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)