Page:Meditations For Every Day In The Year.djvu/322

 will rise  again  in  their  bodies,  which  will  be  more  glorious than  the  sun. "He that  eateth  My  flesh, and  drinketh  My  blood,  hath  life  everlasting,  and  I  will  raise  him up  at  the  last  day." (John vi.  55.)

Admire the  efficacy  and  virtue  of  these  fruits  of  the holy Eucharist,  and  give  God  thanks  for  the  powerful remedies, which  they  afford  against  all  your  maladies. Say with  the  prophet,  "  Bless  the  Lord,  O  my  soul,  Who healeth  all  thy  diseases." (Ps. cii.  2.)

I. How  necessary  it  is  to  prepare  beforehand  for  the worthy receiving  of  holy  communion;  lest  by  approaching with  a  conscience  loaded  with  mortal  guilt,  you  convert the  food  of  life  into  poison,  or  by  communicating with indevotion  and  tepidity,  you  receive  but  little  grace! Fearful of  these  evils,  St.  Paul  exclaims  to  all  Christendom, "  Let  a  man  prove  himself,  and  so  let  him  eat  of that  bread." (1 Cor.  xi.  28.)  He  that  presumes  to  come to the  marriage  feast  without  the  wedding  garment,  will be cast  into  utter  darkness. (Matt, xxii.)  Admit,  then, the necessity  of  proper  preparation  for  so  sacred  and  important a  duty.

II. The first  condition  requisite  for  a  worthy  communion is  a  lively  faith. Faith is  the  ground-work  and foundation of  every  virtue,  and  of  every  meritorious action. Hence the  Apostle  says,  "  Let  us  draw  near  with a  true  heart  in  fulness  of  faith." (Heb. x.  22.)  Excite, therefore, a  lively  faith  in  your  soul,  as  often  as  you  approach this  holy  mystery;  reject  every  temptation  arising