Sacramental Communion

A number of the many ecstasies, in which Alexandrina relived the Passion, mention the Last Supper, with the institution of the Eucharist. Jesus told her that the Eucharist was “the greatest of my Sacraments, the greatest miracle of my wisdom”.  Alexandrina expresses something of its deep and vast meaning:

What a night, what a holy night! The greatest of all nights.

The night of the greatest miracle, the greatest manifestation of the love of Jesus. S (08-03-45)

I saw sweet Jesus blessing the bread that would become our Eucharist. S (11-04-47).

(I saw Jesus) with His eyes fixed on Heaven, and His Face inflamed in such a way that He seemed to have in Himself the life of Heaven rather than our earthly life.

He did not seem to be man, but only God: love, only love! S (30-04-48)

It was such a light, such a love that encompassed all: Jesus, the apostles and me. S (15-11-46)

And, at that moment of unparalleled love and wonder, I felt that I was in another world: Jesus gave Himself in food: he had left for Heaven and He stayed there.

That love was extended to all humanity. S (02-08-46)

How much Jesus loved! How much He loves!

His desire is that we live through Him and for Him. S (20-05-49)

He who loves wants his love reciprocated! Look at what Jesus says to Alexandrina:

My daughter, my dear spouse, tell souls that I wish to be loved and consoled, and that I desire reparation to be made to Me in the Eucharist.  

And, then, He proposes a particular devotion, with a promise:

In my name tell all those who receive Holy Communion with sincerity and humility, fervour and love, for six consecutive first Thursdays, and pass one hour of worship, uniting their soul with Me before the tabernacle, that I promise Heaven. This is to honour my holy Wounds through the Eucharist, primarily that of my sacred shoulder so little remembered.  

Those who do this, who unite the pains of my Blessed Mother to the holy Wounds, and in their name ask for graces, be they spiritual or corporal, I promise to grant all requests if they are not a danger to their souls.  

At the moment of the death I will come to defend them, and bring my Blessed Mother with Me. S (25-02-49)

In the following fragments Alexandrina tries to describe what she experienced, as soon as she received the One so longed for.

The feelings are diverse according to the moment, her situation at the time, and the will of Jesus. Some can help us as examples, when we find ourselves in similar situations, others as a consolation.

After Holy Communion, I felt a great union with the Lord and, later, a strong heat and a force that enveloped me. Thus I passed some moments and finally our Lord spoke to me:

“I come to you so that you will unite your whole self to Me. Why are you so pusillanimous?” C (25-06-35)

This day started very grievously for me. When I received Jesus, my pain was alleviated, the sadness disappeared. C (02-11-40)

At the end of Holy Communion, how well I felt with Our Lord! What a great union!

I said to my beloved Jesus:

How comforting is your peace! How comforting it is to love You!

And thus I passed some time with my Jesus. C (18-07-35)

The way as I received Him today causes me sadness and pain. I soon forgot His divine visit. I do not have love for Him! C (29-09-40)

I received Jesus with ice, an ice that freezes everything!

My heart and my soul twist and untwist with affliction. C (28-12-39)

I felt Jesus flooding my soul with His real presence, giving me the strength during the afternoon to walk, to sing and to pray. C (02-05-41) Jesus came at last, lowered Himself to my poor and unworthy heart, and soon made me feel that it was He.

He filled me; my heart became so great! It seemed not to fit in my chest: I was as if I had in me the entire vault of the Sky. S (06-09-47)

The holy Guest entered without looking at so much misery and indifference. He did not turn back, He entered my heart. Moments later, I was transformed: Heaven inclined towards me, it became united to the Earth, it absorbed me into itself.

My soul was illuminated: I was great, great like God.

Jesus in my heart spoke to me:

“My daughter, my daughter, you are plunged, absorbed in the love of Jesus”. S (04-08-51)

We must always remember a baffling truth: the Communion transforms us into That which we receive. This is known as St. Augustine’s invocation:

“O Father, may the participation in Your Sacrament insert us as living members in the Christ, Your Son, so that we are  transformed into the One we receive.” (Prayer after the Sacred Communion, in St. Augustine’s Mass).

My Jesus came. As soon as He entered into me, He dispelled the darkness: all my interior was illuminated with His love, with His peace. I was someone else. Now I could surely say: “It not me who lives, but surely Jesus.” S (01-03-47)

Let us remember the well known statement of St Paul: “It is no more I who live, but Christ who lives in me.” (Gal 2,20)

Let us conclude with two excerpts as evidence that not only the soul longs for union with the Beloved, but that even Jesus experiences love’s anxieties and longs to be united to His creature, to possess it’s soul entirely. Once the Eucharist had been taken to her unexpectedly.

The joy that I felt is unutterable, and at the same time, confusion.

Joy at the arrival of the Longed for One in my soul and confusion over so many gifts  received.

How good is Jesus! He does not refuse to come to my nothingness, to my misery!

As soon as He entered my heart, He spoke to me thus:

“My daughter, my daughter, I cannot live without the dwelling of your heart.

It is true that I live always in you, but now I come in a greater reality, in body and Spirit.” C (12-09-41)

I received Him in my heart and soon He comforted me with these words:

“What a love, what a love, what an excess of love, what a prodigy of love I have towards you, my daughter!

You were panting to have Me in your heart, and I was longing to possess you completely”. C (12-09-41)