|  In
the setting of a set of conferences, presented on the occasion
of the 8th centenary of the birth of François saint,
one asked me to maintain you on a very precise theme; "Saint-François
of foundation and the Eucharist". If I accepted, it is
that I knew all as you, probably that he/it is hardly of topic
of which François, in his/her/its Written upstarts
until us, took care in an as detailed and as frequent way
as the one of l ' Eucharist."
Indeed, on the eight letters that remain us him, there are
five that are about the largely eucharistie of them or even
exclusively: these are the letter all supporters' (1 let),
those to all clerks (2 let), to all the order (3 let), to
the chiefs of the peoples (5 let) and to all custodes (6 let).
TO these letters, it is necessary to add his/her/its first
admonition of course (Adm. 1), that carries explicitly on
the Eucharist, as well as the marvelous chapter 23 of his/her/its
first rule (1 reg. 23) and a passage of his/her/its Will,
of which we will have to reparler. These pages on l ' Eucharist,
if it is necessary to believe the famous Paul Sabatier of
it (1898), underline that the Mystery of the altar had an
important role to play "in the genesis of "François'
religious thought (2) Note that all these writings were, for
the essential, written or dictated between 1220 and 1226,
year of the death of François saint. Is it necessary
to specify that the difference is big between this beginning
of the XIII centuries and our end of XXe century?
Also, to understand these Writings, he/it imports to be a
little informed of the ideas and movements that circulated
at the time; otherwise aspects of François' thought
on the Eucharist risk to escape completely.
Let's take only one example: some terms that are us familiar,
as "real presence", "communion" or even
"eucharistie" never meets in François' Writings.
Equally, the words abstracted there like "substance",
"cash" or "accidents" are completely absent,
François who didn't frequent the courses of theology,
but that is let itself penetrate for a long time by the texts
of the Liturgy and l ' Writing prefers to speak concretely
of the "Body of the Blood of Our Lord Christ": quite,
as to mean that he/it is going to receive communion, he/it
speaks gladly about "receiving the holy Bodies and Blood
of the Lord". what interests François in l ' Eucharist,
one already senses it, it is the personal and concrete meeting
with the Lord Jesus Christ, meeting "discerned with his/her/its
weight of presence, relation and communication" (3)
If one wants to specify the various aspects of this meeting
between the Christ, and François to the Eucharist;
if one wants to replace the Writings of the Poverello also
in their historic context for in to seize the emotional wealth
and the doctrinal range better, the works of quality don't
miss. First of all mention two Capuchins: the P. Hilarin of
Lucerne that, in his/her/its remarkable work: The ideal of
S. François, (4) writes toward 1920, dedicate a chapter
then to "Saint François and the eucharistie",
the P. Augustine that, in 1932, wrote a book of about hundred
pages on "St. Francis and the "Eucharist blessed.
(5) has the studies also very searched of two Franciscans:
the Pl. Bernard Cormet, a French, that made appear a set of
articles in the Franciscan Studies between 1955 and 1957,;
(6) and the P. Kajetan Esser, a German, that in 1960 signed
a substantial article having for title: "The doctrine
eucharistique of François saint of foundation".
(7)
There is no doubt that these scholarly Minor brothers teach
us a lot of things that a simple reading "naive"
of François' Writings would not let us suspect hardly.
Thing insured, these studies recall us the importance primordial
to dive again in reading of Written them even of the Poverello;
the importance also to reread while using a concordance if
need be the legenda of Thomas of Celanos, S. Bonaventures
or the Three Mates, as one can henceforth read them in: Saint-François,
of foundation, Document, Written and gathered First Biographies
and presented by the P. Théphile Desbonnetses and Damien
Vorreux o.f.m. (8) When one comes back of a similar pilgrimage
in the Franciscan Sources, that one can say applicable on
"The mystery of l ' Eucharist in life and the Writings
of saint François d ' Assise?"
L ' Eucharist and the Christ's multiple
presences in François' life.
To begin, he/it imports to really situate the eucharistie.
Because if she/it represents an aspect important of the Christ's
presence incontestably in François' life, she/it must
not make forget us of other shapes of this presence where
François also discovers the "real" face of
his/her/its Lord. (9) he/it is sufficient, to give himself
account of it, to reread that that the Small Poor, some months
before his/her/its death, believed good to make write in his/her/its
Will: Here it is, he/it says, how the Lord gave to me, to
me brother François, the grace to begin to make penitence.
To the time where I was again in the sins the view of the
lepers me was intolerable. But the Lord himself drove me among
them and I took care of them of all my heart, and, to the
return, what had seemed so bitter to me had changed itself
smoothly for me for the mind and for the body. Then, I waited
little and I say adieu in the world.
"Then the Lord gave me a big faith to the églises…ensuite,
the Lord gave to me and gave to me again, because of their
ministerial character, one so big faith to the priests…
that, even though they persecuted me, it is theirs in spite
of all that I want to have recourse. And if it happened to
me to meet poor people small priests living in the péché,…je
want to respect them, to like them and the honorer…car
that is God's Son, that I discern in them… If I make
it, it is because, of God's very high Son, I don't see anything
sensitive (corporaliter) in this world, if it is not his/her/its
Body and his/her/its Blood very holy, of which the prêtres…sont
the only ministres…Et the very holy Names of the Lord
and the manuscripts containing his/her/its Words, every time
that I will find them abandoned… I want to collect them,
and I pray that one collects them, to place them in a worthier
place. As for the theologians and those that communicate us
God's very holy Words, we must honor them and must venerate
them as being those that communicate us the mind and life
(test.1-13)
Presence
of the Christ in his/her/its poor people
 1.
Saint François, about to leave this life, throws a
retrospective look on his/her/its existence all whole, since
the moment of his/her/its conversion. Everywhere he/it discerns
the Christ's understanding and considerate presence to his/her/its
consideration. If he, François, could give to real
God and the first place in his/her/its life; if he/it could
get to the service of the most resourceless the lepers and
if he/it could testify them a love similar to the one that
God had first demonstrated to him, it comes (François
recognizes) of the exemption from payment in love with the
Lord and because "the Lord himself drove it among them.
otherwise, François knows how to recognize in the poor
that he has before him "the one in the name of that he
comes, i.e. the Christ who took on him our poverty…"
(Mt.25, 40). As well François, to the term of his/her/its
life, he remembers the sweetness that he felt to get to the
service of the present Christ in his/her/its most resourceless
brothers again. We have therefore here, to in not to doubt,
a first conscience of the "real" presence of the
Christ Seigneur in François' life, presence that thereafter
won't leave it anymore all along his/her/its existence.
Presence of the Christ in his/her/its churches
2. in the beginnings, the things were not evidently as fattening
pond. Of the less until the noteworthy episode of the Crucifix
of San-Damien, whereas the Poverello received the Lord the
mission "to repair" the church that threatened ruin…
It is not while little by little, as he started repairing
his/her/its hands the church ruined of St.-Damien, St.-Pierre
and the Portioncule, that François felt his/her/its
heart and his/her/its look to change itself/themselves, to
the point to begin to recognize, beyond the churches that
he repaired and those from all over the world, Christ's unique
Church.
This new faith in the Christ's presence in his/her/its Church
and in his/her/its churches, François, in all spontaneity
and simplicity put then to express it in the prayer of worship
and action of grace, that we know all: "We adore you,
Lord, Christ, in all your churches from all over the world,
and we return you graces to have purchased all men by your
holy cross". long before that is spilled the custom of
"the visit to the saint-sacrament"; to one time
where "one didn't address the saint precisely Reserves,
when one came to pray at the church, since this one was generally
in a little "noticed place, (10) François discerns
in the churches a presence of the Lord so real that, to say
it of Celano, he even teaches to his/her/its first brothers,
"when they passed close to a church, to turn in his/her/its
direction and, prostrate of body and soul, to adore the all
Powerful", while saying the prayer: "We adore you,
Lord Jesus Christ." (1 cel. 45) (11Le Will mentions again,
next to l ' Eucharist, two other aspects of the presence,:
"real" of the Christ in this world: The priests,
and the written God Speech or preached. (12) one will immediately
discern, I think, the dynamics of this triple presence in
the vocation and François' life, if we grant one moment,
to penetrate with him in the church of the Portioncule, the
morning of February 24, 1209,
Since several years already God works mysteriously his/her/its
servant François and this one of his/her/its better
to discern God's Will on him. It is the feast of the St.-Matthias,
François, as he/it now has some has the habit, attend
the early celebration of the Eucharist. The priest, forward,
rise to read l ' Gospel that, that day, bill of the consignment
of the disciples in predication. At the time, tell us Celano,
François "understood the global sense of the passage",
but "he was himself of it, after the Mass, to ask the
priest to explain it to him" in depth. "The priest
made him the commentary then of it dawns by point". It
was at once light and the joy of the mind in François'
heart: Here is, he/it exclaimed, what I want; there is for
what I look, that that of the deepest of my heart I burn to
accomplish". As well, concludes his/her/its Biographer,
"he/it was not deaf, him, when one read l ' Gospel"
during l ' Eucharist. (1 Cel. 22)
To my sense, one didn't notice enough that this decisive episode
in François' life is located precisely in the setting
of a celebration plain, daily eucharistique; yet, it is from
experiences and celebrations as those - there that the Poverello
could consist with as much just barely and depth of the irreplaceable
role of the Speech and the Ministration, in relation with
l ' Eucharist and the faith that she requires. Let's delay
ourselves to consider these colons successively:
Presence of the Christ in his/her/its
speech
3. in the Will one remembers it, as everywhere "where
he/it treats l ' Eucharist, François treats the Names
and the Christ's Words at the same time, while joining them
closely to the Body and to Blood sacramental" of the
Lord. (13) this is how, in his/her/its letter to all supporters,
he writes: "In this world, we don't possess anything
visible nor of sensitive (corporaliter) of the Very High (Son
of God) if it is not his/her/its Body and his/her/its Blood,
as well as his/her/its Names and his/her/its Words by the
what we were created and by which we have been purchased of
the death to life" (2 let 3). Elsewhere, applying to
all supporters, François tells to want their "transmettre…les
words of Our Lord Christ, that are the Father's Speech, and
the words of l‘Esprit, that are Mind and Life"
(1 let 3).
It tell what point François was conscious of the bracing
strength of God's Speech. C(14) This one possesses, to his/her/its
eyes, nothing less that the capacity to create us, to recreate
us and to purchase us or even to communicate us the eternal
Life. Moreover, he/it specifies besides, if "a lot of
things are sanctified by "God's Speech, it is again and
still "the power of the Christ's words that achieves
the Sacrament of l ' Altar", the Eucharist (3 Let 37).
To these words of the Lord, François, as in his/her/its
Will, very often associate "the very holy Names of the
Lord". The P. Bernard Cornet could show that this "doublet
is an essential characteristic of "François' style.
Words and the Names of the Lord, it estimates, "are not
synonymous… They reveal (rather) two faces of a same
reality, this reality that François contemplates in
his mind and that the words only express imperfectly, to know:
the dynamic presence of God's Very High" Son, that appears
precisely when one uses the blessed Names or his/her/its Words.
Actually, François, task since to express and to make
his a certain assimilation, that was made itself for a long
time at the Christian, between the Christ's real presence
in l ' Eucharist and his/her/its dynamic, almighty and sanctifying
presence, that appears in the written words and the very holy
Names of the Lord Jesus (15)
One understands, from then on the exhortations that he/it
addresses to this subject to all brothers of his/her/its Order:
"Since the one that is of God listened to God's Words,
he/it writes, we must, us that are more especially affected
to the service of God's sacraments, not only to listen and
to make that that God says, but again… (we must) to
watch with care over the sacred vases and also on the writings
and the liturgical books that contain his/her/its holy words.
