“Out of the darkness of my life, so much frustrated, I put before you the one great thing to love on earth: the Blessed Sacrament. … There you will find romance, glory, honor, fidelity, and the true way of all your loves upon earth.” — J. R. R. Tolkien
At the Last Supper, when Jesus leaves his disciples the precious gift of the Eucharist, he gives another gift:
the New Commandment. To his closest friends, Jesus says, “This is my commandment: love one another as I love you” (Jn 15:12). The love of the Eucharist burns so fiercely that St. Thérèse of Lisieux calls the Eucharist a furnace! She says: “Heaven for me is hidden in a little Host where Jesus, my Spouse, is veiled for love. I go to that Divine Furnace to draw out life, and there my Sweet Savior listens to me night and day.” This is a mystery of God’s love: that he would choose, for our sake, to be hidden under the guise of bread.
LET US PRAY
Lord Jesus, set my heart on fire with your love whenever I come into your presence. Grant me interior peace, to be immersed in your love, and pour out on me your grace, that I may always live by your great commandment. Amen.
PRAYER TO THE EUCHARIST
O God, who in this wonderful Sacrament have left us a memorial of your Passion, grant us, we pray, so to revere the sacred mysteries of your Body and Blood that we may always experience in ourselves the fruits of your redemption. Who live and reign with God the Father in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever.
-Collect for the Feast of Corpus Christi, composed by St. Thomas Aquinas