the sins of the flesh) the wrath of God comes upon the children of unbelief” (Col. 3: 6).
In the same way the saints have always exhorted us, by example and by word, to follow the beautiful practice on entering a church, of making the sign of the Cross devoutly with holy water, genuflecting reverently, and before all else adoring Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament in company with the angels and saints who keep watch around the altar.
If we stop for prayer, we need to recollect ourselves with care to keep ourselves devout and attentive.
It is also well to draw as near as we can (observing fitting limits) to the altar of the Blessed Sacrament; for Bl. John Duns Scotus has shown that the physical influence of Jesus’ most Holy Humanity is more intense, the closer one is to His Body and Blood. (St. Gemma Galgani said that sometimes she could not draw nearer the Blessed Sacrament altar because any closer the fire of love burning in her heart would reach a temperature high enough to set on fire the clothing over her breast!)
Come and join me as I pray a form of Morning & Night Prayers that I have used through the years….
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Those are beautiful aspirations to the Godhead present in the Holy Eucharistic!
A blest Sunday to you! 😇
The book, Jesus, Our Eucharistic Love, is especially a wonderful read during the month of The Sacred Heart of Jesus. What great examples to the faithful of all times the saints are in their love for the Holy Eucharist. When Eucharistic miracles are scrutinized, they often find that it is composed of heart tissue and always the same bloodtype-I recall that it is AB (Possitive?), and it’s white blood cell count shows an abused and injured heart, and the tissue is live-it is of a human still alive! How many consolations God gives to us, how many opportunities for faith He presents to us. 💝We are so blessed by His constant love and care.