THE
HIDDEN TREASURE:
OR
THE IMMENSE EXCELLENCE
OF
THE HOLY SACRIFICE OF THE MASS;
TOORTBCR WITH
A PRACTICAL AND DEYOUT METHOD OF
ASSISTING AT IT WITH FRUIT.
BY
BLESSED LEONARD OF PORT MAURICE.
NEW EDITION,
p WITH APPROBATION OF
gfo &tm tfct HM |Uo. 81. fallen,
LORD ARCHBISHOP OF DOBUV.
DUBLIN:
JAMES DUFFY, 7, WELLINGTON QUAY,
ABO
LONDON, 93, PATERNOSTER ROW.
1861.
- , . . , .... ~-
The present Work having been revised and
examined, We hereby approve it, and recommend
it to the Faithful, as well adapted to instruct and
edify them.
* PA UL CULLEN,
AECHBI8H0P OF DUBLIN, AID VRIMATE
OF IRELAND.
Dublin, January, 1861.
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CONTENTS.
Page.
Approbation ji
Memoir of Blessed Leonard . . . . vii
Chapter. I Three Special Excellences of the
aogust Sacrifice of the Mass ... 1
Chapter II. — A Short and Devout Method of hear-
ing Mass with great Fruit .... 45
Chapter III. — Various Examples to induce all the
Faithful of every State and Condition to hear
Holy Mass daily 62
§ 1. Examples to induce Priests to offer the
Holy Sacrifice of the Mass every Morning, ex-
cept in case of some legitimate Impediment . 64
§2. Examples of various Princes, Rings, and
Emperors 74
1 3. Examples for Ladies in high Station 80
j 4. For Women in general .... 83
> 5. For Tradesmen and Artisans ... 87
j 6. For Servants and Farm Labourers . 94
) 1. An awful Warning to all those who do not
set proper Value on the great Treasure of the
Holy Mass 98
An Easy Method of assisting at Holy Mass with
great Fruit 107—112
Exercises of Preparation and Thanksgiving for
Confession and Holy Communion . . .113
Prayers before Confession ib.
Another Prayer 116
Prayer after Confession ib.
Prayers before Holy Communion .117
Act of Faith . . . . ib.
Act of Adoration 118
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VI CONTENTS.
Pagre-
ActofHope 119
Act of Love ib.
Act of Contrition 121
Act of Humility 122
An Act of Desire 124
An Act of Offering 125
Devout Exercises after Communion ib.
Act of Thanksgiving 127
Act of Petition 129
Act of Oblation 131
Act of Self-Oblation to be made every Morning . ib.
How you should act after receiving the Holy
Communion 133
The Viaticum ib.
Conduct in the Church .... ib.
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PEEFACE.
In presenting to the pious reader this new edition
of the " Hidden Treasure," the Editor would
fain hope that it will obtain a favourable recep-
tion from all those who desire to strengthen their
souls with holy and wholesome truths, supplied
from the sacred Scriptures and other sources
recognized by the Church. The golden simpli-
city and unction which characterize the writings
of the Blessed Leonard of Fort Maurice, are
their strongest recommendation to all classes of
Catholics, and we need only, refer to the experience
of the pious missionaries who constantly exhort
the faithful to study the pages of. the '.' Hidden
Treasure," for incontestable proofs of the numeroup
and singular blessings which have resulted from
such reading. The holy author of this edifying
little volume was born in the town of Fort Maurice.,
not far from Genoa, in the year 1676, and re-
ceived in baptism the name of Faul Jerome.
When twelve years, old he was confided by. his
parents to an uncle residing at Borne, who com-
mitted him to the care of the illustrious Father?
of the Society of Jesus, from whom he received
his first lessons in sacred and profane literature.
Having made wonderful proficiency in his studies,
under the guidance of such eminent teachers, and
dbyVjVjVjyiV^
V1U PREFACE.
given indubitable signs that he was destined by
God to achieve great works for his honour and
glory, Paul Jerome resolved to abandon the
world for the austerities of a religious life, and he
accordingly sought and obtained admission into
the convent of St. Bonaventure— one of the
Franciscan monasteries at Rome — when he had
completed his twenty-second year. Thenceforth
the life of this blessed servant of God was an un-
interrupted series of truly apostolical labours in
Tuscany and throughout the Pontifical States ;
so much so, indeed, that on completing his fifty-
third year, he could count one hundred and three
missions which he had given to enormous multi-
tudes, who justly regarded him as a special instru-
ment in the hands of Almighty God. Notwith-
standing his excessive labours in the Lord's vine-
yard, extending over a period of forty-five
years, Blessed Leonard lived to the age of
seventy-five, when, after a short and painless
illness, he surrendered his soul to God on the
26th November, 1751. The Editor deems it
superfluous to add another word to the little he
has already said, regarding the merits of this
admirable work, since those, whose judgment may
not be doubted, have pronounced it to be a key
with which the pious Christian can unlock the
treasury of heaven, and thus draw largely on itb
all-sanctifying riches.
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THE HIDDEN TREASURE,
&c &c.
CHAPTER I.
THREE SPECIAL EXCELLENCES OF THE AUGUST SACRIFICE
OF THE MA 88.
I. How -it outrages one's patience to be obliged
to listen to the insulting language of certain liber-
tines, who, from time to time, utter scandalous
propositions, which savour of atheism, and are the
very bane of true piety. "A Mass more or a Mass
the less? say those impious people, "counts for.
nothing. It is a hardship to be obliged to assist at
Mass on holidays. The Mass of such a Priest is as
long as that of the Holy Week, and I always hurry
out of the church when I see him approaching the
altar." The person who speaks in this manner
shows unmistakeably that he has little or no re-
spect for the most holy sacrifice of the Mass.
Have you considered what the holy sacrifice of
the Mass really is ? It is the sun of Christianity,
the soul of Faith, the centre of the Catholic re-
ligion, the grand object of all her rites, cere-
monies, and Sacraments ; in a word, it is the
condensation of all that is good and beautiful in
the Church of God. Now, let me beseech you
who read these pages, to ponder well on what I am
about to say to you in the following instruction.
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Z MASS THE SAME ACT AS
II. It is an undeniable truth, that all the re-
ligions that existed ever since the foundation of
the world, have always had some sacrifice as an
essential part of the worship which they offered to
God. But as their laws were either vain or im-
perfect, so likewise were their sacrifices either vain
or imperfect. Vainest of all vain things were
the sacrifices of the idolaters, nor is it necessary,
at any length, to dwell on this subject ; and im-
perfect, too, were the sacrifices of the Jews, not-
withstanding that they once professed the true
religion, for their sacrifices were shadowy and
defective, so much so that St Paul* designates
them " weak and poor elements," because they
were incapable of cancelling sin or conferring
grace. The one great sacrifice of our holy re-
ligion, that is the Mass, is holy, perfect, and in
every respect complete, for by it the faithful
render the highest honor to God, professing, at
the same time, their own nothingness, and the
supreme dominion which God has over all. David J
called this sacrifice the "Sacrifice of Justice" and
truly, indeed, because it contains the Just of the
Just, the Holy of Holies, nay, Justice and Sanc-
tity itself, and because it sanctifies souls by the in-
fusion of grace, and the rich outpouring of the gifts
which it bestows. As it is, therefore, a sacrifice
so holy, so venerable, nay, and transcendently
excelling all others, we will now unfold briefly, yet
succinctly, some of its divine excellences, in order
that you may be enabled to form a proper notion
of this great treasure. I say some of them, be-
* Gal. iv. 9. t Ts. iv. 6.
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THE SACRIFICE OF THE CROSS. 6
cause to enumerate tbem all would be to undertake
what is far beyond our poor ability.
III. In what does the chief excellence of the
Mass consist ? In this, namely, that it is essen-
tially the same, nay the very same sacrifice that
was offered on the cross of Calvary, with this
sole difference, however, that the sacrifice of the
cross was bloody, and was offered once, and did,
on that one tremendous moment, satisfy fully for
all the sins of the world ; while the sacrifice of
the altar is an unbloody sacrifice, which can be
repeated throughout all times, and was insti-
tuted in order to apply to each of us that universal
atonement which Christ made for us on Calvary.
In a word, the bloody sacrifice was the instru-
ment of our redemption, and the unbloody places
us in possession of it. The one opened to us the
treasury of the merits of Christ our Lord, and the
ether gives us the use of that never-failing trea-
sury. Remember well, however, that in the Mass
there is made, not a mere representation, nor a
simple commemoration of the passion and death of
the Redeemer, but in a certain sense in it there is
performed that very same most holy action that
was performed on Calvary; and it can be said with
entire truth, that in every Mass our Redeemer re-
tarns to die mystically for us, although He does not
die really, thus being at one and the same time
alive, and, as it were, slain, according to the pas-
sage of the Apocalypse, " I saw a lamb standing,
as it were slain." On Christmas Day the Church
represents the birth of our Lord, but it is not true
that our Lord is born on that day. On the Feast
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4 MASS THE SAME ACT AS
of the Ascension, and on that of Pentecost, the
Church commemorates the ascent of our Lord to
heaven, and the coming down of the Holy Spirit
to men on earth, but it is not true that the Lord
ascends on that day to heaven, or that the Holy
Spirit descends visibly to earth. But the same
cannot be said of the mystery of the Holy Mass,
because in it there is made no simple representa-
tion, but, on the contrary, the very same sacrifice,
in an unbloody manner, that was once offered on
the cross with the effusion of blood ; that very
same body, that very same blood, that very same
Jesus that was once offered on Calvary, is now-
offered in the holy Mass. " The work of our re-
demption," says the Church, 4t is carried on" — ah,
verily it is carried on in the Mass, and therein is
repeated the same sacrifice that was offered on the
cross. Oh, the stupendous work 1 Now answer
me candidly, when you are going to the church to
hear Mass, do you bear in mind that you are going
to Calvary to be present at the Redeemer's death ?
If this thought was deep in your soul, would you
venture into the holy place with unbecoming gait,
or in apparel that is immodest ? Had Magdalene
gone to the foot of the cross on Calvary, bedizened,
perfumed, and with a display of finery such as she
wore in the time of her sinfulness, what would
have been said of her? Now what are we to say
of you who go to the holy place dressed out as for
some merry-making ? What should be said of you
if you were to profane that most august sacrifice
by unbeseeming conduct, such as nods, salutations,
laughter, whisperings, or, worse than all, lascivious
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THE SACRIFICE OF THE CROSS.
and sacrilegious glancings ? Iniquity is abomin-
able on all occasions and in all places, but the sins
that are committed during Mass, and under the
shadow of the altar, are sins which call down
God's signal maledictions, " Cursed be he who
doeth the work of the Lord deceitfully."* Ponder
seriously now while I unfold to you other and
still more marvellous excellences of this most
precious treasure.
IV. It would seem that the holy sacrifice of
the Mass could not have a more august preroga-
tive than this — namely, that it is no mere copy,
but original with the sacrifice of the cross.
Its perfection is brought out by considering that,
like the sacrifice of the cross, it has a God-man for
its priest. Certain it is, that in presence of so holy
a sacrifice three things should always be borne in
mind : the priest who offers, the victim offered,
and the majesty of God, to whom the oblation is
made. Now, ponder well on the indescribable
glory of the holy Sacrifice, and let each of these
three considerations sink deeply into your soul.
The priest who offers it is God made-man — Christ
Jesus ; the victim is the life of God ; nor is it
offered to any other than God. Revive your faith,
therefore, and recognise in that priest, who makes
the offering, the adorable person of our Lord Jesus
Christ. He is the primary offerer, not only be-
cause He has instituted this holy Sacrifice, and
given it all efficacy through His merits, but also
because in every Mass He, Himself, for love of us,
deigns to transubstantiate the bread and the wine
* Jer. xlviii. 10.
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6 ATTENDANCE AT MASS.
into his most holy body and into his most precious
blood. Behold, then, the grandest prerogative of
the holy Mass — its priest is God made-man ; and
when you see the celebrant at the altar, remem her
that his grandest dignity consists in being the
minister of this invisible and eternal priest, our di-
vine Redeemer himself. Hence it follows that the
sacrifice must be grateful to God, although the
priest who celebrates might happen to be iniqui-
tous and sacrilegious, since the primary offerer is
Christ our Lord, and the priest is merely His
simple minister. Thus, for example, the person
who gives alms through the hands of a servant is
justly termed the primary donor ; and although
the servant may be a wicked and sinful person,
provided the giver be good and virtuous, the alms
cannot fail to have their reward. Blessed, there-
fore, be God, who has given us a holy, nay a most
holy priest, who, not only in everyplace (the Chris-
tian religion being now propagated to the ends of
the world), but at all times, every day and every
hour (for the sun rises for others whilst it sets to
us), offers to the eternal Father this divine sacri-
fice. Therefore, at all hours, and in every quarter
of the globe, this most holy priest offers to the
Father his soul and his entire self for us ; and thin
He does as often as there are Masses celebrated
throughout the entire universe. Oh, immense trea-
sure ! Oh, mine of exhaustless wealth that we
possess in the Church of God I Oh, happy we,
could we but assist at all those Masses ! What a
capital of merits might we not then lay up ! what
an accumulation of graces in this life, and what a
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ATTENDANCE AT MASS. 7
fund of glory in the world to come would not
that devout assistance provide for us !
V. But why do I use the word assistance?
Surely those who hear Mass, not only perform the
function of assisting, but they are likewise offerers,
nay, and have a right to be called priests, accord-
ing to the Apocalypse, 4 " Thou hast made ua
to our God a kingdom, and priests ;" for, indeed,
the celebrating priest is a public minister of the
Church in common, and at the same time, a me-
diator for all the faithful, and particularly for those
who assist at Mass with the invisible priest, who is
Christ ; and together with him he offers to the eter-
nal Father, in behalf of all and of himself, the great
price of human redemption. But he is not alone
in this most august function, since all those who
assist at Mass concur with him in offering the holy
sacrifice ; and it is on this account that the priest
turns to the people and says, " Fray, brethren,
that mine and yovr sacrifice may be acceptable,"
in order that we may understand that although he
performs the part of principal minister, all those
who are present make the great offering along with
him. Hence, when you assist at Mass you per-
form to a certain extent the part of a priest. What
say you now ? Will you ever again dare to hear
Mass sitting, whispering, looking idly about you,
nay, sometimes even sleeping ; contenting your-
selves with reciting, thoughtlessly it may be, a
few vocal prayers, heedless, entirely heedless of
the tremendous office of priest which you are
exercising. Alas 1 1 cannot refrain from exclaim-
* Apoc t. 10.
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SUBLIMITY OF HOLY MASS
ing : Oh, stupid world, that does not estimate mys-
teries so sublime ! How is it possible that any one
can remain in presence of the altar with a distracted
mind and a dissipated heart at a moment when the
angels hover there trembling and astonished, ab-
sorbed in contemplating the effects of such a
stupendous work ?
VI. Are you astonished at hearing me call the
Mass a stupendous work? if so, let me ask you
what can there be more stupendous than the effect
produced by a few words pronounced by a simple
priest ? In fact, what tongue is there — angelic or
human — that can adequately describe a power so
measureless ? who could ever have imagined that
the tongue of a man, which of itself has not power
to lift a straw from the ground, would have been
endowed by divine grace with a power — oh, how
stupendous I — that can cause the Son of God to
descend from heaven on earth ? This power far
excels that of being able to remove mountains, drain
seas dry, or regulate the motions of the planets ;
nay more, the possession of this power, to a certain
extent, rivals that first fiat by which God created
all things out of nothing, and in a certain sense it
seems to excel that other fiat by which the great
Virgin attracted the Eternal Word to her b6som :
for she did nothing more than supply matter for
Christ's body which was formed from her most pure
blood, but not by herself, that is not by her own
act. But entirely different, and wonderful beyond
describing, is the sacramental manner in which the
words of the priest, whom Christ employs as his in-
strument, reproduce. Him every time that he conse-
*«
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ILLUSTRATED BY EXAMPLES. 9
crates. Blessed John Buono, of Mantua, gave a
singular illustration of this truth to a friend of his,
a hermit, who was not able to comprehend how
the words of a priest could be endowed with such
a tremendous power as to be capable of changing
'the substance of bread into the body of Jesus
Christ, and the substance of wine into his blood.
