Chap. XI That the Body of Christ and the Holy Scripture Are Most Necessary to a Faithful Soul
The Voice of the Disciple.
1. O Sweetest Lord Jesus, how great sweetness hath a devout soul that feasteth with thee in thy banquet; where there is no other meat set before her to be eaten but thyself her only beloved, and most to be desired above all the desires of her heart!
And to me indeed it would be delightful to pour out tears in thy presence, with the whole affection of my heart, and like the devout Magdalen to wash thy feet with my tears.
But where is this devotion? Where is this so plentiful shedding of holy tears?
Surely in the sight of thee, and of thy holy angels, my whole heart ought to be inflamed, and to weep for joy.
For I have thee in the sacrament truly present, though hidden under another form.
2. For to behold thee in thine own divine brightness, is what my eyes would not be able to endure, neither could the whole world subsist in the splendour of the glory of thy Majesty.
In this therefore thou condescendest to my weakness, that thou hidest thyself under the sacrament.
I truly have and adore him whom the angels adore in heaven; but I as yet in faith, they by sight and without a veil.
I must be content with the light of true faith, and walk therein till the day of eternal brightness break forth, and the shades of figures pass away.
But when that which is perfect shall come, the use of the sacraments shall cease: for the blessed in heavenly glory stand not in need of the remedy of the sacraments.
For they rejoice without end in the presence of God, beholding his glory face to face; and being transformed from glory into the glory of the incomprehensible Deity, they taste the Word of God made flesh, as he was from the beginning, and as he remaineth for ever.
3. When I call to mind these wonders, even every spiritual comfort becomes grievously tedious to me; because as long as I behold not my Lord openly in his glory, I make no account of whatsoever I see and hear in the world.
Thou art my witness, O God, that not one thing can comfort me, nor any thing created give me rest, but only thou, my God, whom I desire for ever to contemplate.
But this is not possible whilst I remain in this mortal life.
And therefore I must frame myself to much patience, and submit myself to thee in all my desires.
For thy saints also, O Lord, who now rejoice with thee in the Kingdom of heaven, whilst they were living, expected in faith and great patience the coming of thy glory. What they believed, I believe; what they hoped for, I hope for; and whether they are come, I trust that I also through thy grace shall come.
In the mean time I will walk in faith, strengthened by the example of thy saints.
I shall have moreover for my comfort, and the direction of my life, thy holy books; and above all these things, thy most holy body for a singular remedy and refuge.
4. For in this life I find there are two things especially necessary for me, without which this miserable life would be insupportable.
Whilst I am kept in the prison of this body, I acknowledge myself to need two things, to wit, food and light.
Thou hast therefore given to me, weak as I am, thy sacred body for the nourishment of my soul and body, and thou hast set thy Word as a light to my feet. Psalms cxviii.
Without these two I could not well live, for the Word of God is the light of my soul, and thy sacrament is the bread of Life.
These also may be called the two tables set on the one side, and on the other, in the store house of the holy church.
One is the table of the holy altar, having the holy bread, that is the precious Body of Christ.
The other is that of the divine law, containing holy doctrine, teaching the right faith, and firmly leading even within the veil, where are the holies of holies:
Thanks be to thee, O Lord Jesus, Light of eternal Light, for the table of holy doctrine which thou hast afforded us by the ministry of thy servants, the prophets and apostles, and other teachers.
5. Thanks be to thee, O thou Creator and Redeemer of men, who, to manifest thy love to the whole world, hast prepared a great supper, wherein thou hast set before us to be eaten, not the typical lamb, but thy most sacred body and blood: rejoicing all the faithful with thy holy banquet, and replenishing them with the cup of salvation, in which are all the delights of paradise; and the holy angels do feast with us, but with a more happy sweetness.
6. O how great and honourable is the office of priests, to whom it is given to consecrate with sacred words the Lord of Majesty; to bless him with their lips, to hold him with their hands, to receive him with their own mouth, and to administer him to others!
Oh! how clean ought those hands to be, how pure that mouth, how holy that body, how unspotted the heart of a priest, into whom thou the Author of Purity so often enters!
From the mouth of a priest nothing but what is holy, no word but what is good and profitable ought to proceed, who so often receives the sacrament of Christ.
7. His eyes ought to be simple, and chaste, which are used to behold the Body of Christ; his hands pure and lifted up to heaven, which use to handle the Creator of heaven and earth.
Unto the priest especially it is said in the law, Be you holy, for I the Lord your God am holy. Leviticus xix. 20.
8. Let thy grace, O Almighty God, assist us, that we, who have undertaken the office of priesthood, may serve thee worthily and devoutly in all purity and good conscience.
And if we cannot live in so great innocency as we ought, grant us at least duly to bewail the sins which we have committed; and in the spirit of humility, and the resolution of a good-will, to serve thee more fervently for the time to come.