Letter 6. To a certain Priest
He shows how he may prepare himself; and what considerations are most profitable, when he goes to celebrate at the Altar.
Reverend Father; I beseech our Lord that the delay which I have used in making my answer, may be recompensed with being true, and profitable to you, for your demand is of great importance; and so would the answer also be, if it were such as I have said. You ask me what preparation is best, and what consideration is most profitable, when you go to celebrate the mystery of the body, and blond of our lord and Saviour Jesus Christ; because you fear that the thing, which of itself is so helpful, may yet prove hurtful to you, for want of due preparation.
You know already, that there are different complexions of men's bodies; and so is there variety of inclinations, in their minds, yea and so also are the gifts which God imparts to men, very different. Some, he leads by one means, and others by another, and therefore there can be no such common rule given, as may square well with the generality of all men, concerning the consideration which may be most profitable for the aforesaid action. But this is certain, that that consideration will be best for any man, which God imparts, and whereby a man finds himself to be moved most. And he who hath any knowledge such as a man may have in things like these, (whereof there is no certain faith, nor clear evidence that his Preparation, or consideration grows from the impulse of God), hath no reason to change it for any other, till our lord change it. And this is to be tried, by giving account thereof, to some person, who hath experience in these things, together with prudence; and so to take the resolution.
But now there are others, who find not themselves particularly moved, to use, this, or that Consideration. And yet it is also necessary, for these men to impart the notice of their inward disposition; so to try whether they have need to be carried by the motive of Love, or fear, they being either sad, or cheerful; and the remedy is to be applied, according to the necessities wherein they are. And because I incline to think, according to the relation which I have received concerning you, that the state wherein you are, is of a person proficient in virtue, and that it is fit for you to exercise yourself, upon he considerations which may provoke you to the fervour of love, with reverence, then upon others; I say, that to this purpose, I know of none better, then that which may give us lively to understand, that our lord with whom we go to treat, is God and man, and what the cause is why he comes to the altar.
Certainly Sir, it is a blow of great force, towards the awaking of any man, to consider, and say this to himself, in good earnest, I am now going to consecrate Almighty God; to hold him in my hands, to have audience of him, and to receive him into my bosom. Let us ponder this well; and if it sink into us by the grace and spirit of our lord, it will be sufficient, and superabundant, for the making that result towards us, whereof we have so much need, that so (according to our frailty,) we may perform that office as we ought.
Who is he that can choose but be inflamed in love, by thinking, I go to receive an infinite Good? who will not tremble, with an amorous kind of reverence, at his presence, before whom the powers of heaven tremble? and who will not resolve, never to offend him more, but still to praise him, and do him service▪ Who will not be confounded, and even mourn with grief for having offended that Lord, whom he hath present there? who will not confide, upon such a pawn? whoe will not take hart, to go through this desert, by the way of penance, with such Provision? And finally, this consideration, (when the hand of our Lord helps it on) doth wholly change a man, and taking him from himself, doth even swallow him up; some times by reverence, some times by love; and at other times, by other most powerful affects of the mind, which are produced by the considerations of his Presence. Which affects, though they do not necessarily flow from these Considerations, yet are they a most ready help thereunto, if the man, as we use to say, will not be a stone.
So that you shall do well to exercise yourself in this thought. Make account that you hear that voice, Ecce sponsus venit, Deus vester venit. Behold your spouse is coming, your God is coming. And shut yourself up in your hart, and then open it to receive that, which uses to stream from such a lightning. And desire you, of the same Lord, that for that very goodness of his, by which he hath vouchsafed to put himself into your hands; for that same goodness, I say, he will give you a true feeling thereof, that so you may esteem, reveare, and love him, as you ought. Importune him that he permit you not to be in the presence of such a Majesty, without fear, reverence, and love. Accustom yourself to think as you ought, of the presence of our Lord; although you should then entertain no other consideration but that.1
Consider them who stand in presence of kings, who, though they say nothing; yet see the modesty, the reverence, & the love wherewith they stand, if they stand as they ought. But it is better to consider how those great ones assist in the Court of heaven, in presence of that infinite greatness all trembling at the reflection of their own littleness, and burning in the fire of love, like persons who are, as it were, consumed, in such a furnace. Make account, that you enter amongst those Graundes, who are so richly adorned, and so well behaved; and so diligent in doing service to their Lord. And then being placed, in such society as that, and in the presence of so great a king, think of it as you ought, though, as I was saying, you have not, at that time, any other consideration then that.
My meaning is, that it is one thing for a man to have what to say to the king; and it is another, to know (which may be done with silence) how to stand in his presence, and there to carry himself as he ought. And this is that union of the soul with our lord, which a man shall do well to procure during the time of Mass, and to hang wholly upon him, just so as when he is in his Cell, united with our lord, in the most secret retired corner of his hart. And this, in such sort, as that the words which he reads, may not be of any distraction to this union; for he shall reap more fruit by it, then by them; though yet, it be true, that he is to have regard also to the words; but he is to accustom himself whilst he hath his hart united, and present with God, to carry that attention withal, to what he doth, and saith, as is convenient.