Let me add, moreover, that this poor hermit un-
happily consented to doubts which the devil sug-
gested. The good servant of God, perceiving the
man's error, brought him to a fountain from which
he took a vessel of water and gave it to him to
drink. After he had drunk he protested that he
never before, at any period of his life, had tasted
such a delicious wine. Hearing this, Blessed John
Buono said to him, " Dear brother, does not this
convince you of the marvellous truth ? If God
has been pleased to change the water into wine
through the agency of such a creature as I am,
how much the more readily should you believe
that by virtue of the words pronounced by the
priest, which are the words of God, the bread
and the wine are converted into the substance of
the body and blood of Christ ? And who shall
presume to limit God's omnipotence ?* This sin-
gular illustration, and the words of Blessed John,
dissipated every doubt from the mind of the her-
mit, who afterwards did great penance for bis sin.
A little faith, but a lively faith, will convince us
that the ineffable excellences contained in this
adorable sacrifice are beyond counting ; nor will
we be surprised at seeing the miracle repeated over
and over again at every hour and in every place,
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10 SUBLIMITY OF HOLY MASS.
since the sacred humanity of Jesus Christ is en-
dowed with a kind, if we may so speak, of im-
mensity not granted to other bodies. This mul-
tiplied existence of our Lord in the Sacrament
was, as we are told, illustrated to an unbeliev-
ing Jew by an illiterate woman. The Jew was
standing in the public street, where there was a
great crowd, and among them the woman, at
the very moment when a priest, carrying the
holy viaticum to a sick person, made his ap-
pearance, followed by a large multitude. All
the people knelt to adore the holy viaticum as it
was borne along ; but the Jew stirred not, nor
did he offer any sign of reverence. Perceiving
this, the woman, roused to indignation, arose,
pulled the cap off the Jew's head and gave him a
cuff on the cheek, exclaiming at the same time,
64 Infidel ! why do you not adore the true God in
the divine Sacrament ?* "What true God?*
said the Jew. " If the true God were there it
would follow that there must be an infinity of
Gods, since you assert that there is one on each of
your altars any time that Mass is celebrated."
Hearing this, the woman took a sieve, and placing
it between the Jew's eyes and the sun, told him to
look at the sun's rays through the apertures of this
sieve. When he had done as she directed, she
continued, " Tell me now, Jew, are there many
suns, or only one, passing through the apertures of
this sieve ? w to which the Jew answered, " There
is only one sun." " Then," replied the woman,
"why do you wonder if God, made-man and
shrouded in the Sacrament, though one, indivisible,
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NECESSITY OF HOLY MASS. 11
and unchanged, should, through excess of love for
us, present Himself really and truly on different
altars ?" This was amply sufficient to convince
the Jew; so much so, that he was compelled to
acknowledge the truth of our holy faith. Oh, holy
faith ! a single ray of thy light is sufficient to
enable the most illiterate to answer with fervor of
spirit. Ob, who will dare to set limits to God's
omnipotence ? So profoundly was St. Teresa im-
pressed with the idea of that omnipotence, that
she was accustomed to say, " the sublimer, deeper,
and more abstruse the mysteries of our holy faith,
the firmer and devout er is my belief, and the
greater is my reverence for them." And, indeed,
she was justified in expressing herself thus, for
she was thoroughly convinced that the omni-
potence of God can effect still greater wonders
far above our feeble intelligence. Revive your
faith, therefore, and acknowledge that this divine
sacrifice is the miracle of miracles, the wonder of
wonders, and that its highest excellence consists in
its being incomprehensible to our limited under*
standing. Amazed at such marvellous goodness
of our God, never cease repeating, Oh, treasure
inestimable ! oh, treasure beyond ail human com-
prehension ! But lest its prodigious excellence
should not awaken these sentiments in your soul,
let the necessity of such a holy sacrifice inspire
them.
VII. If there were no sun in the heavens what
would be the condition of this world ? Alas ! all
would be darkness, sterility, and indescribable
misery. And if we had net the holy Mass what
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12 NECESSITY OF HOLY MASS.
would become of us ? Oh, wretched indeed would
our condition be, deprived of every good, over-
whelmed with every evil ; for we should then be,
as it were, a target for the thunderbolt of God's,
anger. Some there are who seem astonished when
they fancy that our good God has, in a certain
sense, changed His mode of governing the world
since the ancient times ; for, in the latter He was
wont to be called the God of armies, and He used
to speak to the people out of the clouds with bolts
of thunder in His hands ; for, indeed, He punished
crime with all the rigor of His justice. For one
single adultery He put five-and-twenty thousand
of the tribe of Benjamin to the sword. For an
act of vainglory committed by David in making
a census of his kingdom, He sent a terrible plague,
which in a very short time swept off seventy thou-
sand of the population. For one irreverent and
incautious glance He slew fifty thousand of the
Betsamites. And in these our times He tolerates
not only vanities and frivolities, but adulteries the
most sordid, scandals the most barefaced, nay, and
the most frightful blasphemies which many Chris-
tians cast on His most holy Name. How then do
we account for all this ? Why this difference in
His mode of governing ? Is it because our ingra-
titudes are more excusable than those of our pre-
decessors ? Quite the contrary, indeed ; for as we
have received blessings far surpassing those that
were conferred on the Jews in the old dispensa-
tion, so are we far more culpable than they. The
holy sacrifice of the Mass is the true and sole rea-
son of such stupendous clemency, for in it we offer
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NECESSITY OF HOLY MASS. 13
to the eternal Father the great victim, Jesus Christ.
This is the sun of our holy Church which dissi-
pates the clouds and restores serenity to the
heavens. This, indeed, is the celestial rainbow
that stills the tempest of divine justice. For my
own part, I am persuaded that if it were not for
the holy Mass the world would have long since
tottered from its foundations, crushed beneath the
enormous weight of so many accumulated iniqui-
ties. The Mass is the ponderous and powerful
supporter on which the world rests — which keeps
it ironi falling into horrid chaos. Will not this
reflection convince you of the necessity of this
divine sacrifice ? But as this alone is not enough
we must know how to turn to good account the
blessings which it holds out to us. Wherefore,
when assisting at the holy sacrifice, let us bear in
mind a memorable fact recorded in the life of Al-
fonso Albuquerque, who, with his fleet, being over-
taken by a terrible storm at sea which threatened
him with certain death, had recourse to the follow-
ing expedient : taking a tender child that was at
that moment aboard his ship, and holding him up
to heaven he exclaimed, '< If we are sinners, this
innocent babe surely is free from sin. O Lord !
for the sake of this sinless child save us, sinners,
from death." Would you believe it ? God was so
appeased by the sight of that pure infant that the
storm was stilled, and the horror of impending
death, which caused the sailors to weep and trem-
ble, was turned into transports of joy. Now,
what think you does the eternal Father when the
priest, elevating the most holy victim of the altar
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14 THE FOUR ENDS OF SACRIFICE
exhibits to Him the innocence of His divine Son ?
Ah, surely His tender compassion cannot but be
moved at sight of the immaculate innocence of
Jesus, and surely that divine compassion must, in
a certain sense, be constrained to still the fierce
storms that assail us, nay, and to provide for our
necessities. Ah, indeed, if it were not for this
most holy victim, once offered for us on the cross,
and now daily offered on our altars, we one and all
might renounce all hope of heaven and look on
hell as our final destination. Yes, assuredly, were
it not for this ever blessed victim hell, hell should
be our portion ! But this treasure of the holy Mass
revives our hopes, and encourages us to look for
everlasting glory in that paradise which cannot be
forfeited except by our own folly and sinfulness.
If, therefore, it is the duty of a Christian to twine his
heart's affections round our altars, and to perfume
them with incense and flowers of sweetest odour,
it is still more necessary to honor them with purity
and modesty, since they are, in fact, the mercy-seat
from which we derive all good. With joined
hands, therefore, and hearts thrilling with holy
love, let us thank the eternal Father who has so
mercifully obliged us to offer to Him this heavenly
victim ; but let us be still more thankful for the
countless benefits we can draw from it, provided
we make the offering in the spirit of true believers,
and for the sublime ends for which He has be-
stowed this precious treasure upon us.
VIII. A proper appreciation of what is high-
minded and honorable must assuredly act with
great power on the human heart ; but a sense of
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SATISFIED AT HOLT MASS. 15
what tends to our own individual advantage not
only stimulates our efforts, but eventually enables
us to achieve a triumph, no matter how great may
be the obstacles thrown in our way. If, therefore,
you set little value on the excellence and necessity
of the holy Mass, how can you form any idea of
the vast benefits that it bestows on the living and
the dead, on the just man and the sinner, in life
and death, nay, and even after death itself?
Imagine yourself to be the debtor described in the
Gospel, who, overwhelmed by the weighty amount
often thousand talents which he owed, and being
commanded to pay, excused himself, and suppli-
cated piteously for time to discharge his obliga-
tion, " Have patience with me and I will pay thee
all ;"* and the self-same thing should you do, who
owe not only one but many sums to the bank of
divine j ustice. You ought to humble yourself and
beg time, even as much as is sufficient to hear
Mass, and you may rest satisfied that you will
thus be enabled to discharge all your debts with-
out drawback or abatement. The Angelic Doctor,
St. Thomas, teaches us what are the debts that
we owe to God, and he says that they are four,
and that each of them is infinite.
The first is to praise and honor the infinite
majesty of God, which is eminently worthy of
infinite honor and infinite praise.
The second is to make satisfaction for all the
sins we have committed.
The third is to thank and bless God for all the
benefits He has bestowed on us.
•Mattzriii.38.
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16 THE FIBST END OF SACRIFICE
The fourth is to supplicate Him constantly,
as the giver of all good gifts.
How then can we, miserable creatures, who de-
pend on God for the very air we breathe, make any
satisfaction for debts so numerous or so weighty ?
Let me at once, therefore, point out to you the
easiest way of doing so, and let me add that this
way of satisfying divine justice is one which should
console me, you, and all of us. Let us be diligent
in hearing Mass as often as possible, and with all
possible devotion ; and furthermore, let us endea-
vour to have as many Masses as possible celebrated
for our intention. By this means, be our debts
weighty as they may, and countless beyond num-
bering, there can be no doubt that we will be able
to discharge them all completely and entirely
by the treasure which is derivable from the holy
Mass. And in order that you may be fully en-
lightened, and have a perfect knowledge of each
of these debts, I will now explain them all one by
one, for your edification ; and here let me remark,
that this mode of proceeding must afford you the
greatest consolation, since it makes known to you
the great practical advantages, and the inex-
haustible wealth that you can draw from so rich
a mine on all occasions, and in all our necessities.
IX. The first debt by which we have bound
ourselves to God is to render Him supreme honor.
Even the natural law lays down this as an indis-
pensable obligation, namely, that every inferior
owes homage to his superior, and the more exalted
the latter, the greater the homage to which he is
entitled. Hence it follows, that as God possesses
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FIRST END OF HOLY MASS. 17
infinite greatness, we are bound to return Him
love, so to say, infinitely infinite. But, alas ! where
will we, miserable creatures, find any offering
worthy of our Creator ? Pass in review before
your eyes all the creatures of this world, and you
will not find one of them worthy of God. Ah,
what offering can there be worthy of God except
God Himself? And He who is seated on the
throne of His immensity vouchsafes to descend
and offer Himself as a victim on our altars, in
order that our homage may correspond perfectly
with the pre-eminence of His infinite majesty.
And this is effected in the holy Mass, in which
God is honored as he deserves to be honored,
because He is honored by God Himself, that is by
Jesus, who, placing Himself a victim on our altars,
adores the most holy Trinity by an act of inde-
scribable submission, such as no other can offer ;
so much so that all the offerings of all created
beings, compared to this humiliation of our Divine
Redeemer, are as the feeble light of the stars
before the meridian splendours of the sun. 'Tis
related of a holy woman, whose soul was intensely
inflamed with love of God, that she was accustomed
to express her ardent longings thus : " Ah, my
God, my God, I wish that I had as many hearts
and tongues as there are leaves on the trees, atoms
in the air, and drops of water in the sea, to love
thee as Thou deservest to be loved ! Oh, that I
could encircle all earth's creatures with my hands,
and lay them at thy feet, in order that they might
be inflamed with love of Thee, provided I might
love Thee more intensely than them all, nay, mor
c
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18 FIRST END OF HOLY MASS.
intensely than all the angels and saints, more than
Paradise itself V One day, when she was thus
breathing forth these devout longings with re*
doubled fervour, she had the happiness to hear our
Lord answering her in these words : <( Dear
daughter, be consoled, because, by a single Mass
at which you assist devoutly, you can render to
me all that glory for which your heart is on fire,
hay, and infinitely more." And are you astounded
at hearing this assertion ? But you have no rea-
son to be so ; because as our good Jesus is not
only man, but true and omnipotent God, He, by
humbling, Himself upon the altar, renders, by that
very act of humiliation, infinite homage and infi-
nite honor to the most holy Trinity, so that we
who co-operate with Him in offering the great
sacrifice are thus enabled, through him, to offer
unto God homage and honor which is infinite.
Oh, stupendous fact ! Let us repeat it over and
over again, since it never can be too deeply
graven on our memories, " Certainly, certainly,
by hearing holy Mass with proper dispositions,
we offer unto our God homage and honor that
is infinite !" Here, now, let holy amazement over-
whelm your souls, and reflect that nothing can be
truer than the proposition already laid down,
namely, that by assisting devoutly at holy Mass,
we bestow on God honor far surpassing that which
all the choirs of angels and saints, aggregated into
one great whole, can bestow upon Him in heaven,
for, notwithstanding their state of blessedness,
they, like ourselves, are mere creatures, and thus
their homage is limited and finite ; whereas, in the
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SECOND END OF HOLY MASS 19
Mass, Jesus humbles Himself, a humiliation
which is infinite in value and merits, and conse-
quently the homage and honor which we render to
God, through Him, in the Mass, is a homage and
honor that is infinite. And since this grand truth
cannot be doubted, ought we not congratulate
ourselves on having it in our power to be able to
satisfy this first debt by hearing the holy Mass ?
Oh, blind world, when wilt thou open thine eyes
to a truth so grand and so important? And
yet, alas ! you will have the folly to say, " a Mas*
the more or a Mass the less" counts for nothing !
Oh, abominable blindness !
X. Our second debt or obligation to God is to
satisfy His justice for the numerous and enormous
sins which we have committed. Oh, what a
mighty debt this is I A single mortal sin so pre-
ponderates in the scale of divine justice, that all
the good works of all the martyrs and saints who
have been, are, or ever shall be, could not satisfy
for it ; and yet, by means of the holy Mass, if we
but consider its intrinsic value and holiness, we
are enabled to make complete satisfaction for all
the sins we have committed. But in order that
you may rightly comprehend how deeply you are
indebted to Jesus, weigh well what I am about to
say to you. Although He has been offended and
outraged by our sins, yet, not content with having
satisfied divine justice for us on Calvary, He has
given, and continually does give us, the self-same
means of satisfying it (divine justice) in the holy
sacrifice of the Mass, because, by renewing in the
Mass that offering which Jesus made to the eternal
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20 SECOND END OF HOLY MASS.
Father on the cross, for the sins of the whole
world, that very same divine blood, which He once
poured out to ransom the human race, comes now
to be applied to each and every one of us, because
it is specially offered in the Mass for the sins of him
who celebrates, and also for the sins of all those
who assist at so tremendous a sacrifice. ' Let me
not be understood as saying, that the sacrifice of
the Mass cancels our sins immediately by itself, as
the Sacrament of Penance does, but, rather, that
it cancels them mediately, by obtaining for us
various most necessary aids, such as interior im-
pulses, holy inspirations, and actual graces, all
of which are calculated to enable us to do true
penance for our sins, either during the time of
Mass or at some other opportune period. And
it is for this reason that none but God can tell
how many souls arise from the slough and chains
of sin by means of the extraordinary aids which
they derive from this divine sacrifice. And here
let me impress on you, that although the sacrifice
of the Mass cannot avail him who is in mortal
sin as propitiatory^ it, nevertheless, can avail
him as supplicatory, so that all sinners ought to
hear many Masses, in order that they may ob-
tain more easily the grace of conversion. To
souls, however, that live in grace, it gives won-
derful strength, calculated to maintain them in
the state of grace; and it likewise cancels, by
itself (according to the more generally received
opinion), all venial sins, always provided that we
have repented of them in the aggregate, accord-
ing to what St. Augustine has left on record :
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AN OBJECTION ANSWERED. 21
« Whoever hears Mass devoutly will receive great
strength to avoid the commission of mortal sin,
and he shall likewise obtain remission of all the
venial sins that he may have committed up to
that time." Nor should this astonish you, if you
bear in mind what St. Gregory relates of a poor
woman who caused Mass to be celebrated every
Monday for the soul of her husband, who had
been made prisoner by certain barbarians, and
who, she thought, was dead ; for the holy sacri6ce
caused the chains to fall from his feet, and the
handcuffs from his wrists, so that during the
whole time these Masses were being celebrated
he was free, as he avowed when he came back
to her. How much the more should we believe
that a sacrifice so tremendous and holy must
be most efficacious in releasing us from the
spiritual chains, namely, venial sins, which keep
the soul, as it were, imprisoned, and prevent it
from acting with that liberty and fervour with
which it would have acted if it were not for such
impediments ? Oh, thrice holy Mass, which en-
nobles us with the liberty of the sons of God, and
satisfies for all the penalties which our sins de-
serve.
