I've been reading the book "The Mystical City of God" by Venerable Mary of Agreda. What an INCREDIBLE book filled to the brim with many mysteries and revelations of our divine faith. Each chapter I learn more and more of the bond between Our Lord and Mother, the things He revealed to her, and intimate details of His life. It's a very thick book with 794 pages, but me not being a reader at all, have finally made it to page 483....it's taken me a while to get there too. ;) I'm excited to read further and discover and learn more. Yesterday I read an especially touching chapter about the dealings between Our Lord and Mother right before The Last Supper. I was so touched that I had to share it on here.
Jesus went to Our Lady and told her that His time has come. He then asks for her permission to enter into His sacrifice and to consent to deliver Himself over to His enemies in obedience to the will of God. It is relayed that Our Lady suffered more sorrow than all the martyrs combined during this time. She then asked Him in the most loving and humblest way to permit her to receive Holy Communion which was something He had revealed to her many years previously. Our Lady told Venerable Mary of Agreda that she had prepared herself for many years with fervent acts of love, humility and gratitude for the day that she might receive Our Lord. She then spoke about the importance of preparation for Communion...
"...what a horrible crime it is in the eyes of The Lord, in mine and in those of all the saints, that men should despise and neglect the frequent reception of holy Communion, and that they should approach it without preparation and fervent devotion..."
"...I have manifested to thee, what I did on that occasion and how I prepared myself so many years for receiving my most blessed Son in the holy Sacrament..." "For if I, who was innocent of any hindering sin and filled with all graces, sought to increase my fitness for this favor by such fervent acts of love, humility and gratitude, consider what efforts thou and the other children of the Church, who every day and hour incur new guilt and blame, must make in order to fit yourselves for the beauty of the Divinity and humanity of my most holy Son?"
This gave me much to think about in the way I receive Our Lord. Many times, if not most times, I am distracted and have not begun my preparation early enough to be befitting in receiving the most sacred Body and Blood. St. John Berchman would begin his preparation 3 days before Communion and then he made his thanksgiving for 3 days afterwards! And I do about 10 minutes of thanksgiving?? God forgive me for my negligences! If Our Lady, most perfect and sinless Mother, called herself a wormlet, what then should I consider myself who is infinitely more than that through my shameful sins and pride? May I always keep this in mind when preparing in receiving Our Lord, who is galaxies greater than I and who has given Himself to save my soul.
Lord have mercy, Christ have mercy!
