Body and Blood of Christ
While they were eating, Jesus took bread,
and when he had given thanks,
he broke it and gave it to his disciples, saying,
"Take and eat; this is my body."
Then he took a cup, and when he had given thanks,
he gave it to them, saying,
"Drink from it, all of you.
This is my blood of the covenant,
which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins."
(Mt 26:26-28)
and when he had given thanks,
he broke it and gave it to his disciples, saying,
"Take and eat; this is my body."
Then he took a cup, and when he had given thanks,
he gave it to them, saying,
"Drink from it, all of you.
This is my blood of the covenant,
which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins."
(Mt 26:26-28)
The Best Wine
“Everyone serves the best wine first.
When people are drunk,
the host serves cheap wine.
But you have saved the best wine for now.”
(John 2:10)
When people are drunk,
the host serves cheap wine.
But you have saved the best wine for now.”
(John 2:10)
The Bread and Wine of the Lord
The Banquet of Life
It is like [a banquet] shared by many people; those who eat very little of it experience the pleasant taste only for a short time; those who eat more derive some sustenance from it; while those who eat a great deal derive life and strength. It is possible to eat of this food of life so frequently and with such satisfaction as to derive no pleasure from eating any other. For the soul sees how much good it is deriving from it and its palate is now so completely accustomed to its sweetness that it would rather not live than have to eat any other food, for that would do nothing but spoil the pleasant taste left by the good food.
The Life of Teresa of Jesus, Chapter 22:16
Translated by E. Allison Peers
Translated by E. Allison Peers
Father, We Only Need You
Saint Peter: He has reminded me of the [bread] we used to eat.
Saints: Yes, it was very good...
Heavenly Father: Do you need bread when you are with Me?
Saint Peter: No, we only need You.
Heavenly Father: (He made some bread appear and gave it to them) Here, you may eat.
Virgin Mary: (They were all very happy) Son, thank you.
Saints: Yes, it was very good...
Heavenly Father: Do you need bread when you are with Me?
Saint Peter: No, we only need You.
Heavenly Father: (He made some bread appear and gave it to them) Here, you may eat.
Virgin Mary: (They were all very happy) Son, thank you.
The Multiplication of the Loaves and Fish
Jesus left there and went along the Sea of Galilee. Then he went up on a mountainside and sat down. Great crowds came to him, bringing the lame, the blind, the crippled, the mute and many others, and laid them at his feet; and he healed them. The people were amazed when they saw the mute speaking, the crippled made well, the lame walking and the blind seeing. And they praised the God of Israel.
Jesus called his disciples to him and said,
“I have compassion for these people; they have already been with me three days and have nothing to eat. I do not want to send them away hungry, or they may collapse on the way.”
His disciples answered,
“Where could we get enough bread in this remote place to feed such a crowd?”
“How many loaves do you have?” Jesus asked.
“Seven,” they replied, “and a few small fish.”
He told the crowd to sit down on the ground. Then he took the seven loaves and the fish, and when he had given thanks, he broke them and gave them to the disciples, and they in turn to the people. They all ate and were satisfied. Afterward the disciples picked up seven basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over. The number of those who ate was four thousand men, besides women and children. (Mt 15:29-38)
Jesus called his disciples to him and said,
“I have compassion for these people; they have already been with me three days and have nothing to eat. I do not want to send them away hungry, or they may collapse on the way.”
His disciples answered,
“Where could we get enough bread in this remote place to feed such a crowd?”
“How many loaves do you have?” Jesus asked.
“Seven,” they replied, “and a few small fish.”
He told the crowd to sit down on the ground. Then he took the seven loaves and the fish, and when he had given thanks, he broke them and gave them to the disciples, and they in turn to the people. They all ate and were satisfied. Afterward the disciples picked up seven basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over. The number of those who ate was four thousand men, besides women and children. (Mt 15:29-38)
The Final Judgment
When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, He will sit on His glorious throne. All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate the people one from another, as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will place the sheep on His right and the goats on His left.
Then the King will say to those on His right, "Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave Me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave Me something to drink, I was a stranger and you took Me in, I was naked and you clothed Me, I was sick and you looked after Me, I was in prison and you visited Me."
Then the righteous will answer Him, "Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You something to drink? When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You? When did we see You sick or in prison and visit You?"
And the King will reply, "Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of Mine, you did for Me."
Then He will say to those on His left, "Depart from Me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave Me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave Me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not take Me in, I was naked and you did not clothe Me, I was sick and in prison and you did not visit Me."
And they too will reply, "Lord, when did we see You hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to You?"
