Here are a few thoughts from Bl. Charles de Foucauld, a playboy turned priest; a sinner turned saint. These are from a little book called "Come Let Us Sing a Song Unknown"
Ave Maria!
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JESUS IN THE HOLY EUCHARIST
Lord Jesus, You are in the Holy Eucharist. You are there a yard away in the tabernacle. Your body, Your soul, Your human nature, Your divinity, Your whole being is there in its twofold nature. How close you are my God, my Savior, my Jesus, my Brother, my Spouse, my Beloved. You were not nearer to the Blessed Virgin during the nine months she carried you in her womb than you are to me when you rest on my tongue at Holy Communion. You were no closer to the Blessed Virgin and St. Joseph in the caves at Bethlehem or the house at Nazareth or during the flight into Egypt or at any moment of that divine family life than you are to me at this moment -and so many others – in the tabernacle. St. Mary Magdalene was no closer to you when she sat at your feet at Bethany than I am here at the foot of this altar. You were no nearer to your apostles when you were sitting in the midst of them than you are to me now, my God. How blessed I am.
Wherever the sacred Host is to be found, there is the living God, there is your Savior, as really as when He was living and talking to Galilee and Judea, as really as He now is in heaven. Never deliberately miss Holy Communion. Communion is more than life, more than all the good things of this world, more than the whole universe: it is God himself, "It is I, Jesus. Could you prefer anything to Me? Could you, if you love me at all, however little, voluntarily lose the grace I give you in this way? Love Me in all the breadth and simplicity of your heart".
ON HOPE
O God, tell me about hope! How can hopeful thoughts originate in this poor world? Are they not bound to come from heaven? Everything we see, all we experience, all we are only proves our nothingness to us. How can we realize we were created to be Jesus' brothers and co·heirs, and your children, unless you tell us so? Mother of Beautiful Love and Sacred Hope, pray to your Son Jesus for me and inspire in me the thoughts I should have. The hope of being one day in heaven, at your feet my Lord, in the company of the holy Virgin and the saints, gazing on You, loving You, possessing You for all eternity, with nothing able ever to separate me from You for a single moment, my Good and my All- what a vision that is! A vision of true peace, of heavenly peace indeed.
It is a hope far above our dreams and raises us far above our normal selves. Yet You not only permit us to have it, You tell us we must have it. Could You possibly have given us a pleasanter commandment? 0 God, how good You are! Hope is symbolized by an anchor – and how secure that anchor is! However wicked I may be, however great a sinner, I must hope that I shall go to heaven. You forbid me to despair. However ungrateful or lukewarm or cowardly I may be, however much I may misuse your graces, 0 God, You make it my duty at your feet in love and holiness; You forbid me to ever be discouraged by my shortcomings…in spite of everything, You want me to hope; to hope always that I shall receive enough grace to be converted and attain glory.
