Ave Maria Meditations
She found in the Catholic faith what her soul had been hungry for since she was a little girl – the True Presence of Christ in the Eucharist While with these Catholic families, she began to see the beauty of the Catholic faith, and to question her own faith. One day she witnessed a procession of the Blessed Sacrament and her heart cried out. If Jesus was truly present in the Blessed Sacrament, then she MUST become a Catholic! She prayed ‘ If I am right, Thy grace impart still in the right to say. If I am wrong, Oh, teach my heart to find the better way.’ She began to long to receive Jesus in the Eucharist.
It was a time of persecution against the Roman Catholics and the good Bishop was deliberating whether to institute the 40 Hours of devotion to Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament, considering the dangers that might occur:
One night, he was working very late at his desk and fell asleep in his chair. The candle on the desk burnt down and charred some of the papers, but they were still readable. He awoke, surprised and thankful that a fire had not ignited. He fell on his knees to give thanks to God for protection, and heard His voice saying, “As the flames are burning here without consuming or injuring the writing, so shall I pour out my grace in the Blessed Sacrament without prejudice to My honor. Fear no profanation, therefore; hesitate no longer to carry out your design for my glory.” (Therefore) he introduced the practice of 40 Hours Devotion in his diocese.