Also, - pursues François, - I warn all my brothers,
and in the Christ I hire them there: everywhere where they
will find the writings containing God's Words, that they venerate
them better of their. As far as it concerns them, if these
words are not kept decently, or if they lie little scattered
in some place appropriate, that the brothers collect them
and arrange them carefully, honoring in these texts the Lord
who proclaimed them" (3 Let 34-36)
Since several years already God works mysteriously his/her/its
servant François and this one of his/her/its better
to discern God's Will on him. It is the feast of the St.-Matthias,
François, as he/it now has some has the habit, attend
the early celebration of the Eucharist. The priest, forward,
rise to read l ' Gospel that, that day, bill of the consignment
of the disciples in predication. At the time, tell us Celano,
François "understood the global sense of the passage",
but "he was himself of it, after the Mass, to ask the
priest to explain it to him" in depth. "The priest
made him the commentary then of it dawns by point". It
was at once light and the joy of the mind in François'
heart: Here is, he/it exclaimed, what I want; there is for
what I look, that that of the deepest of my heart I burn to
accomplish". As well, concludes his/her/its Biographer,
"he/it was not deaf, him, when one read l ' Gospel"
during l ' Eucharist. (1 Cel. 22)
To my sense, one didn't notice enough that this decisive episode
in François' life is located precisely in the setting
of a celebration plain, daily eucharistique; yet, it is from
experiences and celebrations as those - there that the Poverello
could consist with as much just barely and depth of the irreplaceable
role of the Speech and the Ministration, in relation with
l ' Eucharist and the faith that she requires. Let's delay
ourselves to consider these colons successively:
One understands, from then on the exhortations that he/it
addresses to this subject to all brothers of his/her/its Order:
"Since the one that is of God listened to God's Words,
he/it writes, we must, us that are more especially affected
to the service of God's sacraments, not only to listen and
to make that that God says, but again… (we must) to
watch with care over the sacred vases and also on the writings
and the liturgical books that contain his/her/its holy words.
Also, - pursues François, - I warn all my brothers,
and in the Christ I hire them there: everywhere where they
will find the writings containing God's Words, that they venerate
them better of their. As far as it concerns them, if these
words are not kept decently, or if they lie little scattered
in some place appropriate, that the brothers collect them
and arrange them carefully, honoring in these texts the Lord
who proclaimed them" (3 Let 34-36)
To "honor in these texts the Lord
who Proclaimed them"
Because the Christ is present in his/her/its Speech and that,
by Her, he continues to act "really" among us, this
Speech requires an attention and a reverence similar to the
one required by the Eucharist. (16) It is that for François
God's Speech is truly this sacramentum audibile, i.e. the
Christ's visible and sensitive sign applying personally to
it. This faith in the personal and efficient Speech of the
Lord is besides for François so living that, us the
savons(17), it made himself/itself make a Évangéliaire
in which "it makes himself/itself read the gospel of
the day, when the illness or another obstacle shows forbidding
him to attend the Mass that day. That to what he/it was besides
faithful until the day of his/her/its death. François
said indeed: "When me then to attend the Mass, j ' adores
the Christ's Body precisely with the eyes of the mind, in
my prayer, as I adore it when I look at it during the Mass.
And, after having read sensible either the gospel, the blissful
"François always kissed the text, out of respect
for the Lord", of it.
This quote comes from a handwritten note that has been added
by the Brother Léon to the breviary of François
saint, that one keeps again preciously in the Convent of St.-Damien.
This custom, that François wanted to observe until
his/her/its death, remind us how much what one would call
today a "liturgy of the Speech" had, to his/her/its
eyes, of the importance. Because while listening to the Speech
of the gospel, François knows that he can meet his/its
Lord there; he/it knows that he/it can receive communion there
spiritually of a way comparable to the one that permits him
the eucharistie her even.
This realism and this efficiency of God's Speech, François
underlines it repeatedly. In particular when he/it comes to
speak of the divine office, The please the Hours. "If
the body wants to be at ease to eat quietly, it sometimes
said, in what peace and what tranquillity the soul it doesn't
must to welcome his/her/its food that is God himself (cibus
suum, that is ipse Two)", while listening and while asking
God's Speech to the divine office (2 Cels 96)
If one remembers indeed that the Breviary of the time, as
the one of today is nearly entirely constituted of borrowed
passages to the Saint Writing (and therefore borrowed to God's
Speech some which François actively knows the Lord
present), then François' subjects takes a singular
relief. Because to tell to go to the heart of the faith of
the Small Poor to the liturgy of the Speech like Vatican II
could say rightfully that she/it constitutes only "one
act of cult with the actual Eucharist." We now know that
our father's conviction takes root in a precise and meaningful
way in the faith that it carries to Christ's presence in his/her/its
Speech: Speech that is, in a comparable way (but non identical)
to the eucharistie, the visible, audible and efficient sign
of the "real" presence of the Lord. (18)
(If the Poverello invites us, otherwise, to "honor and
to venerate the theologians and those that communicate us
"God's very holy Words, c ' is evidently because these
allow us to acquire a better understanding of this same Speech,
communicating us more efficiently by there "the mind
of Life". to be at the height of their task (cf. 2 Regs
5,1-2; 8 Let 2)ils will have to, while delivering itself/themselves
to the survey of this Speech, to avoid to extinguish in them
the hope of prayer and devotion).
To the term of all these considerations, one cannot conclude
better, I think, that while using of more than once our father's
very words: "Let's know all well, he/it writes, that
no one can be saved otherwise by the holy words and by the
Blood of Our Lord Christ, that the priests pronounce, proclaim
and distribute; because it is theirs only ' qu he/it comes
back to distribute them, and no to others" (1 let 34-35)
Even
though they are unworthy
 S
' it is necessary to believe the Dominican Étienne
of Bumblebee, who lived shortly after François saint
of it, this one in this domain was not content with words,
but preached also by his/her/its acts. Is it thus, do tell
us the Dominican, that one day one presents to François,
"if a priest maintains a concubine and s ' does he soil
his/her/its hands thus (who concubinam tenet and manus habet
pollutas, meretricis tractando), is it necessary to grant
faith to his/her/its teaching and to reveal the respect to
the sacraments that he celebrates? »
The saint was not, of course, not sucker of the trap that
one stretched him, also, "before all parishioners, he
goes then to this priest, kneel before him and got to tell
to him: I so really ignore these hands are soiled as one pretends
it. What I know, in any case, it is that, even though they
were, it is not able to in to decrease anything the virtue
and the efficiency of God's sacraments; these hands stay for
me the channel which way stream on the people the graces and
God's kindness. Here is; why I kiss them out of respect for
what they celebrate, and out of respect for The one that delegated
them his/her/its authority. (20)François, even in the
middle of the most ambiguous situations, knows how to establish
a clear distinction therefore between the power conferred
by the church to his/her/its priests and the arrangements
morals of these last. However, there was François again
at the time a lot of other situations that it was necessary
to correct. "So returns the P again. Esser, several priests
said every day several Mass no by the effect of a particular
devotion but well by motive of lucre and cupidity, or to make
pleasure to loud placed personalities. The Christian devout
complained besides of these "buyable" and multiple
Mass. Because, during these numerous daily Mass, some priests,
to get round the law of the church, didn't hesitate to dedicate
several times while only receiving communion one time. (21)
It is probably while thinking about equals abuse and to counter
this greedy desire to accumulate the most possible of Mass
fee, that François exhorts his brothers priests "to
not to celebrate, in the residences where they stay, that
only one Mass per day according to the ritual of the holy
Church". besides, he immediately specifies, "if
he is of it several priests, that, by love of the charity,
they are content with attending the Mass celebrated by one
them. Indeed, The Lord Jesus Christ fills all those that are
worthy of it, absent as well as present" (3 Let 30-32).
(22) One sees it: what imports for François, it is
less to preside oneself more or less frequently l ' Eucharist,
that to participate there with the requisite "dignity",
since "The Lord fills all those that his/her/its worthy
of it…"
That
they celebrate with purity and respect.
In his/her/its letter to all the order,
François comes back insistently on the importance for
his/her/its brothers priests of his/her/its intimate arrangements.
He/it writes: "Personality asks in the Lord all my brothers
who are priests of the Very High, whom he will be or wants
to become he; when they want to celebrate the Mass, ' qu they
are pure, that they accomplish merely and with respect the
real sacrifice of the Body and Blood very holy of Our Lord
Christ; in a pure and holy intention, and no because of any
material interest, nor by fear or love of that that it is,
as to be pleasing to the men, but that all their will, on
the contrary, sustained by the Almighty's grace, stretches
itself toward Him, want to be pleasing to him only only, the
Sovereign Lord. Because him only operates in this mystery
as he/it pleases to him. He/it said himself; "make this
in memory of me (Lc 22,19; 1 Cor11,124)." If someone
acted with another intention that that one, he/it would become
a new Judas, a traitor, and made guilty towards the Body and
the Blood of the Lord (cf.I Cor11,27) (3 Let 14-16)."
As much that to the last Last Supper, he/it imports to the
Mass to act with "purity". For François saint
this purity includes liberty essentially in front of the terrestrial
liberty for God (cf.Adm 16). It say enough that while celebrating
l ' Eucharist, we need, under the action of the grace, to
aim to hold us solely in presence of God for it, while remaining
also open as possible to his/her/its beneficial and considerate
action. To act otherwise, it be behave like Judas to the last
Last Supper. No more no less. So François gets used
here demanding to this point, it is that he has conscience
to be there at the heart of the mystery of the Eucharist.
It is about, as well to celebrate the Memorial of the Lord
or - as he says it himself-to celebrate "the real sacrifice
of the Body and Blood very holy of Our Lord Jesus Christ."
Up to here, it is first the presence of the Lord calling François
to convert and all coming with it along his/her/its life,
that we glimpsed that is then this same presence, served in
his/her/its brothers the lepers and adored in the churches,
that we recalled. Finally, bringing closer us gradually of
the Center eucharistique, we stayed late to meditate the living,
personal and efficient presence of God's Lord Son in the Speech
and in his/her/its priests. There we are now on foot of work
to consider in themselves and directly the various aspects
of mystery of the Eucharist, as François lived them,
celebrated them and honored, adored them and contemplated.
The eucharistie and the various aspects of his/her/its celebration.
To the heart of the Mystery of the Eucharist, told ourselves
to the instant, there is "the real sacrifice of the Body
and the Blood of the Lord" celebrated in Memorial of
him. This sacrificial character of the Eucharist, François
likes underlining it gladly. (23)
That saying, François,
of which one knows the visual character, has obviously under
the eyes the manner of which made themselves to his/her/its
time the rituals of the consecration. The priest had l indeed
then ' habit to raise l ' Host and the chalice in the height
of the chest before pronouncing in a low voice! the words
consécratoires. What makes here François saint
tell enough curiously! that "the Body… is dedicated
by the priest's hands… by means of words of the consecrations!
However that may be of this detail, let's keep that François
affirms here, as elsewhere, the distinctly sacrificial and
sacramental character of the Eucharist.
