THE BLESSED SACRAMENT OUR. GOD THE BLESSED SACRAMENT, OUR GOD; OR PRACTICAL THOUGHTS ON THE MYSTERY OF LOVE . BY A CHILD OF ST. TERESA. Absentia Domini non est absens : Habeto fidem, et tecum est, quern non vides.” D. August, Serin, xl. de temp. iiogroM 'oOL.lHGE LONDON: BURNS & OATES, LIMITED. I897. 5>x:ui^ •3rr •ffUbil ©bstat : Guglielmus L. Gildea, S.T.D., Censor deputatus. imprimatur : HERBERT CARD. VAUGHAN. 15 th. February , 1897. DEDICATORY PRAYER TO ST TERESA. To you, my glorious mother and protectress, St. Teresa, I offer up this little work, and with confidence I ask your blessing on it. It was in the Sacramental Presence that you found your strength, and consolation, during your weary exile in this vale of tears. Therefore, O my mother ! regard not my unworthiness, but obtain, by your powerful intercession, that this, my feeble effort to make that Divine Presence better known, may not prove wholly unsuccessful. May your sweet protection be with me now, and at the hour of my death, and may the Three Divine Persons of the Adorable Trinity, be blessed, and praised, for all eternity. Amen. Ube Blesseb Sacrament, ©ur CHAPTER I. OUR VISITS. EAR BROTHERS and sisters in Jesus Christ — for to all of you, young, old, rich, or poor,- to each of you, personally, individually, these words are spoken — I am not going to try to discourse learnedly on our dear Sacrament of Love, nor am I even going to speak of the dispositions necessary for hearing Mass or re- ceiving Holy Communion. I simply wish to put before you a few com- monplace facts and thoughts, in the hope that they may lead you to a greater loyalty to the Blessed Sacra- ment, and, as a natural and inevitable consequence, bring you, by a most THE BLESSED SACRAMENT, OUR GOD. 5 sweet and easy path, to the sanctifi- cation of your souls and daily lives. It is well known that many, who though not belonging to the Church, are yet acquainted with the truths it teaches, have observed (and often, alas ! with reason) that the be- haviour of Catholics toward the Blessed Sacrament, is inconsistent with the Faith they profess. Let us see if, without in any way burdening ourselves with devotions, for which many hard-working bread-winners have no time, we cannot alter this sad state of things, and become (each one according to his state and opportunities) “shining lights” to our brethren outside the One True Fold. We will take for our first consid- eration our “ visits,” be they rare or frequent, short or lengthy. To begin with, then : What is the Blessed Sacrament? The “Penny 6 THE BLESSED SACRAMENT, Catechism ” gives us the clear and precise answer : “ The true Body and Blood, Soul, and Divinity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, under the appear- ance of bread and wine. ,, This is our firm and steadfast belief ; and I do not doubt that you, my reader, and every Catholic worth the name, would rather die than deny this most blessed truth. Yes, my friends, we all believe it ; but, do we realise it ? I can imagine your indignant as- severation that you do ; but have patience and think a little. When you discuss, say, over the breakfast table, some terrible railway accident, earthquake, explosion, or any one of the calamities which sometimes startle us in the morning papers, you doubtless feel great sym- pathy for the sufferers, and, if the account be reliable, you believe the report of the accident. But do you imagine you have realised it? If OUR GOD. 7 you could properly picture to your- self the mangled limbs, and the agonies of those unfortunate people, crushed past recognition beneath, say, the debris of two express trains, do you imagine you could dismiss the subject from your thoughts at a moment’s notice, with a mere “ Dear me! How dreadful?” Why! If, in cutting your bread, the knife slipped, and made but a slight wound upon your hand, that insignificant occurrence would make more real impression on those pre- sent, than half-a-dozen accounts of wrecks or of collisions. So it is with our belief in the Blessed Sacrament : we all believe in It, believe in It without the shadow of a doubt ; but we realise It so lightly, that hours and days pass by without our thinking of Its Presence in the world. Indeed, many, perhaps, who would not dream of missing their 8 THE BLESSED SACRAMENT, Sunday Mass, are actuated, if they would but examine themselves, not so much by the desire of coming into the presence of the Holy Eu- charist, and of assisting at its Sac- rifice, as by mere habit of obedience to the Church, or through fear of be- coming guilty of mortal sin by culpable absence. Not that I depre- ciate for one moment either of these motives — God forbid ! Only , if we realised what we profess to believe, we would require no command from the Church to make us hear Mass, and no threat of incurring the guilt of sin by failing to do so. There are many persons who wish they had lived at “ the time of Our Lord.” Now, this is ten thousand times more the time of Our Lord than when He walked the earth in His visible humanity. Then He was corporally present in but one place at a time, and, comparatively speak- OUR GOD. 9 ing, but a small number of men were blessed with the sight of His Divine countenance. But