O Jesus, When Thou wert born, angels sang in the heavens, "Glory to God in the highest; and on earth peace to men of good will." (Luke 2:14). Thou art the Saviour of the world and the Prince of Peace, as the prophet had foretold: "A Child is born to us...and his name shall be called. . . the Prince of Peace." (Is. 9:6). By Thy death Thou didst atone for our sins and restore us to the peace of the friendship of God. Thou art truly a Peacemaker. Above all, at Holy Communion

Thou dost leave with me the peace of which Thou didst speak at the Last Supper, "Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, do I give unto you." (John 14:27). May frequent Holy Communion make me a lover of peace and charity-a peacemaker, a child of the God of Peace!

But I cannot enjoy Thy peace or be a peacemaker unless I conquer my pride and remain humble and lowly. Thou hast always been my Model and Teacher of humility. Thou didst set me many an example by word and deed during Thy earthly life, and even more dost Thou do so now in Thy sacramental life. Thou didst say, "Take up my yoke upon you, and learn of me, because I am meek, and humble of heart; and you shall find rest to your souls." (Matt. 11:29). The Eucharist is not only a school of humility, but the channel of graces, which enables me to be lowly and peace-loving.

O Jesus, how great is Thy humility in this Sacrament. Though Thou art the eternal and almighty God, Thou hast lowered Thyself, taking the form of man for love of me and for the sake of my salvation. Not only hast Thou become my Elder Brother, a fellow-creature, but Thou hast willed to be the very food of my soul in Holy Communion. Once Thy human form cloaked Thy divinity, but now the appearances of bread hide even Thy Humanity. I can see Thee only with the eyes of faith.

How humbly Thou dost obey Thy priests! One word from their lips and Thou dost come down upon the altar in Holy Mass and renew the Sacrifice of Calvary in an unbloody manner. Thou dost permit Thy priests to give Thee as the Bread of Life to those who come to the Holy Table; Thou dost not shrink even from the unworthy. Thou dost allow Thyself to be carried wherever Thy priests bear Thee. Heaven and earth are subject to Thee, O King of Glory, and yet Thou dost lower Thyself before Thy sinful creatures, living with them in the Sacred Host-offering Thyself for them, coming to their hearts in Holy Communion.

The great test of humility is the pain of not receiving love for love, and that too Thou dost bear. In this Sacrament Thou dost live entirely for me. Thine unbounded love urges the desire to unite Thyself with me in Holy Communion. Thou dost long to enrich me with Thy blessings and gladden my soul. And yet what do I give Thee in return? What do so many of us Catholics do to return love for love? How many of us pay scant attention to Thine invitation! How many of us fail to receive Thee frequently in Holy Communion! Too often are we cold and ungrateful, unmindful of Thy love, half-hearted or even irreverent at Mass and Holy Communion! Thou dost patiently bear with this indifference. Despite our ingratitude, Thou dost continue to grant us countless blessings and thus teach us the noblest kind of humility; to love even when love is not returned; to embrace even humiliations.

O Jesus, behold how I am in need of lowliness! I rely so much upon myself. 1 freely boast of die little good that is in me as if it were mine by personal merit—whereas whatever good b in me really comes from Thee. I seek praise for myself; whereas I should refer it to Thee. My pride leads me into so many daily faults; to sensitiveness, jealousy, rash judgment, uncharitableness and anger. And yet Thou dost say, "Blessed are the peacemakers..." (Matt. 5-9). Thou hast urged me to come to terms with my neighbor before I come to Thy altar with my gift "If therefore thou offer thy gift at the altar; and there thou remember that thy brother hath any thing against thee; leave there thy offering before the altar, and go first to be reconciled to thy brother; and then coming thou shalt

offer thy gift." (Matt. 5:23). I cannot offer Thee to Thy Father in Holy Mass as my greatest Gift so long as I refuse to be a peacemaker. I cannot rest my head upon Thy Sacred Heart after Holy Communion and at the same time nurture in my own heart feelings of unkindness toward my neighbor or the refusal to forgive him. Thou hast taught me to love even my enemies. "Love your enemies; do good to them that hate you; and pray for them that persecute and calumniate you; that you may be children of your Father who is in heaven, who maketh his sun to rise upon the good, and the bad, and raineth upon the just and the unjust." (Matt. 5:44-45).

O Jesus, I wish to receive Holy Communion often-daily, if possible, at the Holy Sacrifice-so that the power of Thy grace may conquer my pride and so that because of Thy presence I may enjoy Thy peace and spread it among others. Only after I have become like a lowly child, shall I enter Thy kingdom of peace, for Thou hast said, "Unless you be converted, and become as little children, you shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, he is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven." (Matt. 18:3-4)

ARE YOU LOWLY?

1. Does your pride make you sensitive, jealous, uncharitable, boastful, angry?

2. Is there in your heart any bitterness against another? Do you refuse to come to terms with anyone? Are you slow to forgive?

3. Does false humility or a lack of humility keep you from going to Confession and receiving Communion often?

4. Do you receive Holy Communion as often as you can and ask Jesus to make you peaceloving and lowly?

— NOVENA PRAYER —

Aspiration for the day: Jesus, meek and humble of Heart, make our hearts Uke unto Thine
500 days. (227)