Chapter 02. That the greatness and charity of God is shown to men in the ... (Book 4. Exhortation to Holy Communion) (The Imitation of Christ) (a-Kempis, Thomas)

1. The Voice of the Disciple

Trusting in Your goodness and great mercy, O Lord, I draw near, the sick to the Healer, the hungering and thirsting to the Fountain of life, the poverty-stricken to the King of heaven, the servant to the Lord, the creature to the Creator, the desolate to my own gentle Comforter. But whence is this to me, that You come to me? Who am I that You should offer me Yourself? How does a sinner dare to appear before You? And how do you graciouslycome to the sinner? You know Your servant, and You know that he has in him no good thing for which You should grant him this grace. I confess therefore mine own vileness, I acknowledge Your goodness, I praise Your tenderness, and I give You thanks for Your exceeding great love. For You do this for Your own sake, not for my merits, that Your goodness may be more manifest to me, Your charity more abundantly poured out upon me, and Your humility more perfectly commended to me. Therefore because this pleass You and You have commanded that thu it shall be, Your condescension pleases me also; and oh that mine iniquity hinder it not.

2. O most sweet and tender Jesus, what reverence, what giving of thanks is due to You with perpetual praise for the receiving of Your sacred Body and Blood, the dignity whereof no man is found able to express. But what shall I think upon in this Communion in approaching my Lord, whom I am not able worthily to honour, and nevertheless whom I long devoutly to receive? What shall be better and more healthful meditation for me, than utter humiliation of myself before You, and exaltation of Your infinite goodness towards me? I praise You, O my God, and exalt You for evermore. I despise myself, and cast myself down before You into the deep of my vileness.

3. Behold, You are the Saint of saints and I the refuse of sinners; behold, You stoopest to me who am not worthy to look upon You; behold, You come to me, You willest to be with me, You invitest me to Your feast. You willest to give me the heavenly food and bread of angels to eat; none other, in truth, than Yourself, The living bread, which did descend from heaven; and give life to the world.

4. Behold, whence this love proceedeth! what manner of condescension shines forth herein. What great giving of thanks and praise is due to You for these benefits! Oh how salutary and profitable Your purpose when You did ordain this! How sweet and pleasant the feast when You did give Yourself for food! Oh how admirable is your working, O Lord, how mighty Your power, how unspeakable Your truth! For You did speak the word, and all things were made; and this is done which You have commanded.

5. A thing wonderful, and worthy of faith, and surpassing all the understanding of man, that You, O Lord my God, very God and very man, give Yourself altogether to us in a little bread and wine, and are so our inexhaustible food. You, O Lord of all, who have need of nothing, have willed to dwell in us through Your Sacrament. Preserve my heart and my body undefiled, that with a joyful and pure conscience I may be able very often to [celebrate, and] receive to my perpetual health. Your mysteries, which You have consecrated and instituted both for Your own honour, and for a perpetual memorial.

6. Rejoice, O my soul, and give thanks to God for so great a gift and precious consolation, left to you in this vale of tears. For so oft as you callest this mystery to mind and receivest the body of Christ, so often do you celebrate the work of your redemption, and are made partaker of all the merits of Christ. For the charity of Christ never grows less, and the greatness of His propitiation is never exhausted. Therefore, by continual renewal of your spirit, you ought to dispose yourself hereunto and to weigh the great mystery of salvation with attentive consideration. So great, new, and joyful ought it to appear to you when you come to communion, as if on this self-same day Christ for the first time were descending into the Virgin's womb and becoming man, or hanging on the cross, suffering and dying for the salvation of mankind.

John vi. 51. The words in brackets are only suitable for a priest.