He/it remains that the Eucharist is first celebrated so that
one participates of it by the offering of oneself united in
the one of the Christ and by the communion to his/her/its
Body i.e. to his/her/its resuscitated Person. However he/it
is remarkable enough that François always considers
the involvement to the Christ's sacrifice, in direct report
with the receipt of the Body and the Blood of the Lord, the
communion eucharistique. (24) this point is especially striking
than to his/her/its time, we know it (25), one very rarely
received communion at the Mass. Us in reparlerons. Let's note,
at present, the pressing invitation that makes François
to the Chiefs of the peoples to "receive the Bodies and
Blood of the Lord in eius sancta commemoratione; we would
say: to make Memory of him or to celebrate his/her/its Memorial
(5 Let 6). However, if one wants to understand everything
that for the heart and François' mind evoke this Saint
commemoration of the Lord, it is necessary to reread the remarkable
passage that one finds in the letter to all supporters:
"Close of his/her/its Passion, he/it writes, the Lord
Jesus celebrated the Passover with his/her/its disciples:
Taking bread, he/it returned grace, the blessed and broke
it, and declare: "Take and eat: It is my Body".
And taking the chalice he/it says: "It is my Blood, the
Blood of the new Alliance, that will be poured for you and
for the multitude in remission of the sins" (Mt 26, 26,;
Lc 22, 19)". (François does take only, nearly
literally the lyric of the Roman Cannon that he hears to every
Mass.) But he continues:
"Then, he/it asked his/its Father while saying: Father,
if it is possible, that this chalice s ' moves away me! "
(Mt 26, 39). And he/it came him a sweat as drops of falling
blood on the ground (Mt 22,44). However, he/it put his/its
will in his/her/its Father's will, that your will is made;
not as I want, but as you want: (Mt 26, 39). However the Father's
will was that his/her/its blessed Son and glorious, ' qu it
gave us and that is born for us offered itself himself by
his/her/its own blood, in sacrifice and in victim on the altar
of the cross; not for himself, by that all has been made,
but for our sins, letting us an example so that we followed
his/her/its traces," as the Pierre apostle says it in
his/her/its epistle (1Pi2,21). (1Let 6-13).
To
celebrate the memorial of the Lord
Such is, in all his/her/its size, the
wealth of the Mystery that is made present to l ' Eucharist
This one gives us to celebrate and to make ours the Salute
operated by "Christ our Lord some that specifies it elsewhere
everything that in the sky has and on the earth has been pacified,
and reconciled with God.." (3 Let 13). While taking part
in this sacrifice, we are assumed so to speak in the Passion
and the Death salvifiques of the Lord Jesus and "we are
purchased of the death to life", it told in his/its letter
to all Clerks (2 Let 3). in short, if one celebrates the Eucharist,
it is so that, diverting us from the way of the sin, we are
brought back and are constantly reoriented toward God, and
so that is given us the possibility to walk to the Jesus continuation,
"of follow his/her/its traces". In this Memorial
where is evoked and present returned articles the Christ's
mysteries, it is given us to achieve the speech truly due
Lord; "If someone wants to walk to my continuation, that
he/it renounces himself/itself himself, that he/it takes his/its
cross every day and that he/it follows me" (Lc 9,23).
As well, this path even him to Life. Several times, François
will retell it: The one that eats his/her/its Body and drinks
his/her/its Blood will be able to enter in God's Kingdom (I
Let 23), to have the eternal Life (1 Reg 20,5).
It says, let's delay ourselves again to think somewhat to
this memora (memory) to this commemoration (Memorial) eucharistique.
Several affirmations that meet there in François' Writings
us invite. Thus, what one reads in the paraphrase of the Paternoster
that François recited every day surely with a particular
predilection, has of what to illuminate us. To the continuation
of the Fathers of the church and a whole spiritual tradition,
François applies to the Eucharist the fourth demand
of the Paternoster: "Give us today our daily Bread."
Give us our daily Bread, Father, comment François,
that is to say "Your beloved Son, Our Lord Jesus Christ,
so that we can make memory (in memoram)… of the death
that he/it had for us, of what he/it said, made and suffered
for us". It is therefore to celebrate in memorial the
love that the Lord demonstrated us in all mysteries of his/her/its
life, that one receives the Bread eucharistique.
To celebrate the memorial of the Lord
Such is, in all his/her/its
size, the wealth of the Mystery that is made present to l
' Eucharist This one gives us to celebrate and to make ours
the Salute operated by "Christ our Lord some that specifies
it elsewhere everything that in the sky has and on the earth
has been pacified, and reconciled with God.." (3 Let
13). While taking part in this sacrifice, we are assumed so
to speak in the Passion and the Death salvifiques of the Lord
Jesus and "we are purchased of the death to life",
it told in his/its letter to all Clerks (2 Let 3). in short,
if one celebrates the Eucharist, it is so that, diverting
us from the way of the sin, we are brought back and are constantly
reoriented toward God, and so that is given us the possibility
to walk to the Jesus continuation, "of follow his/her/its
traces". In this Memorial where is evoked and present
returned articles the Christ's mysteries, it is given us to
achieve the speech truly due Lord; "If someone wants
to walk to my continuation, that he/it renounces himself/itself
himself, that he/it takes his/its cross every day and that
he/it follows me" (Lc 9,23). As well, this path even
him to Life. Several times, François will retell it:
The one that eats his/her/its Body and drinks his/her/its
Blood will be able to enter in God's Kingdom (I Let 23), to
have the eternal Life (1 Reg 20,5).
It says, let's delay ourselves again to think somewhat to
this memora (memory) to this commemoration (Memorial) eucharistique.
Several affirmations that meet there in François' Writings
us invite. Thus, what one reads in the paraphrase of the Paternoster
that François recited every day surely with a particular
predilection, has of what to illuminate us. To the continuation
of the Fathers of the church and a whole spiritual tradition,
François applies to the Eucharist the fourth demand
of the Paternoster: "Give us today our daily Bread."
Give us our daily Bread, Father, comment François,
that is to say "Your beloved Son, Our Lord Jesus Christ,
so that we can make memory (in memoram)… of the death
that he/it had for us, of what he/it said, made and suffered
for us". It is therefore to celebrate in memorial the
love that the Lord demonstrated us in all mysteries of his/her/its
life, that one receives the Bread eucharistique.
One recovers an analogous teaching in the letter to all supporters.
François first evokes the Father's Verb", so worthy,
so holy and so glorious", come "in the heart of
the glorious Virgin Marie", of which he received the
flesh of our fragile humanity" "indeed. Then, he
reminds us that, "Him that was rich more that all, he
wanted to choose poverty" during his/her/its terrestrial
life before offering itself/themselves "in sacrifice
and in victim on the altar of the Cross" so that all
we are saved. However, pursues François, this blessed
son, while letting us this example, "wants that we are
saved by him and that we received it in a pure heart…",
when we celebrate l ' Eucharist (1 Let 4-5. 11. 13-14).
To
answer his/her/its Love by our daily love
It say ' qu to the Eucharist is transmitted us the grant of
himself that God's Son began in his Incarnation, continued
his/her/its life during and accomplished once for all on the
Cross. Because in all it the Christ achieved the Father's
will "he put his/its will indeed in his/her/its "Father's
will (1 Let 10) we can answer his/her/its love henceforth
by our love lived daily with regard to God and the neighbor.
What brings François to exclaim: "Oh! That they
are happy and bless those that like God and that practice
that that the Lord himself says in the gospel: "you will
like the Lord your God of all one heart and of all your soul,
and your neighbor as yourself… like God therefore and…
address praises him and prayers day and night while saying;
"Lord Prayer who is at the Heaven." (12Let 18-20)
These last words, that bring back us to our starting point,
invite us to not to forget it; this love of God and the neighbor
that we ask in the prayer, actually take root, for François,
in this "memorial of the love that the Lord had for us,
memorial of everything that it said, made and his/her/its
endured ad for us in "memoriam…amoris quem our
habuit and eorum quae pro nobis dixit, fecit and sustuli"
(stalemate 6). It is while meditating the Mystery of l ' Eucharist
and as there participating daily that François will
have understood the demand of the Paternoster: "Give
us today our daily bread"…
François felt before this Memorial of the Christ's
love an emotion and an access that returned him like incomprehensible
the obvious tepidness of his/her/its brothers. As he makes
himself/itself pressing in his/her/its first Admonition: "Carnal
race, how long will you have the heart so hard again? Why
recognize not the truth (of this mystery)? Why believe not
in God's Son (present in the Eucharist)?
See: every day he/it goes down, precisely as on time where,
leaving his/her/its royal palace, him s ' is embodied in the
heart of the Virgin; every day it is himself that comes to
us, and under the humblest outsides; every day he/it takes
down the Father's breast on the altar between the priest's
hands, and as well as once he/it presented himself/itself
to the holy Apostles in one very real flesh, in the same way
he/it appear; to our eyes now in the sacred bread (…)
such is indeed the means that he/it chose to remain always
with those that believe some him, as him l ' said himself:
here it is that I am every day with you until the
end of the world (Adm 1, 14 - 19, 22)" (26)
This way to conceive and to present l ' History of the Salute
in his/her/its whole is well characteristic of the Writings
of François of foundation. One recovers it to the chapter
23 of his/her/its first Rule and in the office votif that
he/it composed for his/her/its personal devotion, office that
most recent edition of François' Writings titled exactly,;
"Psalms of the mysteries of the Lord", (27). these
are these psalms that, not long ago again one called the office
of the Passion improperly.
"The one that is now a winner and glorious" It attracts
our attention on a last point, In the Memorial of l ' Eucharist,
that is the glorified Lord that is to the work. Certainly,
tells us François, Jesus is not there more present
as once during his/her/its terrestrial life, but well as "The
one that is now a winner and glorious. The one on that the
angels want to throw the eyes". It is, he/it will say
again, the Lord exalted by the Father who acts in this mystery
and that "fills all those that are worthy of him, the
absentees as well as the present" (3 Let 22 and 32).
thanks to l ' eucharistie, his/her/its glorification becomes
ours because his/her/its life becomes our life "as testifies
the of it Very Loud himself that says: ‘The one is my
Body and my blood of the New Alliance, what will be poured
for the ' multitude, (Adm 1, 11-12". So God's beneficial
action occurs again every day in l ' Eucharist, and it puts
to our range the high made of God (Dei mirabilia) so that
we participated there in the faith and the recognition.
Requisite arrangements
This involvement to the eucharistie includes, for François,
of the precise requirements. Thus, since the Xe centuries
especially, was himself develops the custom to confess before
being going to receive communion, François asks, him
also, that one receives the sacrament of the Penitence before
receiving the Body and the Blood of the Lord, "so contrite
and confessed, he notes in his/its first Rule, the brothers
will receive the Body and the blood of Our Lord Jesus Christ
with a lot of humility and reverence, remembering that that
so-called the Lord himself: "the one that eats my flesh
and drinks my blood has the eternal life": and: "made
this in memory of me" (1 Reg 20, 5-6)."
Equal elsewhere, to the Middle Ages, one invoked gladly, in
relation with the communion eucharistique, the text of Paul
saint asking each to feel itself/themselves oneself before
eating bread and to drink to the chalice eucharistiques, since
"the one eats and wood without discernment, the body
of the Lord, eat and drinks his/her/its condemnation"
(1 Horn 11, 28-29). François takes that tests to his/her/its
account in his/her/its letter to all supporters
(1 Let 24); in his/her/its letter to all l ' Order, him of
it precise however the requirements: "One despises, one
soils and one tramples the lamb of God (he writes) when, according
to the speech of S. Paul, one doesn't separate and don't distinguish
some other foods the level sacred of the Christ, nor of the
other actions his/her/its sacrifice, and when one eats it
without being in state of grace; or even when one is in state
of grace, but without attention nor respect" (3 Let 19).