XI. But you will say to me : " Therefore, it
is quite enough for us to assist at, or cause a
single Mass to be celebrated, in order to get rid
of all those most weighty debts we owe to God by
reason of the many sins we have committed, be-
cause the Mass being of infinite value we can
thereby render to God an infinite satisfaction.''
Do not rush to so rash a conclusion, I beseech
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22 AN OBJECTION ANSWERED.
you, for although the Mass is of infinite value,
you must know, nevertheless, that God accepts
it in a manner limited and finite, and conform-
ably to the greater or less perfection in the dis-
positions of him who celebrates, causes to be
celebrated, or assists at the sacrifice. *' Whose
faith and devotion are known unto Thee," says the
Church in the canon of the Mass, thus teaching
us, by this manner of expression, what the great
divines inculcate, namely, that the greater or less
satisfaction applied by the sacrifice in our behalf,
is determined by the greater or less perfection in
the dispositions of him who celebrates, causes
to be celebrated, or assists at the sacrifice, as we
have said before. Now, only think of the folly
of those who go in search of a Mass celebrated
rapidly, or, what is worse, who assist thereat with
little or no devotion ; think of the culpable in-
difference of those who never ask to have Mass
celebrated for them, and who are careless in
selecting for that purpose priests who are most
remarkable for their fervour and devotion. " It
is certain," says St. Thomas, " that all sacrifices,
as sacraments, are equal in dignity, but they are
not equal, however, as far as regards the effects
that flow from them; hence, the greater the
actual or habitual piety of the celebrant, the
greater shall also be the fruit of the applica-
tion of the holy sacrifice, so that to make no
distinction between a tepid and a devout priest
in the function of celebrant, is % to be indifferent
whether the net with which you would fish be
big or little. All this is equally applicable to
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AN OBJECTION ANSWERED. 23
those who assist at Mass. And although I would
exhort you with all my energies to hear as many
Masses as you can, yet I feel bound to admonish
you that you should have more regard for the
greater devotion than for the greater number, be-
cause if your devotion at one single Mass be
greater than that of a man who assists at fifty,
you will give more honor to God in that single
one, and you will derive more benefit from it,
than the other does from fifty. "In satisfaction,"
says St. Thomas, " the disposition of the party offer-
ing is more regarded than the quantity of the obla-
tion ;" and although it is certain (as a profound
authority lays down), that in some particular
instance the justice of God might be satisfied for
all the sins of the most heinous criminal through
one Mass heard with entire and unalloyed devo-
tion, according to the Council of Trent, which
teaches that in consideration of the offering made
in this holy sacrifice, God grants the gift of
penitence, and then through the instrumentality
of true penitence, pardons the most grievous,
enormous, nay, and sins of infinite magnitude ;
nevertheless, since neither the internal disposi-
tion with which you assist at Mass is manifest
to yourself, nor the satisfaction corresponding to
it, you ought to secure yourselves as much as
you possibly can by hearing many Masses, and
hearing them with all possible devotion. And
thrice happy will you be if you cherish great
confidence in the mercy of God, that operates so
wonderfully in this divine sacrifice ; thrice happy,
indeed, if you assist as frequently as possible
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24 THIRD END OF HOLY MASS.
at Mass with lively faith and devout recollection
in your heart. Acting thus you may reason-
ably cherish the hope of going direct to heaven
without touching even the confines of Purgatory.
To Mass, therefore, to Mass, and never let such
a scandalous proposition as "a Mass more or a
Mass less counts for nothing," be heard from
your lips.
XII. Our third debt is one of gratitude for the
countless benefits that our most loving God has
bestowed upon us. Contemplate in one accumula-
tion all the gifts and all the graces which you have
received from God ; so many gifts of nature and
grace, body, soul, and senses, intellectual faculties,
health, and life itself; add to all these the very life
of His Son Jesus, and the death that He suffered
for love of us ; and then say to yourself, does not
all this increase a thbusand fold the debt that I
owe to God ? But when will we ever be able to
thank Him as we ought ? If the law of gratitude
is observed by even the untamed beasts that have
often changed their fierce nature into gentleness to
those from whom they received a kindness, much
more, surely, should it be observed by men gifted
with the great powers of reason, and so eminently
endowed by the divine liberality. But then, again,,
so great is our poverty that we have no means of
making a return for the least of the countless
blessings which we have received from God ; be-
cause as the very least of them all comes to us from
the hands of a Majesty so exalted, and accompa-
nied by infinite charity, it acquires an infinite value
and obligates us to an infinite correspondence.
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THIRD END OF HOLY MASS. 25
Ob, wretched we 1 if we cannot sustain the weight
of one single benefit how will we be able to bear
the still greater weight of benefits so great, nay,
and so innumerable ? Are we then placed in the
direful necessity of living and dying ingrates to
our supreme benefactor ? No, no ! take heart and
be of good cheer, for the manner of thanking our
good God completely was taught us by holy David,
who, beholding with prophetic eyes this divine
sacrifice, clearly confesses that nothing save the
holy Mass can render due thanks to God. " What
shall I render unto the Lord for all His benefits to
me ?" asks the psalmist; and then answering him-
self he continues : " I will take the cup of salva-
tion," (according to another version) " I will raise
on high the chalice of the Lord," — that is, I will
offer a sacrifice most acceptable to Him, and with
this alone I shall satisfy the debt of so many and
so singular blessings. Bear in mind, likewise, that
this sacrifice was instituted principally by our Re-
deemer for this end, namely — to acknowledge the
divine beneficence and to thank it ; and it is on
this account that it is emphatically called Eucharist,
which signifies an offering of thanks. It was He
Himself who gave us the example, when at the
Last Supper, before consecrating in that first Mass,
He raised His eyes to heaven and thanked His
heavenly Father. Oh, divine thanksgiving, that
discovers to us the sublime end for which this tre-
mendous sacrifice was instituted ; and invites us
to conform ourselves to our supreme Head, in order
that in every Mass at which we assist we may
know how to avail ourselves of so great a treasure
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26 THIRD END OF HOLY MASS.
by offering it in gratitude to our supreme Bene-
factor. And that we may be more zealous in
carrying out the divine intentions, let us always
remember that all Paradise, the Virgin Mother
and the angels and saints, exult when we offer this
tribute of thanks to so great a Monarch.
XIII. It is related of the venerable sister Fran-
cesca Farnese, that her whole life was tormented
by a thousand yearnings of love, because she felt
that she knew not how to return adequate thanks
to her Lord for the divine blessings with which
He had covered her from head to foot. It was on
one of those occasions, when she was lamenting
her inability to offer to God the gratitude which
He so eminently deserved, that the Virgin Mother
appeared to her, and placed the heavenly Infant in
her arms, saying, " Take Him, for He is yours,
and with Him alone you will find it easy to dis-
charge all your obligations." Oh, thrice blessed
Mass, which places the Son of God not only in our
arms and hands but also in our hearts! "A
little child has been given to us,"* in order
that we may be enabled to do that which exceeds
our unassisted weakness ; for most certainly with
His aid we will be able to discharge, fully and en-
tirely, the debt of gratitude that we owe to God.
Nay, in the holy Mass we give to God, in a parti-
cular sense, something more than what He hath
bestowed upon us ; if not in reality, at all events in
appearance ; since once only the eternal Father
has given us His divine Son in the incarnation,
• Isaiah, is. 6.
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FOURTH END OF HOLY MASS. 27
and we give Him back to Him again countless
times in this holy sacrifice. Hence, to a certain
extent, it seems that we possess the advantage,
not, indeed, in the quality of the gift, since nothing
greater than the Son of God could have been given
to us, but apparently by returning to Him so often
and repeatedly the very identical gift. Oh, great
and most loving God, would that each of us had
countless tongues to return thee infinite thanks for
this inestimable _ treasure of the holy Mass with
which thou hast enriched us I Have you as yet
learned to set due value on this -great treasure ?
Ah, if hitherto it has lain a treasure hidden from
you, now that you have begun to know its tran-
scendent value, let a holy amazement overwhelm
you, and repeat, over and over again, incessantly :
Oh, treasure incomparable I oh, treasure beyond
all price !
XIV. But the infinite benefit of the holy Mass
does not end here ; for it enables us, moreover, to
pay the fourth debt which we owe to God. I
have already told you that that debt is one which
obliges you to supplicate Him incessantly, and to
ask new graces of Him. You are well aware that
your necessities of soul and body are grievous and
numerous ; and you know, besides, that you must
needs have recourse to Him at every moment of
your existence for His compassionating help, since
He. and He alone, is the chief source of all our
good, temporal as well as eternal. But, on the
other hand, with what dispositions of heart or soul
can you supplicate Him to give you additional aids
of grace, seeing, as you do, the limitless ingratitude
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28 BLESSINGS OBTAINED BY HOLT MASS.
you have exhibited to Him, notwithstanding the
countless graces bestowed upon you ? Nay, have
you not turned the very graces He gave you into
so many insults and outrages against Him ?
Nevertheless, let not your heart wax faint, but
rather be of good hope ; because, if you have not
deserved those graces our good Jesus has deserved
them for you. In fact, for this end He has deigned
to become in the Mass a pacifying Victim, that is,
a supplicating sacrifice, in order to obtain through
it (the Mass), from the eternal Father, all things
we may require. Yes, yes, in the holy Mass our
dear and beloved Jesus, who is our great high
priest, recommends our humble petition to His
Father, nay, prays for us and becomes our advo-
cate. If we only remembered that the Virgin
Mother unites her supplications with, ours to the
eternal Father to obtain the graces which w,e need,
how confident should we be that our prayers will
be heard ? What confidence, what hope, therefore*
should we not cherish when we bear in mind that
in the Mass Jesus Himself prays for us, nay, offers
His most precious blood to the eternal Father for
us, and becomes our advocate ? Ob, thrice blessed
Mass, thou art the exhaustless mine of all our
good.
XV. But we must go deep into this inesti-
mable mine in order to discover the great treasures
that it contains. Oh, what priceless jewels of grace,
and virtue ! Oh, what super-excellent gifts does
not the holy Mass obtain for us ! In the first place,
it obtains for us all the spiritual graces and all the
goods needful for the soul ; as, for example, true
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BLESSINGS OBTAINED BY HOLT MASS. 29
sorrow and repentance for sins, victory over temp-
tations, no matter whence they come, whether
from evil associations with bad companions, or
from the internal promptings of our own rebellious
nature. Yes, the holy Mass obtains for us all
those aids of grace which we need in order to be
able to arise from the slough of sin, to stand erect,
and walk onward in the ways of God. It likewise
obtains for us innumerable holy inspirations and
internal impulses, which dispose us to skake off
tepidity, and stimulate us to work out our salva-
tion with a fervour more ardent, with will more
prompt, and intention purer and more meritorious.
All these aids are accompanied by an inestimable
treasure ; and, indeed, they are the most efficacious
means of obtaining from God the grace of final
perseverance (on which our eternal salvation de-
pends), and also a moral certainty of eternal bea-
titude in the life to come, so far as that certainty
is vouchsafed to man during his mortal pilgrimage.
Furthermore, it obtains for us temporal goods, in
as far as they are conducive to the salvation of the
soul, health of body, abundance, peace, with the
exclusion of all the evils that are opposed to it, be
they pestilence, earthquakes, wars, famine, perse-
cutions, litigations, domestic hostilities, calumnies,
and insults ; in a word, it liberates us from all
evils and enriches us with all that is good. And
to sum all in one short sentence — the holy Mass is
the golden key of Paradise ; and since the eternal
Father has given us this key, what is there of all
His unbounded treasures that He can refuse us ?
" He that spared not even His own Son, but deli-
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30 BLESSINGS OBTAINED BY HOLT MASS.
vered Him up for us all, how hath He not also,
with Him, given us all things?"* Hence, you
may clearly understand with what good reason a
certain holy priest was wont to say when speaking
of the holy Mass : *• No matter how great the
graces I ask of God for myself or others as often
as I celebrate Mass, they all are a mere nothing
compared to the offering that I make to Him ! M
He, indeed, reasoned rightly when he said, " All
the favors that I ask of God when celebrating
holy Mass are created and finite things, whereas
the gifts that I offer to Him are increated and
infinite; and so, to balance the account equi-
tably, I am the creditor and He is the debtor."
Of course, he knew that the gift, and the power
of offering the gift, came primarily" from God ;
and, full of this conviction, he asked great graces
of God and obtained still greater. And you, how
is it that you are not alive to all this ? Why do
you not ask great gains and graces ? I would
advise and exhort you to beseech God, as often
as you assist at Mass, to make you a great saint.
Do you think that I advise you to ask too much?
Well, I tell you that it is not too much. Has
not our loving Lord and Master told us in His
Gospel, that He is ready to bestow the kingdom of
heaven on a man in return for a cup of cold
water given for love of Him to a disciple ? How,
therefore, could He refuse us a hundred heavens,
did so many exist, in return for the blood of His
blessed Son offered to Him in the Mass ? Why,
Rom. viiU
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BLESSINGS OF HOLT MASS. 31
therefore, would you hesitate to believe that He
will bestow upon you every virtue and all the
perfections that are required to make you a saint,
yea, a great saint in heaven ? Oh, blessed Mass !
Let your hearts' wishes, therefore, be multiplied
a thousand- fold, and ask as much as you will,
always bearing in mind, that you are asking of a
God who does not impoverish Himself by giving,
and, consequently, the more you ask the more
will He give you.
XVI. But, have you reflected on this ? Besides
the blessings we ask of our good God in the holy
Mass, He is wont to grant us many others for
which we have not asked Him. St. Jerome affirms
this as certain : " Assuredly," says the Saint, " the
Lord grants all the favours for which we petition
Him in the Mass, provided they be suitable to us ; and
what is far more admirable, He very often grants
us that for which we do not petition Him, always
provided that we place no obstacles to His holy de-
signs." Hence, the Mass may be justly described
as the sun of the human race, shedding its splen-
dors on the good and bad ; nor does there exist on
this earth a single soul so perverse, who, hearing
holy Mass, does not derive some great benefit
from it, often without even thinking of it We
have a singular instance of this in a narrative
which Saint Antoninus has left on record ; 'tis the
following : " Two young men of dissolute habits
went one day into a forest to amuse themselves,
after one of them had assisted at the holy sacrifice
of the Mass. Suddenly the sky was overcast with
thick clouds, and amid the loud pealing of the
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32 BLESSINGS OF HOLT MASS.
thunder, and the flashes of the lightning, they dis-
tinctly heard a mysterious voice crying aloud,
'Kill, kill!' when, lol the youth who had not
heard Mass was struck down by the lightning and
burnt to ashes. Terrified at this awful spectacle,
his companion took to flight, hoping to save his
life, when, to his horror, he heard the same voice
repeating the word, ' Ball, kill!' Giving himself
up for lost, he was every instant expecting the
fatal blow, when he heard another voice replying :
J cannot, I cannot, for to-day he heard 'The Word
was made flesh,* and the Mass he heard wiU not suffer
me to strike him dead." Oh, how often has God
shielded you from death, or, at all events, from
many and many a terrible danger, for the sake of
the holy Mass at which you assisted 1 St. Gregory
the Great assures you of this in his Book of Dia-
logues. Hear what he says : " It is most indu-
bitably certain, that whosoever hears Mass shall
be secured from many and many a danger, both
foreseen and unforeseen." And St. Augustine
adds: "Whoever hears Mass devoutly shall be
preserved from a sudden death, which is the most
awful weapon with which divine justice punishes
the sinner." "Lo,'' says the Saint, " here is the
wonderful preservative against a sudden death,
hear Mass every day, but hear it with all possible
devotion." Whosoever bears about him such an
invaluable preservative as this may live morally
certain that he shall not be overtaken by such a
terrible calamity. There is an opinion, attri-
buted by some to Saint Augustine, namely, that
a person does not grow older during the time he
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BLESSINGS OF HOLT MASS.- 33
assists at the celebration of the holy Mass, but,
on the contrary, remains all the time in the same
essential vigour in which he was at the beginning
of the divine offering. I am not disposed to
examine whether this be true or not ; but I affirm,
that although a person assisting at holy Mass
grows older, as far as age is concerned, he, never-
theless, does not grow older in sin, because, as
Saint Gregory tells us : " A well-disposed man,
who hears holy Mass with the due attention,
is preserved in the way of rectitude, while grace
and merit increase in him, and he is making new
acquisitions of virtue, which render him more and
more acceptable to God." Nay, more, St. Bernard
informs us, that "more is gained by one single
Mass (and let ns understand him as speaking of its
intrinsic value) than by distributing all your sub-
stance among the poor, or going on pilgrimages to
all the most venerable sanctuaries on this globe."
