Holy Communion
1. Let us meditate on what an extraordinary thing Holy Communion is.
Jesus, God made man, really descends into us, poor creatures though we
are. We become the living temples of the Holy Trinity.
Not
alone does Jesus come to us, body, soul and divinity, but He also
becomes our food. There is a great difference, however, between the
nourishment of material food and the spiritual
nourishment which we receive from the body, blood, soul and divinity of
Jesus Christ. When we take ordinary natural food, we assimilate it. In
other words, we cause it to become blood of our blood and flesh of our
flesh. When we receive Holy Communion, on the other hand, it is we who
must be assimilated and changed into Jesus. Each of us should become,
therefore, another Christ, in the manner indicated by St. Paul: “It is
now no longer I that live, but Christ lives in me.” (Gal. 2:20)
Material food become human and is assimilated into our being. Our
Eucharistic food assimilates us into Itself and, in a certain sense,
deifies us. This is why St. John Chrysostom calls it a mystery which
transports us into Heaven.
Before this can happen, however, it
is necessary for us to approach Holy Communion with the necessary
dispositions. These are: (1) A lively and active faith, which will
enable us to recognise in the white Host the person of Jesus Himself,
full of goodness, mercy and love, eager to shower upon us all the
treasures of His Heart. (2) Purity and freedom not only from mortal sin,
but also from any deliberate attachment to venial sin. (3) Deep
humility, because Jesus loves the humble and holds the proud at a
distance from Him. He wishes us to be like Him, in other words, meek and
humble of heart. There must be no worldly ambition, therefore, no love
of honours, riches or human greatness, no inordinate affection for
things or persons. There must be only a great desire to please God alone
and to offer Him our whole life, including every thought and action.
(4) Finally, an ardent love for Jesus, which will consume all our
imperfections and unite us to Him so intimately that we shall be
transformed by Him.
2. St. Thérèse of the Child Jesus truly
claimed that one Holy Communion made with perfect dispositions was
enough to produce a saint. When we receive Holy Communion properly we
are transformed into Jesus and, therefore, we become holy. We live no
longer as ourselves, but we live in Jesus. Not alone are we purified of
all our imperfections, but we are emptied of ourselves in order to
receive Jesus into ourselves. Jesus becomes the dominant thought in our
minds and the central desire of our hearts.
Holy Communion, therefore, should be a supernatural miracle which causes us to live the life of Jesus.
This is the reason why the early Christians gathered daily at the
Eucharistic table. They felt the need to achieving every day the
transformation of their souls into Jesus. They hungered for Jesus, they
burned with love for Him; they were as one in heart and in soul.
Let us examine ourselves and see if our Communions have anything like
this effect on us. “Let a man prove himself, says St. Paul, and so let
him eat of that bread and drink of the cup; for he who eats and drinks
unworthily...eats and drinks judgment to himself.” (I Cor. 2:28-29)
We should examine ourselves before Holy Communion and make an act of
sorrow for our sins and imperfections. Then we shall be able to approach
Jesus with love and confidence. We need not be afraid, for it is He Who
invites us. It is He Who desires to be united with us in order to make
us like Him.
3. Let us go to Him with repentance, with humility, and with love. Then He will make us holy.
Ejaculation: May the most Holy and Divine Sacrament be at all times praised and thanked.
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