The Twenty-Third Day of June

Second Means of Honoring the Heart of Jesus: Visits to the Blessed Sacrament.

Consider that next to hearing Mass, and receiving Holy Communion, there is nothing so acceptable to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, or so beneficial to our souls, as to visit often our divine Lord in the Sacrament of His love. Yes, both day and night, the Master is there on His throne of mercy. He is there with His Body, His Blood, his soul, and divinity, in a word the same as He is in heaven, except that His glory is veiled. He is there with His boundless love for us, He is there as the Lamb ever mystically immolated, whose Blood pleads for mercy for all poor sinners. He is there with His Heart, so good and so compassionate, so afflicted by our ingratitude, so eager to pour into our souls streams of grace. The Master is there and honors us by His loving invitation: "Come to me all you that labour and are burdened, and I will refresh you (Matt, xi. 28), Behold I am with you all days even to the consummation of the world (Matt, xxviii. 20), My delights are to be with the children of men (Prov. viii. 31), Every day I stretch my hands to you; come to me; my Heart overflows with graces ready to enrich you." Oh! how ungrateful and indifferent shall we not be if we refuse to listen to the call of so good a Master! Does not a devoted child love to meet its father and take pleasure in being with him; and what greater consolation is there on earth than conversing with a faithful friend? "It is impossible," says a pious author, "to enumerate all the graces which a soul receives during these visits to the Blessed Sacrament. Lights which illuminate the understanding are there obtained, divine inspirations which soften the heart and graces which sanctify; so that it might almost be said, that the salvation of a soul faithful in making the daily visit to the Blessed Sacrament is secure." St. Aloysius Gonzaga, St. Stanislaus Kostka, and St. John Berchmans all found their only happiness in being near Jesus in the Eucharist. And it was there that St. Francis Xavier sought repose after the labors of his apostolate, and gathered fresh strength to undertake new conquests. In a word, devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus hidden under the Eucharist veils, has always been the favorite devotion of all the saints.

Christians, examine your conscience on this point. Have you a fixed hour for visiting the most holy Sacrament? Are you faithful in keeping to it? Do you not prefer visits to your friends and acquaintances, visits which are often useless and dangerous to your salvation? In short, in your temptations, your discouragements, and afflictions, is it at the foot of the Tabernacle, that you seek comfort and strength? Resolve, from this moment, never to let a single day pass without visiting Jesus the Prisoner of love, and in these visits, propose to yourself to honor in a special manner the Sacred Heart of Jesus, and to make reparation to Him for the coldness and neglect of others. When retiring from the church, leave your heart in the holy Ciborium with the divine Host, continue in spirit to adore and love Him, thus you will be able to say with the great apostle St. Paul: "Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?"

O Heart of Jesus! may the fire of Thy divine love daily increase within me.

EXAMPLE.

Some years ago, a young man was, unhappily, led astray into the paths of Jewish infidelity.

While still in the flower of youth, his heart was filled with dreams of glory, and, being a distinguished musician, he hoped to achieve it, by introducing on the stage the inspirations of his genius. One evening, he was asked to play the organ in one of the principal churches in Paris; and this unexpected occasion for displaying his talents was eagerly accepted by the young man. There in that church God, awaited him, and prepared for him, not a triumph for his self-love, but an humiliation a thousand times more glorious. Already the roof of the sacred edifice re-echoed the sound of the solemn chants, and the melodious tones of the organ had filled all hearts with recollection and prayer; every head was bowed and the God of the Eucharist had blessed His children prostrate in lowly adoration, The unbelieving musician, alone, dared to raise his haughty brow before that God despised by his fore-fathers, but it was in vain. A mysterious and invisible hand bowed his head and humbled him to the ground. A miracle of grace was effected, the young man was conquered; he knelt down a Jew, he rose up a Christian, unbelief had given place to faith. Bewildered, his heart wounded, as it were, by the Real Presence in the sacred Host, he left the church. Soon the waters of baptism were poured upon him, and exchanging his fashionable attire for the coarse serge of a monk, he bade an eternal farewell to the pleasures of the world. A living example of the power of the Blessed Sacrament, he went from city to city, and from village to village, proclaiming everywhere the love of that God who had vanquished his unbelief, and in the unspeakable joy of his happiness, repeating again and again: "The days of grief are departed. I have found peace of heart since I have tasted the delights of the tabernacle of the Lord." If you would know the name of this privileged soul, ask it at the cloister of Mount Carmel, still fragrant with the sweet odor of his memory, and they will tell you it was Father Augustine, of the most Holy Sacrament. Augustine, to remind him of his errors and wanderings; and of the most Holy Sacrament, to excite him to bless for ever the divine cause of his conversion. If one single visit to the God of the Eucharist transformed an obstinate Jew into a good Christian and holy monk, what may we not hope to obtain in future, by fervent and devout visits to the Blessed Sacrament of the altar?

PRAYER.

O Jesus! incomprehensible love! since Thou art so good as to dwell amongst us, I now resolve to visit Thee frequently in the Holy Eucharist. Shower down Thy graces upon me during the happy moments of intercourse with Thee. My poor heart needs rest, and this rest may be found in Thee even here below, whilst we wait to possess it in all its plenitude in our heavenly home. Amen.

PRACTICE.

Visit the Blessed Sacrament everyday without fail. Even a short visit is better than no visit at all.