Humility and reverence; attention, respect and state of grace;
such are the components of the attitude that s ' imposes to
all to receive the Eucharist, pursuing his/her/its letter
to all the order, worthily François clears the decisive
reason that motivates, fundamentally, his/her/its exhortations;
"Listen, my brothers "If the blissful Virgin Marie
is honored so and it is justice because she carried the Christ
within very blessed; if the blissful Baptist trembled, n ‘even
not daring to touch the head consecrated of his/her/its God;
if the tomb in which the Christ's body was lying for some
times is surrounded with reverence: as he/it must be holy,
just and worthy, the one that touches his/her/its hands, reviews
in his/her/its mouth and in his/her/its heart… the Christ
whom now is not deadlier, but eternally winner and glorious…"
(3 Let 21-22).
There is no doubt that this exhortation, that first applies
here to his/her/its brothers beings, is also worth for all
those that have happiness inestimable to "receive in
their mouth and in their heart the Lord Jesus. Certain thing,
the communicant must know that it is l ' Mind of the Lord
himself, that lives in those that believe some him, that "it
is this Mind that receives himself the Body and Blood very
holy of the Lord. All the other, those that don't have part
to this mind, s ' they have the audacity to receive the Lord,
(in the eucharistie) eat and drink their own condemnations"
(adm 1, 12-134) this formulation a few astonishing explains
itself, tells us one, (28) by the theology of the time that
identified sanctifying grace and Mind-Saint again. But François
doesn't think in speculative theologian; he/it only knows,
with S. Jean, that "it is l ' Mind that makes live and
that the flesh doesn't act as anything" (Jn 6,63). It
knows equally that it is the holy mind that gives the faith
to those that it lives; and that without this faith, the communion
herself would be condemnation.
It is besides this presence in us of l ' Mind-Saint and the
faith herself that, while discovering you the depth of the
love that gives itself in l ' Eucharist, become in us like
a requirement of purity, François knows it by experience.
As he implores urgently his/her/its brothers "to be pure,
and to accomplish merely and with respect the real sacrifice,
of the Body and blood… of our Lord Jesus Christ: with
a holy and pure intention, and no because of any material
interest, nor by fear or love of that that it is, as to be
pleasing to the men". Then, he/it pursues while inciting
them to "stretch their will, with the help of the grace,
toward God to be pleasing to him only only the Sovereign Lord.
Because him only operates in this mystery as he/it pleases
to him, because himself said: Make this in Memory of me "(Lcx
22, 19" (3 Let 14-16).
"In this text, comment the P. Esser, what first hits
that is the affirmation so clean that in this celebration
the only Lord acts (quia ipse solus operatur, sicut ipsi petition…)
If it is already true that only God operates the good in our
to act human, it is especially true in the celebration of
the memorial of the Lord. God's action requires the man the
purity. For François saint, this one understands two
complementary aspects; liberty in relation to the terrestrial,
and liberty for God. But for it, it is necessary that the
man gives up himself, to lead a life oriented toward only
God. This purity is created in the man by the grace of the
Very High that, in the sacrifice of the new Alliance, acts
alone as it pleases to him" (29)
To
keep for oneself anything of oneself…
It is this mysterious entanglement of divine operation and
human cooperation that François sees achieving itself
in the celebration eucharistique. And it is to this grant
of oneself that his/her/its brothers, to the Christ's imitation,
must agree when they participate in the sacrifice of the Mass.
"Oh sublime humility! exclaim François. Oh humble
sublimity! The master of l ' Universe, God and Son of God,
humiliate itself for our salute, to the point to hide under
a small piece of bread! See, brothers, God's humility, and
make him the homage of your cœurses. Humiliate yourselves,
you also, for can be exalted for him. Don't keep for yourselves
anything of you, so that you entire reçeviez The one
that gives itself to you entire" (3 Let 27-29).
Reached us to the most decisive ultimate requirement than
requires our involvement to the eucharistie; to keep for us
anything of us. This requirement is, as well, an answer of
love that, in the recognition, we offer The one whose love
warned us for a long time: this love we welcome it and let's
answer to him, exactly, while celebrating "the memorial,
of the love that he/it had for us", love that expresses
itself in "everything that for us he/it said, he/it made
and suffered" (Pat 6).
François' example himself.
In what measure François has himself lived what he
taught to his/its brothers, Thomas of Celano reminds it to
us with depth: When he/it participated in the Eucharist, François,
he/it notes, "brought the whole respect due to this sublime
sacrament, he/it made the sacrifice of all himself and, while
receiving the immolated lamb, he/it also immolated his/her/its
mind, using for this holocaust the fire that burned continually
on the altar of his/her/its heart (2 Cels 201). It say enough
how much François had penetrated deeply at the heart
of the Mystery of the Eucharist and how much he lived the
most essential requirements of it. To the offering, the lamb
corresponded all his/her/its being's offering. And it is in
narrow link with the one of the lamb that he/it celebrated
the total offering of all his/her/its existence, while celebrating
the Eucharist, François associated at the Passover
of his/her/its Lord; the lamb immolated, of which Celano speaks
us here, is indeed the one whose apocalypse reminds us that
it is as "up" and winner of the death (Ap 5,6).
It is not therefore a luck so François, in his/her/its
praises for all hours, composed (as one knows) of verses scripturaires,
took the words of l ' Apocalypse that said: "Worthy is
the lamb who has been immolated, to be called strong God,
wise and powerful God, to receive honor and glory, and to
be proclaimed blessed. Let's rent it and let's return him
glory forever" (Ap 5,12). And when to the Vespers of
his/her/its "Office of the Passion", he/it returns
grace for the mysteries of the salute that God accomplishes
in this world thanks to his/her/its beloved Son, François
lets bring up his/her/its soul exult a prayer of action of
grace that is a real eucharistie: "Peuples…reconnaissez
the Lord, returns him honor and praise, recognize the glory
of his/her/its name, make grant of yourself, and you also
carry his/her/its cross, obey ' jusqu the tip his/her/its
commands" (Ps 7,7-8).
To
celebrate in the recognition
3. one will have understood it; to participate in the Mystery
of the Eucharist and the paschal lamb, it is for François
to participate in the Mystery of the recognition and the action
of grace. In his/her/its first Rule, François, after
having presented to his/her/its brothers a d kind life that
essentially consists "in following the doctrine and the
traces of Our Lord Christ" (1 Reg1,1), crown this "Rule
of life" by a prayer of which the size, the content and
the tonality vie with the most beautiful prayers eucharistiques
of the Christian Tradition. Qu ' one judges some: All powerful,
very holy, very high and sovereign God, holy and just Father,
Lord, king of the sky and the earth, because, by your holy
will, and by your only son with the Holy spirit, you created
all things, spiritual and bodily,; you got used to your picture
and resemblance, you placed us in the paradise; and us, by
our mistake, we fell.
We return you graces because, as well as you created us by
your Son, in the same way, by the holy Love of which you liked
us, you made be born your Son, true God and true man, of the
glorious Virgin holy Marie, and, by his/her/its cross, his/her/its
blood and his/her/its death, you wanted to purchase us of
our captivity.
And we return you grace because this same Son, will come back
in the glory of his/her/its majesty (..) to tell all those
that will have recognized you, adored and served in the penitence:
Come, Bless them of my Father, receive Kingdom that has been
prepared you since l ' origin of the world.
Paupers and sinners that we are all, we are not worthy to
name you; Accept therefore, please, that Our Lord Christ,
your beloved Son some that you take pleasure, with the Holy
spirit Paraclet, returns you graces himself for all, as he/it
pleases you and as he/it pleases to him, him that always is
sufficient to you in all, him by that you made so much for
us. Hallelujah! (1 Reg. 23,1-5).
S ' he/it cannot be question to comment here this unequalled
text of others made it already and very well (30) at least
are necessary to note how much this praise is revealing of
the mind of François saint; how much she/it expresses
the feelings of which he/it was lived in also gorgeously,
not only when he/it endeavored in life of every day to follow
the traces of his/her/its Lord, but again when, with his/her/its
brothers he/it assembled to celebrate the eucharistie, that
means to celebrate the Father's "beloved Son, gathering
all the humanity for an immense action of graces to God, an
eternal eucharistie" (31).
Importance of the common celebration
It is well reason, besides, - Celano noted it - "it was
for François seriously to despise this sacrament if
one didn't hear every day, except obstacle, at least the common
Mass" (2 Cels 201). This common eucharistie, we have
since, following François' desire, she had to gather
all brothers of the fraternity even the brothers priests that
then must; "by love of the charity" to prefer to
participate in l ' Eucharist presided by one them, rather
than to be going to say their Mass out of the presence of
their brothers. (32) Lord Prayer François, with a sure
spiritual instinct, will have glimpsed the importance to mean,
in the celebration herself, the essentially ecclesiastic character
of all Eucharist. They would be sufficient to reread the continuation
of the marvelous chapter 23 of his/her/its first Rule to measure
how much François was conscious of the ecclesiastic
measurements of l ' Christian Eucharist (233).
By manner of transition to the following section (III), one
will allow us here of to make a last remark and to raise a
question, that is not negligible, while browsing the numerous
excerpts of François' Writings that we brought back,
one will have noted without locker that he/it speaks gladly
about eating and to drink, about the Eucharist, and that very
often he/it mentions the Body expressly (Flesh) and the Blood
of the Lord. Obviously, François could receive the
communion again under the two cash, music this practice, before
falling lately in obsolescence until all, continued exactly
in West until the XIII century, (34) Of it, we have a very
interesting proof, indeed, again in 1338, there was in the
vestry of the Sacro Convento of foundation" a small chalice
of money… of which had used the blissful François
to receive communion. (35)
Frequency
of the communion to the Middle Ages
But holy François, did he/it receive communion precisely,
often? The question is not trivial when one knows the customs
of the Middle Ages in this domain, (36) Already S. Bernard,
who lived less than one century before the Poverello, noted
that "the daily communion is the priest's privilege and
(that) the other are not admitted to receive communion of
his/her/its hand that to some feasts". It is even because
of the neglect generalized for the communion, that resulted
some, that the fourth Council of the Latran (1215) had to
return once obligatory the communion for all to the month
the year… It is besides to the prescriptions of this
Council that François makes echo in his/her/its letters
when he asks the Chiefs of the peoples (5 Let 23) and to the
Christian people (6 Let 6) to receive the Body and the Blood
of the Lord.
He/it remains that the brother Aegis, deceased in 1261, only
received communion to Sundays and to the big feasts and that
the rule of the Clarisseses approved in 1253, only foresees
seven communions per year. Also, when Thomas of Celano affirms
us that holy François "often" received communion
(2 cel.201) he imports to remember that to "receive communion
often", in the mouth of an author of the Middle Ages,
it can mean between 5 and 10 times per year. (37) the position
of the P. Bernard Small horn o.f.m. that studied this question
and therefore with all authors (consulted), he/it concludes
that, in spite of all his/her/its desire maybe S. François,
who "often" received communion in the fashion of
the Middle Ages, in fact "received communion only rarely"
following our manner to speak". he is need to add, after
what one saw, that these too rare communions had to let it
on his/her/its hunger…
Actually, François' Writings indicates that this one
(all as people of the Middle Ages) looked for to compensate
if one can say the too rare communions by a cult of reverence
and worship towards l ' Eucharist, that soon will overflow
extensively the setting of the celebration. After having spoken
for a long time of the celebration of the Eucharist in the
Writings and François' life, we have therefore to see
his/her/its attitude in presence of l ' Eucharist celebrated.
