Blood of Christ, inebriate me!

Jesus with the Eucharist (detail), by Juan de Juanes, 16th century.

Sunday was the feast of Corpus Christi, otherwise called the Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ. It is one of my most favorite feasts, though yes, I have many! ;) Of all the supreme gifts of being Catholic, of having the Fullness of Truth, there are two 'things' that top the list: the Eucharist and Our Blessed Mother. I could never be anything else, for it is ever the less, and once you have had Jesus Himself, and even fleetingly known His Presence in the Eucharist, there is no looking back. Nothing else will suffice. Nothing less than Jesus in His Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity will do. Jesus has given us His All: His very self, on the Cross and ever more in the Most Holy Sacrament of the Altar, in the Eucharist; and His Own Mother, Mary, to be our own Mother! There are no greater gifts He could have given! I can be nothing less than Catholic, not with having known what it is to live without it. Oh! What a poverty to live without Jesus in the Eucharist, and without His Mother! Life seems so far away and unimaginable without them, now. How did I do it? How does anyone do it?

"Could God have been able to give us anything more precious than what He has given us in the Blessed Sacrament? Do you know, dear brethren, what induced Jesus Christ to condescend to be present in our churches day and night? It was that we might be able to come to Him whenever we wanted to…What, dear brethren, is more consoling for a Christian than to feel he adores a God who is really and truly present, body and soul? What is it that makes our churches so sacred and so venerable? Is it not the presence of Jesus Christ? What an immense privilege we Christians enjoy!"
~ Saint Augustine


There must be millions of wonderful, amazing quotes, reflections, meditations, homilies, the list goes on and on....that I could share. The Eucharist is truly a Mystery that is Infinite, for it is Christ Himself; the adoration of Whom we will do for ever in Heaven!! But for my humble, neglected blog, I have chosen to share one of my all-time favorite prayers, author unknown (though frequently mistakenly credited to St. Ignatius Loyola, and once I saw St. Thomas Aquinas), and dates to the 14th century. Here is the Anima Christi prayer. Memorize it. Make it a prayer of your own heart.

Soul of Christ, sanctify me!

Body of Christ, save me!

Blood of Christ, inebriate me!

Water from the side of Christ, wash me!

Passion of Christ, strengthen me!

O good Jesus, hear me,

Within Thy wounds hide me,

Permit me not to be separated from Thee!

From the malignant enemy defend me!

In the hour of my death call me,

And bid me come unto Thee,

That with thy Saints I may praise Thee

Forever and ever.

Amen.

Original Latin:

Anima Christi, sanctifica me.

Corpus Christi, salva me.

Sanguis Christi, inebria me.

Aqua lateris Christi, lava me.

Passio Christi, conforta me.

O bone Jesu, exaudi me.

Intra tua vulnera absconde me.

Ne permittas me separari a te.

Ab hoste maligno defende me.

In hora mortis meae voca me.

Et iube me venire ad te,

Ut cum Sanctis tuis laudem te.

In saecula saeculorum.

Amen.

"Do you realize that Jesus is there in the tabernacle expressly for you, for you alone? He burns with the desire to come into your heart...don't listen to the demon, laugh at him, and go without fear to receive the Jesus of peace and love." ~ St. Thérèse of Lisieux

The Last Vision of Fatima, artist unknown