XXI About the twelve effects or fruits of the Body of Jesus which have power against our twelve evils: and now about the
XXI
About the twelve effects or fruits of the Body of Jesus which have power against our twelve evils: and now about the first four
BECAUSE our first parents, sin-stricken by eating the God-forbidden fruit, poured many miseries on their race, it became necessary that these miseries should be healed by the balm of the Saviour of men. It is Jesus who is the physician of souls.
Now you must know that our miseries, taken in general, are three: i., the chain of guilt; ii., the want of grace; iii., the wounds of death.
N. In each of these three general miseries are found four special evils, that is, twelve special weaknesses in all, for the healing of which are ordained the twelve effects or fruits of the Body of our Lord.
i. Our first four evils or weaknesses are, so to say, chains of guilt by which souls are tightly bound: 1, the temptation of the devil; 2, the resistance of sensuality; 3, the stain on the heart; 4, the anger of our Maker. Against these the fruit of the Mother of God, that is, the Body of our Saviour, has prevailing might.
1. The devil goes about as our enemy; he watches the walls that are guarded, and looks carefully everywhere to see if he can find any part of the wall weaker than the rest, that there he may make his way to the inside. He sets before our eyes pictures of unlawful things, and pleasures easy to gain, that by this he may destroy chastity. He tempts us in our ears by melodious sounds, that we may give up the hardness of Christian penance. He provokes the tongue by reproaches; and by irritating injuries leads the hands to murder. He promises the honours of earth, that he may keep from us the rewards of Heaven.
2. St. Augustin, speaking of St. Paul’s words about the ‘other law’ in his members, says, ‘I see another law in my members, that is, the fuel of sin. It is in the eye for desire, in the tongue for evil-speaking, in the hand for evil-doing, and so on in the other members. This fights against the law of the mind, that is, the law of God.’
3. We are warned again and again by the Holy Ghost that no one can say that his heart is pure and free from sin, and that in our sin we are stained before God. No earthly remedies can make us clean.
4. St. Augustin says, ‘The justice of God does not suffer the ugliness of guilt to last without the beauty of vengeance.’
(i.) Against these four evils are given to us the first four fruits of the Body of our Lord, by which we are freed from the chain of guilt: 1, it drives away the devil; 2, it cools sensuality, or the fuel of sin; 3, it cleanses the stain of the heart; 4, it appeases the anger of God.
1. Tobias, by order of St. Raphael, took a large fish from the river. That river, in which are fishes, signifies the world; all the fishes there are the different races of men; the great fish is the Jewish nation; the heart of the fish, as its noblest member, and as the member from which life proceeds, signifies the Mother of God; and the little piece of the heart signifies that Body of Jesus which He assumed from the flesh of Mary. This Body must be put on hot coals, that is, given to the faithful, kindled and aflame with the fire of love. The smoke, then, that is, its spiritual virtue, drives away the devils.
2. David speaks of Selmon, the mount of God, a fat mountain. The mountain of God is Christ, and Selmon is interpreted shadow. He, therefore, is the shadow that refreshes us: for from His Body spreads the shadow of grace, which is to us a refuge against the incentives of vice and of all fleshly desire. Thus our Lady was overshadowed by the power of the Most High. There can only be a shadow where there are a body and light. The light is the Word of God, and the Body is the flesh of Christ. There came light to the Body, that is, the Word to flesh: for the Word was made flesh. When, therefore, the faithful soul receives the Body of Jesus, it feels the refreshment of the spirit, as it were the shadow of grace which flows from that Body. Jesus is like dew, and the faithful soul blossoms like a lily.
3. One of the Seraphim touched the lips of Isaias with a live coal brought from the Altar. That live coal signifies the Body of Jesus, and when He touches the lips of the heart venial sin is taken away. St. Gregory says, ‘Our Lord gave us the Sacrament of salvation, that as we sin daily, and He can now no more die for sin, by this we may obtain forgiveness.’