Oh, infinite wealth of the holy Mass ! Let this
truth strike deep root in your heart. By assisting
at or celebrating a single Mass, considered in
itself and its intrinsic worth, one may become more
meritorious in the sight of God than he who,
opening the treasury of his hoarded wealth, dis-
tributes all that he possesses for the relief of the
poor, or goes on a pilgrimage throughout the
universe, visiting, with consummate devotion,
the sanctuaries of Jerusalem, Rome, Compostella,
Loretto, and every other besides. This grand
truth is easily deduced from what St. Thomas, the
Angelic Doctor, lays down in the following words :
" The holy Mass contains all those fruits, all those
D
y VjVJD^I^
34 BLESSINGS OF HOLY MASS.
graces, nay, and all those infinite treasures which
the Son of God scattered so abundantly over His
Church in the bloody sacrifice of the cross."
Now pause awhile, close the book, read no further
for the present, but rather count one by one all
those particular utilities or advantages of holy
Mass. Ponder them well in silence, and then
answer me, will you ever again have any diffi-
culty in believing that a single Mass, viewed in
its intrinsic worth and value, is of such efficacy
that, according to the Doctors of the Church, it
might have sufficed to obtain the salvation of the
whole human race? Suppose that our Lord
Jesus Christ had not suffered at all on Calvary,
and that instead of the bloody sacrifice of the
cross He had solely instituted the Mass, with ex-
press command that this one single Mass should
only be celebrated in all the world once. Well,
then, had God been pleased to act thus, you must
know that that one single Mass, celebrated by
the humblest priest on earth, would have been
most amply sufficient (considered m its intrinsic
value, and so far as its own share in the work is
concerned) to obtain from God the salvation of
all mankind. Yes, yes; one Mass — admitting
the case we have supposed — would have been
sufficient to obtain the conversion of all the
Turks, of all the Schismatics, in fine, of all the
infidels, and even of all the bad Christians,
closing the gates of hell against all sinners, and
delivering from Purgatory all the souls that are
being purged there. But, alas ! we, miserable
and thoughtless beings, by our tepidity, feeble
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BLESSINGS OF HOLY MASS. 85
devotion, and the scandalous immodesties which
we commit over and over again while assisting at
Mass, how much, oh! how much do we narrow
its vast circumference, and render its inestimable
value inefficacious. Would that I could ascend
to the summit of the loftiest mountain and cry
aloud, so that the whole world might hear me
exclaiming, Foolish, foolish people, what are ye
doing ? Why will you not hasten to the churches
to assist at every Mass celebrated therein ? Why
won't you imitate those holy angels, who, accord-
ing to St. John Ghrysostom, descend in thousands
from the heavens when Mass is being celebrated,
and array themselves before our altars, covered
with wings of holy awe, tarrying there during
the august sacrifice, in order to intercede more
efficaciously for us, knowing well that this is the
most opportune time and the most propitious
occasion that can be for obtaining favors from
heaven ? Ah! are you not filled with shame and
confusion when you call to mind how little value
you have hitherto set upon the holy Mass ? Will
you not blush for having often and often pro
faned this thrice sanctified oblation ? But what
shall I say of you, if, unhappily, you are one of
those whose rash and impious tongues dare to
say, " a Mass more or less counts for nothing f y
XVII. And now, before concluding this in-
struction, let me remind you, that it was not by
mere accident I told you before, that a single
Mass, as far as itself is concerned, and in the
sense of its intrinsic value, is sufficient to clear
Purgatory of all the souls that are being purified
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36 SPECIAL REFLECTIONS UPON
there, nay, and to send them straight to Paradise ;
since the Divine Sacrifice is not only beneficial
to the souls of the defunct, as propitiatory and
satisfactory of their penance, but it also avails
them as supplicatory, or, in other words, it obtains
for them remission of the Purgatorial pains.
Hence, the usage of the Church, which not only
offers the holy Mass for the souls in Purgatory,
but prays in the holy Sacrifice for their liberation ;
and in order that you may be excited to commi-
serate those holy souls, excluded for awhile from
the Beatific Vision, let me warn you, that the
fire in which they are plunged is as devouring e
fire, and nowise less dreadfully intense than that
of hell. This assertion is made on the authority
of St. Gregory the Great, who, in his Dialogues,
informs us, that "the flames of Purgatory are, as it
were, the instrument of divine justice, operating
with such terrible power as to render the agony
of the souls detained there intolerable. These
pains," continues the Saint, " far exceed all the
tribulations, nay, and martyrdoms that can he
witnessed, felt, or imagined in this life ;" but far
more excruciating to them is the pain of loss, or
in other words, the temporary exclusion from
the beatific vision of God, which, according to
the Angelic Doctor (St Thomas), tortures them
with an indescribable agony ; a fierce and burn-
ing thirst to behold the Supreme Good that is
denied to their yearnings. Here now enter into
your own heart, and weigh well what I am going
to say. If it so happened, that you beheld your
own father or mother drowning in a pool of water.
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THE PRECEDING INSTRUCTION. 37
and if you could save them by merely stretching
out your hand, would you not consider yourself
bound by the law of charity and of justice to stretch
out your hand for their rescue? And how do you
act ? Aided by the light of faith, you behold many
and many a poor soul immersed in the sea of
Purgatorial fires, nay, you behold, it may be, the
souls of your nearest and dearest kinsfolk so cir-
cumstanced, and yet, will you be so heartless as
not to bear the trifling inconvenience of assisting
devoutly at one Mass for their release, or the alle-
viation of their agonies ? What sort of a heart
have you ? Surely you cannot doubt, that even
a single Mass can bring exceeding great comfort
to those poor souls ? If (which God forbid) you
have any doubt on this subject, let the words of
St. Jerome, who deserves your firmest belief
bring conviction to your soul, and awaken in it a
holy compassion. Ponder well what this holy
Doctor of the Church tells you. " The souls in
Purgatory, for whose comfort the priest offers the
holy Sacrifice of the Mass, suffer no torment while
Mass is being celebrated" Nay more, he adds,
that " at every Mass many souls are liberated from
Purgatory, and ascend to Heaven. Bear in mind
also, that this charity or holy compassion for the
poor souls in Purgatory will redound to your
own good ; and, although I might adduce many
proofs in confirmation of this truth, I will confine
myself to one well authenticated in the Life of
St. Peter Damian. This holy servant of God,
when a mere stripling, after losing his parents,
was taken into the house of his brother, who
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38 EXAMPLE OF ST. PETEE DA MI AN.
treated him very cruelly, compelling him to go
barefoot, ragged, and subjecting him to every
sort of the most squalid poverty. It so happened,
that one day he found a trifling coin, I know not
of what value. I leave you to imagine whether
he rejoiced or not. As for himself, it seemed to
him that he had lit upon a treasure. But how
was he to spend it ? His pitiable condition, so
poor, and . so cheerless, suggested to him many
ways of employing the money which he had
found ; but after pondering the matter over and
over again in his mind, he resolved to give the coin
to a priest, as an alms for celebrating Mass for the
holy souls in Purgatory. Well, will you believe it ?
from that day forward his fortune was changed for
the better, for he was adopted by another brother
of amiable disposition, who took him into his
house, treated him as his own child, clothed him
comfortably and sent him to school, whence he af-
terwards came forth that great man and saint, an
ornament to the Cardinalitial purple, and one of
the most illustrious pillars of the Church. Now,
you see how in one single Mass, which this holy
personage caused to be celebrated at some
trifling inconvenience, all this happiness had its
origin. Oh ! most holy Mass, that at one and the
same time benefits the living and dead. Oh 1 most
holy sacrifice, so replete with blessings for time
and for eternity ; for you must bear in mind, that
the souls in Purgatory are so grateful to their
benefactors, that on being admitted into heaven,
they become their advocates, never ceasing in
3ir holy petitions till they see them in pos-
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ANOTHER EXAMPLE. 39
session of glory. A singular proof of what I
have here laid down is narrated in the history of a
woman — a native of Rome — who for many years
led a scandalous life, indulging her passions, and
corrupting youth. Nevertheless, notwithstanding
the infamy of her career, this unfortunate sinner
very frequently caused Mass to be celebrated for
the souls in Purgatory ; and this, indeed, was the
only good she ever did. Now, as we may piously
believe, it was these souls who interceded so
effectually for their benefactress, that she one day
was seized with heartfelt sorrow for her sins —
sorrow so vehement that she abandoned wicked-
ness, flung herself at the feet of a zealous priest,
made a good general confession, and died soon
afterwards with such dispositions as left no doubt
of her eternal salvation. This grace of conver-
sion and happy death, so truly marvellous, was
attributed by many to the virtue of the Masses
which she caused to be celebrated for the holy
souls in Purgatory. Let us, therefore, cast off
tepidity, and be on our guard, lest "publicans
and harlots go into the kingdom of God before
us."*
XVIII. If, unhappily, you were one of those
hard-hearted misers, who not only lack common
charity, neglecting to pray for their deceased
friends, never assisting at a single Mass offered
for the souls in Purgatory, and what is still
worse, trampling on every dictate of justice, by
refusing to pay the pious legacies bequeathed by
• Matt «i. 81.
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40 INIQUITOUS CONDUCT
their predecessors for Masses ; or if you were one
of those priests who accumulate large sums given
for Masses, which they neglect to celebrate ; oh!
with what earnestness I would say to your face,
" Begone, for you are worse than the veriest
devils ; aye, infinitely worse, since the demons
torment none but reprobate souls, whereas you
torment the souls of the elect. No, there is
no confession that can avail you ; no absolution
for you that is valid ; nay, no confessor that can
absolve you, if you do not repent sincerely
of so tremendous a crime, and if you do
not satisfy, to the last farthing, the obligations
that you have contracted with the departed.
But you will say to me : " Father, I cannot — I
have not the means/' What I you cannot, for-
sooth ! you have not the means ! But you have
means to make fashionable display — means to
gratify luxurious and voluptuous tastes — means
to lavish on rich feastings, in country-houses,
balls, merry-makings, sometimes in the public-
house, and sometimes in the horrid dens of vice !
But to satisfy your obligations to the living, and
what is more, to the poor deceased, you have not
the means, you cannot ! For shame ! But I now
understand you rightly, and let me tell you that
although there is no one on earth to take you to
task for this robbery of the dead, you shall, one
day, have to square the account with God, at the
bar of His judgment. Go on frustrating the in-
tentions of the deceased, appropriating to your-
selves their pious bequests, the monies they be-
queathed for Masses, but remember that the ora-
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OF UNWORTHY CATHOLICS. 41
cle of the prophet has registered against you a
terrible menace of misfortunes, sickness, worldly
reverses, appalling calamities, and irreparable ruin
of your substance, life, and honour. Yes, so hath
God declared, and He will be true to His word.
* They ate the sacrifices of the dead — thus they pro-
voked him to anger. 9 '* Yes, yes! ruin, disgrace,
and woes without remedy shall overtake those
who do not satisfy their obligations to the dead !
With good reason, therefore, did the fourth
Council of Carthage pronounce all those guilty
of this crime excommunicated, branding them as
murderers of their neighbours ; and let me add,
that the Council of Valence declared that they
should be expelled from the Church like infidels.
And yet, this is by no means the severest punish-
ment that God inflicts on those whose hearts
cherish no love for their deceased brethren ; ah,
no ! the full measure of their punishment is re-
served for the other world, for St. James declares,
that they shall be judged by God with all the
rigour of His justice — without a single particle of
mercy, because they showed no mercy to the poor
departed. «' Judgment without mercy to him
that hath not done mercy . w f Nay, more, God
will permit that their successors shall pay them
in the same coin ; that is, their last wishes shall
not be fulfilled, neither shall the Masses, for
which they have provided in their wills, be
celebrated ; or if celebrated, God will not accept
them for their souls' sake, but will turn them
to the relief and release of deserving souls,
• Ps. ov. f St. James, If. 13.
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42 PUNISHMENT OF SUCH PERSONS.
who, during their mortal term, had pitying and
prayerful hearts for their deceased brethren. It is
related in the Chronicles of our Order, that one
of our friars appeared, after death, to a compa-
nion, and showed him the marks of the bitter
punishment he had to endure in Purgatory, par-
ticularly because he had been negligent in cele-
brating Masses for his deceased Brothers. He
likewise declared, that all that had been done for
him up to that moment was of no avail to him,
and that the very Masses which had been offered
for his repose afforded no benefit to him, because
God, in punishment of his negligence, had applied
them to other souls, who, while on earth, acted
compassionately to their brethren in Purgatory.
XIX. Before concluding this instruction, let
me, on bended knees, and with hands uplifted,
implore all who read this little work not to close
it till they have made a firm resolution of hence-
forth employing all possible diligence in assisting
at Mass, and causing to be celebrated as many
Masses as your means will permit, not only for
the souls of the deceased, but also for your own.
There are two motives which should determine
you to adopt this counsel : the first, that you may
obtain the blessing of a holy death, for it is the
unalterable opinion of pious and learned men,
that there is no more efficacious or desirable means
for obtaining such a happiness than the holy
Mass. It is related that Christ, our Lord, re-
vealed to Saint Matilde, that whosoever, during
life, has been accustomed to hear Mass devoutly,
shall, in the hour of death, be comforted by the
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AN EXHORTATION. 43
presence of Angels and his holy advocates, who
will defend him triumphantly from all the as-
saults of the infernal fiends. Oh, what a happy
and holy death must be yours, if, during life, you
shall have endeavoured to hear Mass as often as
possible!
The second motive that should animate you is,
that you may get a speedy release from Purga-
tory and wing your way to eternal glory, since
there can be no surer means of obtaining from
God a grace so precious as that of going straight
to Paradise without touching Purgatory, or at
least of not being detained long there in puri-
fying fames, than Indulgences and frequent
celebrations of the holy Sacrifice. As for Indul-
gences, the Popes have drawn largely on the
treasury of the Church by granting them co-
piously to all those who hear Mass with due
devotion. Then as to the efficacy of the most
holy sacrifice of the Mass in hastening the re-
mission of the pains of Purgatory, what I have
said heretofore is amply sufficient. But if you
need anything more on this head let me remind
you of the example and authority of that great
servant of God, John d'Avila, the oracle of
Spain, who, being interrogated in his last agony
what he most longed for, and what he most ear-
nestly wished to be done for him after his death,
replied, " Masses, Masses !" And now, before
dismissing this part of the subject, allow me to
give you an advice which is of great moment,
ause all the Masses which you would wish to
be offered for you after your death to be. cele-
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44 AN EXHORTATION.
brated while you are still living in this world.
