St. Albert the Great and the Eucharist

Today is the feast day of St. Albert the Great (1206-1280). Who was this noted Dominican friar?  

The following brief summary from the Lay Fraternities of St. Dominic (St. Joseph’s Province) highlights some of his accomplishments;

“German Bishop, theologian of renown, philosopher, scientist, diplomat, inventor, teacher of St. Thomas Aquinas…crisscrossed his diocese on foot and so nicknamed “Doctor Boots by his contemporaries. “Universal Doctor’ of the Church…”

 

Today also marks the 11th anniversary of the opening of the chapel of Perpetual Eucharistic Adoration in my former parish.  

Why not commemorate both of these great occasions by taking a look at what St. Albert the Great had to say about the Eucharist:

“This sacrament [the Eucharist] is profitable because it grants remissions of sins; it is most useful because it bestows the fullness of grace on us in this life...Nor can we do anything more pleasant. For what is better than God manifesting his whole sweetness to us…He could not have commanded anything more beneficial, for this sacrament is the fruit of the tree of life. Anyone who receives this sacrament with the devotion of sincere faith will never taste death…Nor could he have commanded anything more lovable, for this sacrament produces love and union. It is characteristic of the greatest love to give itself as food…There is no more intimate or more natural means for them to be united to me and I to them. Nor could he have commanded anything which is more like eternal life. Eternal life flows from this sacrament because God with all sweetness pours himself out upon the blessed.” 

(Excerpted from Commentary on the Gospel of Luke by St. Albert the Great as set forth in today’s Office of Readings)

(Image source: Wikipedia)