Search
-
September 24, 2020One of the many Eucharistic saints
The day will come, and by the grace of God may it be soon, when we once again can travel and enjoy tourism without the fear of becoming victims of any illness or pandemic. When that day comes, I will enjoy once again visiting museums. Quiet, cool, inspiring environments filled with opportunities to learn and reflect.
Among the museums I would like to visit are two of special mention. One I was blessed to visit and enjoyed beyond measure was the Bible Museum in Washington, D.C. This museum deserves a few days and not just one afternoon. Maybe someday, after winning the lottery, I could arrange a bus trip for a whole parish Bible Study group with one afternoon just in the museum gift shop. Thank God the museum has gifted us with a wonderful video series called the Lonesome Curator to revisit many aspects of their collections. Someday… Maybe…
The other museum is on the opposite coast. One of the richest persons in the country, back in his day, who made a lot of money in Oklahoma, among other places, collected major works of art. So many art pieces that after his death a museum was created to have them on permanent exhibition. I am speaking of the J. Paul Getty Museum in Los Angeles.
One of the great portraits in their collection is The Miraculous Communion of Saint Catherine of Siena. The portrait accompanies this column and its description from the museum is as follows:
“This small panel depicts an episode from the life of the Dominican tertiary and mystic, Saint Catherine of Siena, as described in her biography of 1385, written by her confessor, Raymond of Capua. Receiving the sacrament of Communion gave Saint Catherine visions and ecstasies that lasted hours and left her physically exhausted. Stricken with illness and bedridden, her companions convinced her to not attend church.
Catherine acquiesced, but prayed, for God’s help in receiving the Eucharist. Miraculously, an angel delivered a piece of the consecrated host to the saint. Celebrating Mass at a side altar, Raymond of Capua looks around with concern for the piece of the Host, which has mysteriously vanished, while an apparition of the saint, unseen by the surrounding people, receives communion from an angel above.”
Saint Catherine is kneeling and a very subtly painted angel is bringing her communion. The Eucharist was an essential aspect of her life. Here is a small portion from Saint Catherine’s Dialogue speaking on the Eucharist:
“So that you can increase in love, as has been said, coming with love to receive this sweet and glorious light, which I have given you as food for your service, through my ministers, and you receive this light according to the love and fiery desire with which you approach it. ‘The light itself you receive entire, as I have said (in the example of those, who in spite of the difference in weight of their candles, all receive the entire light), and not divided, because It cannot be divided, as has been said, either on account of any imperfection of yours who receive, or of the minister; but you personally participate in this light, that is in the grace which you receive in this Sacrament, according to the holy desire with which you dispose yourselves to receive it.’”
While we won’t be receiving the Eucharist from angels anytime soon, maybe after Mass, we can visit Christ in the tabernacle and just say: “Thank you Lord for feeding me with your love and your light. Amen.”