John Neumann And The Blessed Sacrament

  St John Neumann in repose at National Shrine in Philadelphia

Sometimes as I sit before Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament, I often think, "If I could just sit here and never leave." In fact sometimes when my hour is over, I very many times, find it difficult to leave, so I just sit for a few more minutes until I feel like it is Jesus telling me it is OK to leave.
Today the Church remembers St John Neumann. He was born in Bohemia in 1811. His desire was to work for the American missions and so came to the United States  and was ordained to the priesthood in 1836 in New York. In 1852 he was ordained bishop of Philadelphia where he worked tirelessly for the poor, Catholic education and immigrants. He died on this day in 1860, was beatified in 1963 and canonized in 1977.
St John Neumann had great devotion to Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament as is clear from a prayer I found in Magnificat for today's meditation. He too wished to spend much time there in Jesus' Presence.
As I read this prayer today while sitting in church before Mass, I once again had that thought, :If only I could sit here and never leave." But for most of us, Jesus has us out in the world in order to bring Him to those who need Him. St John Neumann knew this, and so do I.
So while I will spend as much time as the Lord permits me in His holy Presence, I will ask St John Neumann's intercession today for the grace to be in the world to bring Christ's gospel to my little part of it.
The following is the prayer/reflection written by St John Neumann.

How much I love you, O my Jesus. I wish to love you with my whole heart; yet I do not love you enough. My lack of devotion and my sloth make me anxious. I have one desire, that of being near you in the Blessed Sacrament. You are the sweet bridegroom of my soul. My Jesus, my love, my all, gladly would I endure hunger, thirst, heat, and cold to remain always with you in the Blessed Sacrament. Would that you in your Eucharistic presence I might unceasingly weep over my sins. Take entire possession of me. To you I consecrate all the powers of my soul and body, my whole being. Would that I could infuse into all hearts a burning love for you. What great glory would be given to you here on earth, if every heart were an altar on which every human will were laid in perfect conformity with your will to be consumed by the fire of your love.