First Prelude: Behold Jesus giving His Apostles the comforting assurance that He will never leave them.
Second Prelude: Grant me, O Jesus, a lively faith, that I may be ever mindful of Thy holy presence.
First Point
WHO IS HE THAT PROMISES TO REMAIN WITH US?
Our Blessed Lord had entrusted great things to His Apostles. He had commissioned them to go and teach all nations, and through baptism to receive them into the true fold. He had already promised them the gift of miracles, but added the consoling promise to remain with them until the end of time. O my soul, ponder the greatness of such a promise! Jesus did not promise to send an angel,—no, He, the Almighty, the infinite God Himself will remain with His Church, whose members we also are. Our victorious Saviour, Who has vanquished Satan, the world and death, will take us under His protection. Should not this thought be our comfort in hours of desolation, of tribulation, and of temptation? Though we are exposed to great dangers, the Lion of the tribe of Juda fights for us and protects us. Should not His presence incite us to fulfill courageously and zealously the commission He has entrusted to us? Jesus is with us, observes our every step, knows all our thoughts, words, and actions, weighs the sacrifices that we make in His service, and rejoices in our progress in perfection. What are the love and attention of the tenderest of mothers, when compared with the touching solicitude of our Blessed Saviour for us? Let us frequently renew our faith in the presence of Jesus, and be mindful of His holy gaze resting upon us incessantly, to afford us encouragement in sufferings, fortitude in time of temptations, and protection against evil.
O comforting and strengthening consciousness of the Divine Presence! What an incentive to good! If I were always mindful of the presence of Jesus, many a difficulty would vanish. Should not the frequent remembrance of His presence preserve me from transgressing the Holy Rule!
Second Point
IN WHAT MANNER DOES JESUS REMAIN WITH US?
How highly must we value sanctifying grace, which effects our spiritual regeneration and unites us most intimately with God. Through sanctifying grace, God dwells in our souls, rules them with His power and goodness, and incessantly bestows on us proofs of His infinite love. He overwhelms us with enlightening and strengthening grace, that we may do good and avoid evil. His loving Providence guides us in all the circumstances of our lives, and directs all things to our salvation. Not only is Jesus with us by His grace; He dwells in our midst under the form of bread, in the adorable Sacrament of the Altar.
Christ’s consoling promise to remain with us to the end of time had reference pre-eminently to this Mystery of His Love. In it He has become the Companion of our exile, and that none may be deprived of His presence, He dwells on countless altars at one and the same time. From the Tabernacle, as from a refuge of Mercy, He addresses to all the loving invitation; “Come to Me, all ye who labor and are heavily laden and I will refresh you” (Matt. 11, 2). Day and night He is ready to receive us and to bestow grace upon us. He remains in constant adoration before His Father, praying for us and immolating Himself for our salvation and that of the whole world.
Who enjoys the happiness of the continual presence of Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament more abundantly than religious, dwelling, as they do, in His immediate vicinity, for the most part, under the same roof with Him! If obedience calls us from one place to another, there, too, we find Jesus, awaiting us and holding out to us all the graces that we need for the faithful discharge of our duties. What gratitude, what love, what fidelity do we owe our Divine Saviour, for His bountiful presence!
Affections: O my Saviour, Thou didst promise Thy Apostles not to leave them as orphans, but to remain with them all days, until the end of time. How gloriously hast Thou fulfilled Thy promise! It did not suffice for Thy love to remain with us through Thy grace, Thy power and Thy protection, but Thou wouldst take up Thy abode among us in Thy Sacred Humanity. Oh, how can we ever thank Thee adequately, our most generous Saviour and most loving Redeemer, for Thy unspeakable goodness and liberality. As often as it is permitted us, we will hasten to Thy Tabernacle to draw courage and strength for the works of our vocation, to unburden to Thy loving Heart our needs of body and of soul, to beg Thy divine blessing for us and those committed to our care.
Resolution: I will frequently in the course of the day, vividly recall the presence of Jesus.
Spiritual Bouquet: “Behold I am with you all days—even to the consummation of the world.”
Prayer: Jesus, my Lord, my King . . .
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