frequently receive a great grace of devotion and love of virtue. Oh, the wonderful and hidden grace of this sacrament, which only the faithful of Christ know, but which unbelievers and such as are slaves to sin cannot experience! In this sacrament is conferred spiritual grace, lost virtue is repaired in the soul, and beauty disfigured by sin returns again. And so great sometimes is this grace, that from the abundance of the devotion which is bestowed, not only the mind, but the frail body also feels a great increase of strength.
Yet it is much to be lamented and pitied that we should be so lukewarm and negligent as not to be drawn with greater affection to the receiving of Christ, in Whom consist all the hope and merit of those who will be saved. For He is our sanctification and our redemption: He is our comfort in our pilgrimage, and the eternal beatitude of the saints. It is, therefore, much to be lamented that many take so little notice of this saving mystery, which rejoices heaven and preserves the whole world. Oh, the blindness and the hardness of the human heart, which does not consider so unspeakable a gift, and from a daily use of it falls into a disregard of it! For if this most holy sacrament were only celebrated in one place and consecrated only by one priest in the world, how great a desire would men have to go to that place and to such a priest of God, that they might see the divine mysteries celebrated! But now there are made many priests, and Christ is offered up in many places, that the grace and love of God to man may appear so much the greater, by how much more this holy communion is spread throughout the world. Thanks be to Thee, O good Jesus, our eternal shepherd, Who hast vouchsafed to feed us poor exiles with Thy precious body and blood, and to invite us to the receiving of these mysteries with the words of Thy own
