SR
Chapter 25VisiteSS.1.25

Visita XXV

The Obedience of the Eucharist

Jesus Christ demonstrates his profound humility and obedience by remaining sacramentally present on the altar for the sake of humanity.

Saint Paul praises the obedience of Jesus Christ, saying that he obeyed the Eternal Father even to death: Factus obediens usque ad mortem (Phil. 2:8). But in this Sacrament he has gone even further, for there he has willed to make himself obedient not only to the Eternal Father, but also to man—and not only until death, but for as long as the world lasts: Factus obediens, one might say, usque ad consummationem saeculi. He, the King of heaven, comes down from heaven in obedience to man, and then on the altars he seems to remain and stay there in order to obey men. Ego autem non contradico (Is. 50:5). There he stays without moving of his own accord: he lets himself be placed wherever they put him, whether exposed in monstrances or shut away in tabernacles; he lets himself be carried wherever they carry him—through homes, through the streets; he lets himself be given in Communion to whoever they give him to, whether that person is just or a sinner.1 While he lived on this earth, Saint Luke says that he obeyed the Blessed Virgin Mary. and to St. Joseph; but in this Sacrament, he obeys as many creatures as there are priests on earth: yet I do not refuse.

A Prayer to the Sacred Heart

A devotional prayer addressing the Sacred Heart of Jesus, seeking purification, love, and the grace to imitate his virtues.

Let me speak with you today, O most loving Heart of my Jesus, from which all the sacraments flowed, and from which this Sacrament of love especially came forth. I would give you as much glory and honor as you, sacramentally present in our churches, give to the Eternal Father.2 I know that on this altar you are loving me with that same love with which you loved me when you spent your divine life amid so much bitterness on the cross. Enlighten, O divine Heart, those who do not know you, so that they may come to know you. By your merits, free—or at least relieve in purgatory—those afflicted souls who are already your eternal spouses. I adore you, I thank you, and I love you with all the souls who at this hour are loving you on earth and in heaven. Purify, O most pure Heart, my heart from every attachment to creatures, and fill it with your holy love. Possess, O most sweet Heart, all my heart, so that from this day forward it may be wholly yours and may always say: Who will separate me from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus? (Phil. 3). Write, O most holy Heart, upon my heart those bitter afflictions that you bore for so many years on earth with such love for me, so that at the sight of them I may from this day forward yearn for—or at least bear with patience for love of you—all the pains of this life.3 Most humble Heart of Jesus, give me a share in your humility. Most gentle Heart, impart to me your sweetness.4 Take from my heart everything that does not please you. Turn it entirely toward you, so that it neither wills nor desires anything but what you will. In short, make me live only to obey you, only to love you, and only to please you.5 I know that I owe you far too much; you have put me under so great a debt: it is little if I melt away and spend myself entirely for you. Jas.6 O Heart of Jesus, you are the only Lord of my heart.

Refuge in the Heavenly Ark

Reflecting on Mary as the Ark of Salvation, the author encourages the faithful to seek her intercession to avoid eternal shipwreck.

Spiritual Communion. To Mary. Saint Bernard says that Mary is that heavenly ark; if we take refuge in her in time, we'll certainly be delivered from the shipwreck of eternal damnation: the ark in which we escape shipwreck.7 The ark in which Noah once escaped the worldwide shipwreck of the earth was already a figure of Mary. But Hesychius says that Mary is an ark more spacious, stronger, and more merciful than that one: Noah's ark, more spacious.89 Only a few people and a few animals were received and saved in that ark; but our saving Lady receives all who take refuge under her mantle, and she surely saves them all.10 How wretched we would be if we didn't have Mary! But how many, my Queen, are lost! And why? Because they don't turn to you. And who would ever be lost if they turned to you? James.11 Most holy Mary, grant that we may all always turn to you.

The Treasure of God's Mercies

A final petition to Mary, acknowledging her as the treasurer of God's graces and asking for her maternal help until death.