Do not trust to those who survive you for the
performance of this holy work. I am the more
anxious to impress this on you, because St. An-
selm affirms, that a single Mass heard or cele-
brated for your soul during life may be more
beneficial to you than a thousand celebrated after
your death. Let me quote the saint's words:
To hear even one Mass devoutly during onis life, or
to give an alms for having it celebrated, is a far
better thing than to bequeath alms for the celebration
of a thousand after your decease. A certain
wealthy Genoese merchant, who, at his death,
left nothing in suffrage for his soul, set proper
value on this grand truth. Every one wondered
that a man so rich, so pious, and so generous
to all, could have been so cruel to himself at the
hour of death, But after his interment there
was found a little book, in his own handwriting,
which showed how much he had done for his soul
during life. Let me copy some of the entries :
" Masses which I have caused to be celebrated
for my soul, 2,000 lire; for dowries to poor girls,
10,000 ; for a certain pious institution, 200, &c,
8tc." At the end of this little memorandum he
wrote as follows : " He who wishes to do good,
let him do it while he is living ; nor trust to
those who may survive him." A very trite pro-
verb tells us, that "a taper before gives more
light than a torch behind." Let this edifying
example be graven deeply on your heart, and
ponder well the excellence and advantages of the
holy Mass. Be amazed at the blindness in which
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METHOD OF HEARING MASS. 45
you have lived hitherto, not setting due value on
this treasure so great, so immense ; a treasure,
indeed, which has lain for you, alas ! too long
hidden. But now that you have learned its value,
dismiss for ever from your mind, and still more
from your lips, such scandalous propositions as
" A Mass more or less counts for nothing,"
" 'Tis a hardship to be obliged to assist at Mass
on holidays." " The Mass of such a priest is as
long as that of Holy Week : when he approaches
the altar I get up and quit the church." Make
a firm resolution to hear henceforth as many
Masses as you can, and take heed that you hear
them with due devotion. And in order that you
may be enabled to do so, make use of the follow-
ing practical and devout method which I have
arranged for you. May God bless you.
CHAPTER H.
A 8HORT AMD DEVOUT METHOD OF HEARING MA 88
WITH GREAT FRUIT.
L It was the opinion of St. John Chrysostom,
as we have already stated in the foregoing in-
structions (and this opinion is approved and con-
firmed by St. Gregory, in the Fourth Book of
Dialogues), that while the priest is celebrating
holy Mass the skies open, and multitudinous
legions of angels come down from Heaven to
assist at the divine sacrifice. And St. Nilus,
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46 METHOD OF HEARING MASS.
abbot and disciple of the said St. John Chry-
sostom, protested that he beheld, while the holy
Doctor was celebrating, legions on legions of those
celestial spirits assisting the sacred ministers dur-
ing the performance of this most holy function.
Now, let me point out to you the best method of
assisting with great profit at holy Mass. Ap-
proach the church as if you were approaching
Calvary, and prostrate yourself before the altar
as you would before the throne of God in the
society of his holy angels. See, therefore, how
much modesty, reverence, and attention is re-
quired of us in order that we may gain the fruit
and blessings which God is wont to grant to
those who honour with devout deportment (inter-
nal and external) mysteries so sanctified.
II. We read that while the Jews were cele-
brating the sacrifices of the old law (which were,
indeed, nothing but sacrifices of oxen, lambs, and
other animals), it was edifying to witness with what
earnestness, decorum, and silence, the entire body
of the people assisted thereat; and although
the multitude of the people was countless, inde-
pendently of the seven hundred ministers who
sacrificed, nevertheless, so still and solemn was
the behaviour of all, that one would have ima-
gined that the temple was empty, not as much as
a whisper or a sigh being heard. Now, if those
old shadowy sacrifices, which were nothing more
than figures and types of the tremendous sacri-
fice of the new law, deserved so great re-
spect and veneration, how great should be your
silence, devotion, and attention, during the
y VjVJD^I^
METHOD OF HEARING MASS. 47
celebration of holy Mass, in which the very
Immaculate Lamb, the Word made Flesh, is
oftered up for us. No one was more deeply
impressed by this reflection than the great St.
Ambrose, who (as Gesarius relates), when cele-
brating the divine mysteries, after reading the
Gospel, used to turn to the people and exhort
them, one and all, to devout recoliectedness, com-
manding them at the same time to observe pro-
foundest silence, not only by avoiding the merest
whispering, but also by abstaining from coughing
and every other sort of noise. And, indeed, the
people paid attention to his instruction ; and
every one who assisted at the Mass he celebrated
felt himself overawed by a holy dread, and was
so intensely moved that he derived great fruit
and increase of grace.
III. Such is the scope of this little work,
whose only aim is to enlighten and excite every
one who deigns to peruse it to embrace, with
fervor of spirit, the practice and method of
assisting at Mass which is here described. But,
since the methods of assisting at Mass, which
have been hitherto taught, are so various, each
and all of them devout and most holy, as is
evidenced by the numerous little books published
for the greater benefit of the faithful, it is not
my intention to do violence to your free wilJ,
but rather to leave you to select that one which is
more agreeable to your devout inclination and
capacity. I will merely act the part of your
Guardian Angel, by suggesting to you the most
profitable method, namely, that which, in my
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48 FIRST METHOD OF HEARING MASS.
humble judgment, may prove to be the most
useful and easiest. With this end in view, I will
divide the whole matter into three classes.
IV. The first method of hearing holy Mass is
that followed by those who, with their prayer book
before them, accompany all the actions of the
priest with the profoundest attention ; reciting at
each of them a vocal prayer, which they have in
their book, and in this way they employ the
whole time of holy Mass reading; and most
assuredly, this is a most excellent method of
assisting at Mass, nay, and a most profitable one,
provided the reading be united with a profound
consideration of the sacred mysteries. But as it
involves an entire restraint, obliging the person
assisting at the sacrifice to fix his mind on each
of the holy ceremonies performed by the priest,
and then to return with his eye to the book, in
order to read the prayer corresponding to the
mystery, it becomes in practice very wearying,
and I think that few persevere in this method, or
continue to adopt it for any considerable length
of time, although in itself most useful. The
weakness of our minds, which easily become
overpowered by being obliged to reflect on each
of the various actions performed by the priest at
the altar, will account sufficiently for what I have
said on this head. Nevertheless, let those who
find it good for them, and derive spiritual profit
by it, continue to observe it, particularly as God
will not allow such a laborious application of the
mind to be deprived of its fitting reward.
V. The second method of hearing holy Mass
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SECOND METHOD OF HEARING MASS. 49
is that observed by those who, using no books,
and abstaining from every sort of reading during
the time of the holy sacrifice, fix their mental
eye, enlightened by faith, on Jesus Crucified, and
leaning against the tree of the cross, gather from
it fruits of a sweet contemplation, spending the
whole of that time in pious interior recollection,
and sweetly meditating the sacred mysteries of
our Lord's passion, which is not only represented,
but is mystically carried out in that holy sacri-
fice. It is a fact beyond all doubt, that. those
who centre their mental faculties in God are
enabled to perform heroic acts of Faith, Hope,
Charity, and other virtues, and it is likewise
certain that this method of hearing Mass is far
more perfect than the first, nay, and more sweet
and attractive. We have a happy illustration of
this in the history of a good lay-brother, who
used to say, that when hearing Mass he read only
three letters. The first was black, that is to say,
the consideration of his sins, which awakened
in him confusion and repentance, and this occu-
pied his meditations from the commencement of
Mass to the Offertory. The second (letter) was red,
that is to say, the meditation of the Passion of
our Lord, contemplating that most precious blood
which Jesus shed for us on Calvary, by suffering
a death so full of agony, and in this he occupied his
mind to the Communion. The third letter was
white, because while the priest was communi-
cating, he united himself mentally with Jesus in
the sacrament, thus making a spiritual commu-
nion, after which he remained all absorbed in
• E
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50 THIRD METHOD OF HEARING MASS.
God, meditating on the glory for which be hoped
as fruit of that divine sacrifice. This simple-
minded man heard Mass with great perfection,
and I would to God that all might learn of him
knowledge so sublime.
VI. The third method of hearing holy Mass
with profit is to observe a middle course, that is
to say, one which does not require the reading of
many vocal prayers, as is laid down in the first,
nor a very exalted spirit of contemplation, to
which those aspire who follow the second. But
if you consider it rightly, you will find that it is
the one more in accordance with the spirit of the
Church, which encourages us to unite our inten-
tions to those of the celebrating priest, who is
bound to offer the sacrifice for the four ends in-
dicated in the preceding Instruction, this being,
as St. Thomas (the Angelic) informs us, the most
efficacious means of paying to God the four
great debts which we owe to Him. Now, as you
exercise, to a certain extent, the function of priest
when you assist at Mass, you should be influenced,
as much as possible, by the consideration of the
four ends already indicated ; and nothing will be
more easy to you than this, if you only practise,
during the time of holy Mass, the four offerings
which shall be described to you hereafter. Here
is the precise practical rule for you, if you are
really anxious to realise it. Carry this little
book about with you till you have learned the
said offerings, or at least till you are well imbued
with the meaning of the same, since it is not im-
portant that you should adhere strictly to the
•
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THIRD METHOD OF BEARING MISS. 51
mere words; and as soon as Mass is begun,
while the priest humbles himself at foot of the
altar, saying the Confiteor, fyc, do you also (after
a brief examination of conscience) excite in your
heart an act of true contrition, asking of God
pardon for your sins, and invoking the assistance
of the Holy Ghost and of the Blessed Virgin,
that you may be enabled to hear that Mass with
entire reverence and devotion. Then divide it
into four distinct periods of time, in order to pay
during each of them the said four great debts,
according to the following method and form.
VII. In the first period, which will be from
the beginning to the Gospel, you will endeavour
to pay the first debt, namely, of honoring and
praising the majesty of God, which is worthy of
infinite honor and infinite praise. Humble your-
self, therefore, with Jesus, and sinking into the
abyss of your own nothingness, acknowledge
sincerely that you are a most miserable nothing
before the majesty of God, and thus humbled
interiorly, and also with a composed and modest
exterior (for so should you always comport your-
self at holy Mass), say : — " Ah, my God ! I adore
Thee for my Lord and the Master of my soul,
I protest that all I am and have are Thy gifts.
And, because Thy majesty merits infinite honor
and homage, I, who am a poor, miserable crea-
ture, utterly incapable of paying the great debt
which I owe to Thee, offer to Thee the humilia-
tions and homage which Jesus presents to Thee
on the altar ; what Jesus does, I also intend to
do. I humble and prostrate myself with Him
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52 THIRD METHOD OF HEARING MASS.
before Thy majesty. I adore Thee with the same
humiliations which Jesus offers to Thee. I am
filled with joy and delight in reflecting that Jesus
gives Thee, for me, infinite honor and homage."
Then close the book, and continue exciting many
internal acts of desire, that God should thus be
infinitely honored ; repeat them over and over
again, frequently saying : " Yes, yes, my God, I
am filled with joy for the infinite honor that re-
dounds to thy Majesty from this most holy sacri-
fice. I am enraptured at it, and rejoice for it
with all my powers, mental and physical." Nor
need you adhere to the words, since it is better
for you to use the language which your own
devotion will dictate, while you are filled with
recollection and united to your God. Oh! how
fully will you pay your first debt by assisting at
the first part of the Mass in this manner.
VIII. In the second period of time, which
shall be from the Gospel to the Elevation, you
will pay your second debt. Reflecting for a
moment on the excessive enormity of your sins,
and seeing the immense obligation which you have
incurred by them to the divine Justice, say
with heartfelt humility, *» Behold, my God, the
traitor who has so often rebelled against Thee.
Ah! with a sorrowful heart, and with all the
affections of my soul, I abhor and detest my
most grievous sins, and I offer for them the same
satisfaction which Jesus presents to Thee on the
altar. I offer to Thee all the merits of Jesus,
the blood of Jesus, Jesus entirely, God and man,
who is here immolated again for me. And,
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THIBD METHOD OF HEARING MASS. 53
since my Jesus Himself is, on this altar, my
. mediator and my advocate, and since, with His
most precious blood, He implores pardon for me,
I unite with the cry of His blood, and supplicate
mercy for all my sins. The blood of Jesus cries
for mercy, and my sorrowful heart also implores
mercy. Ah ! my dear God, if my tears do not
move Thee, let at least the groans of my Jesus
excite Thy pity. Why should He not obtain for
me that mercy which He obtained for the whole
human race upon the cross ? Yes, I hope that
for the sake of that most precious blood, Thou
wilt pardon all my most grievous sins, which I will
continue to bewail till my last breath.'' Having
shut the book, repeat many of these acts of true,
intimate, and profound contrition. Let your heart's
affections have free course ; and without noise of
words but in your inmost heart, say to Jesus, u My
dearest Jesus, give me the tears of Peter, the contri-
tion of Magdalene, and the tender sorrow of the
saints, who, although at one period sinners, were
afterwards true penitents, in order that during
this Mass I may obtain a general pardon for all
my sins!" Entirely absorbed in God, make
many acts of this sort, aDd rest assured, that you
shall thus most fully discharge all the debts
which you have contracted by so many grievous
sins.
IX. In the third period of time, which shall
be from the Elevation to the Communion, calling
to mind the great and important blessings re-
ceived from God, you will, in return for them,
offer to Him a gift of infinite value, namely,
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54 THIRD METHOD OF HEARING MASS.
the body and blood of Jesus Christ. Then
you will invite all the angels and all the saints,
to thank God for you in the following or in some
similar manner: — "Behold me, O my most
loving God! loaded with the general and par-
ticular benefits which Thou hast bestowed, and
wilt bestow upon me in time and eternity. I
know that Thy mercies to me have been and are
infinite. But I am ready to pay Thee for all,
even to the last farthing. Behold the tribute of
my gratitude, the payment which I offer for all
Thy goodness, is this Divine blood, this most
precious body, this innocent victim, which I pre-
sent to Thee by the hands of the priest. I am
certain that this oblation is sufficient to pay for
all the gifts Thou hast conferred upon me ; this
gift of infinite value is an equivalent for all the
favours I have ever received, now receive, or ever
may receive from Thee. Ah ! ye holy angels, and
all ye blessed spirits, help me to thank my God ;
and, in thanksgiving for His great benefits, offer to
Him not only this Mass, but also all the Masses that
are now celebrated throughout the whole world,
that His loving goodness may be fully recompensed
for all the graces which He has bestowed, and is
to bestow upon me now and for eternity. Amen."
Oh, how pleasing to our good God will be such
a heartfelt thanksgiving! Oh, how much will
He be delighted with this sole oblation which,
because it is of infinite value, has greater efficacy
than all other offerings singly or collectively I
And in order to awaken deeper and livelier
devotion in your heart, invite all the choirs of
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THIRD METHOD OF HEARING MASS. 55
heaven to come to your assistance ; nay, implore
all those saints to whom you are most devout to
intercede for you, and say from the depths of
your heart, «' Oh, all my holy patrons and inter-
cessors, thank the goodness of God for me, so
that I may not die with the sin of my ingratitude
on my soul. Ah, beseech and supplicate Him to
accept the weak throbbings of my heart, and to
look benignly on the loving thanksgivings which
my Jesus offers to Hira for me in this Mass."
Far from being satisfied with expressing yourself
thus once only, repeat it over and over again,
and rest convinced that by this means you will
do much towards satisfying entirely this great
debt. But in order to make success still more
certain, you should, every morning, make the act
of offering, which begins, " My eternal God" (I
give it at the end of this little book), offering
with this intention all the Masses that are being
celebrated at the time throughout the entire
world.
X, In the fourth period of time, which shall be
from the Communion to the end of the Mass, after
having communicated spiritually, while the priest
is communicating sacramentally, in the manner
which I will point out at the end of this chapter,
contemplate God within your own heart, and
then take courage to ask of Him many graces,
being convinced that at that time Jesus unites
Himself with you, nay, prays and supplicates for
you. Therefore expand your heart, and ask not
things of trifling value, but rather ask great
graces ; for, exceeding great, indeed, is the obla-
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56 THIRD METHOD OF HEARING MASS.
tion of the Divine Son which you present to tjie
Father. Address Him, then, with humbled heart
in this manner, " My dear God, I acknowledge
that I am utterly unworthy of thy favour; I
confess my infinite unworthiness, and that, for
my manifold and grievous sins, I do not deserve
to be heard. But how canst Thou refuse to hear
Thy Divine Son, who, on this altar, prays for
me, and offers for me His blood and His life ?
Ah ! my most loving God, hear the prayers of
this my great Advocate, and, for his sake, grant
me all the graces which Thou knowest to be
necessary to secure the great affair of my eternal
salvation. I am now encouraged to ask of Thee
a general pardon of all my sins and the gift of
final perseverance. Trusting in the prayers of
my Jesus, I ask of Thee, O my God ! all virtue,
in an heroic degree, and all the efficacious helps
necessary to make me truly a saint. I ask of
Thee the conversion of all infidels and sinners,
and particularly of those who are related to me.
