Returning love for love

  "Jesus, what made You so small? LOVE!"

- St. Bernard of Clairvaux

"It is a mystery which almost baffles thought.  Certainly God can never cease to be what He is; He can never cease to be awful in His Greatness and Infinite in His Wisdom - our Ruler, our King and our Judge - but in this Sacrament, as if He had nothing to think of but the soul which He comes to visit, He lavishes upon her all the riches of his bounty and reveals Himself to her in no other but the most amiable and most humble manner. Perhaps it is for this reason that He has been pleased so often to manifest Himself as an Infant in the Sacred Host, in order to show us how small He has become for love of us and to take away from us all fear.

    Of old it was said, Magnus Dominus et laudabilis nimis - "Great is the Lord and exceedingly to be praised."  But now we may rather say:  Parvus Dominus et amabilis nimis - "Small is the Lord and exceedingly to be loved."  ... St Mary Magdalen de Pazzi once asked a pious person after Communion what she was thinking of.  "Of love, " was her reply.  "Yes," joined the Saint, "when we think of the immense love of Jesus Christ for us, we cannot think of anything else." 

    It is related of Artaxerxes, King of Persia, that when he saw Themistocles, his dearest friend, he exclaimed, in a transport of joy:  "I have Themistocles, Themistocles I have!" With how much greater joy should not the soul exclaim after Communion:  "I have my Jesus, my Jesus I have! I have found Him whom my soul loves!  I will keep Him, and not leave Him!"  It is not enough to wonder at our Saviour's love.  Love must be mutual to produce union:  and we must return Him love for love.”

Michael Mueller, C.S.S.R.

The Blessed Eucharist: Our Greatest Treasure (pgs 86-87)