The Interior House of the Soul 

Friends, it goes to follow that if Our Lord Jesus Christ is traveling to us as the Divine House Guest, then we necessarily must have a place (or a room, a tent, a house, an interior castle) in which to receive Him! The reception of the Eucharist is a mystical experience, the whole Mass is mystical and so too the interior room. What is this place? This interior room where we should welcome Our Lord and where He hopes to take rest, to dwell in a particular manner. It is the internal meeting place located in one’s soul, where, by grace, we can meet and talk and walk with Our God. We need eyes of faith to see beyond the exterior, to contemplate this reality.

 

To enter into the contemplation and the chaplet of the Divine House Guest of Souls, it helps to begin to imagine this interior space. In doing so, you start to make it real to yourself, to recognize it, to discover or perhaps rediscover, this vast interior which we all possess. The experience of imagining and recognizing one’s interior room is personal and unique, because we are loved by the Lord in a very
specific and singular way. One way to begin is by simply imagining the door to your interior room. The door that the Lord has been knocking on! What does it look like? Are there lanterns outside, a lamppost? You can go from there!

 

Now we can begin to consider how to welcome the Divine House Guest after receiving Him in Holy Communion. He Himself has taught us through Holy Scripture, by the example of His Saints and also with the words of the devotion to the Divine House Guest of Souls. This devotion is rooted in the hospitality that was given to Our Lord by Abraham and Sarah. Genesis 18:

“The Lord appeared to Abraham by the terebinth of Mamre, as he sat in the entrance of his tent, while the day was growing hot. Looking up he saw three men standing nearby. When he saw them, he ran from the entrance of the tent to greet them, and bowing down to the ground, he said, ‘Sir, if I may ask you this favor, please do not go on past your servant. Let some water be brought that you may bathe your feet, and then rest yourselves under the tree. Now that you have come this close to your servant, let me bring you a little food that you may refresh yourselves, and afterward you may go on your way.’ “very well” they replied, “do as you have said”. Abraham hastened into the tent and told Sarah, “Quick, three seah of fine flour! Knead it and make rolls”. He ran to the herd, picked out a tender, choice steer, and gave it to a servant who quickly prepared it. Then he got some curds and milk and set these before them: and he waited on them under the tree while they ate. “Where is your wife, Sarah?” they asked him. “there in the tent” he replied. One of them said, “I will surely return to you about this time next year, and Sarah will have a son.” Sarah was listening at the entrance of the tent, just behind him”.

 

Dear friends, this is the beginning of the contemplation, and this is part of what we can do for the Lord, the Divine House Guest, when we receive Him. Take some time to contemplate what Abraham and Sarah’s hospitality was like. Next, contemplate what you do when you are having guests over. You probably clean your home, you may make preparations of some kind, you certainly answer the door when the guest arrives!

 

Our Eucharistic Lord is no ordinary house guest, He is Divine! We should think of every Mass as a grand celebration of His love, as it states in the DHG prayer. And what is Our Lord asking, hoping for after being recognized and warmly welcomed by you in Holy Communion? He tells us in the prayer. He is looking for REST, REFRESHMENT, SILENCE and DELIGHT! The Traveling Savior is looking for rest. He is traveling still. He is looking for a warm, hospitable place, a respite from the cold world of sin.

 

This hidden King is seeking refreshment. Doesn’t the Savior of the world deserve a cool drink? A nice meal? The cakes of gratitude. God hides His glory and seeks the refreshment that only a human heart and soul can give. This is what He has taught us.

 

The Divine House Guest is hoping to find silence in your soul. The all-important and hard-won silence, which is contra-mundum. Why? Because that is where He speaks to souls, in the silence.

 

Lastly, His Traveling Heart takes delight in us! He is delighted by a soul He finds ready to welcome Him!

 

Our God has never left us alone, not for one second! He has kept His promise to be with us until the end of the age. You can take rest and comfort in this fact. Souls should find great confidence in Our Lord’s Eucharistic closeness.