Breife meditations of the Most Holy Sacrament and of preparation, for receuing the same. And of some other thinges apertaining to the greatnes and deuotion of so worthy a misterie. Composed in Italian by the rev. father Luca Pinelli of the Societie of Iesus.

THE XX. MEDITA∣TION.

Of the most holy Sacrament: when it is giuen vnto the sicke for a viaticum CHAP. XX.

Pointes to meditate.

1 CONSIDER how that e∣mongst many other most worthie effectes of this celestial Sacramēt, one is to render those stronge and valiant (against e••p¦tations) which worthelie do re∣ceaue the same: wherefore in auncient times it was giuen vn∣to those which were to suffer ma••tirdome, that they might re¦maine firme in the Confession of Christ. And for that in the pas∣sage

from this life vnto the other the diuells doe assaulte vs with diuers tentatiōs, for this respect the holy Church vseth to fortifie & strengthen vs with this most holie Sacrament of eternall life.

2 Consider how it helpeth like∣wise to obtaine the health of bodie when it is expedient for the saluation of our soule, for if so be by the onely touch of the garment of Christ manie recea∣ued their helth, what will Christ him selfe do, when as by this bles∣sed Sacramēt he entreth into the soule of the sicke?

3 Consider finallie that Christ hauing instituted this most holy Sacrament for the spirituall help of our soule, it is to be thought that when wee haue greatest neede (as is went to be in daun∣gerous sicknesses) that then this

blessed Sacramēt worketh most effectually his most wholesome fruies, for that it is proper vnto our Lord which therin lieth hid¦den to healpe where is greatest necessitie.

The Fruit.

The fruit of this last meditation shalbe, to doe louinge actes of gratefulnes, by hartely thanking of our Lord for the great care & solicitude which he hath had o∣uer vs by helping and releeuing our spirituall neede and necessi∣tie, with this most louing Sacra∣ment.

Annotation.

1 Here it is to be noted, that this most holy Sacrament is to be receaued for a viaticum, whē there is daunger of death & not to expect, vntill the sicke person

be halfe dead, (so that he is vna∣ble to do actes of deuotion and contrition) because this Sacra∣ment worketh most effectuallie when as it is accompanied with our contrition and deuotion.

2 The priuiledge of this blessed Sacrament, when it is receaued for a viaticum, is this, that the sicke partie may communicate at all times, albeit he be not fa∣sting, this the Church graunteth De consecr. dist. 2. Caa. Liquido & Can. Presbyter.

3 If the sicknes be long and lin∣gting, the diseased partie after that he hath communicated for his viaticum, may often times af∣terward communicate for deuo∣tion: but then he must be fasting from midnight last past, as I haue saide before in the tenth medi∣tation.

The Colloquium.

A wake O my soule, and con∣template this new fauour which thy bening Iesus doth vnto thee whereby ariseth in thee a new bonde. Dost thou not see, how that in this last conflict thou hast to fight & make combate with the hatefull enimies of of thy sal∣uation, and since that thou art altogither vnable to goe vnto his holie Altar, there to bee ar∣med, fortified and strenghned with heauenly meate, he vouch∣safeth to come home into thy house? O louing humilitie, thou hast good cause to exult and re∣ioice my soule for that the Lord of Maiesty vouchsafeth to come vnto my house, to honour thee, to comfort thee, and to be thy companion, as well in this thy last conflict and assault with the

diuells of hell will giue thee to trie if they can get thee for their prisoner as also in the last pas∣sage which thou hast to make from this life vnto the other. Be therefore of good courage, for although thou thy self art weake and infirme and thy enemies stronge and mightie, yet neuer∣thelesse hauing receaued the cō∣fort of this most holy meat thou maiest boldly say with the bles∣sed Apostle S. Paule. Omnia pos∣sum in eo qui me conforta••: I can all thinges in him that strength∣neth me, place therefore all thy hope in thy Iesus, and thou shalt not be ouercome nor confoun∣ded. Thou knowest well that the dead bodie of Eliseus brought life vnto an other body by onely touching of it: But if so bee the bones of a dead Prophet had

such force and vertue that they were able to recall a dead man vnto life, and the theeues which stoode about the sepulcher of Elizeus amased at the matter durst not do him any harme at all? What will not the liuelie & glorified bodie of Iesus be able to doe, comming to dwell and remaine within thee? Past all doubt hee will giue thee farre greater force and vertue; he be∣ing God omnipotent and Lord of the vniuersall worlde. And all the diuells of hell by his onlie presence shall remaine confoun¦ded and vanquished. O holy Da¦niell instruct me, how I ought to thanke my most louing Lorde, who seing me in this my simple bead, compassed rounde about with feirce lions of hell: altogi∣ther fainting for want of foode,

hath not sent me meat by Aba∣cuc, his Prophet nor yet by his Angells from heauen: but he him selfe vouchsafeth to come, and giueth me meate, not pre∣pared by the art of man, nor yet sent for reapers or haruestmen, but prepared by the wonderfull worke of Almighty God, for his faithfull seruants and louing fronds Qui de spiritu metent vi∣tam aeternam. Who of the spirit (of God) shall reape life euer∣lastinge. O Marie Mother of my lastinge. O Marie Mother of my Lord O my good Angell and keper, and all other my deuoted Saints, since that I neither know how, nor yet can render such hartie thanks (as is conuenient) vnto this my heauenly benefa∣ctor, thāke him I pray you on my behalfe. And thou my soule ne∣uer cease from thankinge our

Lord, for that Fecit tihi magna qui potens est, he that is mightie hath done greate things to thee See and consider that hee hath not only loued thee at his owne end, when as passing from this life vnto his eternall father, he instituted for thee, this so wor∣thie a Sacrament: but farther he most singulerly loueth thee at thine owne end, when as thou being to passe from this life vn∣to the other, he giueth him selfe vnto thee for meate and a com∣panion. O loue with-out mea∣sure. O my Lorde, since that in this world I can neither receane nor desire any thing more greate and more beneficiall; it only re∣maineth that with holie olde Simeon I crie out and demaund of you saying Nunc dimittis Ser uum tuum Domine in pace, quia

viderunt oculi mei salut are tuum, Now thou doest dimisse, thy ser¦uant O Lord according to thy word in peace, Because mine eies haue seene thy saluation. Go to my soule Conuertere in requiem tuam quia Dominus be∣nefecit tibi, turne quickly vnto thy creator because in him thou shalt finde such re∣pose that thou maist iust∣ly say Haec requies mea, in saeculum saeculi. This is my rest for e∣uer and euer.

Notes

• Mat. 9. et. 14.
• Phil 4.
• 4. Reg. 13.
• Dan. 14.
• Gal. 6.
• Luc. 1.
• Ioan. 13.