Chap. II That the Great Goodness and Charity of God Is Shewed to Man in This Sacrament
The Voice of the Disciple.
1. O Lord, trusting in thy goodness and in thy great mercy, I come sick to my Saviour, hungry and thirsty to the Fountain of Life, needy to the King of Heaven, a servant to his Lord, a creature to his Creator, and one in desolation to his loving Comforter.
But whence is this to me, that thou shouldst come to me? Who am I, that thou shouldst give me thyself?
How dare such a sinner appear before thee? and how dost thou vouchsafe to come to a sinner?
Thou knowest thy servant, and thou knowest that he has nothing of good in him which can entitle him to this favour.
I confess therefore my unworthiness, I acknowledge thy bounty, I praise thy goodness, and I give thee thanks for thy excessive charity:
For it is for thy own sake thou doest this, not for my merits, that thy goodness may be better known to me; that greater charity may be imparted, and humility more perfectly recommended.
Since therefore this is what pleaseth thee, and thou hast commanded it should be so, thy merciful condescension pleaseth me also; and I wish that my iniquity may be no obstacle.
2. Oh! most sweet and most bountiful Jesus, how great reverence and thanks, with perpetual praise, are due to thee for the receiving of thy sacred body, whose dignity no man can sufficiently express?
But what shall I think of in this communion, when I am approaching to my Lord, whom I can never reverence so much as I ought, and yet would gladly receive with devotion?
What can I think of better or more wholesome to my soul, than to humble myself entirely in thy presence, and extol thy infinite goodness above me?
I praise thee, O my God, and I extol thee for ever: I despise myself, and subject myself to thee, casting myself down to the depth of my unworthiness.
3. Behold, thou art the saint of saints, and I am the scum of sinners:
Behold, thou bowest thyself down to me, who am not worthy to look up to thee.
Behold, thou comest to me; thou art willing to be with me.
Thou invitest me to thy banquet, where thou wilt give me thy heavenly food, and the bread of angels to eat; no other, verily, than thyself, the living bread, who didst come down from heaven, and who givest life to the world.
4. Behold, whence love proceeds, what a bounty shines forth! how great thanks and praises are due to thee for these things!
Oh! how wholesome and profitable was thy device in this institution! how sweet and delightful this banquet in which thou givest thyself to be our food!
Oh! how admirable is thy work, O Lord! how powerful thy virtue! how infallible thy truth!
For thou hast spoken the word, and all things were made; and that has been done which thou hast commanded.
5. A wonderful thing it is, and worthy of faith, and exceeding all human understanding; that thou, O Lord, my God, true God, and true man, art contained whole and entire, under a small form of bread and wine, and without being consumed art eaten by the receiver.
Thou, the Lord of all things, who standest in need of no one, hast been pleased by this sacrament to dwell in us;
Preserve my heart and body without stain, that with a joyful and clean conscience I may be able often to celebrate thy sacred mysteries, and to receive for my eternal salvation what thou hast principally ordained and instituted for thy honour and perpetual remembrance.
6. Rejoice, O my soul, and give thanks to thy God for so noble a gift, and so singular a comfort, left to thee in this vale of tears.
For as often as thou repeatest this mystery, and receivest the body of Christ, so often dost thou celebrate the work of thy redemption, and art made partaker of all the merits of Christ;
For the charity of Christ is never diminished, and the greatness of his propitiation is never exhausted.
Therefore oughtest thou to dispose thyself for this, by perpetually renewing the vigour of thy mind, and to weigh with attentive consideration this great mystery of thy salvation.
And as often as thou sayest or hearest mass, it ought to seem to thee as great, new, and delightful, as if Christ that same day, first descending into the Virgin’s womb, had been made man; or hanging on the cross was suffering and dying for the salvation of mankind.