now, in every place where His Word is preached, He Himself abides, not in figure, but in reality. Many of you live quite close to a church ; you, perhaps, pass it daily in your walks, or as you go to, and from, your work. Do you think of it? Do you realise that He Him- self is there, as truly present as He was present in the Holy Land eigh- teen centuries ago? Do you realise that the same pierced Hands are waiting there to bless you, the same gentle eyes to gaze upon you, and that the same adorable Heart is calling you, loving you, waiting for you to give It some little sign of love, or at least recognition, if no- thing more than a genuflection ? Oh ! do you think that if Catholics realised what they believe, it would be possible to go into a church at IO THE BLESSED SACRAMENT, any hour and find it empty? Do you think that people — aye, and good people too, who go regularly to their duties, and, perhaps, hear Mass daily — could pass, and repass, churches without seeing, or feeling, the neces- sity of entering, even if only for a moment ? Again, others, after five minutes* prayer, seem to find nothing to say, and, if they have not come provided with some book of devotions are at a loss what to do, and what to think about. Now, supposing you had lived centuries ago, and, by some happy chance, had dwelt near the Holy House at Nazareth : if our dear Lord had given you permission to go in and speak to Him as often as you wished, would you not have found something to say ? Would you not have wished to discuss with Him every daily joy and sorrow, to seek His sympathy OUR GOD. II in every disappointment or contra- diction ? Would you not have en- tered sometimes to thank Him for gladdening the earth with His Pres- ence, to acknowledge His kindness, to beg some gift, or to ask a blessing on yourself and others ? And, if anyone insulted, or denied Him in your hearing, would it not be an occasion for you to hasten and as- sure Him that you, at least, would always show Him love and vener- ation ? Even supposing that at times you had nothing to say, would you not still have loved to enter, and to stay near Him, blessed by the mere fact of His Sacred Presence ? Alas ! People will cheerfully un- dergo endless pains and fatigues, in making pilgrimages to holy relics, and holy places, and yet they will not turn down the next street in order to visit Him, from whom both relics and places, derive their holi- ness ! 12 THE BLESSED SACRAMENT, Truly we “ have eyes and we can- not see, ears and we cannot hear.” I am afraid we have also under- standings and we cannot understand ! Perhaps you will object to me that in His sacramental life Our Lord does not speak to, and console you, as He would have done in His home at Nazareth ? Your very objection proves how little knowledge and experience you have of the Holy Eucharist. God Himself has said, “Come to Me, all ye that labour and are burdened, and I will refresh you”; and none can go to the Blessed Sacrament with faith, with earnestness, and, above all, with love, without experiencing the infalli- bility of that Divine promise. Go to the altar when you are in grief, and at the feet of Jesus you will find resignation, if not consolation ; go to the Blessed Sacrament when you are beset with worries, doubts, and dis- OUR GOD. J 3 couragement, and, in the silence of the sanctuary you will remember that a faithful friend is near you, one Who has said, “ Behold ! I am with you always, even to the con- summation of the world.” Go to the Holy Eucharist simply out of love ; and oh ! with what Divine peace will your hidden God repay you, filling your soul to overflowing with the sense of His awful, yet most gentle Presence. Even if to try your faith, and affection, He occasionally with- draw all sensible consolation, so that you find yourself filled with distrac- tions, and apparently deprived of all devotion, why should you fear? He is none the less there because He does not see fit to speak to you. Say to Him, in the words of the saintly Father P^ymard, the Apostle of the Blessed Sacrament : “ O, my God, when I loved you with tender- ness I was very happy ; now, my 14 THE BLESSED SACRAMENT, heart is cold and desolate. . . . Well, I will love you more than the sweetness of your love ! Does my heart tell me I do not love you ? I will love you in spite of my heart — with my will ! ” Oh ! if we only learned to realise that the Blessed Sacrament was God ! What a sense of joy and protection would enter into our lonely lives ! God living here with me ; God living here for me. We would haunt our altars at every untoward circum- stance, at every grief and trial that crossed our path. Instead of which, I have seen good, pious Catholics, who, when oppressed with sorrow, have shut themselves up for days , considering that the bitterness of their woe dispensed them from their daily Mass and visit ! Poor souls ! How little they know Our Lord to think that, because they are unable to go through their usual prayers and OUR GOD. 15 devotions, it is useless to come in before Him ! They would not have acted thus in what they are pleased to call “the time of Our Lord.” They would have known that the mere sight of their tears was prayer enough