(38
The Brothers & Sœurs of the
Poverello
One would not know how to understand the piety and the reverence
of François saint in presence of the Eucharist celebrated,
without remembering the spiritual climate that reigned to
his/her/its time. In the time of François saint, indeed,
made itself feel almost everywhere in Italy influences it
of powerful movements of religious reform. Let's mention the
Cathars for whom the world came from two principles in particular:
One divine and spiritual, that is good; and the other material
and bodily, that is reputed bad. With similar ideas, one understands
that they had difficulty to recognize the merit of the Christ's
incarnation, and ' qu they opposed the mysteries of l ' Eucharist
strongly, since the spiritual and the material find themselves
of it in narrow communion. Several other heretical sects that
rejected l ' Eucharist equally existed besides, estimating
that this "material thing" is impure and that "the
Christian truths" must live the "bread of the sky",
that is spiritual, of course… It say than at the time
of François, the way of which one venerated and adored
bread and wine dedicated permitted to discern what Christian
had an authentic faith to l ' Eucharist.
Frequency
of the communion to the Middle Ages
 But
holy François, did he/it receive communion precisely,
often? The question is not trivial when one knows the customs
of the Middle Ages in this domain, (36) Already S. Bernard,
who lived less than one century before the Poverello, noted
that "the daily communion is the priest's privilege and
(that) the other are not admitted to receive communion of
his/her/its hand that to some feasts". It is even because
of the neglect generalized for the communion, that resulted
some, that the fourth Council of the Latran (1215) had to
return once obligatory the communion for all to the month
the year… It is besides to the prescriptions of this
Council that François makes echo in his/her/its letters
when he asks the Chiefs of the peoples (5 Let 23) and to the
Christian people (6 Let 6) to receive the Body and the Blood
of the Lord.
He/it remains that the brother Aegis, deceased in 1261, only
received communion to Sundays and to the big feasts and that
the rule of the Clarisseses approved in 1253, only foresees
seven communions per year. Also, when Thomas of Celano affirms
us that holy François "often" received communion
(2 cel.201) he imports to remember that to "receive communion
often", in the mouth of an author of the Middle Ages,
it can mean between 5 and 10 times per year. (37) the position
of the P. Bernard Small horn o.f.m. that studied this question
and therefore with all authors (consulted), he/it concludes
that, in spite of all his/her/its desire maybe S. François,
who "often" received communion in the fashion of
the Middle Ages, in fact "received communion only rarely"
following our manner to speak". he is need to add, after
what one saw, that these too rare communions had to let it
on his/her/its hunger…
Actually, François' Writings indicates that this one
(all as people of the Middle Ages) looked for to compensate
if one can say the too rare communions by a cult of reverence
and worship towards l ' Eucharist, that soon will overflow
extensively the setting of the celebration. After having spoken
for a long time of the celebration of the Eucharist in the
Writings and François' life, we have therefore to see
his/her/its attitude in presence of l ' Eucharist celebrated.
(38
The Brothers & Sœurs of the
Poverello
One would not know how to understand the piety and the reverence
of François saint in presence of the Eucharist celebrated,
without remembering the spiritual climate that reigned to
his/her/its time. In the time of François saint, indeed,
made itself feel almost everywhere in Italy influences it
of powerful movements of religious reform. Let's mention the
Cathars for whom the world came from two principles in particular:
One divine and spiritual, that is good; and the other material
and bodily, that is reputed bad. With similar ideas, one understands
that they had difficulty to recognize the merit of the Christ's
incarnation, and ' qu they opposed the mysteries of l ' Eucharist
strongly, since the spiritual and the material find themselves
of it in narrow communion. Several other heretical sects that
rejected l ' Eucharist equally existed besides, estimating
that this "material thing" is impure and that "the
Christian truths" must live the "bread of the sky",
that is spiritual, of course… It say than at the time
of François, the way of which one venerated and adored
bread and wine dedicated permitted to discern what Christian
had an authentic faith to l ' Eucharist.
Eucharist and Faith
There is no doubt that holy François thinks of similar
ideas and aim similar heresies when he writes several of his/her/its
letters and comment for his/her/its brothers his/her/its first
Admonition. Because not only he/it teaches in this first Admonition
that the Christ is indeed present in the Eucharist, but he
carries a stern judgment on those that n 'S don't believe
there. This is how he/it compares the heretics of his/her/its
time to those that refused to believe in the Christ during
his/her/its terrestrial life: "All those, he/it writes,
that, have once since the man in the Lord Jesus, without seeing
to believe nor, according to the mind and according to God,
that he/it is indeed God's Son all those were damned.
And all are damned those that today resembles to them equally:
they see well, as bread and wine, the sacrament of the Christ's
Body dedicated on the altar…; but they don't see believe
it, according to the mind and according to God, that these
are really there the very holy Bodies and Blood of Our Lord
Christ, to the testimony of the Very High himself that affirms;
It is my Body and the Blood of the new Alliance…; and
again: The one that eats my flesh and drinks my blood has
the eternal life" (Adm 1. vv. 8-11).
Actually, our attitude of faith with regard to the Eucharist
is comparable, François esteem, to the one that had
to have the Apostles with regard to the Christ. "As well
as once God's Son presented himself/itself to the holy Apostles
in a very real flesh, in the same way he now appear to our
eyes in a sacred bread. The Apostles, when they looked at
their eyes of flesh, only saw his/her/its flesh, but they
contemplated it with the eyes of flesh, only saw his/her/its
flesh, but they contemplated it with their eyes of l ' Mind
and believed that he/it was God. Us also, when of our flesh
eyes we see bread and wine, let's know to see and to believe
firmly that it is there, real and living the Body and Blood
very holy of the Lord" (Adm 1, vv. 19-21)
In the same way, therefore, that the faith was necessary to
discern, beyond the Jesus man, his/her/its divinity,; in the
same way the faith is necessary again to discern in the Eucharist
the divine reality. In the Eucharist, "the Lord according
to his/her/its divinity and his/her/its humanity is as really
present as to the days of once when it appeared, according
to his/her/its divinity, in the "Christ man. (39) In
the two cases, it is fundamentally the same attitude of faith
that imposes itself.
Faith and "desire to see the host"
When he/it speaks of the Christ's presence in the Eucharist,
one will have noted that François brings closer the
words gladly "to believe" and "sees".
In it, the Poverello is well the son of his/her/its time.
The piety of the Middle Ages has the taste of the concrete,
the sensitive and the palpable; she/it also feels the need
to enter in intimate and personal contact with his/her/its
God. It is even of this mentality that is born in good part
as E. Dumonter showed it (40) this desire to see the host
that is at the origin of the devotion to the S. Sacrament.
In his/her/its first Admonition, François notices that
the invisible and inaccessible God became perceptible and
accessible to l‘homme, it is again the sense of the
word corporalité, thanks to Christ's humanity, it is
necessary to look at this one with the eyes of l‘Esprit,
and to see it with the eyes of the faith. Because the incarnation
continues, in a way, in the Eucharist, it is about, here as
there, "to see and to believe firmly that it is there,
real and living, the Body and Blood… of the Lord"
(cv. 21). L ' Eucharist is for François the place where
the Lord approaches humanly of us, where it becomes tangible
to us and palpable corportaliter; where he/it becomes us (could
say one). someone present.
When therefore François writes in his will and in his/her/its
letter to all Clerks that "we don't possess anything
visible nor of sensitive corportaliter in this world, of God's
Very High Son, if it is not his/her/its Body and his/her/its
Blood" (cf. Test. 9-10 -; 2 Let 3), this fact possesses
to its eyes highest importance. Because to see the Eucharist
is henceforth a path privileged to believe and to express
his/her/its faith in The one that reveals itself of it personally
present.
The exactness with which François behaves here towards
the eucharistie is to underline. Because, in his/her/its simplicity
and his/her/its soberness, she/it contrasts strongly with
some practices that were in use at the time. So one assigned
gladly aware of to "see the host" more or less some
effects magic. So much so that one often went from church
to church to look at the host at the time of the consecration.
One even assigned some to this practice superstitious of the
effects at least equivalents to the sacramental communion
herself. Does the big theologian Alexandre of Halès
land even, in his/her/its Sum, the question to know if the
Lord gave to his/her/its disciples his/her/its Body to eat
or to drink, at the time of the last Last Supper?
Ignorant man and without letters (test 19; 3 Let 39) as he/it
qualifies himself/itself himself, François doesn't
embarrass himself/itself of similar distinctions. He/it only
has to listen to his/her/its heart and his/her/its faith to
go to the essential: How not to be moved of mercy, he/it writes
to all Clerks, "whereas the Lord pushes goodness as far
as giving way to our hands, whereas every day we take it and
that our lips receive it" (2 Let *). It is the conscience
of this considerate goodness that makes François write
these burning words also that it addresses to his/its brothers
priests:
"See your dignity, brothers priests, and be holy because
he/it is holy. More that all, because of your ministry, the
Lord God honored you, more that all, you also, like it, revere
it, honor it. Big misery and miserable weakness if, the supporter
so present between your hands, you take care of some something
else to the world! That all man fears, that the whole world
trembles, and that the sky exults, when the Christ, the living
God Son, is on the altar between the "Priest's hands
(3 Let 23-26).
"He/it
didn't stop marveling…"
 Is
it possible to imagine a faith in the presence eucharistique
of the Lord that either more intimate and more personal? Certain
thing, assure us his/her/its Biographer, "the devotion
for the sacrament of the Body of the Lord was in it very deep;
he/it didn't stop marveling to the thought of a condescension
if magnetize, of a love so condescending (2 Cels. 201). this
testimony of Thomas of Celano, is only the echo of a passage
that one finds in François' letter to all l ' Order:
"Oh Admirable size and astounding goodness! he write
himself/itself, OH sublime humility, OH humble sublimity!
The master of the universe, God and Son of God, humiliate
itself for our salute, to the point to hide under a small
piece of bread!" (3 Let 27). At François the faith
to l ' Eucharist lets intact his/her/its sharp sense of the
divine transcendence.
Let's specify however here, to avoid all anachronism, that
to François' time, it is during the very celebration
of the Eucharist, at the time of the elevation especially,
that exercises itself this desire to "see l ' hosts"
so expensive to François and to his/her/its contemporaries.
We know that the practice to be going to pray before the tabernacle,
outside of the Mass, is posterior to the time that it has
vécu(42). It doesn't remain less of them that the cult
of the Eucharist outside of the Mass is connected directly
to the contemplation of the host to the elevation, as oneself
practiced it in the time of François. As for him, it
is at the Mass that his/her/its faith so living to found where
to eat. It is necessary to add, with the P. Esser, that this
faith was for its time a grace of God and a light capable
to illuminate his/her/its rays all darkness of unbelief that,
then as today, threatened the believers. (43)
Some exhortations of François
2. François' deep reverence in presence of the Eucharist
celebrated expresses itself again of a lot of ways. His/her/its
multiple recommendations and exhortations make faith of it.
"When the priest dedicates on l ' Altar the Body and
Blood very holy of the Lord, he writes or when he transports
it, that everybody gets on the knees to return praise, glory
and honor to the Lord living and true God. Teach and preach
to all peoples this duty to rent it so that, at all hour and
to the sound of the bells, praises and actions of graces are
always returned, throughout the people and on the whole earth,
to the God all powerful" (6 Let,7-8s).
