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“Let us therefore love God, because God first hath loved us.” Such is the exhortation addressed to us by St. John, the Apostle of love. He first hath loved us, and what proof has He given of this love? “God so loved the world that He sent His only-begotten Son into the world.” And in how wonderful a manner did the Son manifest His love to us! Gethsemane, Calvary, and the cross, which stands upon Calvary’s summit, stained as it is with His precious blood, are silent yet eloquent witnesses of His love for us poor, sinful mortals. Yet this is not the full measure, the perpetual miracle of this love. What then is it? O Christian maiden, attend well to what I am about to say, contemplate this miracle with all the fervor, all the recollection of which your heart is capable.
John the Evangelist writes: “Jesus knowing that His hour was come that He should pass out of this world to the father: having loved His own who were in the world, He loved them unto the end.” The other evangelists relate the manner in which Jesus instituted the Most Sacrament of the Altar. This then was the sign that Jesus loved His own unto the end; the Most Holy Sacrament was, and indeed is, the miracle of love. It is assuredly out of pure and never ceasing love for us poor children of men, that Jesus Christ dwells, truly and substantially, in the Most Holy Sacrament of the Altar and thus bestows upon us all graces and blessings, as when He walked on earth among men “doing good to all.” His gracious call is ever sounding in our ears: “Come to Me, all you that labor, and are burdened, and I will refresh you.”
This miracle of love is especially shown by the fact that Jesus gives Himself entirely to us in the Most Holy sacrament. Great indeed, as the Scripture testifies, was the love of David for Jonathan: “The soul of Jonathan was knit with the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul.” But who can describe the love of Jesus in the Holy Eucharist? St. John Chrysostom beautifully says: “How many desire to behold the form, the countenance, the robe of the Redeemer. Here you can see the Lord Himself, O Christian soul! You can touch Him, you can feed upon Him; is not this proof that He loves us more than His own life?” Thus does Jesus become entirely ours, because He gives Himself wholly to us.
He also abides with us continually. The mystery of the Incarnation is renewed in the Most Holy Sacrament of the Altar, as often as the priest pronounces the words of consecration over the species of bread and wine. Through many centuries the patriarchs and prophets of the old covenant longed for the promised Messias. David, the Royal Psalmist, breathed forth this longing in touching melodies, and the prophet Isaias petitions heaven in the following words: “Drop down dew, ye heavens, from above, and let the clouds rain the just: let the earth be opened, and bud forth a Saviour.” And now we are privileged to possess this miracle of love; we have this Saviour upon our altars, in our midst; He is ours, ours forever.
Since we possess this love of Jesus, we have together with it all the riches and treasures, all the good things, we could possibly desire. We might say us regard to the love which Jesus has for us something similar to what Seneca, the heathen sage, said to one of the Roman emperors. This emperor caused a carpet of the most skillful workmanship to be manufactured at an immense expense, splendid jewels being interwoven into the fabric. When Seneca saw this magnificent and costly piece of work, he said: “Sire, hereby you have evidently impoverished yourself.” I might use the same expression in regard to God, for, if the impossible could happen and God could become poor, in like manner, He would have impoverished Himself by weaving the infinitely precious jewel of the Holy Eucharist into the checkered web of human existence.
After this brief glance at the miracle of love, I would ask you, do you know Him, who thus dwells in our midst,—do you know how great is His love? Perhaps you will answer “yes.” Why then, my daughter, have you so little confidence in Him? Why do you turn, when you meet with trials and contradictions, to anyone rather than to Him? Why do you seek for help and consolation from every friend but Him? Why do you not turn to Jesus whatever may be your need, since He is almighty and truly loves you with an infinite love? Did you but thoroughly realize the great truth that Jesus Christ dwells in the tabernacle and that His love and goodness are as infinite as they were when, during His sojourn on earth, He healed the sick, comforted the sorrowful, raised the dead, dispensed mercy and pardon to penitent sinners, and became all things to all men, how different would be your conduct!
Therefore renew your faith, your love, your confidence, and betake yourself to Jesus. There upon the altar our dearest Lord abides in person, in both His human and divine nature. There is no form of suffering for which He has not promised to give us a healing balm. “Come to me,” He says, “and I will refresh you.” Doubt not that you will find in Him comfort in hours of gloom, light where you can see no escape, good counsel amid doubts, a blessing on your undertakings, alleviations in your sorrows, strength in temptation, joy amid humiliations, help in every time of need. All this is contained in the words: “I will refresh you.” Do not seek to weaken the force of that promise; take it in its full import and trust in it entirely.
Imitate in this respect the example set b a parishioner of Vianney, the well-known and saintly curé of Ars, a village in France. It was no small consolation for this holy priest to see how frequently an elderly man who was one of his parishioners paid a visit to the church, and how long a time he spent in adoration of the Blessed Sacrament. The pastor noticed that however long this pious man remained upon his knees, and however often he entered the church, his lips never appeared to move in prayer. “My good man,” he asked him one day, “what do you say to our dear Lord when you are kneeling in His presence?” “You ask me what I say?” was the reply; “I just say nothing at all! I know He is there, and He knows I am here; I just look at Him and He looks upon me.”
What a touching and beautiful answer! The pious man remained silent because he was so fully persuaded that it was not necessary to speak to Our Lord, since He knew everything already. He gazed upon the Saviour in the same manner as the blessed in heaven gaze upon the vision of God.
Nor voice can sing, nor heart can frame,
Nor can the memory find,
A sweeter sound than Thy blest name,
O Saviour of mankind!