for Him. God, the eternal, immutable God, is the same now as then , and now, as then, He never sees His children weeping in His Presence, without being moved to compassion. I propose to finish each of these considerations with some practical little resolutions from which every one can choose those best adapted to, and most compatible with, his or her state in life. First, then, let us resolve never to pass by, or near, a church without entering it. If we have plenty of time, surely we need not grudge Our Lord a few moments, while we make a quiet little act of adoration at His feet ? i6 THE BLESSED SACRAMENT, If we are pressed for time, let us still enter, if only to make a genuflection, and hurry out again. For, even if we do not say one word with either heart or lips, what does that genuflec- tion mean ? It is in itself an act of faith, and a proof of love : an act of faith, because, by that reverend bend- ing of the knee we acknowledge the Divine Presence ; a proof of love, for surely, if we were indifferent to that Presence, we would not have troubled to come in and pay It homage. And, supposing time does not per- mit of even a moment’s visit, let us at least salute our Master in our hearts, and not be ashamed to acknowledge Him as we pass His door, reverently raising our hats, or quietly making the sign of the Cross — Protestant smiles and astonishment notwithstanding. Above all, let us always remember, that every time we set foot in a church where the Blessed Sacrament is kept OUR GOD. 17 God does us an immense favour and condescension, in allowing us to enter His Presence ; and let us beware of that feeling which sometimes creeps into our hearts (after, say, turning a good bit out of our way to visit the Blessed Sacrament), a feeling that we have been very good indeed, and that, in fact, Our Lord ought to be grate- ful for the trouble we have taken, and the attention we have paid Him ! Bfcoremus in eternum Sanctfesfmum Sacramentum ! 3 CHAPTER II. BENEDICTION. TD ENEDICTION ! The blessing of God ! O, surely, after Mass and the Sacraments, that word should be one of the sweetest to Catholic ears, and one of the dearest to Catho- lic hearts! Unfortunately, to many it means a pretty, but superfluous devotion, and it has been my sad experience to know people who will often leave the church just as Bene- diction is about to begin ! Of course, there is no question here of those whose duties do not permit them to remain longer. These, Our Lord’s blessing will follow to their homes, or wherever their work has taken them. I am alluding only to such as have nothing more important on hand than pleasure. They are THE BLESSED SACRAMENT, OUR GOD. 1 9 anxious to meet a friend, to take a drive, to be in time for the com- mencement of a concert : Benediction would delay them a quarter of an hour — they cannot stop ! Is not this an insult to Almighty God ? to walk away just as He is about to bless them ; as though His blessing were not worth the waiting for ? Un- happy souls ! how many graces might not have accompanied that Benedic- tion ! Perhaps, a few steps further on the way of life, a sorrow is to meet you, and that Benediction you would not wait for, contained strength and resignation to help you through your trial. Now, you must bear the cross unaided ! God had His Hand outstretched to help, up- raised to bless, but you turned away that you might not see it. Or, per- haps, it was some special grace that would have entered your soul through the door of that Benediction ; but it 20 THE BLESSED SACRAMENT, found your soul closed, for the bless- ing never reached it — and so you go your way, ignorant, and careless, of what you lose. But, on the Day of Judgment, when the veil of the Sac- ramental Species is drawn aside, and Jesus stands revealed in all the glory, and the majesty, of His Divinity, these despised graces, and all their attendant sweet possibilities, will meet you again ; only, with this differ- ence : that it will then be too late either to profit by, or appreciate them — the time of mercy and of Benediction will have passed ! Oh ! I beseech you, thoughtless children of the Blessed Sacrament, ponder well these things, and do not lightly miss an opportunity of being blessed by God ; for, if the blessings of holy people are so fruitful of good, how much more so will be that of Him, Who is the source of all good — the All-holy, and All-powerful God ! OUR GOD. 21 And now for our resolutions : I once read of a certain noble lady, who, realising the value of a Bene- diction, was not content with being present at one, but would drive, as rapidly as her horses could take her, from church to church, in order to receive as many blessings as possible. And I myself, have been personally acquainted with souls, who, possess- ing that lady’s devotion, without her means, have, in default of carriages and horses, hurried on foot from church to church, absolutely in- different to fatigue and weariness so long as they succeeded in their object. Let us at least resolve never to miss a Benediction when we can obtain one easily, even though we put ourselves to some trifling inconvenience. Let us place the matter clearly before us in the following manner : “ I must