In Jesus' words to Simon, one notices -as when he asked about the cured lepers2 - a certain accent of sadness: I entered your house and you did not give me water with which to wash my feet. The Lord, who when it comes to suffering for the salvation of souls does not set limits to their suffering, now misses those expressions of affection, that courtesy in treatment. Should he not have something to reproach us today for the way we received him?
The simple example of a catechist to some children who were preparing to receive the Lord for the first time can help us today. He told them that where an illustrious person lived, so that the memory of the event would not be erased, a plaque was placed with an inscription: "Here lived Cervantes"; "In this house stayed Pope X."; "In this hotel stayed Emperor Z. On the chest of the Christian who has received Holy Communion it could be written: "Here Jesus Christ stayed ".
If we wish, the Lord comes to our house, to our soul, every day. I adore you with devotion, hidden God4, we will tell him in the intimacy of our heart. And we will try to welcome him better than any important person on earth, so that he will never have to tell us: I entered your house and you did not give me water for my feet You have not had too much regard for me, you have been with your mind on other things, you have not attended to me "To receive the Lord, in the Eucharist, as the great ones of the earth, better: with decorations, lights, new clothes...
"And if you ask me what cleanliness, what adornments and what lights you must have, I will answer: cleanliness in your senses, one by one; adornment in your powers, one by one; light in your whole soul. Let us resolve today to welcome him well, as best we can. "Have we ever thought about how we would conduct ourselves if we could only receive communion once in our lives?
When I was a child," St. Josemaría Escrivá recalled, "the practice of frequent communion was not yet widespread. I remember how they arranged to receive communion: there was care in arranging well the soul and the body. The best suit, the head well combed, also physically clean the body, and perhaps even with a little perfume ... They were typical delicacies of lovers, of fine and strong souls, who know how to pay with love for Love". And at once he strongly recommended: "Go to Communion with hunger, even if you are cold, even if your emotions do not respond: go to Communion with faith, with hope, with fiery charity". This is what we try to do, rejoicing with immense joy because Jesus visits us and places himself at our disposal.
In a sermon on the preparation to receive the Lord, Saint John of Avila exclaims: "How happy a man would be if he were told: "The king must come tomorrow to your house to make you great grants"! I think he would not eat with joy and care, nor sleep all night, thinking: "The king must come to my house, how shall I prepare an inn for him? Brothers, I tell you from the Lord that God wants to come to you and that he brings a kingdom of peace.
Christ himself, who is glorious in heaven, comes sacramentally to the soul. "He comes with love, receive him with love. Love supposes desires of purification -going to sacramental Confession when necessary or even convenient-, aspiring to be with Him as long as possible.
Jesus wishes to be with us, and He repeats for each one of us those memorable words of the Last Supper: I have ardently desired to eat this Passover with you.... There is no reliquary, there is no monstrance, no matter how rich it is, no matter how many precious stones it has, that equals this inn for Jesus Christ. With love he comes to dwell in your soul, with love he wants to be received ", not with lukewarmness or distraction. It is the greatest event of the day and of life itself! The angels are filled with admiration when we come to communion. The closer that moment is, the more alive must be our desire to receive it.
Along with the dispositions of the soul, those of the body: the fasting that the Church has arranged as a sign of respect and reverence, the postures, the clothing, that lead us to present ourselves as worthy children to the banquet that the Father has prepared with so much love. And when he is in our hearts we will say to him Lord Jesus, gentle pelican, cleanse me, unclean, with your Blood, from which a single drop can free the whole world from all crimes.
Jesus, whom I now see hidden, I pray that what I long for may be fulfilled: that in looking at your face no longer hidden, I may be happy to see your glory.
Our Lady will teach us to welcome her Son in those moments when we have him with us. No creature has known how to treat him better than She has.