Page:The Catholic prayer book.djvu/189



First point. — Consider  that  the  Holy  Eucharist  is called  a mystery  of  faith,  and  that  faith  is  perhaps the most  necessary  virtue  for  a good  Communion; because, without  faith,  we  should  discover  nothing more than  ordinary  food  in  the  bread  of  life. In this sacred mystery  all  is  obscure,  beyond  the  reach  of our  understanding,  and  imperceptible  to  our  senses: we see  nothing,  feel  nothing,  taste  nothing  but common bread; we  hear  nothing  extraordinary; so that  it  is  the  voice  and  light  of  faith  alone,  which,  as the  Church  says,  supplies  the  defeat  of  the  senses, and firmly  persuades  us  that  the  adorable  Eucharist is not  bread,  though  it  appears  so  to  us,  but  the living, .glorious,  immortal  body  of  Jesus  Christ. Ah ! how grateful  should  you  be  for  that  precious gift of  faith,  by  which  you  are  enabled  to  penetrate the veils  that  conceal  the  Almighty  from  our  view  l With  what  astonishment  and  delight  should  you  be penetrated,  now  that  faith  assures  you  that  your  God, your Creator,  will  so  soon  be  your  guest! With what profound  humility,  reverence,  and  awe  should you await  the  visit  of  that  divine  Being  who  drew the world  out  of  nothing  by  his  infinite  power,  who rules it  by  his  wisdom,  and  who  could,  in  an  instant, destroy it  by  one  act  of  his  will! He it  is,  whom  l am  going  to  receive: yes,  I firmly  believe  it,  because Jesus Christ,  the  infallible  truth,  has  said,  This  is  my body. But has  my  faith  all  the  requisites  for  enabling me to  make  a good  and  fervent  Communion? Beside being firm,  is  it  lively,  active,  supported  by  good works; or rather,  does  it  bear  any  resemblance  to that  fruitless  and  dead  faith,  of  which  the  Apostle