For All Eternity

I'm continuing with looking at the Anima Christi prayer. If you want a more in-depth theological look at it, I highly recommend Micah's posts over at The Ranter's blog. Here's the full text of the prayer:

Soul of Christ, sanctify me
Body of Christ, save me
Blood of Christ, inebriate me
Water from the side of Christ, wash me
Passion of Christ, strengthen me
O good Jesus, hear me
Within Thy wounds hide me
Suffer me not to be separated from Thee
From the malicious enemy defend me
In the hour of my death call me
And bid me come unto Thee
That with thy Saints I may praise Thee
For all eternity
Amen

For all eternity

 When I was young, I was terrified of the idea of eternity.  Mostly because I was terrified that maybe I wasn't saved.  I no longer have that fear, but I certainly can't wrap my mind around the idea of eternity.  We talk about wanting something to last forever, but we can't truly fathom it.  The idea of something being eternal, timeless, no beginning and no end - it's just not something I can imagine in this world where things end all too soon.  But I trust in God about this, for that is all I can do when I don't understand.

I was also thinking about how we should really be in perpetual adoration of God at all times.  I admit that I don't get to Adoration nearly as often as I'd like.  I try to remind myself to be there before Him spiritually when I'm going about my day, but that doesn't happen as often as it should, either, unfortunately.

That with thy Saints I may praise Thee

  I'm continuing with looking at the Anima Christi prayer. If you want a more in-depth theological look at it, I highly recommend Micah's posts over at The Ranter's blog. Here's the full text of the prayer:

Soul of Christ, sanctify me
Body of Christ, save me
Blood of Christ, inebriate me
Water from the side of Christ, wash me
Passion of Christ, strengthen me
O good Jesus, hear me
Within Thy wounds hide me
Suffer me not to be separated from Thee
From the malicious enemy defend me
In the hour of my death call me
And bid me come unto Thee
That with thy Saints I may praise Thee
For all eternity
Amen

That with thy Saints I may praise Thee

 Obviously I can praise Him now, but my thoughts are divided due to the cares of the world and the responsibilities of being a wife and mother.  In Heaven, though, we can praise Him without ceasing, without being weighed down by cares and sin.  I'm reminded of the verse in Revelation that speaks of the prayers of the Saints rising before the throne of God.  I'm reminded of the Sanctus at Mass, where we sing with the angels their song of unending glory:

Holy, Holy, Holy Lord God of hosts.
Heaven and earth are full of your glory.
Hosanna in the highest.
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.
Hosanna in the highest.

Bid Me Come Unto Thee

I'm continuing with looking at the Anima Christi prayer. If you want a more in-depth theological look at it, I highly recommend Micah's posts over at The Ranter's blog. Here's the full text of the prayer:

And bid me come unto Thee

 All I can think when I say this is: thank you, Lord.  It's both amazing and terrifying to think of being in His Presence when His glory is revealed like that.  And then I think of the intimacy of the Eucharist, and how that will be absolutely fulfilled and magnified in that meeting with Jesus, if only I manage to persevere (by His grace).  I pray that He will bid me to come unto Him on that day.

In the Hour of My Death, Call Me

I'm continuing with looking at the Anima Christi prayer. If you want a more in-depth theological look at it, I highly recommend Micah's posts over at The Ranter's blog. Here's the full text of the prayer:

In the hour of my death call me

This line is rather sobering, and yet also comforting, in a way.  It's not fun to think of our own mortality, and yet comforting to think of Jesus calling us to Him in that hour, to be united with Him.

From the Malicious Enemy, Defend Me

I'm continuing with looking at the Anima Christi prayer. If you want a more in-depth theological look at it, I highly recommend Micah's posts over at The Ranter's blog. Here's the full text of the prayer:

Soul of Christ, sanctify me
Body of Christ, save me
Blood of Christ, inebriate me
Water from the side of Christ, wash me
Passion of Christ, strengthen me
O good Jesus, hear me
Within Thy wounds hide me
Suffer me not to be separated from Thee
From the malicious enemy defend me
In the hour of my death call me
And bid me come unto Thee
That with thy Saints I may praise Thee
For all eternity
Amen

From the malicious enemy defend me

This line always brings the St Michael prayer to mind.  It amazes me that God sends the angels to protect us.  It's also a good reminder that spiritual warfare does exist, and that we must therefore be on our guard.

Saint Michael the Archangel,
defend us in battle.
Be our protection against the wickedness and snares of the devil.
May God rebuke him, we humbly pray;
and do Thou, O Prince of the Heavenly Host -
by the Divine Power of God -
cast into hell, satan and all the evil spirits,
who roam throughout the world seeking the ruin of souls.

Amen.

Suffer Me Not to be Separated From Thee

I'm continuing with looking at the Anima Christi prayer. If you want a more in-depth theological look at it, I highly recommend Micah's posts over at The Ranter's blog. Here's the full text of the prayer:

Soul of Christ, sanctify me
Body of Christ, save me
Blood of Christ, inebriate me
Water from the side of Christ, wash me
Passion of Christ, strengthen me
O good Jesus, hear me
Within Thy wounds hide me
Suffer me not to be separated from Thee
From the malicious enemy defend me
In the hour of my death call me
And bid me come unto Thee
That with thy Saints I may praise Thee
For all eternity
Amen

Suffer me not to be separated from Thee

 I see this as a supplication that we will not walk away from God, for nothing can separate us God unless we choose to walk away (Romans 8:38-9).  Since we don't lose our free will when we become Christians, we can choose to walk away from God at any time, thereby separating ourselves from Him.  This part of the prayer reminds me of the injunctions to persevere to the end so that we may be saved (Matthew 24:13).  I pray that I will persevere, by the grace of God.  Suffer me not to be separated from Thee, O Lord!

Within Thy Wounds, Hide Me

I'm continuing with looking at the Anima Christi prayer. If you want a more in-depth theological look at it, I highly recommend Micah's posts over at The Ranter's blog. Here's the full text of the prayer:

Soul of Christ, sanctify me
Body of Christ, save me
Blood of Christ, inebriate me
Water from the side of Christ, wash me
Passion of Christ, strengthen me
O good Jesus, hear me
Within Thy wounds hide me
Suffer me not to be separated from Thee
From the malicious enemy defend me
In the hour of my death call me
And bid me come unto Thee
That with thy Saints I may praise Thee
For all eternity
Amen

Within Thy wounds, hide me.

Whenever I say this line, I immediately think of the suffering servant of Isaiah 53, by whose stripes we are healed.  This line is especially poignant when I'm upset or in pain, as then I can think of His wounds providing a safe haven.  I think also of those Saints who have experienced the stigmata, and how they were absolutely united with Jesus' suffering, and it amazes me.  I think of the grace His suffering has brought us, and how the Blood shed from those wounds is the same Blood we receive in the Eucharist, which is amazing.  It's easy to forget the reality of that at times.  The Eucharist gives us grace and strengthens us and provides a haven for us as well.

O Good Jesu, Hear Me

I'm continuing with looking at the Anima Christi prayer. If you want a more in-depth theological look at it, I highly recommend Micah's posts over at The Ranter's blog. Here's the full text of the prayer:

Soul of Christ, sanctify me
Body of Christ, save me
Blood of Christ, inebriate me
Water from the side of Christ, wash me
Passion of Christ, strengthen me
O good Jesus, hear me
Within Thy wounds hide me
Suffer me not to be separated from Thee
From the malicious enemy defend me
In the hour of my death call me
And bid me come unto Thee
That with thy Saints I may praise Thee
For all eternity
Amen

O good Jesu, hear me.

On the face of it, this doesn't seem like a profound statement.  OK, so it's a prayer to Jesus and we're asking Him to hear us, what's the big deal?  I sometimes (OK, often) forget how amazing this is.  Our God isn't far-off and we don't have to wake Him or somehow make a fuss to get His attention.  He's listening, He's with us.

I think it's apt that this phrase falls today, the day we celebrate the Feast of Corpus Christi here.  The day we celebrate the miracle of the Eucharist, wherein Jesus gives us His Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity.  Of course we can always talk to Jesus and know that He hears us, but going before Him in the Blessed Sacrament and talking to Him there, bringing Him our cares, worries, hopes, joys: ourselves, in short.  Well, it's amazing to think of, and to be reminded that He is there, waiting for us and listening.  While we entreat Him to hear us, perhaps the real reminder here is that He is there waiting for us, there offering Himself for us so that we might have eternal life.  I'm going to post the Gospel reading from today below.  I know I've gotten a little off the topic of the Anima Christi prayer, but I think these things work together.

Jesus said to the Jewish crowds:
"I am the living bread that came down from heaven;
whoever eats this bread will live forever;
and the bread that I will give
is my flesh for the life of the world."

The Jews quarreled among themselves, saying,
"How can this man give us his flesh to eat?"
Jesus said to them,
"Amen, amen, I say to you,
unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood,
you do not have life within you.
Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood
has eternal life,
and I will raise him on the last day.
For my flesh is true food,
and my blood is true drink.
Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood
remains in me and I in him.
Just as the living Father sent me
and I have life because of the Father,
so also the one who feeds on me
will have life because of me.
This is the bread that came down from heaven.
Unlike your ancestors who ate and still died,
 whoever eats this bread will live forever." (John 6:51-58)

Passion of Christ

I'm continuing with looking at the Anima Christi prayer. If you want a more in-depth theological look at it, I highly recommend Micah's posts over at The Ranter's blog. Here's the full text of the prayer:

Soul of Christ, sanctify me
Body of Christ, save me
Blood of Christ, inebriate me
Water from the side of Christ, wash me
Passion of Christ, strengthen me
O good Jesus, hear me
Within Thy wounds hide me
Suffer me not to be separated from Thee
From the malicious enemy defend me
In the hour of my death call me
And bid me come unto Thee
That with thy Saints I may praise Thee
For all eternity
Amen

Passion of Christ, strengthen me.

Perhaps it seems odd to think of being strengthened by contemplating Jesus' suffering.  We get strength not just through the inspiration of knowing how He suffered for us, but because that suffering was efficacious.  His suffering and death truly means something and gives us grace and strength.

Truly, though, when I sat down to write about this line, the thing most on my mind was the whole situation with Fr John Corapi.  I can't say that I ever watched him or listened to him on EWTN, but I'm upset by what's happening.  Like many others out there, I can't help thinking of St Padre Pio and how he was literally strengthened by the passion of Christ, even through all his trials.  St Padre Pio, pray for him and for all priests; St Jean-Baptiste Vianney, pray for priests.  Passion of Christ, strengthen me, and all of us.

Water from the Side of Christ

I'm continuing with looking at the Anima Christi prayer.  If you want a more in-depth theological look at it, I highly recommend Micah's posts over at The Ranter's blog.  Here's the full text of the prayer:

Soul of Christ, sanctify me
Body of Christ, save me
Blood of Christ, inebriate me
Water from the side of Christ, wash me
Passion of Christ, strengthen me
O good Jesus, hear me
Within Thy wounds hide me
Suffer me not to be separated from Thee
From the malicious enemy defend me
In the hour of my death call me
And bid me come unto Thee
That with thy Saints I may praise Thee
For all eternity
Amen

Water from the side of Christ, wash me.

 I love the imagery here.  My first thought is to picture our baptism, with the water coming directly from the side of Christ.  My second thought is to picture the image of Divine Mercy given to St Faustina, pictured to the right.  Jesus gives us baptism, and He acts through the waters of baptism to cleanse us from sin.  This act of His grace and mercy is only magnified by thinking of the water pouring from His heart, from His side at His death being tied to the baptismal waters.  Our God is truly amazing.

Blood of Christ

I'm trying to stay off-line as much as possible on Sundays, so I thought over the next few Sundays I'd just post my thoughts, such as they may be, on the Anima Christi prayer.  It's one of my favourite prayers, and one I say daily. Here's the full text:

Soul of Christ, sanctify me
Body of Christ, save me
Blood of Christ, inebriate me
Water from the side of Christ, wash me
Passion of Christ, strengthen me
O good Jesus, hear me
Within Thy wounds hide me
Suffer me not to be separated from Thee
From the malicious enemy defend me
In the hour of my death call me
And bid me come unto Thee
That with thy Saints I may praise Thee
For all eternity
Amen

Blood of Christ, inebriate me.

My thoughts on this part are similar to my thoughts on the previous line.  With this one, though, it also speaks of being completely overcome by Jesus in the Eucharist.  Inebriate me.  The word "inebriate" speaks of being drunk or intoxicated.  Of course, people often speak of being intoxicated by love, and I think that's the sense here.  If we truly allow ourselves to become intoxicated, inebriated by Jesus' love for us when we are united with Him in the Eucharist, how awesome would that be?  I'm reminded of Bernini's The Ecstasy of Saint Teresa, even though her ecstasy was caused by a vision and not by partaking of the Eucharist, I think.

And of course I'm still absolutely amazed that His Blood which was shed for us is shared with us in this way.  Yes, it usually retains the appearance of wine, but there have been times when it hasn't.  Perhaps most notable is the miracle at Lanciano.

Soul of Christ

I'm trying to stay off-line as much as possible on Sundays, so I thought over the next few Sundays I'd just post my thoughts, such as they may be, on the Anima Christi prayer.  It's one of my favourite prayers, and one I say daily. Here's the full text:

Soul of Christ, sanctify me
Body of Christ, save me
Blood of Christ, inebriate me
Water from the side of Christ, wash me
Passion of Christ, strengthen me
O good Jesus, hear me
Within Thy wounds hide me
Suffer me not to be separated from Thee
From the malicious enemy defend me
In the hour of my death call me
And bid me come unto Thee
That with thy Saints I may praise Thee
For all eternity
Amen


Soul of Christ, sanctify me 

I'll admit that this line isn't one to which I instantly gravitate when I'm meditating on this prayer.  My first thought with this is that Christ having a soul really brings His humanity to the fore.  What is a soul, anyway?  The Latin text is "Anima Christi", as the soul is what animates us.  Here are some relevant quotes from the Catechism:

363 In Sacred Scripture the term "soul" often refers to human life or the entire human person.230 But "soul" also refers to the innermost aspect of man, that which is of greatest value in him,231 that by which he is most especially in God's image: "soul" signifies the spiritual principle in man.

364 The human body shares in the dignity of "the image of God": it is a human body precisely because it is animated by a spiritual soul, and it is the whole human person that is intended to become, in the body of Christ, a temple of the Spirit:232

Man, though made of body and soul, is a unity. Through his very bodily condition he sums up in himself the elements of the material world. Through him they are thus brought to their highest perfection and can raise their voice in praise freely given to the Creator. For this reason man may not despise his bodily life. Rather he is obliged to regard his body as good and to hold it in honor since God has created it and will raise it up on the last day. 233

365 The unity of soul and body is so profound that one has to consider the soul to be the "form" of the body:234 i.e., it is because of its spiritual soul that the body made of matter becomes a living, human body; spirit and matter, in man, are not two natures united, but rather their union forms a single nature.

 So I guess what we're saying is "Jesus, your very being, your innermost self, in whose image I'm made, make me holy, as You are holy".  Or at least that's my take on it at the moment. Amazing!