Meditation on the Love of the Sacred Heart in the Blessed Sacrament

IN HONOUR OF THE LIFE OF LOVE OF THE SACRED HEART IN THE BLESSED SACRAMENT.

(For the Fifth Day of the Novena.)

Since this life of love of Jesus Christ ought to be in a particular manner the especial subject of meditation for the day of the feast of the sacred Heart, we will take for to-day one small specimen of it from the single circumstance of Jesus Christ having wished to remain always with us in the Blessed Sacrament.

Preparatory prayer.—As usual.

First Prelude.—Fixing a loving and attentive eye on the holy tabernacle, try to make the most lively act of faith of the real presence of Jesus Christ, and imagine you hear Him address to you the sweet promise He formerly made to His apostles.—“Ecce ego vobiscum sum usque ad consummationem sæculi.”—“Behold I am, and establish myself among you to the end of the world.”

Second Prelude.—Beg of Him to make you feel all the tenderness of His loving Heart in this His continual presence in the Sacrament, and all the gratitude you owe Him for this His loving invention.

POINT I.

1. Jesus Christ could work our sanctification by communicating Himself to us figuratively, not really. But great love is not satisfied with giving assistance only at a distance, it loves personal presence. But why could not Jesus Christ content Himself with being really present in the Blessed Sacrament only during the holy Sacrifice of the Mass? By this alone He would have made many personal visits every day to His beloved souls. No! this did not seem enough to His Heart; He would always remain under the Sacramental species, that is, He would become absolutely and perpetually our fellow citizen and familiar companion. Then He might have contented Himself with remaining in one city of every province, or at the most in only one temple of each city. No! He would be in every street. In the wide expanse of heaven, His humanity is only found in one place, on earth the same humanity assumes a kind of immensity, and wherever is to be found some small number of Christians, there it also is found. Oh! how very true is the saying of some saints, that the Heart of Jesus Christ is enamoured of men.

2. But reflect, moreover, that this His remaining always and ever among men costs Him one of the greatest miracles of Omnipotence, for such is the renewal of His sacred humanity in so many places;—and still more, that it costs Him an infinite number of insults, because it has been the very occasion of His receiving them. Ah! how little, perhaps, your desire of being with Him corresponds with the desire of His loving Heart to be with you. Examine yourself. Does He require anything difficult or inconvenient from His friends to visit Him? What expense, considerations, and trouble, to pay court to the kings of the earth! How many ceremonies, purifications, and observances were formerly necessary for approaching the tabernacle of the ancient Ark! But neither poverty, nor deformity, nor meanness of state, of person, or of dress, hinders our approaching this loving God. It is sufficient to love Him, to have a right to be received by Him with boundless affability, and to treat Him as an equal, a friend, a confidant. O incomprehensible love! What condescension! What tenderness! But, oh! what secret remorse for you, O Religious soul, who have been so easily deterred from visiting Him by every slight reason.

POINT II.

1. Consider other circumstances of His love in remaining with us. He delights in it so much, that if we cannot go to Him, He causes Himself to be carried to us, and in this the proofs of His tender love are excessive. And whither does He often let Himself be carried? Where you would dread and shudder to enter. Into the vilest and poorest cottages, into the most loathsome abodes, and most horrid prisons. Neglect not to reflect, also, by what hands He sometimes lets Himself be carried. O dreadful unworthiness, even among His ministers! But the tender Heart of this loving God seems not to perceive it. In the ancient times of Christianity, the Christians were allowed to take the Blessed Sacrament from the sacred table, and carry it with them, and they brought it to their homes, and bore it with them where they pleased in their journeys. And if the Church, indignant at the irreverences that languid faith and cold charity began in process of time to commit, had not forbidden it, Jesus Christ would allow Himself to be thus treated even at present. What say you, Religious soul, to these reflections? Have you ever yet well comprehended all the love this divine heart displays in continually remaining with us?

2. But observe a more astonishing condescension. However strongly He desires always to be with you, He does not, however, hinder your human duties and interests. Yes, go to your labours, duties, and business. Jesus Christ is content to remain alone, waiting your moments of liberty which may restore you to Him. He does not even wish to disturb your suitable recreations. Yes, willingly He lets you go at your ease to meals, to recreation, and to lawful diversions. He is quite a wonderful lover! He seems to be careful in contenting Himself, not to burthen or distress you in anything. Besides so many hours of the day, He remains solitary in His ciborium the live-long night; and while you sleep, His heart watches for you to guard you:—watches and prays to His divine Father for you;—watches and defends your person from so many dangers;—watches, and faithfully guards your houses. Oh! if you are not touched with a love so tender, so discreet, so dissembling, so constant, so condescending, so beneficent, confess either that you have no faith, or that you have a heart unworthy to live. Reprove yourself, then, severely, bewail your forgetfulness, and determine what you ought to do in future, that you may correspond to such loving-kindness in Jesus Christ, as has made Him sacrifice Himself to remain always with you.