choose between Benediction and paying 22 THE BLESSED SACRAMENT, Mrs. So-and-So a visit, or finish- ing that thrilling novel, or resting quietly at home ; etc., etc. Now which is worth more, God’s Bene- diction or Mrs. So-and-So’s cup of tea and latest bit of scandal ? Which will do me more good, the blessing or the novel ? Shall I sacrifice the enjoyment of this easy chair for the sake of God’s com- pany?” Surely we shall not hesi- tate to choose aright, and surely we shall feel more than repaid for any little inconvenience, when we kneel before the Master’s throne, and know, that besides gaining in- calculable good for ourselves, we are giving pleasure to Him, whose “ delight” is to “be with the chil- dren of men.” To many of the working class Benediction is, I know, an impossi- bility on a week-day, but most people with a little good will could manage OUR GOD. 23 to be present for a quarter of an hour at the end of Sunday evening service At all events, when they hear the bell they can at least unite in spirit with those kneeling before Our Lord, and beg Him to let His blessing reach them in their homes. And you, my friends, who have both time, and wealth, at your disposal, do not let any trivial engagement, or pleasure, deprive you of this solid good ; and, if you are able, and ac- customed, to spend money on your- selves, do not let the rain stop you from going to church. Surely, if you can afford a cab fare to keep a worldly appointment, you need not grudge a shilling to get a Benediction — believe me, God’s blessing is worth your shilling ! Bfcoremus in eternum Sanctteaimum Sacramcntum ! CHAPTER III. REVERENCE. T NOW come to speak of that which ought to accompany us always, and on every occasion when we enter a church, whether for Mass, Benediction, or visit — I mean Rever- ence, What would be thought of the subjects of any king if, entering the throne-room noisily, and slamming the door behind them, they passed their monarch without the smallest mark of respect, took the most com- fortable seats in the room, and loung- ing back, began to bow and talk to their acquaintances, and criticise their neighbours, showing by their whole manner that they made no account whatever of the king who was present, and waiting to receive their homage ? It is quite certain that such conduct THE BLESSED SACRAMENT, OUR GOD. 25 would be punished by immediate, and ignominious, expulsion from the Royal presence ; yet, we can see just such behaviour going on daily before the throne of the King of kings, in many a church where He is sacramentally present. I am not talking here of that vast number of souls, who, not possessing the Faith, enter our churches out of curiosity, and pass our Tabernacles without suspecting that they are almost within touch of their Creator. For these, at least, our Divine Ad- vocate can plead to His Heavenly Father, in the same words in which He prayed for His executioners : “ Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” But what can be said for those, who, living in the full light of Revela- tion, do know ; or, at least, are cul- pably ignorant of “ what they do ” ? Does it not make one’s heart ache 26 THE BLESSED SACRAMENT, to see the little reverence which is so often shown in church, the little me- chanical bobs (they are not genuflec- tions) with which people salute the Blessed Sacrament ? Though, even such poor acknowledgment of the Divine Presence is better than the arrogant indifference with which some souls pass the altar — as though they were walking down their draw- ing-rooms instead of past the throne of the Eternal God — of God, from Whose Presence “ the earth and Heaven fled away ” ! (Apoc. xx.) Yes, I have seen people bow to the Blessed Sacrament, as they would be ashamed to bow to their merest ac- quaintance ; others, after an awkward little nod, cast a furtive glance round to see if anyone observed what I suppose they consider such an ex- aggerated show of reverence ! Now, all this ridiculous behaviour is due, as I said in the first chapter, to our OUR GOD. 27 not realising what we are bowing to. We are bowing to the Blessed Sacra- ment, and the Blessed Sacrament is — God. We can’t think of it too often, we can’t repeat it too often : the Blessed Sacrament is God, God our Creator, God, our Saviour and our Redeemer ! There is one other subject on Which I wish to speak, and to which, had space permitted, I would have liked to devote a separate chapter. I allude to Our Lord’s visits to the sick and dying. It has always seemed to me that we think too little of this vast condescension on the part of Almighty God — espec- ially here, in a Protestant country, where no warning bell calls the faith- ful to pay Him homage as He passes by, but where, on the contrary, He is obliged to carry out His errand of mercy, in disguise as it were, hidden beneath His priest’s cloak to escape 28 THE BLESSED SACRAMENT, molestation. Have you ever thought how wonderful to the priest these silent walks must be? Passing, like St. Joseph, through the busy streets, with his Creator on his breast, and seeing the people thronging to and fro, and brushing past him, all un- conscious of the Divine burden he is carrying ! Oh! how sweet is the condescension