July 28
Daily Gleanings of the Saintly LifeSecond Sunday after Trinity
A certain man made a great supper. S. Luke 14:16.
THE Gospel for to-day seems to contain a secret allusion to that great Feast of Love, the Body and Blood of Christ, which is not only in itself our life, but also "Christ in us;" is not merely the pilgrim's food for the daily want, but "the hope of glory." This Bread of God, it is indeed life-giving Bread. This is the one eternal sacrifice—exhaustless, ever living—whereon it is needful for us to feed if we would live. Feeding upon that Flesh which God hath glorified, we are gathered into the transcendent glory of that Life wherein God hath exalted it. Oh that, partaking of this Bread which came down from heaven, and giveth life unto the world, we might meditate more on Christ's death and passion! that it might fill our hearts far more than it does! Nothing will purge us like this Divine fire from sensual lusts; nothing will withdraw us from the desire of the eyes so much as setting before us this Divine image of Love itself; nothing will so humble us from the pride of life as dwelling more and more on that shame and sorrow of the Cross, the shame and sorrow which we have laid upon Him, and which He willingly took for our sakes. It will tend beyond anything else to kill within us the love of this world, ambition, and covetousness.
O broken Flesh, O Blood outpoured, By man and Angels both adored, O Holy, Holy, Holy Lord,
Grant us to know with faithful eye, As Saints and Angels know on high, Thy Presence in Thy Mystery;
Then, by the Sufferings keen and sore Which once that broken Body bore, Draw near, and silently adore.