Meditation Minute

My Dearest Brothers and Sisters in Christ:

Book 4 Chapter 3: On the Advantage of Frequent Communion

“In You is all that I can or should wish for; You are my salvation and my redemption, my hope and my strength, my honor and my glory.”

How often should we receive Holy Communion?  According to the Catechism of the Catholic Church, “You shall receive the sacrament of the Eucharist at least during the Easter season” which “guarantees as a minimum the reception of the Lord’s Body and Blood in connection with the Pascal feast, the origin and center of the Christian liturgy”.  Just once a year?  Really! Has the church lost its mind?  I think we must look back to the early disciples in the church to understand this wisdom.  In the past, the reception of the Eucharist was considered very sacred by the faithful and was only received when the heart was truly in a state of grace.  We have somewhat lost that conviction in our heart and receive the Eucharist whether we are properly prepared or not.  In this chapter, Thomas a Kempis focuses on our desire; a desire that leads us to purify our heart so that we can worthily receive Him into our house.  We should desire to receive the Eucharist – “Give joy to the soul of Your servant, for to You, I lift up my soul.” (Psalm 86.4).  We are called to desire Christ to enter within us, but are we worthy that He should enter under our roof.  It is in my desire for the Eucharist that I should want to purify my heart.  We should long for His Body and Blood so that we can be made one with Him. Therefore, you must come to Him frequently for the health of your soul.  In doing so, I must desire to be purified so that my soul becomes a worthy vessel to receive Him.  Jesus fed the multitudes with so little. “And they all ate and were satisfied.” (Matthew 14:20) Their bodies were completely nourished and their souls were satisfied.  Those who receive Him worthily with purified heart “will share in the inheritance of everlasting glory.” Those who receive Him frequently with a worthy heart, will be strengthened to do battle with Satan.  We must realize that we are naturally drawn to evil due to our original sin.  Seeking the Eucharist helps strengthen us through His divine medicine.  “Therefore, Holy Communion draws people away from evil and strengthens them in goodness.”  Even though you are not able to receive the Eucharist daily, you should desire so.  Even when you do attend Mass and you are not properly prepared or have the proper disposition to receive the Lord, your desire should have the desire to be united with Him always.  This same desire should draw you into the Sacrament of Reconciliation as a preparation of the soul to receive the grace of His Body and Blood, the medicine that will give us eternal life. So happy are the souls that are in the proper state and receive the Lord God with devotion and dedication.  These are the people who experience the true joy of communion with God.  

A Simple Prayer

“O my dearly Beloved,

Let the heavens and the earth, with all their adornment, be silent before you;

For whatever beauty or glory they possess is the gift of Your generous goodness,

And they can never attain to the beauty of Your Name,

You, Whose wisdom is without limit.”

Yours in Christ

Michael Marcon