Why did he not envy the 12 apostles?
St. Teresa of Avila said that seeing Jesus in the Eucharist is like seeing Jesus with the 12 apostles. Fr. Benedict Zimmerman’s commentary on the Minor Works of St. Teresa explains that Teresa saw the Body of Our Lord Jesus Christ in the Most Holy Eucharist so clearly with her mental sight, enlightened by faith, that she said she had no reason to envy those who had seen it with their bodily eyes.
Many saints had this faith in the Real Presence of Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament. St. Teresa and other saints knew in their hearts, minds and souls that Jesus was present in the consecrated host and that His Eucharistic presence was equivalent to His presence in Jerusalem 2,000 years ago. Before the Eucharist, it is harder to hear Jesus’ voice in our hearts, but He is still there.
St. Teresa’s faith reminds us that we can visit Jesus in a special way every day before the Blessed Sacrament, even if we think we can’t.
