XX — FROM THE EUCHARIST TO THE TRINITY

Presence of God. — O Eucharistic Jesus, guide me to the Trinity; help me to live with the Trinity.

Meditation

1 — Jesus came to us from the bosom of the Father in order to lead us to the Trinity: this is the end of the Incarnation and it is also the end of the Eucharist, which prolongs in time the mystery of the Incarnation. In the Eucharist Jesus continues to be the Mediator between us and the Trinity, continues to extend his hand to us to lead us to it and, coming into us in Holy Communion, puts us in ever more direct contact with the three divine Persons. Jesus, in fact, comes to us not only with his Most Holy Humanity, but also with his Divinity. He comes to us in the integrity of his Person as God-Man and, as God, as the Word, He is always indissolubly united to the Father and to the Holy Spirit. From the consecrated Host Jesus could repeat to us what He once said on earth: “He who sent me is with me and has not left me alone,” and more explicitly: “I am in the Father and the Father is in me” (Jn. 8:29; 14:10). Therefore, when He comes into us in Holy Communion, He does not come alone, but with Him comes the Father, and therefore also the Holy Spirit, precisely because the three divine Persons, though distinct, are inseparable. The presence of the Trinity in our soul is not limited to the moments in which we bear Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament within us, because the three divine Persons indwell permanently in the soul in grace. Yet it is true that the Trinity is present in an altogether particular way in Christ, the Incarnate Word, the only Man personally united to the Trinity and in whom “all the fullness of divinity dwells” (Lit. Sacred Heart); therefore it is certain that where Christ is, and thus in our soul at the moment of Communion, there the Trinity is present in a special way.

2 — The Most Holy Trinity is never so present in our soul as in those brief moments in which we have Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament within us; and not only is It present there, but It dwells there with complacency. The Father delights in his beloved Son dwelling in us, whom He has given us through the Eucharist. The Word delights in Jesus’ most holy Humanity, which is wholly and forever his. The Holy Spirit delights in Christ, his preferred temple and, because of Him, rejoices to dwell in us. Finding Jesus in us, the whole Most Holy Trinity can finally rejoice in dwelling in our soul and, rejoicing, looks upon us with particular love and pours Itself into us with greater fullness. Thus each Communion nourishes our life of union not only with Jesus, but also with the Most Holy Trinity. Each Communion increases our capacity to receive the three divine Persons within us, to live “in society” with Them through ever more intimate and profound relationships. Jesus’ prayer, “As You, Father, are in me and I in You, may they also be one in us... I in them and You in me, that they may be perfect in unity” (Jn. 17:21, 23), finds its highest realization precisely in those precious instants when Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament beats within us. But even when his sacramental presence ceases, its effect does not disappear, namely, this more intimate union with the Most Holy Trinity.

On the other hand, never so well as in those moments when Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament is present in our soul are we able to offer the Trinity a dwelling worthy of It, and not only a dwelling, but also gifts, praises, supplications, and adorations worthy of Its infinite majesty. In fact, we can offer It Jesus who is in us, who is ours, because the Trinity Itself has given Him to us and He has given Himself to us with all his substance: Jesus, perfect praise of the Most Holy Trinity, beloved Son in whom the divine Persons place all their complacency. And together with Him we offer the love, adorations, supplications, praises, and reparations of his Sacred Heart. How rich we are when Jesus is in us! How we can, through Him and in Him, honor, exalt, and glorify the Most Holy Trinity!

Colloquy

“O Jesus Christ, true God and true Man! My soul rejoices to find again in the Most Blessed Sacrament You, uncreated God, who make Yourself man, who make Yourself creature! In this Sacrament, O Christ, I find joined your Humanity and your Divinity. From Humanity I ascend to Divinity and from this I descend again to Humanity. I behold the ineffable Divinity in which are contained all treasures of wisdom, knowledge, and incorruptible riches. I behold the inexhaustible fountain of delights that alone satisfy our mind. I behold your most precious Soul, O Jesus, with all the virtues and gifts of the Holy Spirit, most holy and immaculate oblation. I behold your most holy Body, price of our redemption; I behold your Blood that purifies and gives us life. In short, I find there most precious treasures that I cannot recount because of their greatness.

“Truly this Sacrament contains You, O my God, whom the Angels adore, in whose presence Spirits and formidable Powers tremble. Oh, if we could see You with clear eye as they see You, with what reverence we would approach this Sacrament, with what humility we would receive it within us!

“O Most Holy Trinity, You have ordained this Sacrament to bind to Yourself the object of your love, that is, to draw to Yourself the soul of your creature and, detaching it from all earthly things, to join it to You, uncreated God, and thus make it die to sin and give it spiritual and eternal life. O Holy Trinity, this sacrament was instituted by your infinite goodness so that we might be united to You, and You to us; so that at the same time we might receive You within us and be received by You, bear You in us and be borne by You!” (Blessed Angela of Foligno).