"The
Eucharist is the medicine of immortality, and the
antidote
to prevent us from dying, but which causes that
we should live forever in Jesus Christ."- St Ignatius of Antioch
to prevent us from dying, but which causes that
we should live forever in Jesus Christ."- St Ignatius of Antioch
Dom Pius Parsch in The Church's Year of Grace invites us to look courageously into the Lord's Face and say: "Thou art my Physician. Cut away, cauterize, work Thy healing art on me . . . only make me well for everlasting life." He presents the Church as a sanatorium for sin-sick souls.
"Before leaving the world our Saviour established a
clinic, the Church, whose main task was to heal sick souls. The Church is a
great spiritual sanatorium. All the practices and ordinances of the Church have
as their ultimate purpose to heal men and keep them healthy. Think of the
sacraments: baptism, penance, extreme unction. Think in particular of the
medicinal power of the Holy Eucharist. Yes,
the twofold purpose of the Eucharist is to nourish and to
heal. Nourishment
to build divine life, medicine to overcome the diseases ravaging the
soul.
To
our great detriment we have practically forgotten the latter significance of the
Eucharist. We keep believing that Communion is only for saints, a reward for
virtue. The
time of Mass is the heavenly Physician's normal office hours. . .
We have a Healer who wishes to heal our
infirmities; we have a clinic providing all the means needed to restore our
health; we have a medicine which infallibly produces its effect if we use it as
prescribed."
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