“We don’t always appreciate God’s gifts at their true value. Most Christians would, unfortunately, do without a communion more easily than without their lunch. It’s because we haven’t yet understood the greatness of the Eucharist. Let us beg the good Lord to grant us to appreciate this Bread of Heaven at its true value. St. Margaret Mary used to say: “I’d be willing to walk barefoot down a road covered with burning coals to receive a single communion.” She had a sense of the greatness of God’s gifts. Very few of us would be willing to walk a path of burning coals to receive one communion. “The Eucharist is the ultimate gift of Our Lord; He instituted it on the eve of His Passion, out of love for us, poor humans, so as not to leave us alone in this valley of tears. It is His testament of love; He makes Himself our food. It is on this occasion that He tells us: There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. Jesus gave His life by His ignominious death on the cross. This was not enough for His Infinite Love: He wanted to make Himself bread to dwell with us, to nourish us with His Flesh, to nourish us with Himself. It is a mystery of love which we will never understand on earth, but which is very real! “Let us thank God for the favour of being His priests, of holding His holy Body in our hands. This gratitude must be translated into a respectful piety, a great dignity before Jesus Host. We must take the trouble for God’s sake, while keeping a certain simplicity. Why do we put tablecloths, decorations, liturgical vestments? It is because, being composed of body and soul, the exterior helps us to create an atmosphere favourable to piety. Let us make sure that all our behaviour is worthy of the greatness of the God we serve. Everything must be done in a spirit of faith and worship, of gratitude to the sovereign majesty of God. Let us not take Communion out of habit; let us never celebrate the Holy Mysteries as a matter of routine. The Holy Sacrifice of the Mass is one of the greatest acts a human being can perform. “If the priest knew what he is,” said the Curé of Ars, “he would die of joy.” A human can’t suspect the greatness of the priesthood. The powers that God has given to His priests surpass any human conception. As soon as a priest pronounces the words of consecration, God descends into the Host; whether the priest is a saint or a wretch, God obeys him at once. Our infinite and almighty God dwells with us in the tabernacle: what more can we desire? Who has God has everything, my brothers and sisters. This thought should be enough to make us overflowing with joy and gratitude. If we had faith, there would never be sadness in our souls. “In His Infinite Love, our Redeemer, before dying on the cross, left us the Being who was dearest to Him on earth: His Most Blessed Mother. Woman, here is Your son. Son, here is your Mother! The Apostle St. John represented the whole of humanity, especially the true children of Mary. Let us thank our Mother for all that She has done and suffered for us; She was Coredemptrix with Her divine Son and She continues to care for our souls. Let us thank Her for Her visits to the earth. She continually intervenes to protect Her children.”