Eucharistic Reflection - Are You Preparing Yourself Sufficiently?
“One day St. Gertrude went to
receive Holy Communion without being sufficiently prepared. Being greatly
afflicted at this, she begged the Blessed Virgin Mary and all the Saints to
offer up to God in her behalf all their merits, that they might in some way supply
her own deficiency; whereupon, our Savior appeared to her and said:
‘Now, before the whole heavenly
court, thou appearest adorned for Communion as thou wouldst wish to be.’
Comply, then, O Christian, with
that which Jesus Christ requires of you.
Communicate, but communicate as
He desires that you should. Do not be content with keeping yourself free from
mortal sin; make war against venial sin also, at least those which are fully
deliberate; for though venial sins do not extinguish love, they greatly weaken
its force and fervor.
Strive also to wean your heart
from creatures; endeavor to mortify your attachment to honors, riches and
pleasures; spare no trouble for the sake of the Kingdom of Heaven; practice
little but frequent acts of self-denial; keep yourself always in the fear of
God, and strive to adorn your soul with the virtues which Jesus Christ
especially loves-----humility,
meekness, patience, prayer, charity, faith, peace and recollection.”
(Quotation and Image from Excerptsfrom the St Gertrude Manual)