“O wonderful loftiness and stupendous dignity! O sublime humility! O humble sublimity! The Lord of the universe, God and the Son of God, so humbles himself that for our salvation he hides himself under an ordinary piece of bread!” — Saint Francis of Assisi
Saint Francis of Assisi was known to have an extraordinary devotion to the Mass. He wrote in his testament, “Above everything else, I want this most holy Sacrament to be honored and venerated and reserved in places which are richly ornamented.” Saint Francis, the lover of poverty, marveled at the humility, the simplicity of the Eucharist. Saint Bonaventure tells us, “He burned with love for the Sacrament of our Lord’s Body with all his heart, and was lost in wonder at the thought of such condescending love, such loving condescension.” For Saint Francis, this was the height of love, which must be worshiped and emulated. He told his brothers: “Look at the humility of God, and pour out your hearts before him! Humble yourselves that you may be exalted by him!”
LET US PRAY
Heavenly Father, give us the grace of wonder, that we might marvel at the Eucharist. May we rejoice and imitate the humility of God, who comes to us in everyday bread. 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