St. Vincent's Manual/Of the Holy Communion
OF THE HOLY COMMUNION.
THE most important and most holy action a man can perform, is to receive worthily, the body of Jesus Christ in the holy Sacrament of the Eucharist. The greatest favor, therefore, that can be granted him, is to communicate early in his life, and afterwards frequently. The first communion, then, should be a principal object in the desires, of every one.
It should, moreover, be remembered, first; that the obligation of receiving the holy Eucharist, at least at Easter, regards all those who have attained the age of discretion; that is to say, the age when they are able to distinguish the body and blood of Jesus Christ, under the appearance of bread and wine, from the ordinary nourishment of the body; or in other words, the age in which they are capable of reflection.
Secondly; that purity of heart being the most proper exposition to receive Christ worthily, the less advanced the age is, the more untainted, in general, is the baptismal innocence.
Thirdly; that the longer the first communion is put off, the greater fear there is, that either domestic occurrences, or the violence of the passions, should cause it still to be deferred to an advanced age, or, perhaps, to the very time of death. In short, the advice of the great St. Charles Borromeo, must be also remembered. "When children," says he, "of either sex have attained the age of ten, if they can be capable of being easily prepared for communion, let them not be suffered to put it off any longer, which, under pretext of ignorance, is too often the case; let them rather be prepared in good time, to receive a sacrament, which abounds with such precious, and inestimable advantages."
With regard to frequent communion, follow the advice of your confessor; and remember, that the spirit of Jesus Christ, and of his Church, is, that you should communicate frequently. He gives himself to us in the Eucharist, under the forms of bread and wine, to teach us, that as our common food serves to nourish our bodies, so. doth the holy Eucharist support and fortify our souls. He assumes, in this blessed Sacrament, the titles of Brother, Friend, Spouse, &c, to induce us, by these tender, and affectionate appellations, to receive him often. The spirit of the Church is made known to us, in the Holy Council of Trent, which exhorts all the faithful to communicate often; and would wish them to receive, whenever they assist at the divine Sacrifice of the Mass. To these testimonies may be also added, the discourses and examples of the saints, and the experience of all pious persons, which tend to convince us of the happiness and advantages of frequent communion.
But if it be advantageous to communicate frequently, it may also be said, that a greater crime cannot be committed, than to communicate unworthily; this being a shocking abuse of what is most august in religion. To avoid this misfortune, reflect seriously upon these words of St. Paul. "Let a man prove himself, and so Jet him eat of this bread, and drink of the chalice; for he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh judgment to himself, not discerning the body of the Lord." Now this proving consists in putting yourself in such a state, that your conscience may not reproach you with any essential obstacle to this Sacrament; that is, with the guilt of any mortal sin whatever; which you can answer for to yourself, if you have made as exact, as fervent, and as perfect a confession, as you would wish to have made, at the hour of your death. You should certainly be thus careful and fervent, because there is not less purity required to receive Jesus Christ, than to appear before God in judgment.
Above all things, remember, that the essential point in this proving of yourself, is, to quit the occasions of sin, and to repair the scandal it hath caused; without which, the accusation of sin, and the detestation of it, are absolutely insufficient.
But, this purity of conscience, which is exempt from mortal sin, and from every criminal attachment, though it may prevent the communion from being sacrilegious, is not enough to render it as fruitful, and as advantageous as it should be. The more you prepare yourself for this sacrament, the greater- abundance of grace will you acquire. Be on your guard, then, against a fault so very common at present, which is, not to think seriously of approaching the holy table, till the very day preceding the communion; this is to receive without preparation, and consequently with scarce any advantage. Here, then, are some pious practices, which may be profitable.
First, some days before your communion, perform all your actions and prayers, in order to obtain the graces necessary for this important duty: offer them up in the morning with this intention; do some good works, such as an alms, an act of mortification, or a fast, with this same design.
Secondly. Visit Our Lord in the blessed Sacrament, morning and evening, on these days, to beg that he would himself; by his grace, dispose your heart to receive him worthily.
Thirdly. Read some book that treats of the Blessed Eucharist — such as the fourth book of the Following of Christ.
Fourthly. On the eve of your communion be more recollected than usual: thinking often upon the happiness you are to have in receiving your God. Let this be your last thought at composing yourself to rest; and let it be also the first you shall have at waking.
Fifthly. Represent to your imagination, that your Angel Guardian addresses you in these words: - Behold the Spouse cometh , go forth now, and meet him; rise as early as you can to receive the great guest who deigns to honor you with this visit. Keep a profound silence until you return from Mass, and let it appear by your modesty, that you are deeply penetrated with the sanctity of this action.
Sixthly. In short, whenever you go to your communion, have always in your mind some particular intention; such as the acquiring of a virtue; the overcoming of a temptation; the knowledge of God's will with regard to yourself; the relief of the souls of the faithful departed; the conversion of infidels, heretics, and sinners in general. Nothing is -more capable of exciting fervor than some particular end, to which all is referred.
