Saint Claude de la Colombiere

I found this little gem, The Spiritual Direction of Saint Claude de la Colombiere, at the library. It fits nicely with two books that I read last year, The Autobiography of Saint Margaret Mary and Trustful Surrender to Divine Providence: The Secret to Peace and Happiness. Saint Claude de la Colombiere had some wonderful insights regarding Mass, reception of Holy Communion, education of children, and various other topics, including devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Saint Claude de la Colombiere was unknown to me until last year, but he is quickly becoming one of my favorite saints.

Who was he and what did he do? Saint Claude de la Colombiere was a Jesuit priest. He was the “spiritual director” of Saint Margaret Mary Alacoque. He spread devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus in France and England. He guided numerous souls. St. Claude was canonized in 1995 by Pope John Paul II.

Below are a few of his thoughts that really made an impression on me:

On Holy Mass

God is more honored by a single Mass than he could be by all actions of angels and me together, however fervent and heroic they might be.

p. 3

On Holy Communion

Why was the purity of Mary so great but because she was to bear the Son of God in her womb. If she had not been purer than the angels, it would not have been seemly for the Word to dwell in her; he would not have taken such delight in her, nor would he have brought her the precious gifts with which he filled her at the moment of the Incarnation. In Holy Communion we receive the same Jesus Christ that Mary bore for nine months in her womb. What is our purity? What care do we take to prepare our soul? We sometimes commit faults on the eve, on the day, and even in the very act of receiving Communion. Yet Jesus comes to us! How kind He is!
p. 7