TRANSLATED FROM THE FRENCH OF MONSEIGNEUR DE LA BOUILLERIE, Archbishop of Perga, Coadjutor of Bordeaux.
Need I add, then, that the Eucharist and suffering, if they are united in us, become powerful for our sanctification ?
Admire, again here, the thought of the Saviour in choosing the hour of His Passion for the institution of the Eucharist.
The Divine Word, in becoming Incarnate, willed to insure to man eternal beatitude, but the happiness of heaven depends for us on two conditions. We must first, while on earth, commence to unite ourselves to God, Who is our beginning and our end; and then we must detach ourselves by little and little from the world, which is the great obstacle to this Divine union.
Now, to the accomplishment of these two conditions to our happiness, the Eucharist and the Passion agree together.
The Eucharist is the sacred tie which on earth unites our soul to God in heaven. It commences for us here below the beatific union. But we can only enter heaven by the road of detachment, of immolation, and of suffering; and it is this road which the Passion of Jesus Christ traces for us.
The Eucharist and suffering!
Let your piety never separate these two terms ! In order to become a saint, you need both one and the other.
It is true that at the foot of the tabernacle you have always felt that you were more united to God, more disposed to love Him with your whole heart, to glorify and serve Him, more desirous of beholding Him in heaven.
But, at the same time, is it not certain that hitherto the world has remained dear to you, that it has seduced you by its charms, and retained you in it by its vain interests ?
Suffering alone has enabled you to understand the vanity of the good things of this world. When, before being tried by illness or sorrow, ! you approached the altar, your heart, I fear, allowed itself to be easily cradled by a crowd of dangerous illusions. You loved the Eucharist ? Yes, doubtless. Alas! you also loved the world, and you concealed from yourself this second affection because it would have distressed your piety. In order to accomplish Its work in you it was necessary for the Eucharist to call suffering to Its aid. Joined together, they detach you from the world; they bring you near to heaven; they marvellously predispose your soul to its immortal destinies.
Need I add, then, that the Eucharist and suffering, if they are united in us, become powerful for our sanctification ?
Admire, again here, the thought of the Saviour in choosing the hour of His Passion for the institution of the Eucharist.
The Divine Word, in becoming Incarnate, willed to insure to man eternal beatitude, but the happiness of heaven depends for us on two conditions. We must first, while on earth, commence to unite ourselves to God, Who is our beginning and our end; and then we must detach ourselves by little and little from the world, which is the great obstacle to this Divine union.
Now, to the accomplishment of these two conditions to our happiness, the Eucharist and the Passion agree together.
The Eucharist is the sacred tie which on earth unites our soul to God in heaven. It commences for us here below the beatific union. But we can only enter heaven by the road of detachment, of immolation, and of suffering; and it is this road which the Passion of Jesus Christ traces for us.
The Eucharist and suffering!
Let your piety never separate these two terms ! In order to become a saint, you need both one and the other.
It is true that at the foot of the tabernacle you have always felt that you were more united to God, more disposed to love Him with your whole heart, to glorify and serve Him, more desirous of beholding Him in heaven.
But, at the same time, is it not certain that hitherto the world has remained dear to you, that it has seduced you by its charms, and retained you in it by its vain interests ?
Suffering alone has enabled you to understand the vanity of the good things of this world. When, before being tried by illness or sorrow, ! you approached the altar, your heart, I fear, allowed itself to be easily cradled by a crowd of dangerous illusions. You loved the Eucharist ? Yes, doubtless. Alas! you also loved the world, and you concealed from yourself this second affection because it would have distressed your piety. In order to accomplish Its work in you it was necessary for the Eucharist to call suffering to Its aid. Joined together, they detach you from the world; they bring you near to heaven; they marvellously predispose your soul to its immortal destinies.