4. In the old law the bread baked in the fryingpan and offered and anointed with oil was a type of Christ, wholly anointed with the Spirit of God, suffering for us, and dying for us on the Cross. The memorial of this sacrifice is the Host, which is offered in remembrance of the Passion of our Lord. This must be burned on the Altar, that is to say, it must be kindled, because it should be received by the faithful soul with all fervour of desire and all fire of love. This is an odour of sweetness to God. It is so pleasing to Him that for the sake of it He turns away His anger, and reconciles us to Himself and leads us to His everlasting peace.
The Voice of the Holy Ghost
About the healing of Jesus; For the affliction of the daughter of My people I am afflicted and made sorrowful: astonishment hath taken hold of Me. Is there no balm in Galaad? Or is there no physician there? Why, then, is not the wound of the daughter of My people healed? Jerem. 8:21, 22.
i. The chains of guilt; They were all bound together with one chain of darkness. Wisd. 17:17.
[I am bowed down with a heavy chain of iron. Prayer of Manass.]
His own iniquities catch the wicked; and he is fast bound with the ropes of his own sins. Prov. 5:22.
The cords of the wicked have bound me. Ps. 118:61.
Pride hath held them fast. Ps. 72:6.
ii. The want of grace; Thy eyes did see my imperfect being, and in Thy book all shall be written. Ps. 138:16.
My soul is as earth without water before Thee. Hear me speedily, O Lord; my spirit hath fainted away. Ps. 142:6, 7.
iii. The wounds of death; The pangs of death have surrounded me; the floods of Belial have made me afraid. The cords of hell compassed me; the snares of death prevented me. 2 Kings 22:5, 6.
Remove Thy scourges from me; the strength of Thy hand hath made me faint in rebukes. Ps. 38:11.
He hath torn me with wound upon wound: He hath rushed in upon me like a giant. Job 16:15.
N. The twelve fruits of our Lord’s Body; He showed me a river of water of life, clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb. In the midst of the street thereof, and on both sides of the river, was the tree of life, bearing twelve fruits, yielding its fruits every month; and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. Apoc. 22:1, 2.
Bless the Lord, O my soul, and never forget all that He hath done for thee. He forgiveth all thy iniquities and healeth all thy diseases. He redeemeth thy life from destruction, and crowneth thee with mercy and pity. Ps. 102:2–4.
i. The chains; 1. The temptations of the devil; Put you on the whole armour of God, that you may be able to stand against the deceits of the devil. For our wrestling is not against flesh and blood, but against principalities and powers, against the rulers of the world of this darkness, against spirits of wickedness in the high places. Therefore take to yourselves the armour of God, that you may be able to resist in the evil day and to stand in all things perfect. Eph. 6:11–13.
Many are the snares of the deceitful. Ecclus. 11:31.
Be sober and watch, because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, goeth about, seeking whom he may devour; whom resist ye, strong in faith. 1 Pet. 5:8, 9.
The enemy hath persecuted my soul; he hath brought down my life to the earth. He hath made me dwell in darkness, as those that have been dead of old; my spirit is in anguish within me, and my heart within me is troubled. Ps. 142:3, 4.
2. Sensuality, or the fuel of sin; Walk in the spirit, and you shall not fulfil the lusts of the flesh. For the flesh lusteth against the spirit and the spirit against the flesh; for these are contrary to one another, so that you do not the things that you would. Gal. 5:16, 17.
I find, then, a law, that when I have a will to do good evil is present with me. For I delight in the law of God according to the inward man. But I see another law in my members, fighting against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin that is in my members. Wretched man that I am, who shall deliver me from the body of this death? The grace of God by Jesus Christ our Lord. Rom. 7:21–25.
3. The stain on the heart; Though thou wash thyself with nitre, and heap up to thyself the herb borith, thou art stained in thy iniquity before Me, saith the Lord God. How canst thou say, I am not polluted? Jerem. 2:22, 23.
Who can say, My heart is clean, I am pure from sin? Prov. 20:9.
