Book 4, Chapter 4: That Many Good Gifts Are Bestowed Upon Those Who Communicate Devoutly.
Chapter Focus: When we call out “Lamb of God, Who takes away the sins of the world, have mercy on us!” we reach the heart of our preparation for receiving Holy Communion. We then repeat the words of the Centurion: “Lord, I am not worthy to receive You, but only say the Word and my soul shall be healed.”
Our Lord always says “Yes” to us. He wants us to have the gifts of grace, of Himself, hidden under the species of bread and wine. We can never be fully worthy to receive Him. But we can have a penitent heart from Confession, a clean house by fasting before receiving Him. He calls us like Zacchaeus (Lk 19:1-10), to cease being a bystander and instead inviting Him into our house, so that Salvation may come to us this day.
But I have to ask: Are we changed when He comes into our house? Do we, like Zacchaeus, change because of His presence? Receiving Holy Communion should make us want to pay back our brothers and sisters four-fold with goodness and love.
Chapter 4, In Short.
1. Enabled me to draw near worthily and devoutly to Your glorious Sacrament.
2. I draw close to You with hope and reverence, and truly believe that You art here present in the Sacrament.
3. In the Blessed Sacrament You have bestowed many good things on Your elect who communicate devoutly.
4. Whatever is lacking unto me, O merciful Jesus, You, out of Your kindness and grace will supply.
5. Lord, grant that with coming to Your mysteries that the zeal of my devotion may increase.
The text of Chapter 4: That Many Good Gifts Are Bestowed Upon Those Who Communicate Devoutly.
The Voice of the Disciple:
O Lord my God, present Your servant with the blessings of Your sweetness, that I may be enabled to draw near worthily and devoutly to Your glorious Sacrament. Awaken my heart towards You, and deliver me from heavy slumber. Visit me with Your salvation that I may in spirit taste Your sweetness, which plentifully lies hid in this Sacrament as in a fountain. Lighten also mine eyes to behold this so great mystery, and strengthen me that I may believe it with undying faith. For it is Your word, not human power; it is Your holy institution, not the invention of mankind. For no one is found fit to receive and to understand these things, which transcend even the wisdom of the Angels. What portion then shall I, an unworthy sinner, who am but dust and ashes, be able to search into and comprehend of so deep a Sacrament?
2. O Lord, in the simplicity of my heart, in good and firm faith, and according to Your will, I draw close to You with hope and reverence, and truly believe that You art here present in the Sacrament, as both God and Man. Therefore, it is Your will that I receive You and unite myself to You in charity. For that reason I beseech Your mercy, and implore You to give me Your special grace, so that I may be wholly dissolved in You and overflow with Your love, and no more concern myself with any other kind of consolation. For this most high and worthy Sacrament is the health of the soul and the body, the medicine of all spiritual sickness. Here I am healed of my sins and my passions are bridled. My temptations are conquered or weakened and more grace is poured into me. My virtues which have began anew is increased, my faith made firm, hope strengthened, and charity enkindled and enlarged.
3. For in this Sacrament You have bestowed many good things and still bestow them continually on Your elect who communicate devoutly, O my God, Lifter up of my soul, Repairer of human infirmity, and Giver of all inward consolation. For You pour into them much consolation against all sorts of tribulation, and out of the deep of their own misery You lift them up to the hope of Your protection, and with every new grace, You inwardly refresh and enlighten them; so that they who felt themselves to be anxious and without affection before Communion, after wards being refreshed with heavenly food and drink, find themselves changed for the better. And even in such wise You deal severally with Yours elect, that they may truly acknowledge and clearly make proof that they have nothing whatsoever of their own, and what goodness and grace come to them from You; because being in themselves cold, hard of heart, profane, through You they become fervent, zealous, and devout. For who is there coming humbly to the fountain of sweetness, carries not away thence at the least some little of that sweetness? Or who when standing by a large fire, not feel a little of its heat? And You art ever a full and overflowing fountain, a fire continually burning, and never going out.
4. If I am not allowed to draw from the fullness of the fountain, nor to drink unto satisfying, I will still labor to set my lips to the mouth of the heavenly pipe, that at least I may receive a small drop to quench my thirst, that I dry not up within my heart. And if I am not yet able to be altogether heavenly and so enkindled as the Cherubim and Seraphim, I will still work to enter into devotion, and to prepare my heart, that I may gain if it be but a little flame of the divine fire, through the humble receiving of the life-giving Sacrament. But whatever is lacking unto me, O merciful Jesus, Most Holy Saviour, You, out of Your kindness and grace will supply, You Who have promised to call all unto You, saying, “Come unto me, all ye that are weary and heavy laden, and I will refresh you.”
5. Indeed, I labor in the sweat of my face, I am tormented with sorrow of heart, I am burdened with sins, I am disquieted with temptations, I am entangled and oppressed with many passions, and there is none to help me, there is none to deliver and ease me, but You, O Lord God, my Saviour, to whom I commit myself and all things that are mine, so that You may preserve me and lead me unto life eternal.
Receive me unto the praise and glory of Your Name, You Who have prepared Your Body and Blood to be my meat and drink. Grant, O Lord God my Saviour, that with coming often to Your mysteries the zeal of my devotion may increase.