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Do you really know, St. John Chrysostom asks, what an honor it is to be invited to communion with Christ? Angels tremble even to see the body of Christ, but we’re invited to make our bodies one with his.
Think of how indignant you are against the traitor, against the ones who crucified Jesus. So look out! Make sure you yourself don’t also become guilty of the body and blood of Christ. They slaughtered the all-holy body, but you receive it in a filthy soul after such great benefits. It wasn’t enough for him to be made man, to be smitten and slaughtered, but he also commingles himself with us, and not by faith only, but also in actual deed makes us his body.
Then if you have the benefit of this sacrifice, shouldn’t you be purer than anything? The hand that is to sever this flesh, the mouth that is filled with spiritual fire, the tongue that is reddened by that most awful blood—shouldn’t they be purer than any sunbeam? Think what an honor it is, what sort of table you’re sharing! When angels see the Body of Christ, they tremble, and dare not so much as look up at it without awe because of the brightness that comes from it. But we’re fed with it, commingled with it, and made one body and one flesh with Christ. –St. John Chrysostom, Homily 82 on Matthew
IN GOD’S PRESENCE, CONSIDER . . .
Do I recognize that God has given me to possess mysteries “into which angels long to look” (1 Peter 1:12)? Am I grateful for this gift?
CLOSING PRAYER
Holy angels, who worship with me in the Mass, lead me to the heights and depths of the mystery of our Lord’s real presence.
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