O my dearest Queen, the Idiot tells me that you are the treasure of God and the treasurer of all the mercies he wants to dispense to us: Treasure of God and treasurer of graces.12 What’s more, you yourself tell me: With me are riches. .13 .14 so that I may enrich those who love me.15 So then, enrich with graces all those who love you. My dear Mother, I am a poor sinner, but know that I love you very much. After God, I love nothing more than you, because you are worthy of it. Have pity on me; do not abandon me. Help me in life and in death, so that one day I may come and stand at your feet in paradise. Jas.16 O Mary, my hopes rest in you.

Read the original Latin

San Paolo loda l'ubbidienza di Gesù Cristo dicendo ch'egli ubbidì all'Eterno Padre fino alla morte: Factus obediens usque ad mortem (Phil. II, 8). Ma in questo Sacramento è passato innanzi, mentre quivi ha voluto rendersi ubbidiente non solo all'Eterno Padre, ma ancora all'uomo: e non solo sino alla morte, ma sino che durerà il mondo: Factus obediens, può dirsi, usque ad consummationem saeculi. Egli il Re del cielo scende dal cielo per ubbidienza dell'uomo, e sugli altari poi pare che resti a trattenersi per ubbidire agli uomini. Ego autem non contradico (Is. L, 5). Ivi se ne sta senza muoversi da se stesso: si fa ponere laddove lo pongono, o negli ostensori esposto o nelle custodie chiuso: si fa portare per dove lo portano, per le case, per le strade: si fa dare nelle comunioni a chi lo danno, o sia giusto o sia peccatore. Mentre visse su questa terra, dice S. Luca ch'egli ubbidiva a Maria SS.

ed a S. Giuseppe; ma in questo Sacramento egli ubbidisce a tante creature, quanti sono i sacerdoti nella terra: Ego autem non contradico.

Lasciate ch'io oggi parli con voi, o Cuore amantissimo del mio Gesù, da cui uscirono già tutt'i sacramenti, e principalmente uscì questo Sacramento d'amore. Io vorrei rendere a voi tanto di gloria e d'onore, quanto voi ne rendete sacramentato nelle nostre chiese all'Eterno Padre. Io so che voi su quest'altare mi state amando con quello stesso amore con che mi amaste quando consumaste la vostra vita divina fra tante amarezze sulla croce. Illuminate, o Cuore divino, a conoscervi chi non vi conosce. Liberate co' vostri meriti, o almeno sollevate nel purgatorio quell'anime afflitte che sono già vostre spose eterne. Io vi adoro, vi ringrazio, vi amo con tutte l'anime che a quest'ora vi stanno amando nella terra e nel cielo. Purificate, o Cuore purissimo, il mio cuore da tutti gli attacchi alle creature, e riempitelo del vostro santo amore. Possedete, o Cuore dolcissimo, tutto il cuor mio, talmente ch'egli da oggi avanti sia tutto per voi e possa dire sempre: Quis me separabit a caritate Dei quae est in Christo Iesu?

(Phil. III). Scrivete, o Cuore santissimo, sopra del mio gli affanni così amari che per tanti anni sopra la terra sopportaste con tanto amore per me, acciocché alla loro vista io da oggi avanti aneli, o almeno sopporti per amor vostro con pazienza tutte le pene di questa vita. Cuore umilissimo di Gesù, fatemi parte della vostra umiltà. Cuore mansuetissimo, comunicatemi la vostra dolcezza. Togliete dal mio cuore tutto ciò che a voi non piace. Convertitelo tutto a voi, acciocché non voglia né desideri se non quello solo che volete voi. Fate in somma ch'io viva solo per ubbidirvi, solo per amarvi, solo per darvi gusto.

Conosco che troppo vi debbo, troppo voi mi avete obbligato: è poco s'io tutto mi struggo e mi consumo per voi. Giac. O Cuore di Gesù, voi siete l'unico signore del cuore mio. La comunione spirituale.