Then the King will answer, "Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for Me."
And they will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.” (Matthew 25:31-46)
Then the King will say to those on His right, "Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave Me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave Me something to drink, I was a stranger and you took Me in, I was naked and you clothed Me, I was sick and you looked after Me, I was in prison and you visited Me."
Then the righteous will answer Him, "Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You something to drink? When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You? When did we see You sick or in prison and visit You?"
And the King will reply, "Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of Mine, you did for Me."
Then He will say to those on His left, "Depart from Me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave Me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave Me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not take Me in, I was naked and you did not clothe Me, I was sick and in prison and you did not visit Me."
And they too will reply, "Lord, when did we see You hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to You?"
Then the King will answer, "Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for Me."
And they will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.” (Matthew 25:31-46)
Do You Not Care About The Poor?
A long time ago, I invited all the nations of the world to do great good for all of their poor, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. But all of them ignored me and none answered me. Maybe they do not care about them... “I was hungry and you gave Me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave Me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not take Me in, I was naked and you did not clothe Me, I was sick and in prison and you did not visit Me.” (Mt 25:35-36) Instead of doing God’s Holy Will, they have dedicated themselves to denying His Holy Glory all this time. If the world keeps quite, the stones will cry out.
St. Anthony Preaches to the Fishes
I also command always all my dear brothers and sisters,
the little animals of Your Blessed Creation,
in Your Holy Name, my Lord Jesus Christ,
to adore and bless Your Divine Mercy with me,
for Your Holy Glory, for all the wretched souls who reject it.
the little animals of Your Blessed Creation,
in Your Holy Name, my Lord Jesus Christ,
to adore and bless Your Divine Mercy with me,
for Your Holy Glory, for all the wretched souls who reject it.
Queriendo Cristo bendito manifestar la gran santidad de su fidelísimo siervo san Antonio de Padua y cuán devotamente merecía ser oída su predicación y doctrina santa aun por los mismos irracionales, entre otras ocasiones, reprimió una vez por medio de los peces la fatuidad de los infieles herejes, como antiguamente en el viejo Testamento había reprimido la ignorancia de Balaam por la boca de una asna. Estando una vez san Antonio en Rímini, donde había gran multitud de herejes, y queriendo atraerlos a la luz de la verdadera fe y al camino de la verdad, predicó y discutió mucho con ellos acerca de la fe de Cristo, y de la Sagrada Escritura; pero ellos no sólo no se convencían con sus santas instrucciones, sino que, endurecidos y obstinados, ni aun quisieron oírlo; por lo que un día san Antonio, por divina inspiración, se fue a la ribera del mar, cerca de la desembocadura del río y comenzó a decir, como predicando de parte de Dios a los peces:
–Oíd la palabra de Dios, vosotros peces del mar y del río, ya que no la quieren oír los infieles herejes.
Apenas dijo esto, acudió repentinamente hacia él a la orilla del mar tanta multitud de peces grandes, pequeños y medianos, que nunca en aquel mar ni en el río se habían visto tantos, y todos levantaron las cabezas fuera del agua y atendían con grandísima quietud, mansedumbre y orden, pues estaban delante, cerca de la orilla, los más pequeños, detrás de éstos los medianos y atrás donde el agua era más profunda, los mayores. San Antonio comenzó a predicarles solemnemente, diciendo:
–Hermanos míos peces, mucha obligación tenéis de alabar, según vuestra posibilidad, a nuestro Creador, que os ha dado tan excelente elemento para vuestra habitación; de modo que tenéis a vuestro gusto el agua dulce y salada, y os preparó muchos escondrijos para refugiarlos en las tempestades, os dio un elemento claro y transparente y comida con qué vivir. Dios vuestro Creador, cortés y benigno, os puso, cuando os crió, el mandato de crecer y multiplicaros, y os echó su bendición; después, cuando con el diluvio universal morían todos los otros animales, sólo a vosotros preservó de daño. Además, os proveyó de aletas para que pudierais discurrir por donde os plazca. A vosotros fue dado, por disposición divina, guardar al profeta Jonás y echarlo en tierra al tercer día sano y salvo. Vosotros proporcionasteis a nuestro Señor Jesucristo la moneda del censo, que él, como pobrecillo, no tenía con que pagar. Vosotros fuisteis alimento del eterno rey, Jesucristo, antes y después de la resurrección, por singular misterio. Por todo lo cual tenéis mucha obligación de alabar y bendecir a Dios, que os hizo más beneficios que a las otras criaturas.
