Our Lady of the
Blessed Sacramentby Fr. Thomas McKeon, S.S.S.
SPECIAL PATRONESS
Among the achievements of Saint Peter Julian Eymard, we must mention his connection with devotion to Our Lady of the Blessed Sacrament. It must be admitted at the outset that he was not the very first to honor Mary under this expressive title. The glory for that, I think, belongs to an Italian Capuchin of the seventeenth century, Fr. Michael Consentino. But Fr. Consentino's influence was practically non-existent. We may even say that it died with him. Moreover, even before the seventeenth century, there could be found other allusions to the relationship that existed between the Holy Eucharist and the Blessed Virgin. These may be found in the writings and sermons of the fathers of the church.That others preceded Saint Eymard in discovering the close relationship that exists between the Eucharist and Mary was most natural. Few titles given to Mary are better founded in Catholic dogma. Mary is the mother of Jesus, who is in the Eucharist. For centuries, the church has sung of the Blessed Sacrament: Ave verum corpus natum de Maria virgine (Hail, true body born of the Virgin Mary).
Saint Eymard's claim to distinction may be found in the fact that he popularized this devotion, influenced piety the world over by it. If there is devotion to Our Lady of the Blessed Sacrament, if Mass is better attended, Communion received more fervently, adorations and visits to the Blessed Sacrament made more fruitfully it is all owing to the influence and the piety of Saint Eymard and to him alone. Increase in this devotion to Mary has blossomed into the marvels of the Eucharistic age in which we live.
Even a cursory reading of Saint Eymard's writings will convince us that for him devotion to Our Lady of the Blessed Sacrament was not merely a question of reciting a short prayer a few times a day. It was a way of life, a spirit in which we must live and pray.
An adorer must worship Christ in all the mysteries of his life, from his birth to his death and resurrection. As Saint Eymard instructs us: "Always adore Jesus Eucharistic, but vary your adorations. Recall all the mysteries of our religion, in order to avoid routine. If your love is not nourished by a new form of devotion, you will have nothing to say in prayer."
So we must meditate on all the mysteries and actions of the life of Christ. Who better than Mary can assist us? To adapt a television phrase: "She was there." Mary saw these mysteries enacted. No one was as supernaturally enlightened as she. No one penetrated the appearances as profoundly as she. No one read the heart of Jesus like Mary. In the words of Saint Eymard: "She realized Christ's marvelous goodness, studied his motives, examined his sacrifices, weighed his gift, appreciated his love." As a result, her adoration was perfect.
If we want to give honor and adoration to Christ in the Eucharist, we must lean upon Mary. She knows the secrets of Christ's heart, the extremity of his love. She will inspire us, share her secrets with us. "Place yourself under Mary's direction. Think her thoughts, speak her words of love, imitate her manners, share her sufferings. Everything in her will speak to you of Jesus, of His highest service, of God's greatest glory" (Saint Eymard).
Mary is the mother of Jesus in the Eucharist and, as we must realize, she has a mother's knowledge of her son. But, more than that, she is also our mother. Truly, Mary has conceived us, given birth to us in the supernatural order. Through her acquisition of grace and her distribution of this same grace, she brought us into the supernatural world. As our mother, she knows our weaknesses, pities our littleness and inconstancy. She will make up for our inability and shortcomings by her generosity in the distribution of grace if we go to her with confidence, realizing that she is all powerful by her mediation. As a child in need runs instinctively to its mother, so should we always hasten to Mary, assured that she will come to our rescue. "Say to Mary: 'Kind mother, come with me, for a mother always accompanies her child. Without you, I shall not know what to say to Jesus'" (Saint Eymard).
Finally, an adorer of the Blessed Sacrament must strive to become like Mary. We must not only depend on her powerful prayer and intimate knowledge of her son; we must model ourselves on her directly. Imitation of Mary is the best way to transform ourselves into an adorer less unworthy of Christ Eucharistic. In other words, imitation of Our Lady of the Blessed Sacrament must be our goal. The more we realize this goal, the better our Eucharistic service will be. "The whole life of Mary was passed in serving Jesus in the most perfect manner. She is the perfect model of Eucharistic service. The spirit of a servant is thus defined: devoted love of the Blessed Sacrament in the spirit and virtues of the Blessed Virgin."
