IT

Jesus Christ, really present in the Holy Eucharist, communicates Himself to us in various ways. On the altar, He sacrifices Himself ; at the holy table, He gives Himself as our food ; in the tabernacle, He resides day and night to receive our homage and to hear our petitions.

In the holy sacrifice of the mass, He immolates Himself in our presence mysteriously, but truly. Jesus Christ is there both the pontiff and the victim : His all

powerful word is the sword of which He makes use : His love for us is the fire which consumes Him. On the cross, He has offered up His own blood /o ob/ain to

us eternal redemption, and by the sacrifice of Himself He

hath exhausted the sins of many (Heb. 9, 12, 28.).

On the altar, He renews, ever and every where, this one sacrifice, to give us all at once a glowing mark of His love, a means to render to God an homage worthy of His infinite majesty, and an inexhaustible source of graces by which may be applied to us, in the holy communion, the fruits of the redemption consummated upon Calvary.

The presence of Our Lord in our midst does not end with the sacrifice. is deliohts are to be with the children of men (Prov. 8. 31.). Æe vouchsafes to be with us all days, even to the consummation of the world (Mat. 28. 20.). The holy Catholic Church is /4af new F'erusalem shining œith the S$Splendors of Her divine spouse ; from the throne of God is heard a great voice saying : Behold the

tabernacle of God with men. His children are God's people

and God Himself is with them (Apoc. 21. 3). In the poorest chapel, as well as in the most gorgeous basilica, Jesus Christ is really present to receive there both the poor and the rich, the ignorant and the learned, the sinner and the just man. All are His children and have a share in His love.

On certain days He comes out of His tabernacle and remains exposed to our homage. ‘“ Then, says the holy # Council of Trent (Sess. 13, ch. 5.), although instituted “to be the spiritual food of the faithful, the Holy # Eucharist does not less deserve our adorations, for we

“ believ= to be present there the same God, of whom the “ Eternal Father has said, when introducing Him into “ the world : Zef all the Angels of God adore Him. It “ïs the same whom the Magi, falling down, have “ adored ; the same in fine who, according to holy “ scripture, has been adored by the apostles in Galilee . . . # It is just that festival days be established, that all “ christians may, by some particular demonstration, show “ their gratitude for the benefit altogether divine of the “ redemption.”

You thus see, O. D. B. B., that the hearing of mass, the holy Communion, the visits to the Blessed Sacrament, especially when it is publicly exposed, are so many means by which we may receive the ineffable treasures which Jesus Christ vouchsafes to shower down upon us. Bless the Lord, O my soul, ought we to say with the prophet, and never forget all He hath don: for these ! He forgiveth all thy iniquilies, redeemeth thy life from destruction, crowneth tee with mercy and compassion, satisfieth thy desire with good thines. According to the height of the heaven above the earth, He hath strengthened His mercy towards them that ferr Him...As a father hath compassion on his children, so hath the Lord compassion on us...(Ps. 102.).