Holy Thursday

By Laura Worhacz

St. Peter Julian Eymard's words:

I want to devote myself to the service and glory of Thy Sacrament.... I want to obtain forgiveness for having loved Thee so late!...

(Taken from the TRUE PRESENCE of St. Peter Julian's Library Vol. 1 Pages 28-31)

Chapter title: The Institution of the Eucharist

MEDITATION

St. Peter Julian Eymard reminds us that, "If the love of Jesus in the Most Holy Sacrament does not win our hearts, Jesus is vanquished! Our ingratitude is greater than His goodness; our malice is more powerful than His charity!"

Holy Thursday

The Holy Sacrifice of the Mass should be the center of our lives! We live Sunday to Sunday in the love of God's Word. We have the opportunity to attend daily Mass (for those who are able). Whether you are a daily Communicant or weekly attendant, the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass should be the center of our lives. God should be at the center of our lives, He is alive and well and with us. St. Peter Julian is inviting us to let the Most Holy Sacrament win our hearts, to be grateful turning all to thanksgiving. Jesus left us His very life in the Eucharist for us to make the Last Supper first in our lives. Jesus' whole passion can be consummated in the word HUMILITY. He was tortured showing us how to be humble. He washed our feet and died for each of us. If you were the only one on the face of the earth, Jesus would have died for you alone, and so He has. Jesus asks for a return of His love. When we try to love there is a great union of the Love that we come to know as His Grace. This Grace becomes etched in hearts; we long to be in the service and glory of His Sacrament to find this Grace of God. "Love does not unburden itself of its obligations on others. Love does everything itself. That is its boast. "The Eucharist is our rainbow." (St.Peter Julian Eymard )



More from St. Peter Julian Eymard:

How good is the Lord Jesus! How loving! Not satisfied with having become our Brother by His Incarnation and our Savior by His Passion, not satisfied with having delivered Himself up for us, He wants to strain His love to the point of making Himself our Sacrament of life!...

Jesus revealed the Eucharist before hand. He was born at Bethlehem, the house of bread, domus panis. He lay on straw which then seemed to bear an ear of the true wheat...The time had come for more immediate preparation of the Eucharist. Jesus wanted to see to these preparations Himself. Love does not unburden itself of its obligations on others. Love does everything itself. That is its boast.

The time for the August Sacrament had come. What a moment! The hour of love had struck.... Jesus sat down at table with a grave simplicity. They had to eat the new pasch sitting down, in the repose of God. A deep silence came over them all; the Apostles looked on very attentively. Jesus became meditative. He took some bread in His holy and venerable hands, raised His eyes to heaven, gave thanks to His Father for this hour He had so desired, stretched out His hand, blessed the bread......

Take ye and eat. This is My Body....Drink ye all of This. This is my blood.

The mystery of love was consummated. Jesus had fulfilled His promise. He had nothing more to give but His mortal life upon the Cross. He would give it and would rise again to be our perpetual Host of propitiation, the Host of our Communion, the Host of our adoration.

Heaven was enraptured at the sight of this mystery. The Most Holy Trinity contemplated it with love. The angels, struck with awe, adored it.

And with what a frantic rage were not the demons seized in hell!

Heavenly Father, Thou wilt always love men; they possess Jesus Christ forever!.... the Eucharist is our rainbow. Thou wilt love men since Thy Son Jesus Christ loves them so much!

Alas! If the love of Jesus in the Most Holy Sacrament does not win our hearts, Jesus in vanquished! Our ingratitude is greater than His goodness; our malice is more powerful than His charity!


Send:

If you cannot attend the Holy Thursday Mass or the time before Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament until He is reposed try to spend some time at home in the silence even if it is late night.

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