A éstas y semejantes palabras e instrucciones de san Antonio, comenzaron los peces a abrir las bocas e inclinar la cabeza, y con éstas y otras señales de reverencia alababan a Dios de la manera que les era posible. Viendo san Antonio en los peces tanta reverencia hacia Dios su Creador, se alegró vivamente y dijo en alta voz:
–Bendito sea el eterno Dios; que más lo honran los peces que los hombres herejes y mejor escucharon su palabra los animales irracionales que los hombres infieles.
Y cuando más predicaba san Antonio más crecía la multitud de peces, y ninguno se marchaba del lugar que había ocupado.
A la noticia del hecho comenzó a correr la gente de la ciudad y entre ella vinieron tambíen los dichos herejes y viendo el milagro tan maravilloso y patente se compungieron en sus corazones y se echaron a los pies de san Antonio para oír su predicación. El Santo les predicó acerca de la fe católica y tan admirablemente lo hizo, que a todos aquellos herejes convirtió e hizo volver a la verdadera fe de Cristo; quedando también los fieles más confirmados y fortalecidos en ella y con grandísima alegría.
Después san Antonio despidió a los peces con la bendición de Dios, y todos marcharon con admirables demostraciones de alegría, y lo mismo el pueblo. Permaneció el Santo en Rímini muchos días, predicando y haciendo en las almas mucho fruto espiritual.
En alabanza de Cristo. Amén.
–Oíd la palabra de Dios, vosotros peces del mar y del río, ya que no la quieren oír los infieles herejes.
Apenas dijo esto, acudió repentinamente hacia él a la orilla del mar tanta multitud de peces grandes, pequeños y medianos, que nunca en aquel mar ni en el río se habían visto tantos, y todos levantaron las cabezas fuera del agua y atendían con grandísima quietud, mansedumbre y orden, pues estaban delante, cerca de la orilla, los más pequeños, detrás de éstos los medianos y atrás donde el agua era más profunda, los mayores. San Antonio comenzó a predicarles solemnemente, diciendo:
–Hermanos míos peces, mucha obligación tenéis de alabar, según vuestra posibilidad, a nuestro Creador, que os ha dado tan excelente elemento para vuestra habitación; de modo que tenéis a vuestro gusto el agua dulce y salada, y os preparó muchos escondrijos para refugiarlos en las tempestades, os dio un elemento claro y transparente y comida con qué vivir. Dios vuestro Creador, cortés y benigno, os puso, cuando os crió, el mandato de crecer y multiplicaros, y os echó su bendición; después, cuando con el diluvio universal morían todos los otros animales, sólo a vosotros preservó de daño. Además, os proveyó de aletas para que pudierais discurrir por donde os plazca. A vosotros fue dado, por disposición divina, guardar al profeta Jonás y echarlo en tierra al tercer día sano y salvo. Vosotros proporcionasteis a nuestro Señor Jesucristo la moneda del censo, que él, como pobrecillo, no tenía con que pagar. Vosotros fuisteis alimento del eterno rey, Jesucristo, antes y después de la resurrección, por singular misterio. Por todo lo cual tenéis mucha obligación de alabar y bendecir a Dios, que os hizo más beneficios que a las otras criaturas.
A éstas y semejantes palabras e instrucciones de san Antonio, comenzaron los peces a abrir las bocas e inclinar la cabeza, y con éstas y otras señales de reverencia alababan a Dios de la manera que les era posible. Viendo san Antonio en los peces tanta reverencia hacia Dios su Creador, se alegró vivamente y dijo en alta voz:
–Bendito sea el eterno Dios; que más lo honran los peces que los hombres herejes y mejor escucharon su palabra los animales irracionales que los hombres infieles.
Y cuando más predicaba san Antonio más crecía la multitud de peces, y ninguno se marchaba del lugar que había ocupado.
A la noticia del hecho comenzó a correr la gente de la ciudad y entre ella vinieron tambíen los dichos herejes y viendo el milagro tan maravilloso y patente se compungieron en sus corazones y se echaron a los pies de san Antonio para oír su predicación. El Santo les predicó acerca de la fe católica y tan admirablemente lo hizo, que a todos aquellos herejes convirtió e hizo volver a la verdadera fe de Cristo; quedando también los fieles más confirmados y fortalecidos en ella y con grandísima alegría.
Después san Antonio despidió a los peces con la bendición de Dios, y todos marcharon con admirables demostraciones de alegría, y lo mismo el pueblo. Permaneció el Santo en Rímini muchos días, predicando y haciendo en las almas mucho fruto espiritual.
En alabanza de Cristo. Amén.
The Little Flowers of St. Francis of Assisi, p. 95-97