Page:TheParadiseOfTheChristianSoul.djvu/348

 the most  happy  art  thou,  O priest! since, by  an  especially honourable privilege,  I have chosen thee  to  myself  out  of the  people,  to  stand  before me at  my  table  as  my  intimate friend  and  counsellor; and thence  not  only  to  receive food thyself,  but  to  dispense  it to  the  rest  of  my  faithful. To thee (by  what  merit  of  thine?) is given  what  is  not  given  to the  angels,  by  an  office  every way admirable,  terrible,  and truly divine,  with  sacred  lips to make  present  the  Lord  of majesty,  to  call  him  down,  as it  were,  from  the  throne  of  his glory, and,  by  the  obedience of God  to  the  voice  of  man,  to place  him  there  on  the  altar, to handle  him,  and  dispense him to  others. At this  the  heavens stand  amazed,  and  the angels, astonished,  venerate the mystery,  when  they  see him below  them,  whom  above them they  ever  adore. And can it  be  that  a man,  or  a nest,  presumes  ever  to  celebrate  a mystery  like  this  with a cold, unclean,  and  distracted heart? And that  one  who is fed  so  often  with  angels’ bread still  longs  to  eat  husks with swine?

. Great  is  the  dignity of man; but  the  dignity  of  the priest is  greater. Great, too, without doubt,  is  the  duty  of every  one  to  live  conformably to so  great  a dignity. But alas, O Lord,  I behold  the transgressors and  pine  away; and how  I myself  fail  in  many things! Thy eyes  see  my  imperfection. I too see  another law in  my  members  fighting against the  law  of  my  mind, and captivating  me  in  the  law of sin; so  that  I do  not  the good which  I will,  but  the evil which  I will  not.

. To  this  end,  behold, I offer  thee  my  grace and assistance;  nay,  in  this Sacrament I bestow  on  thee my very  self,  the  fountain  of grace  and  the  author  of  all good. I know that  without me thou  canst  do  nothing; but behold,  I am  the  living bread who  came  down  from heaven; the bread,  I say,  that strengthens the  heart  of  man, which, if  thou  wouldst  often and reverently  receive,  thou wouldst quickly  know  the change of  the  right  hand  of the  Most  High; for  then  thy soul would  be  filled  as  with marrow and  fatness; thou wouldst become  strong  and mighty to  do  works  of  virtue, and  in  the  strength  of this  food  thou  wouldst  walk through the  desert  of  this world, even  to  the  mount  of God. But what  enemy  can he fear  who  has  me,  who  am inwardly  present  with  him, for his  helper? He will  say boldly with  my  apostle,  If God  is  for  us, who  is  against us? And, I can  do  all  things