Volume II, Treatise VIII, Chapter VIII

Another Kind of Thanksgiving

Some make their thanksgiving after communion in the following ‘manner. They represent our Saviour within themselves, and summon all their powers and senses to come and acknowledge him as their King, and to make their homage and submission to him; just as one in the world, who receiving a great person into his house, would call all his relations together to salute him, and pay him their respects. Afterwards on presenting each sense and power, they perform three things. The first is, to give thanks to God for this gift bestowed upon them. The second is, to accuse themselves for not having made so good use of it, as they ought to-have done. And the third is, to beg grace to make a better use of it for the future. This sort of thanksgiving may be very profitable; and is the first of those three methods of prayer, which St. Ignatius sets down in the book of spiritual exercises.

Others consider all their powers and senses, as so many sick; and at the same time looking upon our Saviour as a physician, “that cures all sorts of diseases,” they bring them one after another unto him, as they would bring a sick person in the infirmary to the doctor, and say unto him, “Lord, come and see what ails me.” (John 11:34) “Have pity upon me and my infirmity.” (Psalms 6:2) ‘Heal my soul, which is sick, because I have sinned against thee.”—-(Psalms 41:5) But it is to be noted, that at this time it is not necessary to imagine to ourselves any particular place, nor to seek abroad for one; because our Saviour is then present within us, not only as to his Divinity, which is always everywhere present; but also as.to his sacred humanity, which is really within our breast, and remains there, so long as the sacramental species do last—that is to say, for as long a time as the substance of bread would have remained, had it been there. For if the beholding some image, gives us recollection and devotion, what effect ought we not feel on beholding our Saviour himself, who, in his own person, is present within us. Wherefore let every one at this time look within himself, and behold his Saviour there, as the holy Virgin considered him within herself, when she carried him in her sacred womb—let him entertain himself with his beloved, and say with the spouse, “I have found him whom my soul loves; I hold him fast, and will not let him go.”—(Canticle of Canticles 3:4) Some divines hold an opinion, which cannot but move us to employ more time than ordinary in our thanksgiving. They say, that as long as the sacramental species, and the presence of our Saviour remain within us, so long, if we make such acts as these, we receive the more grace; not only by reason of the merits of the acts, but by reason of the virtue of the sacrament, according to what I have already said, speaking of preparation for communion. Hereby we may see how ill they do, who permit to be lost so precious a time, in which they may gain so much; and who have no sooner received within themselves so great a guest, but they turn their backs upon him, and as I may say, go out of one door at the same moment he enters at the other; or receive him in so cold a manner, as not to say any thing to him. If then in the world, it would be to commit a great incivility, to receive a person of quality into our house, and to say nothing to him, nor make him any offer of service, what is it to use God after this manner?

Surius says, that as often as St. Margaret, daughter of the queen of Hungary, communicated, she fasted the day before on bread and water, by reason of that heavenly banquet, she was to partake of the next day, and passed the whole night in prayer; and after she had communicated, she likewise passed in prayer the whole day till night, when she took something for her nourishment.

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