God's Great Goodness and Love is Shown to Man in This Sacrament

THE DISCIPLE
TRUSTING in Your goodness and great mercy, O Lord, I come as one sick to the Healer, as one hungry and thirsty to the Fountain of life, as one in need to the King of heaven, a servant to his Lord, a creature to his Creator, a soul in desolation to my gentle Comforter.
But whence is this to me, that You should come to me? Who am I that You should offer Yourself to me? How dares the sinner to appear in Your presence, and You, how do You condescend to come to the sinner? You know Your servant, and You know that he has nothing good in him that You should grant him this.
I confess, therefore, my unworthiness. I acknowledge Your goodness. I praise Your mercy, and give thanks for Your immense love. For it is because of Yourself that You do it, not for any merit of mine; so that Your goodness may be better known to me, that greater love may be aroused and more perfect humility born in me. Since, then, this pleases You and You have so willed it, Your graciousness pleases me also. Oh, that my sinfulness may not stand in the way!
O most sweet and merciful Jesus, what great reverence, thanks, and never-ending praise are due to You for our taking of Your sacred body, whose dignity no man can express!
But on what shall I think in this Communion, this approach to my Lord, Whom I can never reverence as I ought, and yet Whom I desire devoutly to receive? What thought better, more helpful to me than to humble myself entirely in Your presence and exalt Your infinite goodness above myself?
I praise You, my God, and extol You forever! I despise myself and cast myself before You in the depths of my unworthiness. Behold, You are the Holy of holies, and I the scum of sinners! Behold, You bow down to me who am not worthy to look up to You! Behold, You come to me! You will to be with me! You invite me to Your banquet! You desire to give me heavenly food, the Bread of Angels to eat, none other than Yourself, the living Bread Who are come down from heaven and give life to the world.
Behold, whence love proceeds! What condescension shines forth! What great thanks and praise are due You for these gifts! Oh, how salutary and profitable was Your design in this institution! How sweet and pleasant the banquet when You gave Yourself as food!
How admirable is Your work, O Lord! How great Your power! How infallible Your truth! For You spoke and all things were made, and this, which You commanded, was done. It is a wonderful thing, worthy of faith, overpowering human understanding, that You, O Lord, my God, true God and man, are contained whole and entire under the appearance of a little bread and wine, and without being consumed are eaten by him who receives You!
You, the Lord of the universe, Who have need of nothing, have willed to dwell in us by means of Your Sacrament. Keep my heart and body clean, so that with a joyous and spotless conscience I may be able often to celebrate Your Mysteries and to receive for my eternal salvation what You have ordained and instituted for Your special honor and as an everlasting memorial.
Rejoice, my soul, and give thanks to God for having left you so noble a gift and so special a consolation in this valley of tears. As often as you renew this Mystery and receive the Body of Christ, so often do you enact the work of redemption and become a sharer in all the merits of Jesus Christ, for the love of Jesus Christ never grows less and the wealth of His mercy is never exhausted.
Therefore, you should prepare yourself for it by constantly renewing your heart and pondering deeply the great mystery of salvation. As often as you celebrate or hear Mass, it should seem as great, as new, as sweet to you as if on that very day Jesus Christ became man in the womb of the Virgin, or, hanging on the Cross, suffered and died for the salvation of man.

For your thoughtful and prayerful meditation and response.

1 posted on 12/26/2007 11:57:57 AM PST by Salvation

Actual Title:
God’s Great Goodness and Love is Shown to Man in This Sacrament

2 posted on 12/26/2007 11:58:28 AM PST by Salvation (†With God all things are possible.†)

Thanks for your faithfulness in reading these threads. Didn’t post one on Christmas — I figured the emphasis needed to be on the Birth of Christ as both God and Man.

3 posted on 12/26/2007 11:59:43 AM PST by Salvation (†With God all things are possible.†)

To: nickcarraway; sandyeggo; Lady In Blue; NYer; ELS; Pyro7480; livius; Catholicguy; RobbyS; ...

Imitation of Christ Devotional Ping!

Please notify me via FReepmail if you would like to be added to or taken off the Imitation of Christ Devotional Ping List.

Also, many Protestants have asked me to put them on this ping list. I have gladly done so, and will add your name if you FReepmail me. I reassure you that you will not get all the Catholic pings.

4 posted on 12/26/2007 12:01:11 PM PST by Salvation (†With God all things are possible.†)

The Religion Moderator gave me permission to copy the rules from the Chambers' thread (with a few alterations) which I think are applicable. Thank you to the RM!

Come to these threads as you are; leave with what you have discovered.

Absolutely no flaming! These daily threads are intended to be devotional in nature. If a particular day's offering says nothing to you, please just go on and wait for the next day. Consider these threads a DMZ of sorts, a place where a perpetual truce is in effect and a place where all other arguments and disagreements from other times and places are left behind.

I can attest from personal experience (Salvation's) that reading from Imitation of Christ daily will almost certainly change - not one's faith - but one's perspective of his/her own faith, and open up new vistas in your spiritual life. If - when - this happens to a reader of these threads, and they choose to share what has happened within them - we are treading on hallowed ground. Be respectful.

- Religion Moderator

5 posted on 12/26/2007 12:02:27 PM PST by Salvation (†With God all things are possible.†)

Christ In The Garden Of Gethsemane art print by Heinrich Hofmann

THE IMITATION OF CHRIST

BY
THOMAS KEMPIS
A very powerful spiritual guidance for the soul who seeks to imitate Jesus Christ.

Learn from me, because I am meek and humble of heart. Mat. 11:29

6 posted on 12/26/2007 12:03:02 PM PST by Salvation (†With God all things are possible.†)

I've been gone for a week, and am praying for that special person I was told about.

Many blessing in the New Year for you and yours, Salvation. sw

7 posted on 12/26/2007 12:52:19 PM PST by spectre (spectre's wife)

What kind of “special” are you talking about here? LOL!

8 posted on 12/26/2007 1:59:39 PM PST by Salvation (†With God all things are possible.†)

9 posted on 12/26/2007 8:12:18 PM PST by Salvation (†With God all things are possible.†)

10 posted on 12/26/2007 8:14:55 PM PST by Salvation (†With God all things are possible.†)

11 posted on 12/26/2007 8:16:57 PM PST by Salvation (†With God all things are possible.†)

12 posted on 12/26/2007 11:08:59 PM PST by Ciexyz

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God's Great Goodness and Love is Shown to Man in This Sacrament

THE IMITATION OF CHRIST

A very powerful spiritual guidance for the soul who seeks to imitate Jesus Christ. Learn from me, because I am meek and humble of heart. Mat. 11:29

A very powerful spiritual guidance for the soul who seeks to imitate Jesus Christ.

Learn from me, because I am meek and humble of heart. Mat. 11:29