Commentary on Father Médaille's Contemplation on the Mystery of the Last Supper:
This mystery is central to Médaillan spirituality. Jean-Pierre seemed to be so caught up into "mystery" every time he contemplated the Eucharist that he speaks about this "holiest of sacraments" as the teacher. Here we are taught "more wonders than my mind can grasp or my tongue or pen can describe or explain." There is something speechless and purely mystical about this mystery. Probably it is Love-Present in its most pure form here on earth. When we eat this bread and drink this cup we are partaking of the food of immortality. Psychologically, this means we come into a consciousness of the Self which allows us to see things "under the aspect of eternity." (Edward Edinger, The Christian Archetype, p. 65) Father Médaille ponders this truth that divine union is effected by the miracle of communion. "It will confirm the loving promise of your divine word that whoever eats your Flesh and drinks your Blood abides in you and you in him/her. Doubtless that is so that you may be the soul of his/her soul and the true principle of all his/her supernatural actions."
The mystics and the depth psychologists both grasped the same realization that "to partake of his Flesh means to partake of the eternal and the transpersonal. The mystery of the Eucharist transforms the soul of the empirical man, who is only a part of himself, into his totality, symbolically expressed by Christ. In this sense, therefore, we can speak of the Mass as the rite of the individuation process." (Carl Jung, p. 65 as quoted in The Christian Archetype) As we shall study in the next Chapter of Médaille's work wherein he speaks of transforming union, we shall read how he sees "the easy method by which I may live in you and through you and have your dear life and adorable virtues live is me... is by reception of Holy Communion." Participation in the immortality of Jesus enters our being in Eucharist:
"Just as through Holy Communion your pure Flesh implants in our
bodies some seed of immortality which gives them a right to the
glorious resurrection, so too, I am convinced that your Soul and
your Divinity implant in the depths of our being, something - I know
not what - of your divine Spirit."
(Chapter 3, p. 125-126, Médaille)
This is awesome to take in and absorb. We need time and grace to marvel at this "miracle of mysteries." Here again is Father's own ordination prayer:
"EFFECT IN ME A MIRACLE OF LOVE."
What a beautiful prayer that we might utter each time we receive this "love of loves, sacrament of sacraments, sacrifice of sacrifices". The miracle is that upon each reception of Jesus' Body and Blood "your grace is changing my life into your life." The trans-substantiation is not only from bread and wine in the hand of the priest into the Body and Blood of Jesus, but the real and substantive change in our beings. "In making me die to the flesh, to self-love, to all my countless faults, may it fill me with your divine Spirit, with the purity of divine love and with all your sublime virtues - in a word, with your entire self."
The divine union is celebrated in each reception of the sacrament. At the Last Supper Jesus knew that this mystical supper would be the real food and nourishment that would sustain his disciples for all time throughout the trials and difficulties they would undergo "in the world".(Jn 15)We are invited to contemplate the "fullness of love" manifest in this sacrament. Jesus is present here as
"the fulfillment of your self-emptying."
"the memorial of your wonders."
"the place where your greatest virtues
are gathered together, spread before us
and practiced."
To gaze upon the Eucharist we see Jesus' humility, patience, gentleness and charity. Yes, they were wonderfully manifested during your whole life, but here in the Eucharist they "seem to me more sublime and more perfect in this one sacrament." Father Médaille contemplates that this sacrament - this outward sign of an inward reality - is where you most singularly reveal "your desire to unite yourself to us, to abide with us, to live in us and to transform us into your divine life."
Father Médaille contemplates our capacity to become mystics, to live in mystical awareness of the Divine Presence and to lovingly receive Jesus in our Holy Communions.
"Take and eat this all of you."