True Devotion During Holy Communion

[MariaChristi]

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

Yesterday we began the “Supplement” St. Louis de Montfort wrote as a conclusion to his treatise on “True Devotion to the Blessed Virgin”. We pondered his words on how to pray “Before Holy Communion”. Today we consider how to pray as we approach the reception of the Body and Blood of Jesus:

During Holy Communion

1. After the Our Father, when you are about to receive our Lord, say to him three times the prayer, “Lord, I am not worthy.” Say it the first time as if you were telling the eternal Father that because of your evil thoughts and your ingratitude to such a good Father, you are unworthy to receive His only-begotten Son, but that here is Mary, His handmaid, who acts for you and whose presence gives you a special confidence and hope in Him.
2. Say to God the Son, “Lord, I am not worthy”, meaning that you are not worthy to receive Him because of your useless and evil words and your carelessness in His service, but nevertheless you ask Him to have pity on you because you are going to usher Him into the house of His Mother and yours, and you will not let Him go until He has made it His home. Implore Him to rise and come to the place of His repose and the ark of His sanctification. Tell Him that you have no faith in your own merits, strength and preparedness, like Esau, but only in Mary, your Mother, just as Jacob had trust in Rebecca His mother. Tell Him that although you are a great sinner you still presume to approach Him, supported by His holy Mother and adorned with her merits and virtues.
3. Say to the Holy Spirit, “Lord, I am not worthy”. Tell Him that you are not worthy to receive the masterpiece of His love because of your luke-warmness, wickedness and resistance to His inspirations. But, nonetheless, you put all your confidence in Mary, His faithful Spouse, and say with St. Bernard, “She is my greatest safeguard, the whole foundation of my hope.” Beg Him to overshadow Mary, his inseparable Spouse, once again. Her womb is as pure and her heart as ardent as ever. Tell Him that If he does not enter your soul neither Jesus nor Mary will be formed there nor will it be a worthy dwelling for them.

As St Louis continues, he tells us these are only some possible ways to live our “True Devotion” but the Holy Spirit can and may suggest other ways. It is so very important to receive the Jesus in the most worthy manner as possible – as is true with all the Sacraments, but especially the Holy Eucharist. As the Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches:

1324 The Eucharist is “the source and summit of the Christian life.” “The other sacraments, and indeed all ecclesiastical ministries and works of the apostolate, are bound up with the Eucharist and are oriented toward it. For in the blessed Eucharist is contained the whole spiritual good of the Church, namely Christ himself, our Pasch.”

Come Holy Spirit fill the hearts of Your Faithful. Kindle in us the Fire of Your Love! Jesus, we trust in You! Mary, Mother and Model of the Church, pray for us!

 

[MariaChristi]

Dear MagdalenaRita, patricius, JoeShlabotnik, and Stephie,

Thank you all for your “hearts”, letting me know you read and appreciated the words of St. Louis de Montfort. May we all continue to grow in God’s gift of Wisdom given to us in Baptism, and find Jesus with His Mother as the Wise men who followed the star found Him.