Harvesting The Fruits of Contemplation

 

"Behold, my longings are fulfilled! Behold, my desires are satisfied! Now hath my God come to visit me! Now Jesus dwelleth within me! Now I am no longer my own but Christ's: I no longer live in myself but in Jesus, and Jesus lives in me! I am altogether the possession of Jesus and Jesus is altogether mine.  (Photo©Michael Seagriff)   O Infinite Goodness! A God - the God of Heaven - hath touched the tongue, and come within the breast, and sought the heart of a human creature, and one so vile, so unworthy as I am! My soul, of what are thou thinking? Behold thyself now in possession of that for which thou has been sighing; behold myself all hollowed by the presence of Jesus, transformed into Jesus. Thou and Jesus are one. O union true and wonderful! My soul, my soul art thou thus closely united to Jesus, and yet sayest nothing to Him, and speakest not with thy God Who is in thine arms, within thy breast, at thy heart? Up, up, arise, collect thyself, gather up all the affe...

The following excerpt is from an article entitled St. Thomas More on the Reception of Holy Communion , written by Father David Friel and which was published on February 18, 2018 on Corpus Christi Watershed .  I thought More's reflection and exhortation were well worth sharing:   (Image Source: Wikimedia Commons ) OW, WHEN WE HAVE RECEIVED our Lord and have Him inside our body, let us not then leave Him alone as we get involved in other things, forgetting to look to Him anymore. For anyone who would serve a guest in such a way would have little sense! Instead, let all our concern be focused on Him. Let us by devout prayer talk to Him, by devout meditation talk with Him. Let us say with the prophet: “I will hear what our Lord will speak within me” (Ps 85:9). If we set aside all other things and attend to Him, He will not fail to inspire us, to speak to us such things within us that will lead to the great spiritual comfort and profit of our soul. Having rece...

"Always prepare yourself well for this Sacred banquet. Have a very pure heart, and watch over your tongue, for it is on the tongue that the Sacred Host is laid. (Image Source: Wikimedia Commons ) Carry Our Lord home with you after your thanksgiving, and let your heart be a living tabernacle for Jesus. Visit Him often in this interior tabernacle, offering Him your homage, and the sentiments of gratitude with which divine love will inspire you."                (Saint Paul of the Cross from Flowers of the Passion: Thoughts of St. Paul of the Cross )

"After having received the Sacred Host, one should hold it for a moment in the mouth until it is sufficiently damp and can be swallowed more easily. If this is not done, the host may cling to the roof of the mouth and the person is so busy trying to get it loose and swallow it that he has no attention to give to prayer. (Image Source: Wikimedia Commons ) And one should remain for some time in church, giving thanks to God and speaking to Him who is present in one's breast. Under no circumstances should we, immediately after receiving Communion, congregate with others and spend the time laughing and conversing. This is reprehensible indeed. What bad manners it would be to receive a guest into one's house and then immediately turn your back on him to talk and laugh with others. Cajetan says that this Sacrament communicates grace to the soul not only at the moment it is received, but as long as the sacred species remain in the body. All the more reason why a man...