There is no just man upon earth that doeth good and sinneth not. Eccles. 7:21.
4. The anger of God; Remember and forget not how thou didst provoke the Lord thy God to wrath in the wilderness.… In Horeb also thou didst provoke Him; and He was angry and would have destroyed thee.… Again the Lord said to me, I see that this people is stiffnecked; let Me alone, that I may destroy them. Deut. 9:7, 8, 13, 14.
I am angry with a great anger. Zach. 1:15.
(i.) The fruits of our Lord’s Body: As to chains of guilt; 1. It drives away the devil; The Angel answering said to him, If thou put a little piece of its heart on coals the smoke thereof driveth away all kinds of devils, either from man or from woman, that they come to them no more. Tob. 6:8.
Let God arise and let His enemies be scattered, and let them that hate Him flee before His face. As smoke vanisheth so let them vanish away, and as wax melteth before the fire so let the wicked perish at the presence of God. Ps. 67:2, 3.
2. It cools desire; When He that is in Heaven appointeth kings over her, they shall be whited with snow in Selmon. The mountain of God is a fat mountain. Ps. 67:15, 16.
The Angel answering said to her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Most High shall overshadow thee. St. Luke 1:35.
I will be as the dew; Israel shall bud as the lily. Osee 14:6.
3. It cleanses the stain on the heart; One of the Seraphim flew to me, and in his hand was a live coal which he had taken with the tongs off the Altar; and he touched my mouth and said, Behold this hath touched thy lips; and thy iniquities shall be taken away, and thy sin shall be cleansed. Is. 6:6, 7.
4. It appeases the anger of God; A hidden gift quencheth anger, and a reward in the bosom the greatest wrath. Prov. 21:14.
If thy sacrifice be from the gridiron, in like manner the flour shall be mixed with oil; and when thou offerest it to the Lord thou shalt give it into the hands of the priest; and when he hath offered it he shall take a memorial out of the sacrifice, and burn it on his Altar for a sweet savour to the Lord. Lev. 2:7–9.
I will accept of you for an odour of sweetness when I shall have brought you out from the people, and shall have gathered you out of the lands into which you were scattered, and I will be sanctified in you. Ezech. 20:41.
An odour of sweetness, an acceptable sacrifice, pleasing God. Philip. 4:18.
Walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us and hath delivered Himself for us, an oblation and a sacrifice to God for an odour of sweetness. Eph. 5:2.
Prayer
O Holy Ghost, my Helper and my Comforter, Thou knowest all the suffering through which I may have to go, and Thou knowest the chains by which I am bound. Thou knowest, Giver of holiness, how my soul cleaves to the dust. Thou knowest my need of grace, and how little I seek for it, and how I waste the graces which Thou in Thy goodness givest me. Thou knowest how I am stricken with the wounds of death, in pain and sorrow and wasting of life. These things lead me onward to my grave. Help me, Spirit of life, and comfort me and hold me up with Thy almighty hand.
In all temptations of the devil I come to Thee. In all temptations of my own heart I come to Thee. If I live according to the flesh, I die: but, if by Thee I kill the flesh, I live. If I am led by Thee as Thou longest to lead me, I am a child of God. Thou art the Spirit of adoption, and by Thee I say, ‘Our Father,’ and by Thee I say, ‘Jesus, my Lord.’ Thou, O Holy Ghost, most precious and most dearly loved dost bear witness with my spirit.
Wash me from all stain of sin, and save me from the anger of God; from Thy anger, Thou God of love and mercy; from the anger of Jesus, God and man; from the anger of the Eternal Father whom I love.
I pray that the most Holy Body of Jesus which I am going to receive may be in me as that balm of Galaad against which no diseases of the spirit can prevail. Let it be to me that light of salvation against which no thickness of darkness has power.
Jesus, coming to me from Thy Altar, fill my soul with love, and bring me at last safely to the whiteness of the streets in Thy Heavenly City, where Thy elect dwell with Thee for ever.