In the same sense, he/it writes "to all podestats and
consuls, to all judges and governors in all places of the
universe" to make the Lord return by the people that
is confided them the testimony of reverence according to:
"Every evening makes proclaim by a public crier, or warn
by a few other signal that the whole people has to make praise
and graces to the Lord God all powerful. If you don't make
all it, concludes the Poverello, know that you should give
account on the day of the judgment before the Lord your God
Jésus-Christ". Those that, on the other hand,
will follow these recommendations, François assures
them "that they are blessed of the Lord. " (5 Let
1,7-9).
At the time of his/her/its journey in Earth Saint, François
has been impressed, he seems, by the song of the Moslem muezzins
that, of the top of their minaret, invite every day people
to the prayer. His/her/its ingenious faith imagines here that
counterpart's something could make herself/itself to honor
in Christian countries The one that one venerates to the Eucharist.
otherwise, it is necessary to know that François, in
these recommendations, retakes from his account several prescriptions
carried in 1215 by the fourth Council of the Latran, and that
he reverberates the warnings of the Pope Honorius III in his/her/its
letter Sane cum dated olim of November 22, 1219. That François
felt the need to put his/her/its voice to the service of the
Pope and Councils doesn't have to surprise us, Especially
when one remembers the state of things that prevailed at the
time. Indeed, if one believes a famous document of it (The
anonymous of Passau), one finds some priests at the time that,
to renew to the wanted time the dedicated hosts, let them
eat by the verses; " of others that "make to fall
often on the ground the Body and the Blood of the Lord, and
that keep the very holy Sacrament in a room or on a tree of
the garden, that suspends to the wall of an apartment, during
their visits to the patients, the vase that contains the holy
Eucharist and that leave to the inn". has "those
that are unworthy, that celebrate the holy Mass in the manifest
state of sin also and that use, for the holy sacrifice, of
adulterated wine, etc. etc," (44)
To venerate and to honor all l ' Eucharist
over it
Of such behaviors with regard to l ' Eucharist should have
made awfully stand François' heart. As he comes back
more of once on the topic, please, he/it writes to all Custodeses,
and with as much more insistence than the order don't come
of me; when you will judge it appropriate and reasonable,
implore the clerks humbly to venerate overcoat all" the
Eucharist; (45) "and if the very holy Body of the Lord
is somewhere miserably lodged, the clerks must, according
to the command of l ' Church, to put it and to get it in place
under key from honor" (6 Let 2 and 4). It is this same
recommendation that it takes elsewhere for all Clerks: "Everywhere
where the very holy Body of our Lord Jesus - Christ will be
found placed abandoned either to the contempt of all laws
(of the church), that one withdraws it from this place to
put it in place of honor, where one will keep it kept"
well (2 Let 11). And it is again what François, close
to die, will retell in his Will; "I want that this very
holy sacrament is over it all honored, venerated and conserved
in preciously "decorated places (test 11). (45)
Moreover, François wants that one not only surrounds
cares and respect the visible sign of the invisible presence
of the Lord, but again everything that has report to the celebration
of the Saints Mysteries: "The chalices, corporaux, ornaments
of altar and everything that serves to the Saint Sacrifice,
does he/it write that one also treats them as of the very
precious objects" (6 Let 3). does Celano assure us even
that he "wanted to send his/her/its brothers provided
with precious ciboriums, with mission to place in place worthy
of him the price of our redemption, sometimes throughout the
world when they would see it little conserved in conditions
decent" (2 Cels 201). Advanced by an identical goodwill,
François didn't have he, in the beginning of his/her/its
life, put all his/her/its ardor to repair the churches that
threatened ruin, even going as far as begging the oil that
had to serve to nourish the lamps of it (2 Cels 11-13)?
Decidedly, when it is about d ' to honor and to venerate his/her/its
Lord, holy François would not know how to tolerate
no impropriety nor no meanness. The look of his/her/its faith
immediately goes to the essential that it was about the churches
or God's Speech; that it was about the priests or l ' Eucharist,
in every case he/it remembers and recall us "that in
this world we don't possess anything visible nor of sensitive
of the Very High (Son of God) if it is not his/her/its Body
and his/her/its Blood, his/her/its Names and his/her/its Words,
by which we have been created, and by which we have been purchased
of the death to life" (2 Let 3). These sacraments of
the Speech of the Eucharist, François knows that the
priests have for vocation to dispense them to us. These priests,
it is necessary to honor them, to respect them and to like
them,
(as the Speech and the Eucharist) because they also make present
God's Son (Test. 8-9) so spoke François in his/her/its
Will.
V.
ÉPILOGUE: THE DEATH OF FRANÇOIS AND L ' EUCHARIST
 Such
will have been therefore "the mystery of the Eucharist
in life and the writings of François saint of foundation".
However the decisive hour approaches for stigmatized it of
the Alverne. His/her/its biographer, Thomas of Celano, let
us his/her/its last moments, an unforgettable narration that
projects on everything that one saw a singular lighting.
"As the brothers cried bitterly (around their Father's
bedhead that died himself; and as them) moaned, inconsolable,
he/it writes, the Father asked for bread, he blesses it, broke
it and gave a small piece of it to each: then he/it made bring
l ' évangéliaire and asked for reading of the
passage of Jean saint, that starts with this sentence: "The
eve of the Passover, Jesus, knowing that had come the hour
to leave this world to go to his/her/its Father, Him that
had liked his that are in the world, liked them until to end.
He/it commemorated thus, pursues Celano, the last Last Supper
that the Lord had celebrated with his/her/its disciples. It
remember it the Lord that he/it accomplishes all these rituals,
and to show to his/her/its brothers how much was big his/her/its
love for them. He/it passed in action of graces the two or
three days that remained him to live, asking his/her/its dearest
mates to rent the Christ with him (…) the hour finally
came where the Christ's mysteries having achieved itself/themselves
of it him, his/her/its soul s ' flew in "God's joy (2
Cels 217) (46)
François died as he lived. He/it will have wanted to
make of his/her/its death herself a celebration and a celebration
eucharistique, François is there, lying to the shade
of his/her/its dear church of the Portioncule, where he discovered
his/its vocation, where spoke to him the crucified Lord. Around
him his/her/its brothers are gathered. He/it makes himself/itself
read l ‘Gospel. He/it redoes the gestures of his/her/its
Lord taking leave of his to the last Last Supper. He/it invites
those that surround it to return grace, to "eucharistier"
with him. François is there with his/her/its life and
his/her/its Hope. He/it discerns through the sacrament of
the Last Supper, the sacrament of the Speech and his/her/its
brothers, the "real" presence of his/her/its Lord,
that one even of which he/it wanted all his/her/its life to
follow the traces lovingly.
Now the Poverello celebrates its last eucharistie: the one
that prepared and that anticipated all others. "Now François
achieves in fullness that that he didn't quit to recommend
to his/her/its brothers and sœurs: The important, he/it
said that is not to keep for us anything of us so that receives
us entire The one that gives itself to us entire (3 Let, 29).
Now, it is the hour of the plenary grant and the total offering;
It is also the hour of the unreservedly welcome and the definitive
communion - "by Him, with Him and in Him". Now the
Mass of François saint is finished, Ite missa is, Go,
in the Christ's peace, return graces of it in God ©
author Father René Bacon o.f.m.
God is bon,Il likes me, He forgives all ©Parole of St
Pierre Julian Eymard
God likes us personally, since he liked us as far as creating
us. And however, there is a bigger proof of love that the
creation, the redemption, it is the power to make itself/themselves
forgive by God. And it is God's goodness that forgives us.
His/her/its love. How much does God like me him? As much as
he forgave to me and wants to forgive me.
And - St.-Paul can say well that God liked it! Him to that
he/it had forgiven so much - and St. Augustin could draw in
God's mercy his/her/its ardent love for God. God is good,
he likes me, him me pardonne.L'amour of God is more merciful
than understanding because we have need more of it. _
Mercy is infinite in his/her/its application on earth. The
other attributes circumscribe themselves. Terrific exalted
misericordia judicium terrific coelos. Only, she/it has of
reign that in this world. She/it is the atmosphere of the
man sinner. _ so that she/it stops the justice and the other
attributes, bus after every sin, the justice should exercise
itself.
Mercy makes it delay until after the death. Ah! she/it is
without limits, constantly come with us, even follows us after
the death in Purgatory, and this purgatory is only the last
effort of the mercy of God MIsericordia Dei, it is written
in Purgatory.
- We will never exhaust it will choke it. One doesn't drive
it to despair. Paternoster ignisce illis - Always and in all
she/it forgives - biggest crimes. - The Calvary Judas-Osculo
filium hominis tradis. - So, our sins will ever be only as
big God's mercy - One only doesn't forgive itself, the supernatural
pride, that rejects God's goodness and kills itself.
The Writings are filled of God's mercy, and it, because after
every fall we are in despair _ Always the second effect of
the sin, it is the despair. Adam and Eve - One is in despair
to have been unfaithful. Cain - My sin is too big.
And most sinners who don't convert, it is the despair that
kills them. - And the day where they will cry they will be
converted. And the pieties, why do fall them? - do They descend?
- That is the despair, been the discouragement to have unfaithful
a little - And is the secret of the devil to enter by mistrust.
That this feeling never takes you. You would question God's
mercy! No, no. - When you descend, go back up by the confidence.
- And, the humility that remains in the mud, is only the humiliation.
L"humilité flies toward God, on the wings of the
confidence Oratio humiliantis himself nubes penetrabiy.
In the world, one makes pay for the forgiveness - one makes
you ashamed. God hands you as before, same honor, same graces.
See St. Pierre. One is tempted to be ashamed, one is ashamed
indeed, and however God would not like us humillier.Il wants
to forgive only and to return all. And he/it puts back Pierre
chief of the church, and one becomes bigger by the forgiveness.
The Madeleine. J.C. ennobles it: Multum dilexit - he of her
says. And he/it makes of a sinner a prince of his/her/its
mercy and his/her/its amour.L'Adultère - ego you condamnabo
and noli amplitus peccare. And one would be in despair! Our
- Lord has need to forgive. His/her/its heart cries and dilate
himself by mercy.
And if Our Lord could suffer, it would be to see that one
doesn't make itself forgive. After every sin one was damaged
so, there would not be a priest anymore on the earth to forgive.
And Our Lord is better for us because we need forgiveness
more that the other. And what makes the merciful priests,
it is that they are also sinners, and have need of forgiveness.
S.Pierre Julian Eymard
Saint_Julien Eymard
Founding of the Fathers, Brothers,
Nuns Of the Saint Sacrament.
 I
put this writing on my site to tell all my brothers priests
in the world who left their ministration for some reasons
that it is, so later in your life, you want to come back and
that you have a quick desire to take your pastor's role, I
believe that your bishop will be happy to put the same gesture
of reconciliation that Saint Eymard made. It is not necessary
to despair ever in the mercy of God and his/her/its Pope and
his/her/its representatives.
There are some circumstances in life, when we leave a load
to be going to see elsewhere, one doesn't always know in what
one embarks, but the forgiveness and the desire to come back
also make part of our life of sinner and sinner that we are
all. Jesus has us he doesn't say: "Believe that you got"
it to Stay already farm in your desire to take the rank that
you let, God always calls some workers for his/her/its crop
and made you part again of it; to ask Our Lady of the 7 Pains
to come with you in your desire and your gait.
