Tags
Apostles, Catholic Church, Catholicism, Christ, Eucharist, Holy Eucharist, Mystical City of God, Sacred mysteries
This is part I of XIII posts presenting the entirety of Chapter XI sections 469 to 492 from Sister Mother Mary of Agreda’s ‘The Mystical City of God’ Book II of the Transfixion.
The Chapter is entitled:
Christ Our Savior Celebrates The Sacramental Supper, Consecrating His True And Sacred Body And Blood In The Holy Eucharist; His Prayers And Petitions; The Communion Of His Blessed Mother And Other Mysteries Of This Occasion.
Part I:
469. With Great diffidence do I enter upon the treatment of the ineffable mystery of the Holy Eucharist and of what happened at its institution; for, raising the eyes of my soul toward the light which encompasses and governs me in the performance of this work, the high intelligence given me of these vast wonders and sacraments reproaches me with my littleness in comparison with the greatness therein manifested.
My faculties are disturbed and I cannot find words to explain what I see and conceive, although all these conceptions are far from the reality that is shown to my understanding.
But, though ignorant of the terms and though very unfit for such discourse, I must speak, in order that I may continue this history and relate what part the great Lady of the world had in these wonders.
If I do not speak as appropriately as the matter demands, let my amazement and my lowly condition be my excuse; for it is not easy to yield to the exactions of spoken words, when the will is so intent on supplying the defects of the understanding and on enjoying that, which it is hopeless and even unbecoming to manifest.
__________
470. Christ had partaken of the prescribed supper with His disciples reclining on the floor around a table, which was elevated from it little more than the distance of six or seven fingers; for such was the custom of the Jews.
But, after the washing of the feet He ordered another, higher table to be prepared, such as we now use for our meals.
By this arrangement He wished to put an end to the legal suppers and to the lower and figurative law and establish the new Supper of the law of grace.
From that time on He wished the sacred mysteries to be performed on the tables or altars, which are in us in the Catholic Church.
The table was covered with a very rich cloth and upon it was placed a plate or salver and a large cup in the form of a chalice, capacious enough to hold the wine. All this was domed in pursuance of the will of Christ our Savior, Who by His divine power and wisdom directed all these particulars.
The master of the house was inspired to offer these rich vessels, which were made of what seemed a precious stone like emerald. The Apostles often used it afterwards in consecrating, whenever the occasion permitted it.
The Lord seated Himself at this table with the Apostles and some of the other disciples, and then ordered some unleavened bread to be placed on the table and some wine to be brought, of which He took sufficient to prepare the chalice.
[continued in ‘Part II’ of this XIII part series]
Related articles
- Eucharist, our Thanksgiving (padrerichard.wordpress.com)