At Mass, Mary realized full well what was taking place. She did not have to be reminded that Mass was a renewal of Calvary. "Mary adored her Redeemer on this new Calvary upon which his love crucified him. She offered him to God for the salvation of her new family. At Mass, she again beheld her crucified Jesus dying in the supreme act of his love. On Calvary, Mary's sentiments were so perfect that God the Father deigned to regard her as a co-redemptress of sinful mankind. These sentiments of surrender to God's will she renewed and relived at Mass."
We cannot doubt that Mary received Holy Communion as often as Mass was celebrated in the ancient church. Once again, Mary is our model in this Eucharistic form of piety. Her immaculate purity and fullness of grace made her a worthy recipient of the Eucharist. "The eternal Father and the Holy Spirit sanctified Mary in order to make her a worthy tabernacle for the divine Word. For this, it was necessary to create another heaven; Mary had to be immaculate and sinless in order to receive the Word into her heart. Oh, with what joy and pleasure did the Word contemplate that dwelling which he had prepared for himself. When you receive Communion, clothe yourself with the virtues and merits of Mary, and you will communicate with her faith and devotion. How happy Jesus will be to find in you the image of his mother" (Saint Eymard).
The Eucharistic host that we adore is a victim. It was consecrated at Mass as a part of the sacrifice. Mary certainly perceived this dependence of the Eucharist on the Mass and consequently meditated according to the four ends, the four purposes for which any sacrifice is offered.
Mary adored and humbly prostrated herself before the infinite majesty, goodness, and love of God. "Mary adored with the most submissive faith. She adored her hidden son, veiled under a strange form. She adored that heart so inflamed with love, whence issued the Holy Eucharist. Mary would have wished to annihilate herself completely before the divine majesty annihilated in the Eucharist. Mary's adoration was profound, interior, intimate. She offered herself wholly to the service of loving God in the Eucharist" (Saint Eymard).
A realization of the infinite goodness and love of God would naturally lead her to express her thanks for so wonderful a gift: "After remaining lost in thought of the dignity and majesty that are veiled in the Eucharist, she would look up to the Tabor of love in order to contemplate its beauty and enjoy its goodness. She prayed thus: 'How could you love man to such an extent as to give him more than he can receive, love him more than he can appreciate, invent what his heart can never understand! For love of him you exhaust your power and the treasures of your heart.'"
The greatness of the Eucharist and the immensity of Christ's love profoundly touched Mary. She returned this love by completely giving herself to God. But she was not blind to the hardness of the hearts of men, who for one reason or another would void this gift of gifts. She sorrowed over this. "Mary, adoring her God present in the Eucharist, shed abundant tears. At sight of those who make no account of this august sacrifice of the altar and so render fruitless this mystery of their redemption; at sight of those who dare to sin against, to despise this adorable victim offered under their very eyes for their salvation. Mary, as the best of all mothers, instead of rejecting and execrating these sinners, took upon herself the penalty of their crimes. She expiated them by suffering; she became a victim at the foot of the altar, imploring grace and mercy for her guilty children."
When we realize the priceless treasure that the Eucharist is, we want It to be known and honored by everyone ― ourselves included. We naturally turn to prayer, that we ourselves may be less unworthy of the Eucharist and that all may come to the knowledge and love of the sacramental Christ. "Mary was consumed with the desire to make Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament know to all. To obtain this favor, she passed her time at the foot of the Blessed Sacrament in prayer and penance. In her limitless zeal, she embraced the needs of the faithful everywhere, for all time to come. The mission dearest to Mary's heart was that of constant prayer for the success of the preaching and missionary labor of the apostles and all the members of Christ's priesthood."
Undoubtedly, Saint Eymard modeled his life on that of Our Lady of the Blessed Sacrament. His religious mind was formed in two Marian Congregations, the Oblates of Mary Immaculate and the Marist Fathers. When the time came to live the Eucharistic life, it was inevitable that he should take Mary for his model, live under her inspiration, rely fully on her all-powerful intercession. This Eucharistic life in and through Mary he willed to future ages through devotion to Our Lady of the Blessed Sacrament. It was his last will and testament. For this, we his sons and daughters are supremely grateful.
It is only fitting that we proclaim our gratitude and pay humble tribute to Saint Eymard who gave Mary a new title which, in the words of Saint Pius X, "is the most theological of her titles after that of Mother of God."
Our Lady of the Blessed Sacrament