ПРИЧАСТИЕ

In order not only by love, but also by deed to become members of the flesh of Christ, let us partake of this flesh. And this happens through the food that Christ gave to express His great love for us. For this purpose, He mixed Himself with us and dissolved His body in us, so that we would form something single, like a body connected to a head. And this is a sign of the strongest love. Job also pointed out this when he spoke about his household, who loved him so much that they wanted to grow together with his flesh: who would let us be satisfied with his flesh? (see Job 31:31). This is what they said, wanting to express their great love for him. Christ did this for the same purpose: in order to bring us into greater fellowship with Himself and show His love for us, He gave those who wanted not only to see Him, but also to touch, and eat, and touch His flesh with their teeth, and unite with Him, and satisfy every desire with Him. Let us depart from this meal like lions breathing fire, terrible for the devil, thinking about our Head and the love that He showed towards us. Often parents give their children to others to raise; but I, says [the Savior], not so, but I feed you with My flesh, I offer Myself to you, wanting you all to be noble, and giving you good hopes for the future. Whoever gave himself to you here will [do much more for you] there. I wanted to be your brother; For your sake I have partaken of flesh and blood; and this flesh and blood, through which I became related to you, I again teach you. This blood gives us a blooming and royal appearance; gives birth to indescribable beauty; does not allow the nobility of the soul to fade, constantly watering and nourishing it. Our blood, formed from food, does not suddenly become blood, but [at first] becomes something else; but this blood is not like that, but immediately invigorates the soul and imparts to it some great power. This blood, received with dignity, removes and drives demons far away from us, and calls Angels and the Lord of Angels to us. Demons flee from where they see the Master's Blood, and Angels flock there. Shed [on the Cross], this Blood washed the entire universe. Blessed Paul also spoke a lot about this Blood in his Epistle to the Hebrews. This Blood cleansed the inaccessible place and the Holy of Holies. If her image had such power both in the Jewish church and in Egypt, when the doorposts were anointed with blood, then much more is the truth itself. This Blood consecrated the golden altar. Without her, the bishop did not dare to enter an inaccessible place. This Blood supplied the priest. She washed away sins in images. If she had such power in images, if death was so afraid of the shadow, then tell me, can she not be afraid of the truth itself? This Blood is the salvation of our souls. The soul is washed by it; it is decorated with it; it ignites. It makes our soul purer than gold. This Blood was poured out and made heaven accessible to us. The Sacraments of the Church are truly terrible, the altar is truly terrible. A spring came out of paradise, pouring out sensual rivers; From this same meal comes the source that flows out the spiritual rivers. At this source, it is not barren willows that are planted, but trees that reach to the very sky and bear fruit that is always ripe and never withers. If anyone is languishing in the heat, let him go to this source and cool his heat, because this source destroys drought and refreshes everything that has been burned - burned not by the sun, but by the fiery arrows [of the devil]. Its beginning is from above, and its source is there, and from there it is fed. This source has many streams, which the Comforter produces, and the Son is the mediator, not paving the way for them with a spades, but opening up favor in us. This source is a source of light, shedding rays of truth. The powers from above flock to it to contemplate the beauty of its streams, because they see more clearly both the power of the gifts presented and their unapproachable radiance. If it were possible for someone to put their hand or tongue into molten gold, they would immediately become rich. The mysteries presented here have exactly the same and even greater effect on the soul. This river boils and strives stronger than fire, but does not burn, but only cleanses everything it touches. This blood was anciently represented on altars, in slaughters determined by the law. She is the price of the universe; with it Christ bought the Church; with it He adorned it all. Just as the one who buys servants gives gold for them and therefore, wanting to decorate them, decorates them with gold, so Christ bought us with Blood and decorated us with Blood. Those who partake of this Blood stand together with the Angels, Archangels and the powers on high, clothed in the royal robe of Christ and having spiritual weapons. But with this I have not yet said anything great: they are clothed in the King himself. But as great and wonderful as this Sacrament is, it is equally true that if you approach it with purity, you will approach salvation; if with an evil conscience, it will result in punishment and torment. For, it is said, “whoever eats and drinks the Lord unworthily eats and drinks condemnation for himself” (1 Cor. 11:29). If those who desecrate the royal purple are punished in the same way as those who tear it apart, then what is surprising if those who receive the body with an unclean thought will be subjected to the same punishment as those who tore it with nails? Look at what terrible punishment Paul points to in the words: “If he who rejects the law of Moses, in the presence of two or three witnesses, is punished without mercy with death, then how much more severe punishment do you think will be guilty of the one who tramples on the Son of God and does not consider as holy the Blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified?..” (Heb. 10:28, 29). Let us, beloved, We are attentive to ourselves, enjoying such blessings. And if a desire arises in us to say something shameful or we notice that we are overcome by anger or some other passion, let us think about what we have received, what kind of Spirit we have received. And how long will we be tied to the present? How long will we not care about our salvation? You might be interested in: