Ave Maria Meditations
“When I am lifted up from the earth, I will draw all men to myself, says the Lord.” (Jn 12:32)
On the cross Jesus felt completely abandoned, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” Earth didn’t want Him and heaven wouldn’t have Him as for our sake’s God made Him who did not know sin to be sin so that in Him we might become the very holiness of God. Good Friday follows Holy Thursday because Christ’s sacrifice on the cross was the price He lovingly paid to give us the complete gift of Himself in the holy Eucharist and to become our Divine Companion in this most Blessed Sacrament.
When we unite ourselves to Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament, we love the Father with the perfect love of the Heart of Jesus. The Eucharist is an immolation of love where Jesus continuously pleads for us with the seven last words he prayed on the cross:
“Father forgive them“, for those in most need a divine mercy.
“Why have you abandoned Me“, for those who feel forsaken.
“Behold your mother”, to a world consecrated to her.
“I thirst”, to be loved by all in this most Blessed Sacrament.
“You shall be with Me in paradise”, to those who visited here, for the Eucharist is a pledge of glory and a foretaste of heaven.
“Into your hands I commend My Spirit“, as this time Jesus places each of us into His Sacred Heart and commends us now to His heavenly Father, that the Father may see and love in us what He sees and loves in His only begotten Son.
“It is finished”, as there is nothing more that Jesus can give us then the complete gift of Himself in this holy Eucharist which is all that He has and all that He is.
Jesus gave up His Body on the cross for love of us that He may give His Body to us in the holy Eucharist; that we may be one with Him forever in everlasting glory.
Prayer: We offer You all the comfort of your holy Mother, Jesus, who stood by You when You were alone and abandoned on the cross for again You are alone and abandoned in so many tabernacles of the world. We beg you, Jesus, draw all men to Your Eucharistic Heart for You have said: “When I am lifted up from the earth I will draw all men to Myself.”
Fr. Martin Lucia