A Maria. San Bernardo dice che Maria è quell'arca celeste, nella quale rifugiandoci a tempo, saremo liberati certamente dal naufragio della dannazione eterna: Arca in qua naufragium evadimus. Fu già figura di Maria l'arca dove Noè scampò un tempo dal naufragio universale della terra. Ma dice Esichio che Maria è un'arca di quella più ampia, più forte e più pietosa: Arca Noe largior. Pochi uomini e pochi bruti in quella furono ricevuti e salvati; ma la Salvatrice nostra riceve tutti coloro che si rifugiano sotto il suo manto, e tutti sicuramente li salva. Poveri noi se non avessimo Maria! Ma quanti, regina mia, si perdono! e perché?

Perché non ricorrono a voi. E chi mai si perderebbe, se a voi ricorresse? Giac. Maria santissima, fate che tutti ricorriamo sempre a voi.

O Regina mia carissima, mi dice l'Idiota, che Voi siete il tesoro di Dio, e la tesoriera di tutte le misericordie ch'egli vuole a noi dispensare: Thesaurus Dei et thesauraria gratiarum. Di più Voi stessa mi dite: Mecum sunt divitiae. . . , ut ditem diligentes me. Voi dunque arricchite di grazie tutti coloro che v'amano. Madre mia cara, io sono un povero peccatore, ma sappiate, che v'amo assai. Dopo Dio io non amo altr'oggetto più di Voi, perché ne siete degna.

Abbiate pietà di me, non mi abbandonate; soccorretemi in vita ed in morte, accioch'io possa venire un giorno a stare a piedi vostri in paradiso. Giac. O Maria, a Voi stanno le speranze mie.

Scripture echoes

  1. Isa.50.5The Lord GOD has opened my ear, and I have not been rebellious; I have not turned back.
  2. Rom.8.35Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword?
  3. Ps.69.9;John.2.17I have become a stranger to my brothers, an alien to my mother's sons. John.2.17 — His disciples remembered that it is written, 'The zeal of your house will consume me.'
  4. Prov.8.18Riches and honor are with me—enduring wealth and righteousness.
  5. Prov.8.21That I may endow those who love me with substance, and fill their treasuries.

Notes

  1. 1Italian 'custodie' can mean tabernacles, ciboria, or pyxes; rendered as 'tabernacles' for the closed contrast with monstrances (ostensori).
  2. 2Italian 'sacramentato' means Christ present under the sacramental species; rendered as 'sacramentally present' rather than the less natural 'you, sacramented.'
  3. 3"sopra del mio" leaves cuore understood from the address; rendered as "upon my heart." "aneli" is yearning/longing (anelare), not mere wishing.
  4. 4"mansuetissimo" = most meek/gentle; "dolcezza" kept as sweetness (gentleness of spirit), not mere pleasantness.
  5. 5"darvi gusto" rendered as "please you" (give you delight), not modern "taste/preference."
  6. 6Italian abbreviation Giac. = Giacomo (Epistle of James); rendered as standard English Bible short form Jas.
  7. 7Closing Latin tag kept in sense only: Arca in qua naufragium evadimus (Bernard).
  8. 8Italian 'un'arca di quella più ampia' is slightly compressed; sense follows the comparative Latin tag Arca Noe largior: Mary is more ample than Noah's ark.
  9. 9Esichio rendered as Hesychius; closing Latin tag given in English sense.
  10. 10Salvatrice nostra rendered 'our saving Lady' to keep the Marian title clear without confusing Mary with Christ the Savior.
  11. 11Standalone abbreviation 'Giac.' is left as a citation tag (likely Giacomo/James or another abbreviated source). Sense and expansion are unresolved.
  12. 12l'Idiota names the medieval spiritual writer often called the Idiot (Raymond Jordan / Idiota), not a common noun.
  13. 13Source sentence is only a bare period; likely a segmentation artifact from a split Latin quotation between s2 and s5.
  14. 14Source sentence is only a bare period; likely a segmentation artifact from a split Latin quotation between s2 and s5.
  15. 15Fragment continues the Latin quotation begun in s2 (leading comma retained as clause continuation).
  16. 16Italian abbreviation Giac. (Giacomo = James) appears alone with no verse text; treated as a bare biblical book citation fragment pending source repair.

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