One Communion is Worth More than Everything in the World

As the end of human life is two fold (giving glory to God and saving our souls) and as the Blesseds and Saints of the Church are the shining exemplars of real men and women who have attained these ends, it is best, from time to time, to sit and reflect upon the lives and thoughts of these heroes of the Faith. Much as an aspiring basketball player might watch tape of LeBron James or an aspiring cellist might listen to hours of Yo-Yo Ma, we Catholics (and indeed all men) should reflect upon those who've gone before us successfully navigating the treacherous waters of life to arrive at the eternal port from which we will never wish to sail forth again.

One such man is Blessed Charles de Foucauld. His reflection on the importance of the Eucharist and of Communion with Christ under the species of bread and wine, should be something all Catholics should be able to read with a knowing longing in their hearts.

...remember that Mass is both Christmas and Calvary. A single Mass gives more glory to God than the martydom of the whole of humanity, united with praises of all the angels and the saints. 

Quite a claim, this. How can de Foucauld make such a claim? By simply remembering what the Eucharist is, or rather who the Eucharist is.

Where you have the Blessed Sacrament, there you have the living God, the Saviour, as really as when he was living in Galilee and Judea, as really as when he is now in heaven.

Which is why de Foucauld (and all the blessed in Heaven) hate sin (while loving sinners). Sin separates us from God and His Love. Sin separates us from the Eucharist, turning Communion from a blessing into a curse for those who knowingly approach in a state of mortal sin. De Foucauld goes as far as saying,

Never lose a Communion by your own fault. Communion is more than life, more than all the goods of this world, more than the entire universe. It is God Himself, it is Jesus.

I pray that the next time you, my dear reader, are tempted to sin you can recall those words of Blessed Charles de Foucauld and that you can decide to prefer Christ to any worldly attachment or sin. I also ask that you pray the same for me.

Kyrie eleison.

Charles de Foucauld, pray for us