THE FOLLOWING OF CHRIST

BY THOMAS A KEMPIS
Nihil Obstat and Imprimatur, 1941

------Book 4------

CHAPTER 14: OF THE ARDENT DESIRE OF SOME DEVOUT PERSONS TOWARDS THE BODY OF CHRIST

The Voice of the Disciple.

AH, how great is the multitude of Thy sweetness, O Lord, which Thou hast hidden for them that fear Thee!

When I call to mind some persons devout to Thy Sacrament, O Lord, who approach with the greatest devotion and affection, then I am often confounded within myself, and blush that I approach so tepidly and coldly to Thine altar, and to the table of Holy Communion; that I remain so dry and without affection of heart; that I am not wholly set on fire in Thy presence, O my God, nor so vehemently drawn onwards and affected, as many devout persons have been, who, from excessive desire of Communion and a sensible love in their hearts were unable to contain themselves from weeping; but with the mouth, both of their heart as well as of their body, did they, from the very marrow of their soul pant after Thee, O Lord, the Living Fountain; and being otherwise able either to delay or satisfy their hunger, unless by receiving Thy Body with all joy and spiritual avidity.

2. Oh, truly the ardent faith of these persons is a demonstrative existing argument of Thy sacred presence!

For they truly know their Lord in the breaking of bread, whose heart burneth, so mightily within them, from Jesus walking with them.

Alas, far from me too often is such affection and devotion, such vehement love and ardor.

Be Thou merciful to me, O good Jesus, sweet and gracious, and grant Thy poor mendicant to feel, sometimes at least, in the sacred Communion some little of the cordial affection of Thy love, that my faith may be more strengthened, my hope in Thy goodness increased; and that charity, once perfectly enkindled, and having tasted the manna of Heaven, may never die away.

3. Powerful, indeed, is Thy mercy to give me also the desired grace, and in Thy great clemency, when the time of Thy good pleasure arrives, to visit me with the spirit of fervor.

For though I burn not with so great desire as Thy specially devout servants, yet, by Thy grace, I have a desire of this same greatly inflamed desire, praying and wishing that I may be made partaker with all such fervent lovers and be numbered in their holy company.

PRACTICAL REFLECTIONS.

How to make a good Spiritual Communion.

SPIRITUAL Communion, which the Council of Trent approves of, and so strongly advises and commends as a substitute for the sacramental and corporal reception of Jesus Christ, may be made at all times and in all places, whether we are in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament or not. We may make it every hour, or after a Hail Mary, said in honor of the Blessed Virgin, Mother of God, uniting ourselves to those holy dispositions with which she conceived Jesus Christ in her chaste womb. We should bring our minds to a respectful remembrance of Jesus Christ in the Most Holy Sacrament; we should there adore Him, and direct our hearts towards Him, as Daniel did towards the Temple; we should give all to Him, and desire to receive Him sacramentally; as, however, we cannot enjoy that happiness, not being prepared, we should pray to Him for the communication of His holy Spirit, in place of His Sacred Body and Blood.

But the most proper time for making a good spiritual Communion, is when we assist at Mass, at the time of the priest's Communion. Then a Christian, animated with a lively and actual faith in the real presence of Jesus Christ in the Blessed Sacrament, and with an ardent desire of being intimately united to Him, should evince such dispositions by humbling himself profoundly in His presence; and, esteeming himself unworthy of really receiving Him, implore Him to come and dwell in his mind by faith, and in his heart by love and gratitude for His goodness, that so he may say with the Apostle: "I live, now not ,but Christ liveth in me."

PRAYER.

O MOST amiable Saviour, Who wast the perpetual object and reigning desire of the ancient Patriarchs and Prophets, and of all the Saints of the Old Testament, who sighed incessantly for Thine incarnation, come into my soul, which burns with the desire of receiving Thee, and of being united to Thee, as the Author of my salvation, and the Source of all good. Come and destroy within me the tyranny of sin and self-love, and establish there the reign of Thy grace and charity. I have reason to judge myself unworthy of really partaking of Thy Body and Blood, but in Thy mercy grant me to partake of Thy Spirit, and of Thy virtues, through the desire I have of receiving Thee in the Most Holy Sacrament.

No, my Jesus, I cannot leave Thee, nor live without Thee: Thou only canst satisfy my heart and make me happy. O ye Seraphim! who ardently desire to be sacramentally united to Jesus Christ, yet cannot, I unite myself to the ardor and purity of your desires, to be united to the same God Whom with me you adore upon the altar. But, O Lord, do Thou come and purify my heart from all attachment to myself or to creatures, my heart which was made but to love and to possess Thee. Thou alone canst satisfy it, and all that is not Thee is as nothing. O amiable God! O loving God! can I know Thee and not love Thee, and love Thee and not burn with desire to receive Thee on earth, and to see and to possess Thee forever in Heaven! Amen.

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