Quam multi de altari
accipiunt, et moriuntur, et accipiendo moriuntur! Unde dicit Apostolus:
Judicium sibi manducat et bibit. Nonne buccella Dominica venenum fuit
Judae? Et tamen accepit. Et cum accepit, in eum inimicus intravit: non
quia malum accepit, sed quia bonum male malus accepit. Videte ergo,
fratres, panem caelestem spiritaliter manducate, innocentiam ad altare
apportate. Peccata, etsi sunt quotidiana, vel non sint mortifera;
antequam ad altare accedatis, attendite quod dicatis: Dimitte nobis
debita nostra, sicut et nos dimittimus debitoribus nostris. Si dimittis,
dimittetur tibi: securus accede, panis est, non venenum.
That eateth and drinketh unworthily eateth and drinketh damnation to himself." Is it not written " When Jesus had dipped the sop, he gave it to Judas
Iscariot, the son of Simon, and after the sop Satan entered into him" And yet he took it. And when he had eaten it, the enemy entered in and
possessed him. Not because what he ate was evil, but because he, being
evil, dared to eat that which was good. Look to it well, then, brethren,
that ye take spiritually the Bread Which cometh down from heaven. Bring
innocency with you to the Altar. Though your sins be daily, let them
not be deadly. Before ye draw near to the Altar, think well what it is
that ye say "Forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive them that trespass
against us." "For, if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly
Father will also forgive you" and ye may draw near boldly, for unto you It is Bread, and not poison.
From the Third Nocturn of Matins in Day VI in the Octave of Corpus Christi
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