Thought for the Day – 29 April – The Role of the Eucharist in Increasing Our Love of God (Part Three)

Thought for the Day – 29 April – The Spiritual Combat (1589) – Dom Lorenzo Scupoli OSM (c1530-1610)

“None shall be crowned who has not fought well.” 2 Tim 2: 5

LV: … The Role of the Eucharist in
Increasing Our Love of God (Part Three)

“When the time itself draws near, we must consider, attentively, Who it is we are about to receive – for our Guest is to be the Son of the living God, the august Majesty before Whom the heavens and the powers of Heaven tremble in awesome fear!

Our Guest is to be the Saint of Saints, Mirror without blemish, Purity
itself, before Whom all is unclean in comparison.
This is Divinity become Man – One looked upon as the very outcast of men, Who was pleased to be spat upon, struck, reviled and Crucified out of love for us.

You are indeed about to receive God Himself, in Whose Hand is the destiny of the universe.
On the other hand, think of your own utter insignificance and your vile sinfulness which has reduced you below the level of the brute and made you worthy of being the sport and slave of devils!
Consider your acknowledgment of the Infinite favours you have received from your Saviour – you have insulted the Redeemer and trampled upon His Precious Blood, displaying a most absolute ingratitude.

But even human ingratitude cannot overcome Divine charity – capricious fickleness is no match for unchanging Love.
Still the gracious Lord summons you to the Divine banquet and rather
than rebuffing you for your obvious inadequacies, bids you come
under pain of death.
The arms of the merciful Father are always open to receive you, be you leprous, lame, blind, squandering, or possessed by devils.

He demands of you these few requisites alone:

To be sincerely sorry for having so grievously offended Him.
To hate sin of all kinds with an unquenchable vigour.
To consecrate yourself to cheerful acceptance of His Divine
Will, whatever it may be.
To have a firm confidence that He will forgive your sins, cleanse your soul of all taint and defend you against all your enemies.

Encouraged by this ineffable Love of the Lord for you and all penitent sinners, approach the holy table with a prudent fear, tempered by hope and love, saying:

“After so many grievous offences, I am not worthy to receive
Thee, not having fully satisfied Thy justice.
No, my God, I am unworthy of Thee, sullied as I am by an inordinate attachment to creatures and a reluctance to serve Thee completely, with my whole heart and my whole strength.
O my omnipotent Lord, be mindful of Thy goodness and Thy promise; through the Divine alchemy of Love and Faith, make my heart a worthy dwellingplace for Thy Divine Son.”

Dom Lorenzo Scupoli

PART ONE:
https://anastpaul.com/2024/04/27/thought-for-the-day-27-april-the-role-of-the-eucharist-in-increasing-our-love-of-god-part-one/
PART TWO:
https://anastpaul.com/2024/04/28/thought-for-the-day-28-april-two-role-of-the-eucharist-in-increasing-our-love-of-god-part-two/