Page:TheParadiseOfTheChristianSoul.djvu/389

 preservative against  all  evil. If I walk  in  the  midst  of  the shadow of  death,  I will  fear  the no evil,  for  thou  art  with  me. Another exercise  on  the  Lord's  Prayer,  adapted  to the  seven  words  of  Christ  on cross, will  be  found  below, in ch. vii. on the  way  to  hear Mass.

To reap  fruit  from  the sacrament of  the  Eucharist, and the  sacrifice  of  the  Mass, the very  manner  of  approaching them  is  of  the  greatest concern.

Observe, therefore, that only to repeat  certain  common  set forms of  prayer  before  and  after Mass  and  Communion  is  a method  that  is  very  imperfect, and devoid  of  spiritual  consolation. Surely greater  care and preparation  are  required for a sacrament  so  sublime, and surpassingly  rich  in  gifts of graces  and  virtues, but  corresponding still  in  its  operation with  the  manner  and  disposition of  the  receiver.

For this  sacrament  is  the food of  the  soul, to  which  it  is no  less  profitable  and  necessary than  its  own  food  is  to the  body. Besides, that food does good,  and  gives  most nutriment, which is  eaten  with hunger, to  the  excitement  of which  bodily  exercise  before taking food  is  conducive,  by carrying  off  and  dispensing  the vicious humours  that  remain in the  stomach. Thus the  natural heat  is  excited,  and whets the  stomach,  thereby causing it  to  be  more  desirous of food,  and  the  food  itself to become  fitter  for  digestion, and for  the  wholesome  nutriment of  the  entire  body. Precisely in the  same  way  is  the food of  the  soul, that  is,  the body and  blood  of  Christ,  to be  taken  with  hunger,  that  it may  profit  the  more.

How this  is  to  be  done  will be briefly  shown. The mind must be  employed  in  pious meditations and  holy  exercises, which  by  degrees  will expel the  bad  passions  of  the soul, and  enkindle  in  it  the  heat of charity,  and  the  fire  of divine  love,  that  so  it  may become more  eager  for  the heavenly food,  and  fitter  to receive  it  with  fruit  and  increase. Otherwise thou  wilt receive this  food  without  hunger or  appetite,  and  so  wilt