I ask of Thee the liberation, not of one soul
only, but of all the souls in Purgatory; release
them all, I beseech Thee, so that, through the
efficacy of this divine sacrifice, that dungeon
where they are being purified may be emptied.
Convert the souls of all those who sojourn in
this miserable world, till it becomes for Thee
a paradise of delights; and grant that, after
having loved, reverenced, and praised Thee here
below, we may finally come to praise and
bless Thee for all eternity. Amen." Ask,
also with fervor, blessings for yourselves, for
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THIRD METHOD OF HEARING MASS. 57
your children, and for your friends, kinsmen,
and acquaintances ; ask relief for all your neces-
sities, spiritual as well as temporal ; ask for the
fulness of all good, and release from all evils, for
our holy Church ; and do not ask with tepidity,
but with great conBdence, and rest assured that
your prayers, united with those of Jesus, will
most certainly be heard. When Mass is ter-
minated make an act of thanksgiving, as in the
agimus tibi gratias, to God, and leave the church
with heart contrite as if you were descending the
hill of Calvary. Now answer me this question :
If all the Masses at which you have assisted
hitherto had been heard by you in this manner,
would not your souls have been enriched with
treasures beyond counting? Oh, what a loss
you have sustained while you assisted at the un-
bloody sacrifice, looking curiously about you,
watching who came in and went out of the
church ; nay, sometimes whispering to one ano-
ther, half asleep, or, at most, muttering over a
few vocal prayers without the least interior re-
collection ! Resolve, therefore, to adopt this
most sweet and easy method of hearing Mass
with fruit, which consists in discharging the
four great debts which you have contracted with
God ; and rest thoroughly convinced, that in a
very little time you will earn for yourself a rich
accumulation of Ihe choicest graces. Adopt this
method and it will never again be your misfor-
tune to say, " A Mass more or less counts for
nothing."
XL As regards the way of making a spiritual
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58 SPIRITUAL COMMUNION.
communion while the priest is communicating in
the Mass, it is necessary that you should be in-
formed of what the holy Council of Trent teaches
on this subject ; namely, that we can receive the
most holy Sacrament in three ways : the first, only
sacramentally ; the second, only spiritually ; the
third, both sacramentally and spiritually. Here
I will not speak of the first (way), that is to say;
of the communion of those who, like Judas, re-
ceive the body of the Lord unworthily ; nor of
the third, which is common to all those who com-
municate worthily, or in the state of grace ; but
I will speak of the second, which is peculiar to
those who, as the holy Council says, not being
able to receive the body of the Lord sacramen-
tally, receive it spiritually, with acts of a lively
faith and a fervent charity, and with a burning
desire to unite themselves to that supreme good,
thus rendering themselves capable of receiving
the fruit of this divine Sacrament. In order,
therefore, to facilitate such a holy practice, I pray
you to ponder well on what I am going to say.
At the moment when the priest is about to com-
municate in holy Mass, do you (observing at the
same time, a perfect composure, external, as well
as internal), excite in your heart an act of sincere
contrition, and humbly striking your breast in
acknowledgment of your un worthiness to receive
so great a grace, make all those acts of love, self-
offering, and humility, with all the rest that you
are accustomed to make when you communicate
sacramentally, and then yearn, with an earnest
longing, to receive your adorable Jesus who has
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SPIRITUAL COMMUNION. 59
deigned to veil Himself in the Sacrament for your
spiritual and temporal welfare. And in order to
make your faith still more lively, imagine that
the Mother of God, or some one of your patron
saints administers the adorable particle to you ;
think that you are actually receiving it, and after
embracing Jesus in your heart, say to him over
and over again with heart-felt words dictated by
love, u Come, dearest Jesus, come into this, my
poor unhappy heart, come and satiate my long-
ings: come and sanctify my soul: come, my
sweetest Jesus, come !" And having said this, or
something like it, remain silent, contemplating
your good God within you, and — just as if yon
had received sacramentally — adore Him, and thank
Him ; nay, and make all those acts which you
are accustomed to make after the sacramental
communion.
Now you are to bear in mind, that this blessed
and holy spiritual communion (alas, so little prac-
tised by Christians in our times !) is a treasure
which enriches the soul with inestimable wealth ;
and, as very many spiritual writers inform us,* it
is so useful that it is capable of producing the
very same graces which sacramental communion
produces, and, in some instances, greater. For
although, in fact, sacramental communion (thai
is to say, when you receive the adorable particle
really), is, of its own nature, capable of producing
greater fruit, because being the Sacrament, it
* Among others, Father Rodriguez, Christian Perfection, p-
2, Tract 8, c. 15.
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60 SPIRITUAL COMMUNION.
possesses virtue ex opere operate;* nevertheless, a
soul can make a spiritual communion with so
much humility, love, and devotion, as to deserve
greater grace than another soul which communi-
cates sacramerUdlly, but without dispositions so
entirely excellent.
Our divine Redeemer has so manifested his
delight at this practice of spiritual communion,
that on several occasions, and with signal mira-
cles, He has deigned to give willing ear to the
pious longings of his chosen servants ; sometimes
administering the holy communion to them with
His own hands, as was the case with blessed
Clare of Montefalco, Saint Catherine of Siena, and
Saint Liduina ; sometimes by the hands of angels,
as to my patron, St. Bonaventure, called the
Seraphic Doctor, and to the two holy bishops,
Onoratus and Fir minus ; and sometimes also
through the medium of the blessed Mother of
God, who wished to administer the holy commu-
nion with her own hands to the blessed Silvester.
Nor should we wonder at these prodigies of love,
because spiritual communion inflames the soul
with love of God, nay, unites it to God, and dis-
poses it to receive His most signal favours. How,
then, with this truth so plainly before you, can
you continue to be so cold and insensible ? and
what excuse can you allege to exempt yourself
from such a devout practice? Ah! make your
choice at once, and, furthermore, bear in mind
that this holy spiritual communion gives you
this advantage over the sacramental communion,
* i.e., by ils own intrinsic efficacy.
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CONCLUDING REMARKS. 61
that the latter can be made only once each day,
while the spiritual communion may be repeated
at all the Masses at which you assist. Besides,
it may be made even when you are not at Mass,
at morning, mid-day, evening, or night ; in the
church, in your own house, without asking per-
mission of your confessor. In a word, so often
as you reduce to practice what I have here laid
down for your instruction, so often will you make
a spiritual communion, and by ihis holy custom
you will enrich yourself with graces, and merits,
and every good.
Here, then, I have now unfolded to you the
object of this unpretending little book. Its sim-
ple aim is to kindle in the hearts of all those who
peruse it a holy desire, that there may be intro-
duced into the Catholic world, the devout custom
of hearing holy Mass every day with the most
solid piety and devotion, and that at each time
you assist at the holy sacrifice each and all of
you may make a spiritual communion. Oh,
what blessings would come upon you if this end
were attained ! Then, indeed, I should hope to
behold throughout the whole universe, all that
holy fervour which was witnessed in that golden
age of the primitive Church, when the faithful
assisted every day at the holy sacrifice, and every
day communicated eacramen tally. If you are
not worthy of such a holy privilege, at least assist
at Mass every day, and every day make a spiri-
tual communion. If I succeed in winning you
who peruse these pages, I will imagine that I
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62 INSTRUCTIVE EXAMPLES.
have gained the entire world, and I will regard
my humble labour as well expended. But in
order to remove once and for ever all the excuses
which some persons are wont to make for not
hearing holy Mass, the following chapter will
display to your view various examples applicable
to persons of every condition, to prove that if they
deprive themselves of so great a good it is through
their own fault, their tepidity and want of zeal
in serving God ; and that the remorse which such
shortcomings must cause them at the hour of
death shall indeed be great.
CHAPTER III.
VARIOUS EXAMPLES TO INDUCE ALL THE FAITHFUL, OF
EVER* STATE AND CONDITION, TO HEAR HOLY MASS
DAILY.
Numberless are the excuses which those who
attend holy Mass rductantly allege for their tepi-
dity. You will find them wholly devoted to
their avocations, all-absorbed in worldly pursuits,
and intent on promoting the most sordid interests.
For these every sort of fatigue is trifling ; nor is
there any amount of labour which they are not
willing to endure, while for assisting at the holy
sacrifice, which is the greatest affair of all, you
will find them heedless and cold, with a hundred
frivolous pretexts at hand, such as, serious occu-
pations, weak health, family broils, want of time,
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INSTRUCTIVE EXAMPLES. 63
multiplicity of engagements, &c. In a word, if holy
Church did not compel them, under pain of mortal
sin, to hear Mass at least on festivals, God
knows whether they would ever enter a church or
bend a knee before an altar ! Oh, shame ! Oh,
bitter disgrace to our times! Wretched we! How
have we declined from the fervour of the early
Christians, who, as has been related above,
assisted at the holy sacrifice every day, and
refreshed themselves with the bread of angels by
communicating sacramentally. And yet, they
were not exempt from business and toil ; nay, by
this very means, they were enabled to attend to
their worldly concerns properly, thus promoting
their every interest, spiritual and temporal.
Blind world, when wilt thou open thine eyes to
an error so palpable ! Christian soul, arouse thee
— 6hake off tepidity ! and let this be thy most
cherished, thy most constant devotion — to hear
holy Mass every day, and to make a spiritual
communion at its celebration. In order to secure
a consummation so holy, I know no means more
efficacious than example ; for it is an indubitable
maxim that we are influenced by example ; and
everything comes easy to us when we see it
practised by our equals and acquaintances.
"What,'' said St. Augustine, rebuking his own
waywardness, " are you not able to do what has
been done by those men and those women ?"* I
will, therefore, lay before you various examples
relating to distinct classes of persons, and by this
means I trust to be able to gain you alL
• Conf. 1. 8, c. xi.
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64 EXAMPLES FOB PRIESTS.
§. 1.
EXAMPLES TO INDUCE PRIESTS TO OFFER THE HOLT
SACRIFICE OF THE MASS EVERY MORNING, EXCEPT
IN CASE OF SOME LEGITIMATE IMPEDIMENT.
Awaken, oh! ye priests of Christ, and
take heed, in the first place, that the eye of your
intention be pure and entirely fixed on God.
For this purpose I adjure you, before you com-
mence Mass, to renew, at least mentally, the four
ends already pointed out and prescribed by the An-
gelic Doctor, and in the " Memento,* after apply-
ing the holy sacrifice for those to whom you are
under obligation, make succinctly those offerings
to the Most High, directing them to those holy
ends for which the Mass has been instituted —
that is, to honour God, to thank Him, to make
satisfaction to Him, and to obtain from His good-
ness all the blessings which we need; observe all
possible diligence in celebrating the adorable
Sacrifice with profoundest modesty, recollected-
ness, and attention, reverently, without haste,
taking ample time to pronounce all the words
correctly and distinctly, and performing all the
sacred ceremonies with that gravity and decorum
which is required of you. Now I tell you, that
if the words are not pronounced distinctly, and if
the holy ceremonies are not performed with
gravity and strict observance of the Rubric, instead
of being an aid to piety and religion your neglect
or indifference will scandalise those who assist at
the sacred function. It should be the celebrant's
chiefest care to observe the most unbroken inte-
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EXAMPLES FOB PRIESTS. 65
rior recollectedne88, attending to the sense of the
words which he pronounces, relishing their signi-
fication and spirit, and making in his inmost
heart acts of various virtues, corresponding to
their holy inspirations. Thus will the priest be
enabled to pour, as it were, additional devotion
into the hearts of those who assist at the holy
Sacrifice, and thus will he be enabled to derive
great profit from it for himself. Having pre-
mised all this, and taking it for granted that
every priest acknowledges the excellence of this
method of celebrating, I would exhort them, one
and all, to make a firm and inflexible resolution
of offering the divine sacrifice every morning;
for if the laity were accustomed to communicate
daily in the time of the primitive Church, with
how much more reason are we to believe that
the priest should celebrate daily ? " Daily do I
immolate the Immaculate Lamb to God," said St.
Andrew to the tyrant, and St. Cyprian, in one of
his Epistles, writes, "We, priests, who daily immo-
late the sacrifice to God." St. Gregory the Great,
writing of St. Cassius, Bishop of Narni, informs
us, that God commanded one of the holy prelate's
.chaplains to tell him, that he did well by cele-
brating the holy sacrifice daily ; that his devotion
was grateful in His sight, and that He would
reward it amply in heaven. Now, on the other
haifd, what are we to say of those priests who,
through merest negligence, omit the daily oblation
of the holy Mass ? Who could ever describe
adequately the great loss which they inflict on
the Church ? Let the maxim of the Venerable
, F
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66 EXAMPLES FOR PRIESTS.
Bede be graven on your heart, " The priest who,
without a legitimate impediment, fails to celebrate
daily, deprives, as far as it is in his power to do
so, the holy Trinity of praise and glory, the angels
of joy, sinners of pardon, the just of aid and
grace, the sonls in Purgatory of suffrage and
alleviation, the Church of immense benefit, and
himself of medicine and cure." Where will you
find me a robber so unequalled, who, at one swoop,
commits such extensive plunder, as does the
priest, who, without a legitimate impediment,
neglects to celebrate, and thus despoils the living
and the dead, nay, the whole Church, of so many
blessings ? Nor, will it avail him to urge, that
he is overwhelmed by occupations. The blessed
Ferdinand, Archbishop of Granada, and who
was also the prime minister of that kingdom, and
consequently engrossed with multitudinous occu-
pations, was wont, nevertheless, to celebrate
every morning. The Cardinal of Toledo inti-
mated to him, that the Court regretted that he
celebrated each day, overwhelmed as he was with
so many serious occupations;* but the servant
of God replied, " 'Tis precisely for that reason
that I offer the holy sacrifice every morning ; for ,
their Highnesses have imposed so heavy a burden
on my shoulders, that I can find no better support
against being weighed down to the ground than
the holy sacrifice of the altar, from which I derive
strength to bear the onerous responsibility placed
upon me." And of far less avail is a certain species
of humility, as we find exemplified in the case of
* Rodriguez, p. 8, Tract 7, c. 16
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EXAMPLES FOB PRIESTS. 67
St. Peter Celestine, who, on account of the ex-
alted estimate which he had formed of so great a
mystery, wished to abstain from celebrating
daily. While meditating this half-formed reso-
lution, a holy abbot, from whom he had received
the habit of a monk, appeared to him, and spoke
thus, in a tone of imperious remonstrance:
"Where in all heaven will you find me a seraph
who is worthy to celebrate? God has made men
and not angels ministers of the holy sacrifice,
and men are subject to a thousand imperfections.
Humble yourself as much as you will, for it is
good, but celebrate daily, for such is the wish of
th3 Most High." But in order that the frequent
celebration may not tend to diminish the due
reverence, you should labour to imitate those
saints whose modesty and attention shone out
more lustrously during the august function. The
great and far-famed Archbishop, St. Herbert,
was overpowered by such extraordinary devotion
whilst celebrating Mass, that he looked like
an angel of Paradise. St. Laurence Giusti-
niani, while saying Mass, seemed to have grown,
as it were, immoveable at the altar; his eyes
flowed with tears, and his entire soul was cen-
tered in God. But St. Francis de Sales may be
regarded as the most sublime example of all; for
never was there an ecclesiastic who, at the altar,
comported himself with greater majesty, re-
verence, or recollectedness than that which he
exhibited. No sooner was he clothed in the
sacerdotal vestments than he divested himself of
every thought that had not direct relation to the
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68 EXAMPLES FOR PRIESTS.
divine function he was going to perform, and
once that his foot touched the first step of the
altar, his whole interior and exterior put on an
angelic expression that captivated the hearts of
all who beheld him.
But how came it that those saints were able to
find so much comfort and refreshment in the
celebration of holy Mass ? Simply because they
celebrated with proper dispositions, just as if they
had been in presence of the entire court of
heaven. Let me illustrate this by telling you
what on one occasion happened to St. Bonitus,
Bishop of Clermont. The holy prelate was one
night praying in his church, when the blessed
Mother of God, attended by choirs of celestial
spirits, appeared within the sacred precincts.
Some of the angels attending on our Lady asked
her, •* Who is to celebrate the holy sacrifice at
daybreak?" and she answered, "Bonitus, my
well-loved servant." The holy bishop hearing
his name spoken retired, filled with dread, and
wishing to hide himself leant against a stone,
which, on the instant, became soft as clay, by a
special miracle, and took the impression of the
saint's body, which it has retained ever since.
