This is beautiful: reflection on the Eucharist

[MoNiCa4316]

I read this chapter in "the Imitation of the Sacred Heart of Jesus".. and I just had to share it with all of you, it's so beautiful the book was written by Fr. Peter Arnoudt S.J.. It got the nihil obstat and imprimatur.

CHAPTER XI. THE MOST SACRED HEART OF JESUS, IN THE SACRAMENT OF HIS LOVE,
IS OUR GREATEST CONSOLATION ON EARTH

The voice of Jesus.-----My Child, behold My Tabernacle with men! behold here I dwell with them. Here I Myself console them that come, and I wipe away every tear from their eyes.

And, as there is no place on earth, where affliction does not sometimes shed tears, My Heart multiplies Its miracles, that It may everywhere multiply consolations.
Hence, thou mayst learn, My Child, that the mercy of My Heart is greater than man's misery can be.

If any remedy, if any comfort is required in misfortune, here it is found in My Heart; here it is drawn with gladness from the same.

Behold! here I make all things new: things heavy I change into light, things tasteless I make to be savory: bitterness I turn into sweetness, mourning into joy of heart.

Nay, more, this vale of tears I transform into a Paradise; earth into heaven before its time. For here is the plentifulness of all the good things of Heaven, here is the fountain of peace and gladness; here are the Angels, here am I Myself, here is bliss ever-enduring.

2. These are the wonders of love, Child, which My Heart works for thee, that thou mayst not be cast down amid the tribulations of life; but that, attracted by the goodness of My Heart, thou mayst come to this overflowing fountain of all consolation.

If thou hast once duly tasted Its sweetness, thou wilt soon forget every affliction of the past, or wilt even deem it all joy.

When, here before the Tabernacle, thou pourest forth thy heart; above all, when, after holy Communion, thou speakest to Me heart to Heart, and resignest thyself wholly to Me; then wilt thou perceive that affliction yields to consolation, fear to confidence, lukewarmness to fervor of heart.

If, overlooking Me, thou runnest elsewhere to find some one to relieve and help thee in thy dejection, thou shalt often be able to say: I sought some one to comfort me, but I found none.

But hither thou shalt never come in vain: hence thou shalt never depart without relief.

Hither, then, do thou ever fly, that thou mayst receive a remedy for thy troubles; and turn thy Sufferings into consoling merits.

3. If misfortune, if loss of possessions or even if want fill thy heart with groanings and thy eyes with tears, so as to render thy soul weary of life; here, My Child, thou shalt find what no mortal can give thee; here thou shalt obtain a soothing of thy grief. If thou lookest upon My example, thy heart shall be comforted: My promise of permanent possessions, which thou shalt receive by sharing My inheritance, after having passed a few days here below, will cheer up thy spirit: lastly, the secret grace of My Heart will not rarely turn the tears of grief into tears of consolation.

If the world hates thee, if men slight, oppose, or oppress thee; here, O My Child, here in this mystery of love thou shalt be abundantly comforted: when thou possessest Me, yea, when thou pressest Me to thy heart, Me thy Saviour, thy faithful Friend, thy best and dearest Father, thou wilt be contented enough to be hidden, to be humbled with Me, that thou mayst be the more alike and pleasing to My Heart, in order to be forever exalted by Me among My elect.

And, if thou art afflicted or tormented with pains of the body and anguish of soul; behold, Child, behold where is thy solace, which alone can reach the innermost recesses of the ailing heart, and which none can hinder, except thyself----by hearkening rather to thy own thoughts than to My whisperings. Thou shalt also experience that which has been felt by thousands of faithful souls that came hither in sorrow, and with an aching heart; and soon, refreshed by the sweetness of the love of My Heart, went away their hearts dilated with bliss.

If annoyed by temptations, if worn down by desolateness; hasten hither, My Child. Behold! My Heart invites and awaits thee thus tempted and rendered desolate. It will receive thee with gladness; It will strengthen thee by Its own fortitude; It will fill thee with the sweetness of Its unction.

Shouldst thou even commit a fault, arise quickly, and run thou hither. Here thou shalt easily repair all: here thou shalt recover peace and joy of heart.

O if thou knewest, My Child, with how great a longing to console every one, My Heart watches here at all times,----consoling Itself whenever It comforts some one in his affliction;----thou wouldst then understand whence it is that none, in what trouble soever he may find himself, can come hither well-disposed to My Heart, without receiving consolation.

4. For, in the sacred Tabernacle, thou now possessest Me, the same Saviour, that, whileth, when I lived a mortal life, comforted all: the very same Heart. that, whilst placed in the manger, gave peace to the Shepherds, and filled the Magi with heavenly delight: that, in childhood rejoiced them that came to Me: that, throughout life was the refuge and solace of all. Thou knowest, My Child, how all the sick and the weak, the blind and the lame, the deaf and the dumb, the wretched and the disconsolate were wont to appeal to My Heart, and implore Its compassion and help.