Dear lord, and what doth the soul of that man feel, when he carries him in his hands who made election of our B. Lady, & enriched her with celestial graces, that she might be made fit to live and converse with God made man. And when he compares her hands, and arms, and eyes, with his own, what confusion doth he grow to have? How straightly will he hold himself to be obliged, for such a benefit? what caution will he use that he may keep himself wholly for him, who hath done him so much honour, as to put himself into his hands, and to come to them by them words of Consecration.
Sir, these things are no bare words nor no dead considerations; but they be arrows, shut stiffly out, from the strong bow of Almighty God, which wound and wholly change the hart, and which make it desire, that at the end of Mass, it may at large consider that word of our Lord, Scitis quid fecerim vobis?
Do you know what I have done to you. Dear lord that a man could conceive quid fecerit nobis Dominus, What our Lord had done for us in that hour. That a man might taste him with the palate of his soul. O that a man had true weights, where with he might weigh out, this great benefit. How happy should he be, even in this world; and how, after the end of Mass, would he loathe even the sight of creatures; and would esteem it to be a torment, that he must treat with them. And his joy and life would consist, in pondering, Quid fecerit ei dominus, what our lord had done for him, till the next day, that he should return to say Mass. And if our Lord do at any time give you this light, you will know what sorrow and shame you ought to carry in your hart, when you approach to the Altar without the same. For he who never enjoyed it, doth not know what a misery it is, to want it.2
You may add to this Consideration of the person who comes to the Altar, the reason why he comes; and you will there see a resemblance of the love, of the Incarnation of our Lord, and of his holy Nativity, and of his life, and death; renewing that which passed heretofore upon his sacred person. And if you shall enter into the most inward corner of the hart of our Lord, and if he vouchsafe to teach you, that the cause of his coming, is a violent and impatient kind of love, which permitts not him whoe loves, to be absent from the party beloved; your soul will even faint under such a consideration as that.
A man is indeed moved much, by pondering after this manner, Hear I have Almighty God. But yet, when he considers, that he comes merely out of the great love which he bears, (like one betrothed who cannot live a day, without seeing and conversing with his Spouse), the man I say, who feels this, would be glad to have a thousand hearts, wherewith to correspond with such love, and to say with S. Augustine O Lord what am I to thee, that thou shouldest command me to love thee? what am I to thee, that thou shouldest so much desire, to make me a visit; and to give me an embracement, and that, being in heaven, with them who know so well how to love, and serve thee, thou yet vouchsafest to descend to this creature, who knows very ill how to serve thee, but very will how to offend thee. Is it possible that thou canst not content thyself, O lord, to be without me. Is it possible that thy love of me, should draw thee down? Blessed mayst thou be for ever, who being what thou art, hast yet placed thy love, upon such a creatures as myself? And is it possible, that thou shouldest come hither, in thy royal person, and that thou shouldest put thy selfe into my hands, as if thou wouldst say; I died for thee once, already; and I come to thee now, is let thee know, that I repent not myself thereof; but if it were needful, I would dye for thee yet, a second tyme. What lance could remain in the rest, after such a dear expression of love as this? Who, O lord will ever be able to hide himself from the heat of thy hart, which warms ours with thy presence, & the sparks fly out to all them who are near it, as out of some mighty furnace. And as such a lord as this, (my good Father) doth the God of the heavens, come to our hands, and we being such wretches as we are, do yet converse with him, and receive him.
Let us now conclude this good subject, which is so sit to be felt and put in execution. And let us beseech this lord of ours, who hath already done us one favour, that now he will do us another, forasmuch as his blessings, unless we value them, and thank him, and serve him for them, will not be of profit to us. Or rather as S. Bernard saith, The ungrateful man, by how much the better he is, by so much he is the worse. Let us consider well how we live, throughout the whole day; lest else our lord punish us, in that time when we are at the Altar. And throughout the whole day, let us carry this thought in our hearts, I have received our Lord. At his table I sit; and to morrow I shall be with him again. By this meane●, we shall be able to avoid all ill, and we shall take hart, towards the practice of all good. For that which is done from the Altar, our lord is wont to reward, at the Altar.
To conclude, I say you must remember how our lord complained of Simon the Pharisee, for that, entering into his house, he gave him no water for his feet, nor any kiss to his cheek. To the end we may know that he desires, that in the house where he enters, we should give him tears, laid at his feet for our sins; and love which makes us salute him with the kiss of peace. I beseech our lord to bestow this peace on you, both with yourself, and with your neighbours; and so as that it may spring from perfect love; which I desire may torment you here, for the offences, which yourself and others commit against our Lord. And in heaven I desire, that he should make you enjoy it; esteeming the good of God for your own, and more than your own, because you love him more than yourself. For his love, I beg of you, that if in this letter, there be either little, or much, which needs amendment, it may not want your help; and if there be any thing good in it, give the thankes for that, to our Lord, and remember me when you shall be at the Altar.3
Footnotes
Chapter 1 of 57