But his humility only served to make him the
more worthy, for he was constrained to celebrate
in presence of the great Mother of God, and
was attended, during the celebration, by all
the foresaid heavenly spirits. After Mass the
Blessed Virgin bestowed on him an Alb, of
purest white, and of texture so fine, that there
never was anything that could be compared to it,
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EXAMPLES FOB PRIESTS. 69
and which, even to this day, is preserved as' a
most precious relic. Now, only fancy with what
modesty, recollection, and love he must have
celebrated that Mass. But should this example
appear too sublime for your imitation, contem-
plate that given you by the glorious St. Vincent
Ferrer, who was accustomed to offer the holy
sacrifice every morning before preaching, and
who always brought with him to the altar two
grand perfections, unblemished interior purity
and an external cleanliness, of the most edifying
character. In order to secure the former, he
made it a rule to approach the tribunal of Pe-
nance every morning ; and I would counsel you,
O priests who desire to taste of God in cele-
brating the august mysteries, to imitate him in
this respect. Some of you spend half hours
reading devout little books, in order to prepare
yourselves for the holy sacrifice, while, by making
a brief examination of conscience, and exciting
yourselves to a heartfelt contrition for some sin
of your past life (other matter not presenting
itself), you could thus acquire that purity of con-
science so desirable. Here, then, is the most
fitting preparation that you can make for the.
saying of Mass, confess your sins every morning.
Away with all scruples, and take heed to this,
my counsel. Oh, what a superabundance of
merits will not this enable you to acquire ; and
how cordially will you thank me hereafter in a
glorious eternity ! In order to provide for the
latter (external cleanliness), St. Vincent Ferrer
invariably caused the altar to be adorned with
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70 EXAMPLES FOR PRIESTS.
m
all possible pomp and decorum ; and as he til ways
celebrated the holy mysteries in presence of van!
congregations, he took great care that every-
thing, vestments and sacred utensils, pertaining
to the altar should he kept scrupulously clean.
Now, let me tell you that I can hardly refrain
from weeping, when I call to mind what I have
witnessed when giving missions, not only in the
churches of rural districts, but also in those of
the great towns. Alas I to what am I to attribute
such shocking neglect? Must 1 attribute it to
the avarice, negligence, or irreligion of the minis-
ters ? 1 know not ; but this I know, that 1 have
seen Vestments, Corporals, Puriiicatories, and
other requirements of the altar, so filthy and
stained, that they almost turned the stomachs of
priests as well as laymen, who could not look on
them without feelings of horror. " Nothing,'*
says the holy Council of Lateran, 4 'can be so ab-
surd as to be heedless of that want of neatness
in sacred things, which you would not tolerate in
profane things." For my part I cannot bear such
criminal neglect ; and I now warn ye, Sacristans,
Paiish Priests, and Rectors, that 1 will, one day,
make you accountable before God's tribunal for
your horrible negligence. How will you say
that you have not been guilty of a mortal sin, if
you furnish the altar with linens which you
would not place on a profane table ? And now,
ye Bishops, Prelates, and Visitors, what are ye
doing? Why, when you find, on your visita-
tions, foul Puri6catories, Corporals half con-
sumed by mice, and chalice-veils begrimed,- why,
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EXAMPLES FOB PRIESTS. 71
I ask, don't you tear them to pieces under the
very eyes of such negligent Parish Priests ? Why
don't you punish them to the utmost extent of
your power? You will tell me, perhaps, that
you find everything neat and in good order in
the churches. Take heed that you are not de-
ceived by such representations ; and let me ad-
vise you to adopt the very clever stratagem of a
most zealous bishop, who, when on his visitation,
entered a Sacristy , which was amply furnished
with all requirements, Chasubles of cloth of gold,
Albs of the finest texture, and all other things
in perfect keeping. Now, said he to the Parish
Priest, I command you, under pain of suspension
from all priestly faculties, to be incurred on the
very instant, not to allow a single one of all these
things to be removed from your church under any
pretext I Will you believe it ? — the Parish Priest
had borrowed all those things for the occasion !
I am well aware that the poverty of many
churches is ample excuse for the absence of rich
altar apparel, adorned with gold and silver; but
how can poverty be an excuse for the absence of
neatness and cleanliness ? My seraphic patron, St.
Francis, cherished such glowing zeal for the
holy sacrifice that, although loving holy poverty
beyond all things, he insisted, nevertheless, that
the sacristies and the altars should be kept in the
most scrupulous cleanliness) and still more so, the
sacred furniture that was used about the ador-
able Sacrament. Indeed, with his own hands Le
very often swept the floor of his church. St.
Charles Borromeo, too, in his exhortations,
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72 EXAMPLES FOB PRIESTS.
showed himself so exact in those particulars
(descending frequently to what might seem
merest minutiae), that he astonishes all those who
read his life. In fact, the ever blessed Mother
of God herself in person was pleased to express
her wishes regarding this matter when revealing
herself to St. Brigid. She said to her, " Mass
should not be celebrated except with cleanest
vestments, which inspire devotion by their pro-
priety and neatness."
Before terminating this paragraph, I feel my-
self called on to say a few words regarding the
minister who serves Mass. In our days this
office has devolved on mere boys and pious
youths, although the grandest monarchs of the
world are not worthy of such an honor. St.
Bonaventure tells us that this is an angelic office,
because, during the divine oblation, many angels
are actually present who serve God in that august
function. The glorious saint Matilde had a vision
of the soul of a lay brother crowned with inef-
fable glory, because he had always behaved with
extraordinary diligence and devotion while serv-
ing every Mass at which he was able to be
present. And St. Thomas of Aquin — that light
of the schools — justly appreciating the hidden
treasure enfolded in this office of serving at the
divine sacrifice, would not be content after offer-
ing it if he was not allowed to serve the Mass of
another priest. And Thomas More, the Chan-
cellor of England, took the greatest delight in
this holy work of serving at Mass; so much so,
that on one occasion, when taunted by some
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EXAMPLES FOB PRIESTS. 73
minister of state, who said that King Henry would
be offended if he learned that the Chancellor
had so humbled himself, the latter replied, " My
lord the king cannot be offended with me for the
service I render to his Lord ; nay, to the King
of kings and Lord of lords." Certain persons,
and some of them belonging to religious commu-
nities, are very much abashed at the idea of
having to perform this holy office ; so much so,
indeed, that it is often necessary to almost com-
pel them to serve Mass. But instead of being
ashamed to serve at the altar, should they not
rather rival each other in anxiety to carry the
Missal, and have the honor of performing a ser-
vice so devout in its nature that the angels and
blessed in heaven themselves envy them ? Great
diligence, however, should be employed in instruct-
ing the persons who are permitted to serve
Mass. Let them be taught to keep their eyes
bent downwards, and to observe that strict de-
corum which is inspired by a profound sense of
the majesty of the august sacri6ce. Let their
whole exterior exhibit deepest reverence and com-
punction. Let them be taught to pronounce the
words distinctly) slowly, and in a tone not too low
to be heard by the priest, nor so loud as to distract
those who are celebrating at the other altars. Special
care should be taken to exclude certain thought-
less little boys who are given to levity, and who,
instead of performing the office of servitor de-
voutly, often indulge in trivialities and noise, so
as to distract the celebrant. My earnest prayer
to God is, that He will deign to enlighten men
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74 EXAMPLES OF THE GBEAT.
of good dispositions to give edification by under-
taking an office so laudable and so holy. Surely
the noblest and the wisest are they who should
set the example to others.
§ . 2.
EXAMPLES OF VARIOD8 PRINCES, KINGS, AND
EMPERORS.
The examples of those who hold distin-
guished positions in the world, generally speak-
ing, have more influence than the piety of private
individuals, how great soever it may be ; fur,
indeed, nothing can be more true than the apho-
rism which says, ** that every one imitates the
example of the court." And oh, what a long
series of those examples left us by the great ones
of this world might I adduce to animate all those
who read these pages to walk in their footsteps
by assisting daily at the holy sacrifice of the
Mass ! Let us content ourselves, however, by
glancing at a few of them. Constantine the
Great not only heard Mass daily in his palace,
but even in his military expeditions, amid the
clang of arms and the camp he was always pro-
vided with a portable altar, in order that the
holy sacrifice might be celebrated continually.
To this, doubtless, he was indebted for his most
splendid victories. The Emperor Lothaire ob-
served the same holy practice ; for he made it a
rule in time of war, as well as of peace, to hear
three Masses every day. And the pious King
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EXAMPLES OF THE CfREAT. 75
Henry the Third of England also daily heard
three Masses, at which his entire court assisted
with the most exemplary devotion. And God
rewarded him most signally even in this life ; for
he swayed the sceptre fifty-six years. Now it is
not necessary to dwell on the history of the past
in order to show how great was the piety of the
English kings, or their assiduity in assisting at
the holy sacrifice, since we have only to call to
mind the profound devotion of Maria Clementina,
that most pious queen whose demise Rome has
not yet ceased to lament, and who, as she herself
often confided to me, esteemed no happiness equal
to that of assisting at Mass. In fact, she was
accustomed to hear many Masses every day, and
while engaged at this holy work she remained
immoveable, dispensing with cushions and kneel-
ing- 8 tools, so that she seemed a veritable statue
of piety. This practice, so devout and so admi-
rable, kindled in her heart such glowing love for
Jesus in the Sacrament, that she usually attended
every day at three or four benedictions of the Most
Holy, driving at full speed through the streets of
Rome, in her carriage, in order to be in time at the
different churches. And oh, how many tears did
this great and devout lady shed in her holy hunger
for this Bread of Angels ! A hunger, indeed, so ve-
hement as to cause her to languish day and night,
because she felt her heart constantly turning to-
wards that object on which her love was centred*
Nevertheless, God so willed it that her anxious
desires in this particular should not be gratified; and
this he ordained in order to render her love heroic.
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76 EXAMPLES OF THE GREAT.
hay, to make her a martyr of divine love, for I
believe that this unsatisfied desire of receiving holy
communion accelerated her death, as may be
manifestly concluded from the last letter which
she wrote to me when her dissolution was nigh.
But one thing is certain, namely — that, although
deprived of frequent communion, she was not
deprived of its merit, since she found in spiritual
communion that ecstatic love which she could
not indulge in sacramental communion. Not
only during the celebration of Mass, but fre-
quently throughout the day, she repeated her
spiritual communion with exceeding great joy of
soul, rigidly adhering to the form which I have
laid down in the preceding chapter.
Now, answer me, will not this example (which
we have witnessed with our own eyes, and which,
in our own times, has been admired by every one
in Rome) be sufficient to smother in their throats
the idle excuses of all those who make so much
difficulty about hearing Mass daily, and making
a spiritual communion during its celebration.
Although it is not in my power to persuade you
to imitate this pious queen, by devoting all the
affections of your heart to intense desires of re-
ceiving Jesus in the Sacrament, yet, I would
exhort you to imitate her in employing the labour
of your hands, as she was often wont to do, to
provide sacred furniture for poor churches. This
example, indeed, has been followed in Rome by
numerous ladies of every rank, who deem it a
delightful recreation to elaborate, with their own
hands, ornaments and furniture for the altars.
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EXAMPLES OF THE GREAT. 77
Nor is Rome the only city in which such pious
works are performed, for I could name a great
Princess (living elsewhere), of highest rank and
most noble birth, and not less illustrious for her
piety, who, every morning, assists at many Masses,
and very frequently occupies all the ladies of her
household in working for the altars, so as to be able
to send whole chests of Corporals, Purificatories,
and such like necessaries, to missionaries and
preachers, in order that they may be distributed
among poor churches, and that thus the holy
sacrifice may everywhere be celebrated with fit-
ting splendour, cleanliness, and decorum. What
should now prevent me from exclaiming, ye great
ones of this world, here you behold a sure means
of winning the kingdom of heaven. And yet,
tell me, 1 beseech you, how do you act ? Why
do you not open your hands, and prove your
liberality by bestowing abundant alms on so many
churches that are steeped in poverty? It will
not do to tell me that the treasury is half empty,
that the taxes are insufficient, or that the revenue
is every day decreasing. I will point out to you
a very ready method of providing for God's
altars, without prejudice to the dignity of your
estate. Here it is ready to your hand. A horse
the fewer in your stables, a footman the fewer on
your carriage box, a butler the fewer in your
summer residence, and thus you will have effected
a considerable saving, which will enable you to
relieve the necessities of so many poor parishes.
You summon diets and congresses, you enter into
treaties, and convoke councils of war, to secure
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78 . EXAMPLES OF THE GREAT.
the welfare of your provinces, and yet all this
does not prosper, whereas one single thought,
suggesting a middle course, might adjust a ne-
gotiation, and that negotiation carried out might
save a whole kingdom. But that , thought, so
replete with advantages, whence is it to come ?
From God — ponder well what I tell you — it must
come from God alone. And what is the most
efficacious means for obtaining it? The holy
Mass. Therefore, hear as many Masses as you
can, cause many Masses to be celebrated for your
pious intentions, furnish the altars with sacred
vessels and suitable vestments, and by doing this
you will find a most marvellous providence of
God keeping guard over you, a providence, in-
deed, that will protect your States, and render
you happy in time and in eternity.
Let us conclude the paragraph by quoting the.
example of St. Wenceslaus, King of Bohemia,
which all of you should imitate in part, if not to
its full extent. This holy King was not satisfied
with assisting daily at numerous Masses, kneeling
on an uncarpeted floor, nor with serving, in per-
son, the celebrant priests, an office in which he
comported himself with humility far greater than
might be found in any cleric who has only been
admitted to tonsure, the least of minor orders;
but along with this, he contributed to the sacred
altars the richest jewels of his treasury, and the
most costly stuffs from the royal wardrobe. With
his own royal hands he was wont to make the
Hosts which were to be used in the holy sacrifice ;
and with this object before his eyes, regardless of
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EXAMPLES OF THE GREAT. 79
his royal dignity, he, himself, employed those
hands, destined to wield sceptres, in cultivating a
field, guiding a plough, sowing the seed, and
gathering the crop. He then ground the wheat
carefully, prepared the flour for baking, nay, and
formed the hosts which were to be consecrated,
and which he presented to the priests with the
most humble reverence, in order that they might
be converted into the divine body of our Saviour.
Oh, hands worthy, indeed, to wield the sceptre of
the entire world ! But how was he rewarded for
a devotion so tender ? Almighty God caused the
Emperor, Otho I., to cherish such unequalled
love for this holy King, that he authorized him
to quarter in his arms the imperial device, a
black eagle in an argent field, a favor which he
would not grant to any other potentate. Thus
did God, through means of the Emperor Otho,
reward the great devotion which Wenceslaus en-
tertained for the most holy sacrifice. But far
more splendidly was he recompensed by the King
of Heaven, when, by a most glorious martyr-
dom, he obtained a diadem of everlasting glory.
Thus, in return for his love and veneration of
holy Mass, was he doubly crowned in this life,
and in the kingdom of heaven. Reflect and
resolve.
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80 FOR LADIES IN HIGH STATION.
§.3.
EXAMPLES FOR LADIES IN HIGH STATION.
A lady who enters church pompously, and be-
dizened with a variety of ornaments, is likely to
attract the attention of those who are there assem-
bled, and, in some instances (may heaven avert
such impiety!) even hearts, thus robbing God of
the profound and undivided homage that is due
to Him. Hence it would be superfluous to cite,
examples in order to induce such ladies to hear
Mass every day ; for, in fact, they are only too
anxious to be seen in the churches. My grandest
object is to teach them with what great modesty
and reverence they should comport themselves in
the house of God, particularly during the celebra-
tion of the holy sacrifice ; and, indeed, it affords
me great pleasure to say, that I have been greatly
edified by the demeanour of many ladies of dis-
tinguished rank, who enter the churches and
kneel before God's altars, attired modestly, as be-
cometh the holiness of the place. But, on the
other hand, I must confess that I have been
greatly scandalized by some vain, thoughtless
creatures, who, with plumed head-gear, gaudy
habiliments, and deportment such as is usual on
the stage of a theatre, would almost make one
think that they were go<Jdesses of a heathen tem-
ple ! In order, therefore, to awaken in this latter
class of persons that reverential awe which should
influence them during the celebration of the
august mysteres, I will here relate a miraculous
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FOR LADIES IN HIGH STATION. 81
vision which is described in the life of the blessed
Ivetta, a Flemish noblewoman. Assisting at Mass
one day, she found herself kneeling beside a
young lady who was dressed in the height of the
prevailing fashion. Now God was pleased so to
enlighten his blessed servant Ivetta, that she
actually beheld the workings of that young wo-
man's heart, and had the clearest perception of
all the thoughts — some of which were of the most
abominable sort — that entered and passed through
her mind, without any restraint. Hovering about
this vain young woman were countless fiends,
who seemed to attend her as her hired servants ;
some of them arranging the drapery of her robe,
others taking special care of her glittering
trinkets, as though this was their whole duty.
