Il santissimo sacramento dell'eucaristia
The Supreme Weapon
The author introduces the Eucharist as the fifth and most powerful weapon for the spiritual combat.
As you've already seen, my daughter, I've provided you with four weapons you need to conquer your enemies and many warnings on how to use them well. Now, however, I have one more to propose to you: the most holy Sacrament of the Eucharist. And just as this Sacrament surpasses all other sacraments, so this fifth weapon is superior to all the others.
Union with Christ in Battle
The Eucharist provides a unique advantage because it allows the believer to fight alongside Christ himself.
The four mentioned take their value from the merits and grace we receive from the blood of Christ, but this weapon is the very blood and flesh along with the soul and divinity of Christ. With those, we fight against our enemies using the virtue of Christ. With this, we fight against them alongside Christ, and Christ fights them alongside us, because whoever eats the flesh of Christ and drinks his blood remains in Christ, and Christ remains in him. (John 6:56-57).✦
Frequent Communion
The author encourages both sacramental and spiritual reception of the Eucharist as a constant practice.
Since this weapon can be used and this most holy Sacrament can be received in two ways—sacramentally once a day and spiritually every hour and moment—you should use that weapon very often in the second way, and in the first way whenever you are able.
Read the original Latin
Come hai già visto, figliuola, fin qui ti ho provveduta di quattro armi di cui avevi bisogno per vincere i tuoi nemici e di molti avvertimenti per maneggiarle bene. Ora però mi resta da proportene un'altra, che è il santissimo sacramento dell'eucaristia. E come questo sacramento supera tutti gli altri sacramenti, così questa quinta arma è superiore a tutte le altre.
Le quattro suddette prendono il valore dai meriti e dalla grazia ottenutaci dal sangue di Cristo, ma quest'arma è il sangue stesso e la carne con l'anima e la divinità di Cristo. Con quelle si combatte contro i nemici con la virtù di Cristo. Con questa combattiamo contro quelli insieme con Cristo e Cristo li combatte insieme con noi, perché chi mangia la carne di Cristo e beve il suo sangue rimane con Cristo e Cristo rimane con lui (cfr. Gv 6,56-57).
E poiché quest'arma può essere maneggiata e questo santissimo sacramento può essere ricevuto in due modi: sacramentalmente una volta al giorno e spiritualmente ogni ora e ogni momento, nel secondo modo devi usare spessissimo quell'arma e nel primo modo ogniqualvolta ti concesso.
Scripture echoes
- ↩John.6.56-John.6.57 — The one who eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in him. John.6.57 — Just as the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so also the one who feeds on me will live because of me.
Spiritual Combat companion
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