Friday After Corpus Christi
The Eucharist, A Source Of Graces
Preparation. - "In that day," says the prophet, "there shall be a fountain open to the house of David, and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem" (Zach. 13. 1). In the first place, "Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament," says St. Alphonsus, "is the fountain foretold by the prophet," and secondly, its mysterious waters give drink to souls to the uttermost parts of the earth. Let us resolve often to draw therefrom the graces which purify, support and console us in this vale of tears.
I. The Eucharist, A Source Of Graces.
The great torment of the human heart is the thirst for life, enjoyment, glory, rest, wealth and immortality. In vain does the world strive to quench this thirst, offering us only "dried up cisterns," which increase, instead of appeasing our thirst. Our soul, created for heaven, notwithstanding the fall, has not lost the consciousness of its destiny, and the earth is always powerless fully to satisfy its cravings. Hence the Incarnate Word had to bring us from heaven goods proportionate to our aspirations.
Let us, then, represent to ourselves our adorable Saviour, seated near Jacob's well, saying to the Samaritan woman: "If thou didst know the gift of God, and who He is that saith to thee" (John 4. 10). This gift of God is grace, and He that speaks to us is Jesus in the Eucharist. And what does He say to us? Let us listen: "If any man thirst, let him come to Me and drink." If anyone thirsts after wisdom, holiness, contentment, let him come to Me, and drink: "He that believeth in Me, as the Scripture saith, out of his belly flow rivers of living water" (John 7. 37, 38); "But the water that I will give him, shall become in him a fountain of water, springing up into life everlasting" (John 4. 14).
In holy Communion, indeed, the soul, as if inebriated with the divinity, can no longer wish or desire any thing but God. In her every thing aspires to heavenly life. Her interior acts raise her up to the very angels, and enable her to deserve to live one day with them in endless bliss. Jesus compares grace to water, because, first, it cleanses us from our faults; secondly, it moderates in us the fire of concupiscence; thirdly, it enables us to grow in virtue and merit; fourthly, it refreshes us, in some manner, by its consolations, and finally, it satisfies our thirst for interior peace and happiness. Such are the precious affects of grace and of the Eucharist, its source.
Let us, like the Samaritan woman, go daily with eagerness to draw from this new well of Jacob the vivifying waters which extinguish in us the fires of passion and appease the yearnings of our heart. But let us not forget that grace requires sacrifices of us, and demands watchfulness and fidelity on our part. Let us then examine, if after visiting Jesus or receiving Him in the Blessed Sacrament, we become earnest, recollected, eager for progress, careful to master our feelings and inclinations, in practicing docility, meekness and condescension towards all.
O my God, I am far from deriving so much profit from the Blessed Eucharist. Deign to change me and to impart to me greater fervor in my holy Communions, a spirit of faith during holy Mass, and devotion in my visits to Thee. Make me watchful and faithful; watchful, that I may better regulate my interior and always remain united to Thee; faithful, that I may shun what displeases Thee and obey in all things the attractions of Thy grace.
II. The Eucharist, A Universal Fountain.
A striking figure of Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament is the fountain of Siloe (Is. 8. 6), whose waters, coming out of Mount Sion, flow quietly underground and irrigate the gardens and the fields. Mount Sion, whence the fountain springs forth, represents the Church, without which we should not have the Eucharist. The waters flowing underground and irrigating the fields, recall to us the wonderful effects of this hidden mystery. Although its operations are noiseless, its influence over men is immense, universal and effective.
"I have given waters in the wilderness, rivers in the desert," says the Lord, "to give drink to My people, to My chosen" (Is. 43. 20). By multiplying His presence in thousands of churches, our Saviour placed fountains of living water in the desert of this life, and caused them to flow to the ends of the earth, where only the zeal of missionaries could penetrate into those inaccessible countries.
As in the earthly paradise there sprang from the earth so abundant a fountain, that it was sufficient to irrigate the earth, so also in the bosom of Christ's Church there springs forth a fountain of graces, which from our altars bring to souls every where hope, strength and life. How great our happiness, if like the palm trees planted by the waters, whose foliage is always green, we dwell without ceasing, at least in spirit, near the Eucharistic streams! Then our foliage will ever be green, that is, our dispositions will ever be fervent; and we shall draw from the heart of the Man-God the spiritual sap to nourish our thoughts, to purify our affections and to strengthen our will in seeking the supreme Good.
Let us examine how far we profit by the inappreciable advantage of possessing so near us the God of the Eucharist. Are we not indifferent at the thought of so great a privilege, about which the very angels, in some manner, envy us? O how at our last moments we shall regret having spent so many years near the Saviour's fountains without daily making progress in virtue and merit!
O Mother of mercy, obtain for me the forgiveness of my coldness and neglect in the service of Jesus. Make me docile to His voice, saying to me without ceasing from His tabernacle: "If any man thirsts, let him come to Me and drink." If any one thirsts after knowledge, counsel, peace of mind; if any one longs for the graces that produce saints, let him come to Me at prayer, holy Communion, holy Mass, and let him take long draughts of all the he needs for his happiness, perfection and salvation. "If any man thirsts, let him come to Me and drink."