On the day that you communicate, you are required by the Church to be lasting from the midnight previous, in honor of the heavenly food that you are to receive.
On the morning of your communion, go to church with modesty, and wholly occupied with the great action which you are to perform. If you are in church a good while before the Mass, at which you are to receive the holy communion, entertain yourself with some pious consideration relative to this sacred mystery. You might, for example, reflect on these three questions: Who is coming? To whom? And for what purpose? In the first, you may consider your Saviour under the various titles, which he has assumed for the love of mankind, viz., as the Father, Teacher, Physician, Shepherd, Redeemer, Friend and Spouse of your soul: and see how perfectly he has fulfilled these titles, and fulfils them still, in the Blessed Eucharist. In the second, consider the corresponding titles in yourself; viz., of his Child, his Disciple, his Patient, his Sheep, his rescued Captive, his Friend and Spouse, and see how you comply with the duties annexed to these glorious names. In the third, consider the intentions of mercy and love, which bring him down from heaven, and detain him in this Sacrament, and the inexhaustible treasures of graces there opened to mankind; which, to be lavished on them requires not any merit on their side, but only, that they would put no obstacle to his divine profusions.
During the Mass at which you communicate, make the following acts, observing to recite them slowly and piously: endeavoring to appropriate to yourself the sentiments expressed therein, and deeply to impress your heart with them. Make from time to time a little pause, especially when you find yourself much affected; and, whenever you feel yourself interiorly drawn to pray mentally, lay your book aside, and yield to that attraction.
When the time of communion has arrived, approach the Sanctuary with gravity and recollection, wholly intent upon the signal happiness you are about to receive. Kneel down at the railing, holding the communion-cloth under your chin, and when the Priest comes to you, elevate your head a little, opening your mouth and protruding the tongue sufficiently to receive the sacred host; which ought to be swallowed as soon as it is moist. Then, collecting ail the powers of your soul, adore and welcome the divine guest within you, and retire from the railing with a profound sense of the eminent blessing that has been conferred upon you.
The time immediately following the reception of the holy communion is most precious, and it is of the utmost importance that you spend well the happy moments, during which Jesus Christ is corporally present in your breast. When could you have so favorable an opportunity of obtaining from him the graces and favors you have need o( as when he comes in person to visit you? Be careful then always to spend about fifteen minutes after your communion, in acts of adoration, praise, thanksgiving, love, oblation, petition, and in imploring the graces of God for yourself, do not omit to invoke the divine mercy upon all for whom you are bound to pray, and particularly the suffering souls of purgatory. The whole day after your communion be more retired than usual, spending more time in exercises of piety, and keeping a stricter. guard over your senses, your thoughts and actions, lest the spiritual enemy deprive you in any way of the precious gift that you have received.
MEDITATION
On the Advantages and Conditions of frequent Communion.
FIRST POINT.
THOSE who have the inexpressible happiness ot approaching the holy table frequently, should be extremely careful not to approach from habit, or without endeavoring to prepare themselves in the best manner possible. But, fear of receiving unworthily should not lead us to the other extreme, and cause us to keep ourselves away from our divine Lord, contrary to the advice of our spiritual Father. To avoid these snares of the enemy, let us consider, that our Lord absolutely commands us to eat his body and to drink his blood, under pain of being deprived of life, (St. John vi 54,) that is to say, of the life of grace and of eternal glory: but, we must also weigh well the words of St. Paul, who forbids us to approach unworthily, under pain of eating and drinking our own condemnation, and of being guilty of the body and blood of our Lord. (1 Cor. xi 29.) These two oracles should be the infallible rule for communion: the first, considered separately, might inspire a dangerous confidence, and cause us to approach too often and with little preparation; the second, considered independently of the first, might inspire too great a fear, and cause us to deprive ourselves of this greatest of all blessings. Let us then be obedient to the first precept, which commands us to approach; but, let us also be equally obedient to the second, which forbids us to approach unworthily. The error of considering these two precepts separately, has been the deplorable source of much loss and abuse of grace. In these two oracles is comprised a rule which we may follow without any fear of being deceived. We maybe certain, that we cannot go to holy communion too often, provided we do all in our power to receive worthily. But, to communicate often, without laboring to correct our habitual faults, without endeavoring to overcome any attachment which we may have to any sin, without trying earnestly to attain to the perfection of our state of life, and without fervor and care in our preparation, is a dangerous delusion, and may lead the soul to a deplorable abuse of this holy and august sacrament. But, to allow a false humility, which is often a pretext for sloth, to prevent us from communicating often, although privileged to do so by our rule or by the advice of our director, is an illusion no less dangerous; because the soul being deprived of its necessary support, becomes weaker and weaker, and may easily fall into a fatal state of tepidity, and into an almost entire forgetfulness of God. In the time of St Augustine, many of the faithful communicated every day, imitating in this the first Christians; who were in this holy practice, of at least, who communicated as often as they assisted at the Divine Sacrifice. This great Saint said, that he neither praised nor blamed those who communicated every day. However he exhorted all to go to communion every Sunday, provided they were not attached to any sin; and, in one of his epistles, he says: " If any one falls into involuntary faults, he should not deprive himself of the daily remedy of the body and blood of Jesus Christ." St. Ambrose, addressing the tepid Christians of his time, said: " This adorable sacrament is a daily bread, yet you receive it only once a year. You are every day exposed to many combats; whence do you receive the strength necessary to be victorious over your enemies? In these combats, you often receive wounds: when one is wounded, it is natural to have recourse to some remedy— the devil is your enemy, sin is your wound; and this divine sacrament is the remedy."