of Jesus in this Mystery of Love! Into miserable dens and hovels, some- times so repulsive that the great ones of the earth would not deign to set foot within them, the Holy Sacrament permits Itself to be carried ! No matter how contemptible, in the eyes of the world, is the poor creature who happens to be lying on his death-bed, to him hastens the tender Redeemer of mankind, concealing His majesty, and veiling His glory, that He may strengthen by His Presence the soul He once died to save ! How seldom OUR GOD. 29 we Catholics cast a thought on the subject ! And yet, it ought to be our holy ambition to be among those chosen by our pastors to go before them on these occasions, and “pre- pare the way of the Lord ” ! I once knew a little soul, to whom it was the greatest honour and de- light to be sent to the dwellings of poor Catholics, to arrange a table for the reception of the Blessed Sacra- ment. Instead of arriving only a few minutes before the priest, she would be there much earlier, so as to have time to set everything in order about the room. When her God entered, all was neat and tidy, and everything around her testified to the deep rever- ence that burned within the depths of her own heart. She confided to me, that one day she found by the side of a poor invalid (who was to receive the Holy Viaticum) a basin full of loathsome vomit, which, at 4 30 THE BLESSED SACRAMENT, any other time, she would have han- dled with extreme repugnance. But she thought that God had here given her an opportunity of showing Him honour ; and it was with nothing less than delight that she cleansed the basin, rejoicing that she had arrived in time to remove such offensive matter from His path. There was a true realisation of Our Lord’s Pre- sence in the Blessed Sacrament ; and I know that, ever since that day, it has been her secret ambi- tion to be sent to the most destitute and miserable houses of the poor, longing to show her zeal for God’s glory, by trying to introduce a little cleanliness, and neatness, into their (sometimes) loathsome surroundings, before the arrival of the Blessed Sacrament on the scene. Ah ! If such Catholics were the rule, the poor, hard-worked priests of struggling missions, would never be OUR GOD. 31 obliged to pay people to clean the churches where Jesus deigns to dwell! It is considered an honour to wait on, and serve, the princes of the earth *, but we Catholics are quite content to see, often decrepit, old men and women, charged with the care of cleaning our temples. And this charge is, in many cases, only ac- cepted as a means of livelihood ; zeal for the house of God does not enter into the question ! We could not en- dure to see dust lying thick in our own homes, but in a church we take it quite as a matter of course ; we insist that the servants who wait on us should look neat and tidy, but we are not scandalised if the acolytes who serve in the sanctuary, wear soiled, or torn, cottas and cassocks ! God, in His infinite goodness, dwells cheerfully with us in the poorest of poverty-stricken chapels ; but there is no poverty that can excuse dirt. 32 THE BLESSED SACRAMENT, Soap is cheap enough ; and there should never be any want of Catholic hands to use it in the service of the Blessed Sacrament. It has sometimes been objected to me, that when a place is as much fre- quented as a church ought to be, it is impossible to keep it clean, and that the untidiness, far from being a dis- honour, is a sign that the church is used and appreciated ! Now, if God had ordained that in only one spot on earth, and in only one church, a consecration could take place and the Blessed Sacrament be preserved, I am quite sure that every Catholic would endeavour, by some means or other, and at some time of his, or her life, to visit that earthly Paradise. But, crowded though the church would be with countless pil- grims from all quarters of the globe, do you suppose there would be any lack of hands, and care, to keep the OUR GOD. 33 sanctuary , at least y of that privileged temple in perfect order and condi- tion ? But God has not wished to con- fine His Sacramental Presence to one spot ; He has wished to live amongst us, to be our own familiar friend and fellow-exile. And what is the result? Practically this : that, since God has made Himself such a cheap, every- day occurrence, Pie should not expect of us that attention, and cleanliness we give our own homes and persons ! Oh ! it is not a stately church, or a costly Tabernacle that pleases our Divine Guest ! Truly, these things are good when they are the outcome of love, and as such, they must be precious in His sight ; but, after all, what is the grandest Cathedral, the richest sanctuary to Him, in Whose sight the earth itself is but as a hand- ful of dust ! What can it matter to Him in what degree of earthly gran- deur, or poverty, He is lodged, pro - 34 THE blessed sacrament, vided only He is te 1 1 1 1 hands and hearts? thing He covets, the one thing He i, the one thing He has misses, com- manded : “ Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with thy whole heart, and with thy whole soul,Nvith all thy mind, and with all thy strength ! ” Well, then, what shall we do regarding the great