examination of the heart 530 the Last Supper, which the Lord had arranged before His cruel Passion, to celebrate with His disciples the Pasch or Passover at the house of a certain citizen of Jerusalem, undoubtedly a very good and righteous man. This was recorded by St. Matthew, a former tax collector who became a faithful steward of the Divine Word, with these words: “Now as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed, and broke it, and gave it to the disciples and said, ‘Take, eat; this is [M]y [B]ody.’ And [H]e took a chalice, and when [H]e had given thanks [H]e gave it to them, saying, ‘Drink of it, all of you; for this is [M]y [B]lood of the new covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins’” (cf. Mt 26:26-28). Learn from these words that under the veil of bread, which is bread no longer, the true and real Body of Christ is present in the Most Holy Eucharist. The Body of Christ, who died for us nailed to the Cross; the Body that was afflicted with so many wounds and put to death on the Cross; a living Body, not a dead one; and the substance of bread no longer exists in the bread, but it is transformed into the true and living Body of Christ by divine power, upon the priest’s command and the utterance of the divine words. And this admirable Sacrament, to be given to the souls of the faithful as spiritual food, was left by the Lord Jesus Christ as a pledge of His perpetual love for the Church, His bride. 2. Ponder this: although our Savior, having taken the chalice, also gave His Blood to His disciples to drink, Mother Church acts rightly in allowing and distributing to the faithful Holy Communion under one species. For we, Catholics, consume the living Christ. Yet can a living body be lacking blood at any point? Realize also that every time people approach the sacred table, and especially those who prepare themselves most attentively for receiving this Holy Sacrament, they are filled by God with countless gifts, they receive unheard of and inconceivable graces; they are sanctified, strengthened, and obtain the forgiveness of evil deeds and the promise of eternal life. 3. Consider attentively that many receive this Most Holy Sacrament to the ruin of their souls, according to the words of
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