You receive the Body of the Lord with special care, lest even a tiny crumb of the consecrated gift fall to the floor. You should receive the Word of the Lord with equal care and reverence, lest the tiniest word of it fall to the floor.
— Origen (c. 184- c. 254)
This is why the people followed Jesus, because He was the Good Shepherd. He wasn’t a moralistic, quibbling Pharisee, or a Sadducee who made political deals with the powerful, or a guerrilla who sought the political liberation of his people, or a contemplative in a monastery. He was a pastor! A pastor who spoke the language of His people, who understood, who spoke the truth, the things of God. He never trafficked in God’s things! He spoke in such a way that the people loved God’s things. And that is why they followed Him.
–Pope Francis (1936-
Strive to increase from day to day your faith in the most holy sacrament of the Eucharist, and never cease to wonder at the miraculous mystery of it, reflecting on how God manifests Himself to you in the guise of bread and wine, and becomes essentially present in you, to make you more holy, righteous and blessed. For blessed are they who do not see, yet believe; according to the words of the Savior (cf. Jn. 20:29).
— Lawrence Scupoli (1529-1610)
If we but paused for a moment to consider attentively what takes place in this Sacrament, I am sure that the thought of Christ’s love for us would transform the coldness of our hearts into a fire of love and gratitude.
–Saint Angela of Foligno (1248-1309)
The Sacrament [of the Holy Eucharist] is the Gift of gifts, and the Grace of graces. When the almighty and eternal God comes to us with all the perfection of His thrice holy humanity and His divinity, He surely does not come empty-handed.
— Saint Angela of Foligno (1248-1309)