and important duty of “ reverence ” ? Many things : Firstly, when we enter a church let our first thought be to salute its Divine occupant. Whatever our ob- ject in going in, even if we have no intention to stop and pray, or if we have only come to speak to some- one, to visit some shrine, or to look at some work of art within the sacred walls, let us never forget that Our Lord is there ! Oh ! I do not wish to constrain your movements, to make you feel ill at ease, and a stranger in your Father’s house ! OUR GOD. 35 Speaking once to a pious Catholic about the little respect which was being shown by some children in a church, this good soul immediately took alarm, and seemed to imagine I wished to do away with that con- fidence with which all, but especially little children, should go in, and out, and about their Saviour’s dwellings. No! no! I would have you to be perfectly happy, perfectly natural, and at home. Need you, on that account, be wanting in respect? True reverence, and recollection, are as far removed from Jansenistic errors, as familiarity from intimacy. Let us be as intimate as we can with our Divine Spouse ; but let us never be familiar ! Just as in earthly friend- ships, familiarity is the sure ruin of all real and true intimacy , so in that mysterious friendship between the created soul and the uncreated God- head, familiarity destroys all possi- 36 THE BLESSED SACRAMENT, bility of intimacy, by turning the confidence of love, into the profanity of irreverence. So, let us take for our first resolution the remembrance and recognition, before anything else , of Our Lord’s Presence when we enter a church. Then, having saluted the Master of the house, we can pro- ceed quietly to our seat. I use the word “ quietly ” with intention, for it is surprising how many people think it unnecessary to make as little noise as possible! In society, it would be considered great want of good manners to interrupt people who were talking together ; but we often make no ac- count of interrupting conversations between God and His creatures. It is tramp, tramp, tramp, up the aisle — sometimes even during a sermon, or at the very moment of the Ele- vation ! And again, if there are plenty of vacant seats to choose from, don't let us set our hearts on OUR GOD. 37 one particular place, to reach which we shall be obliged to disturb half- a-dozen people ! Secondly : On passing the Taber- nacle let us genuflect. Now, genu- flecting is not nodding, nor yet curtseying — it is bending the knee. I read once, that we should always be careful to let one knee touch the ground, when we pass before the Blessed Sacrament. If you, my reader, have fallen into a habit of carelessness in this respect, I will give you a further piece of advice : be careful to let both knees touch the ground on such occasions ! Don't tell me you fear to make yourself remarked by doing more than the ordinary custom of the Church re- quires. It will be a wholesome little mortification to human respect ; and, when you have succeeded in real- ising so vividly that God Himself is observing you, as to forget that 38 THE BLESSED SACRAMENT, men are doing likewise, then , if you wish, it will be time enough to give up bending both knees (except dur- ing Exposition), and to genuflect according to the ordinary manner of the faithful. Thirdly : When you approach the altar for Holy Communion, don’t race with your fellow-communicants ! One would think, by the way people sometimes jostle each other, that only the first come would be served ! Walk up quietly and modestly. We should, each one of us, consider our- selves the least among the guests at the Lord’s Table ; how, then, can we push past our superiors ? Especially should we remember not to jostle, and, consequently, distract, those who have just left the altar-rails, and are returning to their seats. Let us bear in mind that each of those souls can say, with the Apostle : “ I live now, not I, but Christ liveth in me ” ; OUR GOD. 39 and let us make way respectfully for those living tabernacles of the Blessed Sacrament. Fourthly: If you are among those who devote part of their time to parish work, let your priests feel that they can count on your willing co- operation when they wish to take the Blessed Sacrament to the sick. Such simple things are required, that there are comparatively few district visitors who could not afford to pro- vide themselves with the necessity articles. I | Fifthly': Don't make God's house a rendezvous for meeting and gossip- ing, with your friends. A church is a place of prayer, of silence, and of recollection. Therefore, if you find it necessary to converse at any length with people you meet there, ask them to come into the porch for a few minutes, and thus, you will be able to talk at your 40 THE BLESSED SACRAMENT. ease, without irreverence to God, or annoyance to your neighbour. Sixthly and lastly : Whatever your position in life may be, never lose any opportunity that presents itself, of improving the beauty of God’s earthly tabernacles. } Ijtail every^wth chance with gratitude,' whether you be called simply for the “butterfly” work of supplying, or arranging, flowers for the altar, or whether you be asked to show your zeal by