First Fruits; A Series of Short Meditations
By: Sister Mary Philip
Imprimatur 1918
"It is the Lord" (St. John, xxi. 7).
I.
"... That night they caught nothing. But when the morning was come Jesus stood on the shore." Picture the Apostles weary with their labour during the long dreary night; they had probably started off full of hope that they would have a good night's work, and they caught—nothing ! Then, with the dawn, they drew nigh to the shore and Jesus stood there to welcome them. How often in my life do I start off full of hope? But things go wrong. Darkness seems to envelop me on every side, and I do no good. I make no progress. I seem to acquire no more virtue than I ever had. I
am not more patient, or more kind and submissive. In fact "I catch nothing" of the virtues of my Lord and Master. Then after a long and weary time the light begins
to break. Jesus shows Himself and the darkness is scattered; my weariness is
changed into joy.
II.
"The disciples knew not that it was Jesus." So often is it thus with me. Our Lord is there, but a mist hides Him partly from me, and, because my faith is weak, I do not recognize Him. Yet He is there close to me. In the early morning Mass He is there, offering Himself for me; yet my distractions, my worries, my pleasures perhaps, occupy my mind, and I do not realize that He is there. In the glare of mid-day. He is in the Tabernacle waiting for me. In the evening stillness He is raised on His throne to bless and comfort me, and yet I act as though I did not know that it was He. He comes to me in joy, and I forget that it is His joy, given in love to me. He comes to me in sorrow, and I will not rouse myself to see that it is the best gift He can give me, because it means likeness to and union with Him.
Lord, how often I know Thee not. Open my eyes that I may learn to know Thee
more and more, to recognize Thee under any disguise Thou choosest to take in order to try my faith.
III.
"It is the Lord!" It was St John, the Beloved Disciple, who first recognized Our Lord. Why? St. John was pure of heart. "Blessed are the pure of heart for they shall see God." If I want to see Our Lord in all that befalls me, and under all circumstances,
I must strive to obtain cleanness of heart. In the Blessed Sacrament we recognize
Our Lord, and say with St. John, " It is the Lord," and we know that the Banquet
Jesus has prepared for us there is sweeter far than that which He gave to His Disciples on the shore that April morning, for it is the Banquet in which He gives us His own Flesh and Blood.
O Sacred Banquet, in which Christ is received, the memory of His Passion is
renewed, the mind is filled with grace, and a pledge of future glory is given to us!
By: Sister Mary Philip
Imprimatur 1918
"It is the Lord" (St. John, xxi. 7).
I.
"... That night they caught nothing. But when the morning was come Jesus stood on the shore." Picture the Apostles weary with their labour during the long dreary night; they had probably started off full of hope that they would have a good night's work, and they caught—nothing ! Then, with the dawn, they drew nigh to the shore and Jesus stood there to welcome them. How often in my life do I start off full of hope? But things go wrong. Darkness seems to envelop me on every side, and I do no good. I make no progress. I seem to acquire no more virtue than I ever had. I
am not more patient, or more kind and submissive. In fact "I catch nothing" of the virtues of my Lord and Master. Then after a long and weary time the light begins
to break. Jesus shows Himself and the darkness is scattered; my weariness is
changed into joy.
II.
"The disciples knew not that it was Jesus." So often is it thus with me. Our Lord is there, but a mist hides Him partly from me, and, because my faith is weak, I do not recognize Him. Yet He is there close to me. In the early morning Mass He is there, offering Himself for me; yet my distractions, my worries, my pleasures perhaps, occupy my mind, and I do not realize that He is there. In the glare of mid-day. He is in the Tabernacle waiting for me. In the evening stillness He is raised on His throne to bless and comfort me, and yet I act as though I did not know that it was He. He comes to me in joy, and I forget that it is His joy, given in love to me. He comes to me in sorrow, and I will not rouse myself to see that it is the best gift He can give me, because it means likeness to and union with Him.
Lord, how often I know Thee not. Open my eyes that I may learn to know Thee
more and more, to recognize Thee under any disguise Thou choosest to take in order to try my faith.
III.
"It is the Lord!" It was St John, the Beloved Disciple, who first recognized Our Lord. Why? St. John was pure of heart. "Blessed are the pure of heart for they shall see God." If I want to see Our Lord in all that befalls me, and under all circumstances,
I must strive to obtain cleanness of heart. In the Blessed Sacrament we recognize
Our Lord, and say with St. John, " It is the Lord," and we know that the Banquet
Jesus has prepared for us there is sweeter far than that which He gave to His Disciples on the shore that April morning, for it is the Banquet in which He gives us His own Flesh and Blood.
O Sacred Banquet, in which Christ is received, the memory of His Passion is
renewed, the mind is filled with grace, and a pledge of future glory is given to us!
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