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The Easter Cycle
prospect of humiliation, depressed by the injuries it has suffered, terrified by uncertainties and
hardships; and amid all these trials the seed can neither strike roots nor bring forth fruit.
“I will go in to the altar of God; to God who giveth joy to my youth” (Communion). I will go
to the altar of God and obtain the good seed, Holy Communion, and plant it today in the good
soil of my heart. I will open wide the furrows of my soul and prepare in my heart good ground,
free of stones and thorns, so that the seed may take root and bear fruit a hundredfold.
In Holy Communion, Christ gives us His flesh and blood, and with them and through
them His spirit. His spirit operates in our soul and performs the same service for it that the
blood performs for the body. His spirit fills us completely, and He lives in us. If we listen to His
inspirations, He will soon bring us to a perfect union with Himself. Then we shall see all through
the eyes of Christ and shall will what He wills. Then we shall desire only what He desires, love
only what He loves. Then our heart will be one with the heart of Christ, and we shall be able
to say with St. Paul, “And I live, now not I, but Christ liveth in me” (Gal 2:20). Christ then will
completely occupy our heart, and we may then truly be said to be “another Christ,” because of
the union of His heart and soul with ours. Then we shall have lost our own life, but we shall have
acquired the life of Christ. Then the prophecy of Christ will be fulfilled in us: “And I live by the
Father, so he that eateth Me, the same also shall live by Me” ( Jn 6:58). This is the hundredfold
fruit of Holy Communion.
In order that our soul may reap this fruit, the Lord has “moved the earth” (our soul) “and
hast troubled it” (Gradual) through humiliation, trials, and sufferings of all sorts. The “power
[of God] is made perfect in [our] infirmity” (Epistle).
Prayer
We humbly beseech Thee, O almighty God, to grant that we who have been refreshed by Thy
sacraments may so live as to do Thee worthy and acceptable service. Through Christ our Lord.
Amen. (Postcommunion.)
Friday
“The sower went out to sow his seed. And as he sowed, some fell by the wayside; and it was
trodden down, and the fowls of the air devoured it. . . . And they by the wayside are they that
hear; then the devil cometh and taketh the word out of their heart” (Gospel). The devil removes
the word from their heart by holding them bound by venial sins. By such sin the inspirations of
grace are prevented from germinating and growing.
Deliberate venial sin ruins the soil of the soul so that it cannot bring forth abundant fruit. Such
sin does not separate the soul from God, but attaches itself like a dead weight to the soul and
spirit, so that a man is hindered from living for God. Such a soul is like an eagle whose wings
have been clipped. Venial sin shows a neglect of God and a contempt for Him, even though such
neglect and contempt are not directly intended. By such sins we set up our own will against the
will of God for the sake of some desire, some need, some temporal advantage which we prefer
to the command and will of God. We thereby reject the inspirations of grace by our venial sins.
Then we return to seek an increase of grace and love. Will God again offer us the grace which
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