re- moving, or causing to be removed, unseemly dust and dirt, add keeping the church clean and sweet. I care not how exalted your state in life may be — there was one more exalted than the greatest queen on the face of the earth, and she worked, and toiled, unceasingly for Our Lord during thirty years. She was The Woman promised to man, by God the Father — she was the Virgm Im- maculate chosen by the Third Divine OUR GOD. 41 Person of the Adorable Trinity to be His spouse — she was the Mother nnde- filed of the Word made Flesh ! Yes, Our Lady passed her life, and spent her days, in acts of humblest service ! Nor was she unconscious of her glory, for she herself had prophesied that “all generations ” would call her " blessed.” But she also knew that, although she was exalted above all the angels, and saints, and blessed of God, and although her throne was next to that of the Almighty Himself, still, she was but a creature, and her Son was — God. r ^ And, knowing this, she recognised that there can be no labour, however menial in the eyes of the world, which does not become an unspeak- able honour for the creature, when performed in the direct service of the Creator. O glorious Queen of Heaven, and Mother of God ! teach us how to love 5 42 THE BLESSED SACRAMENT, OUR GOD. and venerate daily, more and more, this Holy Sacrament, by which we possess our Divine Lord, Thy Son, even as thou didst possess Him in thy peaceful home at Nazareth ! B&oremus In eternum Sanctfsefmum Sacramentum ! CHAPTER IV. “ EGO SUM VIA, VERITAS, ET VITA.” (John xvi. 6.) C^OME years ago, there lived in a little town in the South of France, a holy priest who had great devotion to the Sacramental Presence of his Divine Lord. It was a pleasure to watch him handling the Blessed Sacrament, so reverent was his touch, so recollected and devout his whole exterior. Preaching one day to his little flock, he gave them the follow- ing piece of advice. I do not re- member the exact words, but the sense, at least, was this : “ My children, do not waste time in arguing with your Protestant friends. Such arguments tend only to raise dissensions and bitter feel- ings ! No! You have a more simple way of converting them than that. 44 THE BLESSED SACRAMENT, Let them perceive, and feel, that in the Catholic Church there is a trea- sure^ an unspeakable treasure, which you enjoy, and in which they have no part. Let them see how much to you is the Sacramental Presence of your God — if you love, and value It, as you ought, they will not fail to remark it. And, when they have secretly observed you for some time, they will finish by envying you ! ” The object of this little book has been to put into practical form, the above advice of that good man, who, in the secluded retreat of that little country sanctuary, sa w and recog- nised the one great means by which we may hope to repair, with any effi- cacy, the ravages of heresy in our land. Yes ! LngYaad- would be Catholic to-morrow, if to-day, we, children of the Church, loved, served, and real- ised the Blessed Sacrament as we OUR GOD. 45 should ! And, at this time especially, when our Holy Father Leo XIII. is pouring out the love of his paternal heart for those “ other sheep that are not of the Fold,” and which “ must be brought to it,” is it not fitting that we should second his efforts in their behalf by all that is in our power? But what power have those of us, who possess neither learning nor influence? How can we lend our aid to this great work ? Listen : we have, each one of us, a mighty power — a power that is great, bound- less, and infinite, because it is not our own, but God’s. Nay! it is not simply the “ power of God,” it is God Himself, on our altars, in our hands, within our hearts! “ There hath stood one among you whom you know not,” said St. John the Baptist, and with reason could he address the same reproach to us. For Jesus still stands amongst us, 46 THE BLESSED SACRAMENT, Jesus still rules the destinies of men, and we have all received the right to love Him, to serve Him, to influence Him by our prayers — to be His friends . “ I will not now call you servants, for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth — but I have called you friends ” (John xv. 15). To quote again the holy priest Eymard, u we ought to preach the Blessed Eucharist in season, and out of season,” though, for that matter, as the saintly man himself proved, there is no time when this Divine Subject is “out of season.” For, in Itself, it includes all virtue, and embraces every mystery of our faith. Truly, we must study the Gospels, and the obligations of our state ; but where can they be better learned than in, and by, the light of the Eucharistic Presence ? Are we hearing the wondrous story of the Incarnation ? Behold ! The “ Word OUR GOD. 47 made flesh ” is on our altars ! Are we grieving over the bitter sufferings of the Passion ? We can shed our tears at the very feet of Him, Who, for our salvation, was made “ obe- dient unto death !” Is it His hu- mility, His love, His mercy, His justice — any of His infinite, and eternal attributes that are occupy- ing our thoughts ? Let us go and admire them exemplified, continued, and present in the Holy Eucharist! But, we