CONSIDERATION XXXIII
The Holy Communion
"Take, eat; This is My Body." S. Matt. xxvi. 26.
First Point.
LET us observe how great a gift is this Holy Sacrament; how great is the love that Jesus has shown to us in this gift, and how great is His desire that we should receive this His gift.
Let us consider, in the first place, the GREAT GIFT which Jesus Christ procured for us, in giving Himself to be wholly food for us in the Holy Communion. S. Augustine says that our Blessed Lord, " although He is omnipotent, was not able to give us more than this." S. Bernardine of Sienna asks, " What greater treasure can the heart of man possess, than the most holy Body of Christ?" The prophet Isaiah cries, " Declare His doings among the people." (Isaiah xii. 4.) Publish, O men, the loving inventions of our good God. If our Redeemer had not given us this gift, who ever would have been able to ask for it, who would ever have dared to say to Him, Lord, if Thou desiredst to make us know Thy love, conceal Thyself under the form of Bread, and permit us to feed on Thee? It would have been esteemed madness even to think of this. S. Augustine asks, "Would it not seem madness to say, Eat My Flesh and drink My Blood?" When our Blessed Lord revealed to His disciples this gift of the Holy Sacrament which He wished to leave them, many of them could not attain to the belief of it, and they parted