Jesus has us he doesn't say: "That the one among you
that is without sin throws him the first stone! "But
they, hearing it, left one by one, to start with the oldest;
and he/it was let alone. with the woman always there to the
middle.. Then, straightening itself/themselves, Jesus tells
to him: "Woman, where they are? Did no one condemn you?
She/it says: "No one, Lord. "Then Jesus says: '
Me either, I don't condemn you. Go, don't sin henceforth more.
"St. Jean ch.8 v,5 to 12
Then that is we sinners and sinners that we are to condemn
you when Jesus himself didn't make it. Naturally if your delight
is not the child molestation or rape, because for it the law
of Church and Justice doesn't forgive, and don't give you
the right out of respect for the victims to take your ministry;
but it doesn't stop you from reconciling you with your Church,
to pray for your victims, and to offer you like ministerial
victim for God's glory.
"I exhort you therefore, brothers, by God's mercy, to
offer your people in living, holy host, pleasant to God,:
it is there the spiritual cult that you have to return. And
you don't model on the present world, but that the renewal
of your judgment transforms you and makes you discern what
is God's will, what is good, what pleases to him, what is
perfected",
St. Paul to the Roman ch.12,1 to 3
Your small sister in Jesus Christ Denise
o.f.s.er.
of the book ‘' The Son of Knife grinder ' '
Saint Julian Eymard Publisher G. Humermann,
Edition Salvator Référence The Chapter
"He/it doesn't have of vacations for the Charity ''
p. 159 to 172
Hey well! my dear, what
of nine today? asked Eymard to the young Brother Tesnière,
his/her/its secretary,; this last designated him a big battery
of letters. - It is necessary to answer all it, but him there
has had also of the business questions to adjust. Mr. Leclerc,
the owner of the printing of the archdiocese, recalls you
the talks that he/it had with you. - I know, he/it promised
him to invest about seventy thousand francs at home. I estimate
that he/it is important, to our sad time, to sustain an enterprise
that publishes good works. Will we send him the check today
same. - this is not a little risky? get notice Tesnière._
No, no! I have whole confidence in M.Leclerc. He/it wants
to enlarge his/her/its business while buying new presses.
If he/it increases his/its production, it can only serve us.
The continuation maintenant._Les interests of the loan contracted
by the bank of Marseille, are échus._ It is necessary
to send money this day, not to make wait for the good banker.
More business papers? - Not at present. But don't forget that
you must speak to the priests worshippers tonight. - Yes,
it is true! It is the most important today. If I had to abandon
the whole remains, I would continue to help my dear colleagues
in the world. It is a task so burning to our time. The sanctification
of the priests includes all, because they make what we make
for them carry multiple fruits. The one that acts in good
on the priests, makes more for God's kingdom that by all other
work. Eymard, gained by the emotion, had started walking in
long and in large. - Lately I participated in the nocturnal
worship to Saint-Thomas, he/it says bitterly. There was a
crowd of men, for most workers but I didn't see only one priest.
Where are they? There is so much that looks like signposts
of it. They show the path well, it is true, but themselves
are held there, mute and without life. The heart hurts me
when I think of it.
- Know yourselves that very near of us lives a defrocked priest
that is himself marié? I know this unhappy colleague,
answered the Superior sadly. It was one of my most brilliant
preachers of Paris. Now it is only a poor man, lying on the
ground, injured, as the traveler attacked in the throats of
Jericho, and no one the helps to stand up. Here it is that
comes to pass a priest of the temple. He/it throws him a scornful
look and, indignant, he/it makes a sign of cross and continuous
his/her/its path. Where is the good Samaritan, who will dress
its wounds and who will bring back it to God's inn? Oh! no,
my friend! No one will make stop and no hand will stretch
itself toward it. On the contrary, rather than to rescue it,
one will walk on the spot it. One will drive it again more
in the mud. Yes, one will open all big the mouth to abuse
it and, with a very priggish pride, one will be going to thank
God for not being like this réprouvé.Le young
Eucharistin contemplated with surprise the founder who had
stopped before him, tightening the fists and ebullient of
indignation. he/it had Ever again seen at pleased to him big
emotion that at the moment where he/it evoked the poor colleague.
- But I won't have a rest that when I will have saved it,
pursued Eymard, and had to forget me the whole remains, even
my hour of worship owing the Very Saint Sacrement.Souvent
already he/it had gone to see it. In the beginning the poor
wretch had been all pride, but it had not discouraged the
religious that always came back. He/it opened him his/her/its
overflowing heart of love. He/it implored while crying, and
finally the mask of the pride fell, unveiling a poor and miserable
man to which the injuries of his/her/its soul caused unspeakable
pains.
- I will be going to see it again today, said the founder.
Pray for me to the foot of the tabernacle so that God inspires
me the words that it is necessary! What of others? he of a
tired voice requests. - TO the hospital of the Sisters of
Saint-Vincent, a damsel Julhien, of Marseille, affected by
typhus, demand to see you. - J"irais. And puis? the parlor
is filled of people who wait for you. Every day he/it comes
from it more. There is a lot of it that say that it is nearly
as at the vicar of Ars. some silliness! growls Eymard. Jean
Vianney was a saint, while I am only a poor sinner. - The
duchess of the Rochefoucauld is the number. you have to maybe
see it in first. - I don't believe that the duchess is as
hurried as the ragmen of the Pit to the Lions, she has the
time. - The young sculptor Augustus Rodin, who made your bust
a few years ago, also came. You know that he/it would like
to be of ours, It would be certainly a big gain for us: is
it already a sculptor widely-known. - A gain for us? It is
possible. But for him? He/it can make more for God's kingdom
in the world that in a cell of convent. He/it doesn't have
the religious vocation. - The other are for most people of
the suburb, of the poor laundresses, of the seamstresses,
a shearer of dogs and a basket-maker. The other probably came
from the outside, because I don't know them. But why don't
fix yourselves of the hours of visit, reverend Father?
- Our Lord to the tabernacle, he/it has maybe of the hours
of visit! replies Eymard in a bad mood on a tone. He/it is
present and he/it receives at any hour. - But a lot of people
come to bother you for mere nothing. - what you qualify mere
nothing is on the contrary very important for these people,
and then, I am only God's unskilled worker and I must serve
it as a long time that I in his/her/its poor people will be
able to it, but liquidate the most urgent mail first. - A
letter of the countess of Andigné! says the secretary.
It is one of our most zealous benefactresses. It would be
necessary to answer to him immediately. - Nothing is urgent!
The letter of a lady distinguished of Paris didn't find grace
either. - It appears that it spent six thousand francs lately
to burn some candles, at the time of one feast to his/her/its
palace, grumbled the religious, whereas Notre-Seigneur must
be content with candle poor persons tips. Do write yourself
the answer. - Again something pressing? Eymard demand while
consulting his/her/its montre._le Father of Cuers, does have
écrit._ again and do you announce it only now to me?
exclaimed the Superior briskly. The former officer didn't
stop criticizing the direction of the Company bitingly. He/it
blamed to the founder for lacking the necessary severity and
to harm the saint disciplines by his/her/its sweetness
. - Once besides he/it puts me in default to dislocate me
of my load, that I am absolutely incapable to fill, says Eymard
after having finished the lecture._vous have to energetically
put back it in place, counseled secretary indigné._Oui,
very energetically! Note therefore: My dear Father of Cuers!
I know strong although I don't absolutely possess the qualities
and the capacities that his/her/its indispensable to a Superior
and that that that, in your love, you qualify sweetness is
rather a weakness of character and a defect. I cannot stop
from sighing when I think of it. So God wanted it, would I
abandon on the field my superior functions to occupy me of
the kitchen or to assume the humblest work in the house, and
that, with joie._Vous want that I write it? exclaim Tesnière._Mot
for word! Let's continue! I go down before God, thing of which
I have need besides. Know, dear Father, you and all others,
that the Company progresses no by my capacities, nor by my
virtues, but by the only divine grace. Me, I only make all
to spoil. I so often ask the Lord to send a good superior!
I am only a bad manure or a worm-eaten foundation stone, that
one would make recouvrir._ better I cannot write it, protested
the secretary as throwing his/her/its crayon._Vous will write
it well cleanly on a beautiful white leaf and I will sign
it, but now he/it is time that I am going to see my visitors.
He/it didn't remain anymore the least small place of free
in the piece. Of the ladies distinguished to the large crinolines
voisinaient with women to the uptight features come of the
suburb, small craftsmen and the ragmen of the districts most
sinister of the vile. The duchess evidently expected to be
received the première._J'ai makes twenty miles by car
and I hope well that you will immediately receive me, say-elle._Eh
well! Mrs., answered him the priest while smiling. I see here
a woman who made more than hundred miles, she/it comes from
Nantes. Do let it therefore pass abord! how know yourselves
that I am from Nantes? asks for the étonnée._Admettez
woman that it is because of your coif. It is well a Breton
coif, if me me trompe?_ Indeed, but Brittany is big. I don't
see.... _Bon, it is that Nantes simply came me to the mind,
But say me what you have on the coeur!Bien that his/her/its
time was limited, Eymard listened to each with attention;
he/it comforted, encouraged and gave good advice, even when
it was about pettiest things. As for sculptor Rodin, he/it
asked him to give up entering in religion; his/her/its decision
being only attributable to a momentary impulse.
- You lost your favorite sister lately and, in your pain,
you believe yourselves obligated to escape the world. Return
quietly to your shop and work well. One day your works will
return you célèbre.Le young man pushed a sigh,
then he/it regained the shop of his/her/its master Carrier._Une
packs down the world complained of his/her/its daughter, that
she/it had brought. I know only how to make, she/it moans.
I don't have anything against a healthy piety. Understand
me well! But our Eugénie, push the things indeed too
far. She/it lives home like one hermit, doesn't take part
in any receipt; does she/it wear black clothes only and does
she/it submit to fastings to the point to have a pathetic
mine, does she/it take even more lessons of piano._Oh! my
poor girl, that I must to hear? exclaimed the priest. Do seem
you to show evidence of an exagérée._Est piety
indeed therefore this reprehensible to stretch to perfection?
don't ask him for the demoiselle._Absolument! But you surrender
the too hard task. It is yet so easy. Like the Savior of all
your heart, return visits him in his/her/its solitude and
listen to what he/it tells you! Then all will be well. Dress
yourselves as your condition requires it and participate in
the receipts that your mother judges good to organize. Play
to the piano therefore quietly! Myself I would make it gladly
if I had the time of it, reject everything that is contracted
and eccentric, don't fall in the solitude and be God's happy
child! And go now in peace and don't cause a grief anymore
to your mère!_Puisque you say it, I will obey, answered
the girl
. _Il is five years old there, my small Marcel was victim
of a serious accident who cost him the view, she told the
Father. One advised me to be going to present it to you so
that you the guérissiez!_Mais, Mrs., I am not physician,
answered Eymard while nodding the head. I am going to recommend
you to the best oculist of Paris._J'ai quite tried, the physicians
are not able to anything anymore, sobbed the mother. But you,
Father, you can the guérir._Allez therefore in the
chapel pray before the Very Saint Sacrament! So God wants
it, your son will be healed. _Mes prayers are too weak, moans
the woman. Pray for my enfant.Eymard asked to the F. Charles,
the porter, to bring him of the "blessed water He/it
dampened some the extinct eyes, while saying: Go. my small!