It is certain, that it would not be well to say to the generality of Christians what this holy Doctor said to some pious souls: Receive every day that, which will, everyday, be your nourishment and support; but we may say to all, what the same holy Father added, whilst addressing the same chosen souls: Live in such a manner that you need not fear to receive this holy sacrament every day; for, he who has not the dispositions to receive every day, may well mistrust his dispositions at the end of the year.
SECOND POINT.
LET us consider with serious attention the advantages of holy communion, and also the dispositions requisite to receive it often. The first consideration will urge us to have frequent recourse to this Life-giving Bread; the second will make us careful not to approach unworthily: the first will show us the inestimable blessings which are attached to frequent communion; the second, the dispositions with which we should approach, that we may not profane this adorable sacrament, or be deprived of any of the graces annexed to the worthy reception of it A faithful soul that communicates frequently, becomes more and more detached from the world, and more intimately united to God; her faith becomes more lively, her hope more firm and more constant, her charity more ardent and more heroic. As she receives, in this adorable sacrament, the author and source of every grace, she is replenished with all the graces necessary to attain the perfection of her state. Whereas, with* out this divine nourishment, she would languish and at length die. Every devout soul will acknowledge that she feels herself much weaker when she has been a long time without this heavenly food; for, as the body feels its weakness when it has not taken the material food which is its nourishment and support, so is the soul much weaker when it has been some time without this divine food — its true nourishment and support. When We approach to the holy altar often and with fervor, we are strengthened against all the temptations to which we may be exposed. For, although the body and blood of our Divine Saviour ceases to be really present in our heart after the Sacramental species are consumed, he, however, still re-main8 there in a special manner by his grace; and tho virtue of this sacrament — the most powerful and the most efficacious of all the sacraments — produces wonderful effects, particularly in temptations against angelical purity: frequent communion being, as says a holy Doctor, the best support and guardian of this heavenly virtue. Frequent communion is also a safeguard against an unprovided death; for those who communicate often and with proper dispositions, are inspired with a sovereign horror for sin, and a holy ardor to keep their souls in the utmost purity. Frequent communion preserves us also from falling into a state of tepidity, and makes us strong to run in the paths of perfection. However, we must be extremely on our guard not to frustrate this powerful means of sanctification. To avoid so great a misfortune, we must free ourselves from all attachment to venial sin: this attachment is shown by the habit of it, by the little account made of it, and by the little care taken to correct it.
This divine sacrament produces its effects in proportion to the degree of faith, purity and love with which the soul receives it. It always increases sanctifying grace in the soul which is -free from mortal sin; but to the faithful and fervent soul, it gives a relish for God and the sweets of an interior life, and her union with God becomes more intimate, according to the frequency of her communions.
The manner in which the Israelites eat the paschal lamb, indicates the detachment of heart which those should have who receive the - holy eucharist — the immaculate Lamb of God prefigured by the paschal lamb. The Israelites always eat the paschal lamb standing, and with their staffs in their hands, as pilgrims ready to leave all, who have no earthly attachment; because their whole affections were fixed on the land of promise, which they had in view. Heaven is our land of promise, our father's house; and consequently, all the ardent desires of our heart should be directed towards it.
Those who communicate frequently should, from time to time, examine seriously what fruits they derive from this best of all graces; and if they find that they are so unhappy as to be less fervent in prayer, more remiss in the performance of their duties, and that their hearts are less united to God, they must use their utmost endeavors to recover their former fervor, or refrain from communicating so frequently. St. Augustine says, that to approach this sacrament with an affection for venial sins, is more injurious than beneficial; and that we will have to render a severe account of such communions at the tribunal of our Lord. Besides being detached from venial sin, we should keep ourselves, as much as possible, in the presence of God, and frequently raise our hearts to him: we are not worthy to receive our Lord so often, when we think of him but seldom, and when we neglect to entertain ourselves often with him in prayer. Cultivate then the spirit of an interior life, if you desire to reap the fruit of your frequent communions; and do not lose in dissipation the inestimable treasure you have acquired at the holy table, where you received the Bread of heaven, which gives that supernatural life so incompatible with a life of dissipation. Love God with all your heart, and your neighbor as yourself; multiply sincere acts of the love of your God, and seek opportunities to manifest this love.