Meditation Minute

My Dearest Brothers and Sisters in Crist:

Book 4 Chapter 4: On the Many Benefits Bestowed on Those Who Communicate Devoutly

“O Lord, my God, grant Your servant the blessing of Your kindness, that I may be worthy to approach your sublime Sacrament with true devotion.”

When you go to Holy Communion, what is going through your mind? Are you thinking about things outside church?  Are you distracted by the world around you?  So often we approach Communion with a less than worthy attitude.  We should ask God to “rouse us from the sloth and idleness which grips us.”  We should ask our Lord to shake us so our senses are awakened to the sweetness, “which lies hidden in the most Blessed Sacrament.” We must realize that while the bread and wine were made from human hands, it is only God who has the power to transform these gifts into the Living Bread of Life.  While this action is far beyond our human comprehension, it is our faith that allows us to accept these gifts from God.  It is with the “simplicity of heart, in good and stable faith, and at God’s command, I approach Him – truly believing that He is present in this Sacrament.”  It is in our approach, our willingness to rise and process forward to His alter, that our faith is put into action.  It is in our walking forward that we should cry out, “Yes Lord, it is I who hear your calling to come forth and receive You, Your Body and Blood, in this most Blessed Sacrament.”  It is in the nourishment of the Sacrament, that our souls are healed and made whole again.  It is in this Sacrament that my soul is lifted giving me hope of Your eternal protection.  I am renewed in the reception of the Sacrament because I now know that I am not alone in this world.  I know that You are within me and protecting me from the evil which exists in this world.  While at times I approach with doubt, I know that I will walk away with some taste of the sweetness you pour out in this Sacrament. It is in the fire of your love, that I will feel the warmth of your presence.  It is should be our prayer that this brief encounter with the Risen Lord will strengthen our belief and affirm our faith in Him who created all the Universe. I must realize that I labor on this earth due to the sins of our first parents.  We must realize that we are “tormented by a sorrowful heart, burdened by sins, troubled with temptations, and caught up in and oppressed by many evil passions.” But it is only through the healing powers of His presence within us that we are healed.  This is the healing power of the Eucharist. It is only God that can deliver us from our sins and those burdens which weigh us down.

A Simple Prayer

“You, Who have prepared Your Body and Blood for my food and drink,

Save me, receive me, for the praise and glory of Your Name,

And bring me to everlasting life.

Grant me, O Lord, my Savior, a daily increase in devotion,

Through the frequent reception of Your sacred mystery.

Yours in Christ

Michael Marcon