Go to the chapel to ask the Lord. This one, a boy of thirteen
years, advanced while groping as to look for a support, when
he/it whispered very uneasy: "I see, mom! I see! Over
there, I see the window and light between the arcades! I see
you and also, the Father! And the pictures to the wall! The
cross! I see, I see! _ A miracle, a miracle, exclaimed the
mother while tightening his/her/its son in his/her/its arms,
Oh! my Marcel! He/it didn't see anymore nothing at all since
his/her/its accident. And now...! How will be able to thank
me you, my Father! she/it fell on the knees before him and
kissed his/her/its hands, that Eymard withdrew doucement_Ce
is not I that it is necessary to thank, but God! It is he
that healed your child. Go to the chapel and so-called to
the Savior in the holy host everything that you wanted to
tell me! He/it drove them himself to the sanctuary and fell
on the knees before the Very Saint Sacrament.
Lasting his/her/its hour
of worship, in the beginning of the afternoon, he/it didn't
leave of the eyes the holy host, sentient to weigh on him
the look of the Lord. Of all his/her/its soul he/it asked
him to sustain it in the heavy gait that he/it had solved
to make. Shortly after, he/it penetrated in the rear house
of the Boulevard Montparnasse, where the former priest vegetated
in a poor person mansards. Was the poor wretch seul._Quand
go finally you to let me alone? asked him for the renegade
irrité._ I want to return you the peace that you lost,
answered him Eymard _La peace, made the other while laughing
bitterly. How do you want that I recover the peace? There
is not anything to make, I abandoned the right path. Yes,
I confess it to you, I don't have the paix._Eh well! come
back therefore in God's arms, that waits late for you with
so much amour!_C'est! You know that I am married. Cannot I
separate of her. And where would like yourselves that she/it
goes? _Ça can manage. For the beginning the Sisters
of Saint-Vincent will receive it. Did I speak of it in the
Mother Supérieure._Sans that I know it and without
my agreement? exclaimed the renegade vehemently. Of what right
arrange yourselves of that that me right regarde?_Du of the
pastor instituted by God. As for you, dear brother, the door
of our house will be you wide open. Come at home! Come today
same! A saint reprocesses will permit you to recover the interior
calmness! Let God speak to your soul! He/it is anxious to
tell you what my poor words are incapable to make you comprendre._Et
après?_Je will speak to the general Priest. One will
receive you with joy, be persuaded some. In the beginning
of a certain time you will get a station again. Maybe not
in a big parish of Paris. Will be maybe that that a modest
cure to the country, but one will restore to you. Will you
know the peace and will your apostolate carry incurs a lot
of fruits._Vous believe it possible? ask for the poor wretch
of an incertaine._Pour voice me it is sure! It is even again
as sure as your arrival at home today. I will wait all night
long for you if him the faut!_Je will speak to my.... yes
I will speak to him! All is going to depend on what she/it
is going to say! mumbles the former colleague.
After the departure of Eymard, the renegade dropped himself/itself
on a chair and exploded in sobs. He/it cried, for the first
time since the days of his/her/its enfance.Arrivé to
the hospital of the Sisters of Saint-Vincent, Eymard was going
to see the woman of Marseille affected by typhus. she/it had
come to Paris, putting his/her/its confidence in the best
physicians of the capitale._Je thanks you for having come,
said Mrs. Julhien of a weak voice. I feel the near end, The
physicians have a hope more hardly.
_Mais you will certainly heal, retorted the Father. Make a
novena to Our Lady of the Salette. I was often over there
and the Virgin Saint never let me leave without comforting
me and without helping me. But begin since tomorrow! Recite
every day a rosary in honor of Notre-Dame of the Salette.
Her you secourra!_Bien, my Father, I will make it! decides
the patient. Eymard gave him his/her/its blessing and, while
leaving it, he affirmed to him once again that his/her/its
prayer would be exaucée.Le evening of the same day.
He/it made a speech to the priests united at the convent.
It was a group of priests Parisian worshippers. Eymard had
chosen for theme the conditions of the efficiency of the sermon.Mes
dear listeners, he says, the only means to carry remedy to
our awful and corrupt time, it is the sermon eucharistique.
We like to speak so much of Bethlehem, Nazareth and the Golgotha.
But the Lord is not anymore in the manger, more q'il is not
at carpenter's shop or on the cross. Why don't lead ourselves
the souls where he/it is indeed, why don't drive them us to
the tabernacle, the center of all. It is there that his/her/its
flame burns and that watches his/her/its love. Take your supporters
by the hand as children and bring them where burn the lamp
in the sanctuary! This is how made my mother, whereas I knew
how to walk hardly. Be the fathers and mothers for the poor
people that is lost without you, like a herd that lost his/her/its
shepherd! The big illness of the souls in this world, it is
the indifference religieuse.Depuis Réforme her the
cœurses are as dry. One doesn't like anymore. See people
therefore in our Paris. The streets are full of itinerant
cadavers of which the petrified heart doesn't beat anymore.
There is not anymore of life in them. And who can remedy there?
Only, God's love. And where to take it? To his/her/its source,
to Jesus' heart. It is necessary to throw the souls to fire,
in the heart of our Maître.Eymard was quiet one instant,
seized of a big emotion.
Then he/it pursued: I knew that you would come! He/it exclaimed,
exultant joie._Il was necessary that I come, answered the
other. I could not hold in place. A mysterious strength forced
me to answer your invitation. I would like to converse once
again with you of all it to head dark reposée.La was
advanced well when the visitor left Eymard. This one didn't
let it leave without having gotten the promise that he/it
would have his/its illicit marriage annulled of it and that
he/it would come to make a retirement at the Eucharistins.Quelqueses
weeks after, the colleague held his promise and, one year
later, he was cleaned again in a small village where he purchased
his/its heavy mistake by an increased goodwill
The week follows Eymard was called again to the hospital of
the Sisters of Saint-Vincent of typhous Paul._La of Marseille
dies himself, slipped him the Sister of the section. Does
she/it ask for the Viatique!-A Saint her fact the novena to
Notre-Dame of the Salette? asked him for the religieux._Certainement!
every day she/it recites her/its rosary. But now him n ' has
more hope there. Doctor Chargi, who took care of it, abandoned
all espoir._Mais me I don't abandon it, retorted Eymard of
a décidé._ tone All was useless, the Virgin
Saint calls me at the sky, moans the malade._ _Sûrement,
expressed an opinion the priest, but first you will heal;
you will live longtemps._Comme God again well will want! gasps
the typhous, then she/it received with devotion the Saint
religious Viatique.Le had left the clinic that a very bizarre
thing occurred hardly. Did Miss Julhien recover from his/her/its
cushions, did dress and called the Sister of service, _Mais
how can you raise yourselves therefore? did exclaim the Sister,
does interdite._Que want yourselves that I make in bed? Am
I healed? replies the patient. Please, bring me to eat, I
have dreadfully hunger! Out of her, the Sister made come the
physician. Doctor Chargi, a freethinker who rejected all supernatural,
opened big eyes while seeing his/her/its sick guérie._
In a little while again, she was close to the death, and now...,
he sputtered. It is incompréhensible!C'est a miracle!
Very pale, he/it left the piece while vacillating, while damsel
Julhien ate with big appetite the roasted chicken that the
nun brought to him.
Some days later she/it left the hospital to regain Marseille.Pour
remains it of the life of Saint Eymard, founding of the Fathers,
Brothers, Sisters of the Saint Sacrament, to buy this book,.
Thank you
The Eucharist by love
©par the vicar Jean Paul Fortier
cleaned of the parish Christ Roi of Sherbrooke Qc. Canada
Eucharist: Sacrament
Sacrament where Jesus gives
himself/itself in food. He/it had beautiful to say it and
to retell it, the Jews didn't understand anything to his/her/its
speech. They had in the head the idea that it was about a
bodily food. They ended up meaning him that his/her/its business
didn't have a sense, turned him the back and left. Do we know,
us, and don't we doubt some, that the Eucharist is a food
for the soul, but we appreciate it to his/her/its value? Are
we convinced that, that day, did Jesus teach us a marvelous
news, the most beautiful than the man heard after the announcement
of the Mystery of the incarnation?
In everything that Jesus of the Eucharist said, there is a
very striking expression. He/it speaks of living bread, of
life bread so that one eats the vie.Pour to feed the body,
one eats dead things. As our organism is the strongest, it
changes these things died in himself: in flesh, in blood,
in bone, in everything that makes the body. When one receives
communion, it is the inverse that occurs; the Eucharist is
life, God's very life. She/it is stronger, of course our organism.
It is her that changes us in herself, that infuses us the
divine life. To every well made communion, we absorb a divine
life dose. One understands that Jesus tells us and retells
and 12 times repeat it in 2 small pages, that the Eucharist
it is the secret of the eternal life. It is God's life that
gets settled us of it, it is our sanctification that operates
itself. It is our salute that becomes certain.
The Eucharist is the first means of
salute. Why?
BECAUSE SHE/IT IS A COMPLETE FOOD.
To - to feed the body, food is necessary variés:du
bread, meat, the vegetables, the fruits... No food is capable
to assure us the 27000 calories that we need every jour.L'Eucharistie
is sufficient for all operations necessary to the salute of
our soul. She/it has toues the vitamins that it is necessary:
1 - vitamins to separate all obstacles: to come out of the
sin, to resist the temptations, to master his/her/its passions,
to correct his/her/its shortcomingses,;
2 - vitamins to acquire all virtues: charity, justice, patience,
detachment, interest to really accomplish his/her/its task,
with a big care, with supernatural intention, so that she/it
is indeed to God's service (growing Interest for the things
of the sky)
3 - vitamins to accept the tests, that we find hard so sometimes,
but that God serves us as medicines of which our supernatural
organism has need.
B - The Eucharist is a hot food.
 One
knows the difference between hot meals and cold meals; a cold
meal from time to time, that passes, but usually, no because
the stomach rears. The heat of food, on the contrary, help
the starting of the digestive work.
The supernatural heat, it is the charity, the source of the
charity, that is Our Lord. One drinks spring water: still
the meilleure.Il doesn't have a religion there without love
of God. And God's love, in practice, it is the neighbor's
love; '' I was hungry and you gave me to eat, I was thirsty
and you gave me to drink, I was naked, you gave me some clothes...
'' what one makes to the neighbor, one makes it to God; what
one refuses to the neighbor, one refuses it to God: so much
that one didn't understand this truth, one didn't understand
anything to the religion. If one doesn't have a charity, one
doesn't have a religion.
The source of the charity, it is the communion.
The Eucharist is a tasty food. When one is in health and that
one has good appetite, one looks at the hour and one is in
a hurry to the meals. Around a good table, people are happy.
As soon as there is feast, one takes one meal to the program.
The fervid souls don't react otherwise. For them, the Table
Saint is an appointment of happiness, and to miss a communion
is a big test. It is why, they don't hesitate to make hard
sacrifices to participate at the Mass and to receive communion.
If one has a bad health, bad stomach, the table doesn't say
much or nothing at all. Even the best food, dish, can cause
a disaster.
Let's pray to be in health and to stay more and more he and
to have the taste of the Eucharist. The God of the Eucharist
it is the God of the sky. The Table of the communion it is
the path of the sky. '' The one that eats my flesh and drinks
my blood has life in him, possess the eternal life, and me,
I will revive it to the last jjour (JN., 6,53_)Du melt the
tabernacle, where he/it is present, Jesus retells us these
words for us aujourd'hui.Jean Paul Fortier priest cleaned
of the Parish Christ Roi of Sherbrooke Qc. Canada
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right ©Touses and all forbidden reproductions