are so familiar with this daily, and perpetual, Miracle of Love, that we are apt to forget what It is in Itself, and what It is to us. We require to be reminded of It con- stantly, and we profit by the re- minders, I have always noticed that sermons, treating of the Blessed Sacrament, seem to have an efficacy peculiar to themselves, and that they never fail to attract, and hold, the attention of those who hear them. 48 THE BLESSED SACRAMENT, Nevertheless, it is a fact that, with the exception of such times as a Mis- sion, or the Feast of Corpus Christi, a sermon on the Holy Eucharist is quite an exceptional thing ! Ah ! if this Divine Mystery were preached from the pulpit Sunday after Sunday, insisted on in the con- fessional, week after week, brought into perpetual, even when uncon- scious, contact with our daily lives and simplest actions, It would sanc- tify the world ! For, when I said that the Holy Eucharist “ includes in Itself all virtue ” I did not mean in the sense alone , that, as God , It must necessarily contain all perfection ; I also meant to assert that, in propor- tion as our knowledge and love of the Blessed Sacrament increase, so also will the knowledge, and practice of virtue, in our own lives increase. It is impossible to have a great realisation of the Presence of God OUR GOD. 49 amongst us/and to remain tepid. If we do not become altogether har- dened, and impenetrable to grace, like Judas, we must necessarily be- come holy (in our small degree) like the Beloved Disciple. A moment’s reflection will convince you of this. All lovers of the Blessed Sacrament can testify to the fact that it is im- possible for us to enjoy the Presence of Jesus on our altars, unless we possess the consciousness that we are doing our best to lead a virtuous life. However insignificant that “best” may be, however numerous our faults and failures, nay, even sins, nothing can mar the joy, and confidence in that Divine Presence, provided only we are honestly striving after some degree of perfection. But, the mo- ment our efforts in that direction are relaxed, the vicinity of the Blessed Sacrament becomes a burden and a reproach. Now, tell me, where is a soul— even one deeply rooted in 5 ° THE BLESSED SACRAMENT, habits of vice — which will fail to work out its sanctification, provided it perseveres in doing its best ? But, besides the sanctity directly inspired by the service of the Blessed Sacrament, the knowledge and love of the Holy Eucharist must tend to excite within us the proper spirit of reverence, and gratitude, to our pastors, whose chief glory it is to consecrate, guard, and distribute to us the Bread of Life. And, the more we revere our pastors, the more docile we shall be to their guidance, and to their divinely appointed autho- rity, a docility which, in the present age, is lamentably conspicuous by its absence, in innumerable individual cases. And now, what shall I say to you in conclusion ? I will give you as a parting thought those words of Our Lord which I placed at the head of this chapter, “Ego sum via , et veritas , et vita” “ I am the Way, the Truth, OUR GOD. 5 T and the Life.” Indeed, there is no other way, no other truth, no other life, but Christ ; and this Christ is present, and belongs to each one of us, individually, in the Holy Eucha- rist ! Let us, then, give Him a larger place in our hearts, and thoughts, than He has hitherto possessed, and that without constraint, or the interruption of our duties. Does the vicinity of any dearly beloved, earthly, friend interfere with our work, or diminish our pleasure? Does not the very sense of his nearness, rather lighten the one, and increase the other ? Why should it not be the same with Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament? If we loved and remembered Him as we ought, His nearness would be a consolation to us in labours, and an increase of joy in repose. Let us take for our model in this, as in everything else, Mary, our Virgin Mother, who for fifteen years worshipped her son beneath the 52 THE BLESSED SACRAMENT, OUR GOD. Sacramental veils. Ah ! we call ourselves her children, we wear her scapulars, we prize her rosaries, we think of her glories, her sorrows, her joys, her virtues, and we pass over in silence, and oblivion, her love for the Holy Eucharist ! Let us ask her to teach us how to make the Blessed Sacrament truly The Life of our lives ; how to testify by our own lives, that It, indeed, is The Truth . Then we may hope to make It The Way , not only to the salvation of our own souls, but also to the conversion of our “ separated brethren.” God grant that the days of our expectation may be shortened ; and that before long, England, once the Island of Saints, and the Dowry of Mary, may be kneeling with us be- fore “ The Blessed Sacrament, Our God ! ” Bfcoremus in eternum Sanctissimum Sacramentuin ! cm vw 86511 BOSTON COLLEGE I III III! 3 9031 01223318 5 Boston College Library Chestnut Hill 67, Mass. Books may be kept for two weeks unless a shorter period is specified. Two cents a day is charged for each 2-week book kept overtime; 25 cents a day for each overnight book. If you cannot find what you want, inquire at the delivery desk for assistance. 10-52