 

[MoNiCa4316]

Was ever one of these disappointed in his hope, by what suffering soever he was bowed down; at what time soever of the day or of the night he
came to me?

Did not every one, in whatsoever hour he had recourse to the goodness of My Heart, go away more consoled than he had dared to hope? And, My Child, all these wonders, all these consolations, My Heart does here ceaselessly renew; but in a manner all the more perfect and useful, the more spiritual it is, and the better adapted to everlasting life.

There, indeed, It healed the diseases of the body: here It cures the ailments, the infirmities and miseries of the soul.

There It freed them that were possessed by the devil, or tormented by him; here It does more, since It guards the faithful against the demon.

There It cleansed those afflicted with leprosy: here It purifies souls, and makes them clean and whiter than snow.

There, by a miracle, It sated thousands of men with a natural food: here It nourishes all the faithful with the Bread of Angels.

There It restored the dead to life: here, what is better beyond comparison, It preserves souls from death.

5. And as then My Heart, full of compassion, mercy, goodness, was accessible to all; so now It is open to every one, even to the most wretched and afflicted.

Believe not, My Child, even should a spirit suggest the thought, that My Heart does now possess a different feeling, either in respect to God, or with regard to men.
Take heed lest thou deem My Heart, that abides here to comfort thee, different from My Heart, that erewhile, in Its mortal life, so marvelously, so sweetly relieved men, and filled them with every consolation. For every spirit, that thus severs or divides My Heart, is not of God.

6. Dilate thy heart, My Child, and understand, as much as thou art able, what comfort, here, as from a perennial fountain, flows down upon thee from My Heart.
Behold all the consolations, admirable and delightful,----which, during Its mortal life, It imparted to many and various persons,----It bestows in Its Sacramental life upon thee alone.

How much happier, then, art thou, than they that were living at the time of My mortal life! Neither did these, like thyself, uninterruptedly enjoy My Presence: neither were they in the same manner, as thou, possessed of Me: nor, lastly, did they receive or enjoy Me, as thyself, O Child of My Heart.

Lo, then, to what a degree My Heart favors thee. In every necessity, therefore in every difficulty whether interior or exterior, do thou fly hither. Here, if thou art guilty, thou shalt obtain pardon, if sick, healing; if downhearted, courage and fortitude; if afflicted, relief and help; if in danger, protection and safety; a remedy for all miseries; always a true and sanctifying consolation.

7. The voice of the Disciple.----O Jesus, my love! how delightful are the designs of Thy Heart, whereby, to soothe the bitterness of this life, Thou journeyest, in some manner, with me in my banishment, nay, changest my very exile into a Paradise!

Shall I speak, O Lord, or be silent about what r conceive of the exceeding love of Thy Heart for us men? Yet, for the glory of Thy Heart, I will not be silent: Thus, O Jesus! thus Thou didst nowhere deal with the Angels themselves; thus Thou never gavest Thyself to them to enjoy!

O my Jesus! infinite sweetness, how immensely hast Thou loved me! how givest Thou Thyself to me! how dost Thou wholly become my consolation!

Whence, O most loving God, so great a goodness toward an ungrateful Child, not worthy of the name of Child!

Thus, O ineffable love! Thou displayest the greatness of Thy goodness, since Thou regardest not Thy Majesty and my abjectness, but kindly followst the goodness of Thy Heart, moved by my indigence and Thy charity.

8. O Lord Jesus, Father of mercies, and God of all consolation! with how great a gladness do I come to Thee, full of courage and confidence in Thy pure goodness!
Many, indeed, and great are my miseries: yet, confidingly and cheerfully do I draw nigh, attracted by the sweetness of Thy love.

For now I know that, although Thou art incapable of pain, Thou art not without feeling; that, although my sorrows do not cause Thee any suffering, Thou art not indifferent to them. Now I understand, that Thou art able and willing to feel compassion for my infirmities; and that my great and numerous miseries are the objects of: Thine infinite mercy.

If, hitherto, I languished miserable and disconsolate, I myself was in fault; because I neglected to come to the ever-open source of mercy and comfort. But, henceforth, whenever I shall be afflicted, I will arise and go to this fountain of all blessings, where I shall find more remedies than I need: where I shall have greater consolations than I car contain in my heart.

 

[KeenanParkerII]

Thanks for posting that Monica, it was well enjoyed!


Favourite part: here, O My Child, here in this mystery of love thou shalt be abundantly comforted: when thou possessest Me, yea, when thou pressest Me to thy heart, Me thy Saviour, thy faithful Friend, thy best and dearest Father, thou wilt be contented enough to be hidden.

To be contented enough to be hidden is the humblest of accomplishments, I think. There is one bit at the end though that I'm not grasping.. Do you have any clarification?

Now I understand, that Thou art able and willing to feel compassion for my infirmities; and that my great and numerous miseries are the objects of: Thine infinite mercy.