At length the fashionable lady presented herself
at the communion rail to receive the holy sacra-
ment. The priest descended the altar steps with
the ciborium in his hands, and Blessed Ivetta
beheld, as it were in a vision, the reluctance with
which Christ suffered Himself to be sacrament-
ally administered to the sinner.
But you will say to me, " I do not belong to
a class so contemptible and so depraved," and,
indeed, I believe you are stating what is the
truth ; but yet, that style of dress, so unsuited to
the solemn majesty of God's temple — those trin-
kets and perfumes — that all-absorbing wish to be
seen and to be admired — to have people say of
you, " how surpassingly beautiful ! how splendidly
dressed! how graceful in her movements!"
Where shall I find words strong enough to de-
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82 LOR LADIES IN HIGH STATION.
nounce such scandals ? I tell you that vanities
of this kind are an abomination in the sight of
God* I tell you that by such conduct you turn
His house into a den of robbers. So you must be
aware that you rob Christ of honour, by distract-
ing not only the virtuously-disposed members of the
congregation, but even the very priests minister-
ing at the altar ! Ah, then, enter into yourselves,
and resolve to imitate Saint Elizabeth, Queen of
Hungary, who would go in all regal state to Mass,
but on reaching the sacred threshold, would re-
move the diadem from her head, the rings from
her fingers, and thus divested of all royal orna-
ment, would kneel, covered with a veil, so modest
in her demeanour that she was never known to
glance around her or turn away her eyes for a
single moment from the altar. And so pleasing
to Almighty God was her devout conduct, that
He deigned to make His approval of it manifest
to the entire congregation ; for, on one occasion,
during the celebration of the holy sacrifice she
Was Enveloped in a luminous glory that dazzled
the eyes of all those who were present, and made
every one regard her as an angel of paradise.
Yea, imitate this noble example, and be assured
that you will thus render yourselves pleasing in
the sight of God and men, and the fruits which
you shall gain from the holy sacrifice will be in-
effable blessings in time and in eternity.
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FOB WOMEN IN GENERAL. 83
§.4.
FOR WOMEN IN GENERAL.
Great, certainly, is the fruit to be gained by
assisting at the holy sacrifice, as we have shown in
the preceding Instruction ; but there are certain
circumstances frequently occurring which render
it inexpedient for some women to go to Mass on
ordinary days. You who are nursing an infant,
or are bound by an obligation of justice or of
charity to attend a person lying sick, or you who
have an irreligious or ill-tempered husband who
forbids you to leave the house, you should not be
disquieted about it, or what is worse, disobey.
For, although holy Mass is indeed a thing than
which nothing can be holier, and as we have de-
monstrated, productive of countless blessings,
nevertheless, obedience, and the denial of your
own will, are better in the circumstances to which
we have alluded. Furthermore, for your conso-
lation be it told you, that by obeying you redouble
your gain and merit ; since the goodness of God,
in such a case, will not only reward your obe-
dience, but will give you credit for the Mass just
as if you had actually heard it, because He is
fully satisfied with your holy intention. On the
other hand, disobedience must deprive you of one
and the other merit, for it would prove that you
found more pleasure in acting according to the
promptings of your own will, than that of God,
who has expressly declared in the Holy Scriptures
that "obedience is better than victims," or, in
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84 FOR WOMEN IN GENERAL.
other words, that he is more satisfied with obe-
dience than with Masses and sacrifices which are
not of precept.
But what if you should go to Mass to indulge
in idle conversations, curiosity, and voluntary
distractions, and thus return to your home empty-
handed and unbenefited by the august sacrifice ?
So did it befall a certain peasant-woman who lived
in a cottage hard by the village-church. She, in
order to obtain from God the concession of a
favour on which she had set her heart, vowed and
resolved to hear a great number of Masses in the
course of the year. Therefore, whenever she
heard the bell inviting the people to the divine
sacrifice, she would instantly lay aside whatever
work she had in hands, and hurry off to the
church through sleet or snow, utterly regardless
of the inclemency of the season. On her return
home, in order to keep a punctual and accurate
account of the Masses (so that she might not fail
of a single one of the number to which she bound
herself), she invariably deposited a bean in a little
box which she kept in a secret place. At the
close of the year, fully assured that she had com-
plied with her vow, presented a great offering of
homage to God, and acquired no trifling merit for
herself, she proceeded to open the little box, when
lo ! of all the beans that she deposited there, she
found only a single one. Overwhelmed with as-
tonishment, she was sadly grieved, so much so
indeed, that she addressed herself to God, while
tears streamed from her eyes, saying, " O Lord !
how happens it, that of all the Masses 1 have
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FOR WOMEN IN GENERAL. 85
heard, I only find the mark of one ? Surely, I
never failed to be present at the altar, even when
it was most inconvenient for me to leave my cot-
tage ! Surely, I never allowed bad weather, rain,
frost, or any other obstacle to keep me from going
to church !" God, indeed, inspired her to go and
consult a wise and pious priest, who asked her how
she had conducted herself when going to church,
and with what devotion, interior and exterior, she
had assisted at the holy sacrifice? To these
questions she replied thus : "On my way to the
church I used to gossip with my acquaintances
about our domestic concerns, and other things of
less serious importance, and when kneeling at the
altar I confess that I was in the habit of whisper-
ing to this one and that, having my thoughts
always fixed on my little household or farm. ,,
" Here, then," replied the priest, " you state the
exact cause of the loss of so many Masses;
gossiping, curiosity, and voluntary distractions
have robbed you of so much merit; either the
demon has carried off the records you deposited
in the box, for his own purposes, or your guardian
angel has removed them in order that you might
discover how good works may turn out utterly
worthless, if not performed with the proper spirit
Give God thanks, nevertheless, that you have heard
one Mass as you should, and that that one has
been profitable to you." Now here make a serious
reflection, and say to yourself, " Who knows how
many of all the Masses I have heard during my
life may have been acceptable and agreeable to
God ?" What does your conscience answer ? If
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86 FOB WOMEN IK GENERAL.
it tells you that very, very few of them may have
been beneficial to you in God's sight, lose no time
in employing the only true remedy, and resolve,
forthwith, to amend your conduct for the future.
But if, unhappily (which God forbid !), you may
have been one of those wretched creatures who
do the work of the devil, by recruiting souls for
him even in God's consecrated temple, listen to
the following appalling fact, and tremble. 'Tie
related in a book, entitled, ' Dormi SicuroJ that
a certain woman, reduced to abject poverty,
wandered about in a state of despair through
unfrequented places, where a devil appeared to
her and spoke thus — " You were once weD off in
the world, and I feel for your altered circum-
stances ; do now what I bid you, and you may
rest assured that I will make you as comfortable
as you were formerly. Whenever you go to church
entertain the persons who kneel beside you with
idle, impertinent gossip ; do all you can to distract
them by whispering, and such like irreverences,
and you may be sure that I will keep my promise. ,,
The wretched woman consented to the proposal,
and gave herself, body and soul, to do the devil's
work, in which she succeeded wonderfully ; for she
maintained such incessant chattering with what-
ever person happened to kneel beside her, and
employed so many artful stratagems to distract
every one within her reach, that it was wholly
impossible to attend piously to the divine sacrifice,
or listen with due reverence to the priest preach-
ing the word of God. But it was not long till
the. avenging hand of God seized her ; for one
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FOR TRADESMEN AND ARTISANS. 87
morning a terrible thunder-storm came on sud-
denly, she alone was struck by the lightning, and
reduced to a handful of ashes in the sight of a
vast multitude !
Learn, then, ye women, and be instructed by
this terrible mark of God's anger. Shun all those
who, by means of idle chatting and such abomina-
ble irreverence in church, make themselves instru-
ments of the devil : shun those, if you do not
desire to bring down God's direst chastisement
upon your head.
FOR TRADESMEN AND ARTISANS.
The idol of our days is *«^-interest, and oh, how
many prostrate themselves before it, offering to
it, at all times, and in all places, their most fer-
vent homage ! And thence it comes, that running
after this idol they forget the true God, and
eventually precipitate themselves into an abyss
of evils where they shall remain for eternity,
deprived of all comfort and of all love. Alas !
alas ! how miserable is their condition, and how
widely do they differ from those who, as the
royal prophet tells us, in the first place, seek God,
who will shield them from every misfortune and
cause them to abound in all true happiness!
" They that seek the Lord shall not want any
good thing."* This is clearly verified in all those
* »P». xxxiii.ll,
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88 FOB TRADESMEN AND ARTISANS.
who, before applying themselves to their ordinary
business, make it a rule to assist every morning
at holy Mass, as the incident which is related of
the three merchants of Gubbio will show.
Those three traders went to a fair held in the
town of Cisterno, and after disposing of their
wares, two of them began to speak of returning
home, nay, resolved to start next morning at day-
break, in order to be back in their own country
before nightfall. The third, instead of consenting
to their arrangement, remarked that next day
being Sunday, he could not think of commencing
the journey till he had heard holy Mass. If,
therefore, you wish for my company, said he, you
must first assist at the holy sacrifice, and when
we have taken some refreshment we can start
together. Endeavouring to induce them to follow
his counsel, he remarked that in case they were
not able to reach Gubbio that night they had no
reason to be disquieted on that head, as there
were several good inns on the road. All his re-
monstrances, however, were of no avail ; for his
two companions, who were bent on reaching home
that night, contented themselves with saying that
God Almighty would have compassion on them if
they lost Mass on that one occasion. On Sunday
morning, therefore, before the sun had risen, and
without entering the church, they mounted their
horses, and set out homewards. When they ar-
rived at the River Corfuone, they discovered that
it had been greatly swollen the night preceding, by
heavy rains, which so strengthened the current
that it beat furiously at the piers of the wooden
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FOR TRADESMEN AND ARTISANS. 89
bridge, shaking and weakening them. It was
necessary, however, for our travellers to cross the
bridge, but no sooner had they reached its centre,
than it yielded under their weight, and they, with
their profits, were precipitated into the boiling
flood, where they perished almost instantly, thus
at one and the same time losing their lives, money,
and in all likelihood their immortal souls !
When the news of this calamity was spread
abroad, the peasantry hastened to drag the river
for the corses, which they at last discovered, and
laid upon the bank till such time as they might be
identified and obtain Christian burial. Meanwhile
the third trader, who tarried behind in order
to fulfil the precept of hearing Mass, had set
out on his journey, and on reaching the river
he beheld a crowd attracted round the two dead
bodies. Reining up his horse, he halted to ascer-
tain who they were, when, to his horror, he dis-
covered that the corses were those of his two
friends. The bystanders soon made him aware
of the awful manner of their death, and no sooner
did he hear the detail than he raised his hands
and eyes to heaven, thanking the good God who
had so mercifully preserved him from a like fate.
Oh, how often and how fervently did he bless
that hour in which he assisted at the holy sacri-
fice, to which he now most justly attributed his
preservation. On his return home he announced
the sad tidings, and caused the relatives and
friends of the deceased to have the corses decently
interred. Need we say that this frightful occur-
rence, and the miraculous escape of the good
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90 FOB TRADESMEN AND ARTISANS.
trader, excited in the hearts of the whole neigh-
bourhood a lively desire to assist daily at the
august mysteries of the altar ? Accursed avarice
(I must give free expression to my feelings),
accursed avarice that tearest man's soul from
God, nay, and almost deprives him of the exercise
of his free will in regard of what should concern
him most of all — his eternal salvation !
In order, therefore, that avaricious traders may
enter into themselves, I will make my meaning
more clear by availing myself of an example taken
from the inspired volume. Sampson, as you are
aware, was bound, but all in vain, with sinews of
oxen, and strong fresh cords, which never before
had been used. At last, he foolishly revealed
to the deceitful Dalilah that his strength lay
in the hair of his head ; and no sooner was it
shorn off than he lost all his unequalled strength
and vigour, nay, fell into the hands of the
Philistines, who deprived him of his sight, and
condemned him to grind corn at a mill. Now let
me ask, what was Sampson's greatest error?
Was it that he allowed himself to be bound hand
and foot so firmly ? No. His error lay not in
this, for he knew very well that all the ropes in
the country were like so many gossamer threads
to him. In a word, he erred by revealing the
seat and secret of his strength, and allowing his
hair to be shorn, for no sooner was this done, than
Sampson ceased to be Sampson. Now let me
suppose that a trader suffers himself to be bound
by the ties of multitudinous engagements, such as
his shop sales, bills of exchange, and divers nego-
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FOB TRADESMEN AND ARTISANS. 91
tiations, &c, &c. Does all the awful danger of
avarice, which God so abominates, consist in all
this ? Certainly not in all this, but the danger
lies in allowing the hair to be shorn. I explain
myself. Imagine a trader who has much business
to attend to, but who hearing at early morning the
bell inviting to Mass, says to himself, " Business, I
must lay you aside for awhile, for I must hurry
off to Mass." Such a one is a Sampson bound by
his business avocations, but not shorn. Another
trader is also bound by seven or more cords,
workmen to be engaged, accounts to be paid, let-
ters to be written, correspondents to be answered,
&c., &c. — one man is waiting to be answered —
another to be paid — Oh, what a multiplicity of
bonds ! How perplexing and engrossing ! What
matter, however ! Sunday, or the festival of his
patron saint, comes ; he disengages himself from
all business, and proceeds with all piety to assist
at many Masses, and perform various works of
devotion. This also is a Sampson, bound, but
not shorn ; for, notwithstanding the multiplicity
of his avocations, duties, &c, &c, he never loses
eight of the most important business, namely, his
eternal salvation. But mark well what I say to
you now. If you are bound by a thousand ties
of self-interest, without strength to sever them —
if you neglect to come forth at the proper time —
if you relax your assiduity in frequenting the
sacraments, and grow cold and indifferent to as-
sisting at holy Mass — oh, such miserable Samp-
sons! then, indeed, you are bound and shorn.
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92 FOR TRADESMEN AND ARTISANS.
In this case, although you may justly add to your
gains, I warn you that the way you take to do so
is not just, for you inflict a terrible loss on your
soul, and you are guilty of a sordid avariciousness
that will sooner or later treat you as Sampson
was treated, till, as was the case with him, the
roof, shall tumble on your head and crush you.
And then •' whose shall these things be which
thou hast provided ?"*
But I think I hear you say, u Those avaricious
men will never be moved by our remonstrances,
if we do not address ourselves to their particular
bent." Well, be it so ; what is your aim ? To
grow rich, accumulate, and make vast profits.
Here, then, is the way of compassing your end.
Assist at the holy sacrifice of the Mass every
morning. Let me illustrate this by the example
of two traders, both of whom follow the same
line of business. One of them has the responsi-
bility of a family, wife, sons and nephews ; the
other is childless, although married. The for-
mer supported his family in great comfort, and
all his affairs prospered wonderfully. His shop,
constantly thronged with customers, made ex-
ceeding large profits, so much so that he was
every year able to bank considerable sums, which
he reserved as marriage portions for his daughters.
The other, who, as 1 said, was childless, had no
success in trade, was dying of hunger, and all
but driven to desperation. One day he addressed
* Luke, xii. 20.
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FOR TRADESMEN AND ARTISANS. 93
his neighbour confidentially, thus : " How comes
it that you are so prosperous ? God seems to
shower abundance upon you ; and I, unfortunate
that I am, can hardly raise my head, while want,
in its most frightful aspect, is ever at my door 1*
" I will answer you candidly, my friend, " replied
the well-to-do trader, " and 1 will call to-morrow
morning and show you the source from which I
derive so much worldly comfort." The morrow
saw him at the house of his friend, whom he led
straightway to a neighbouring church to hear
•holy Mass. At the conclusion of the divine
sacrifice he accompanied him back to his deserted
shop, repeating the same performance twice or
thrice, till at last the unfortunate man said : " if
nothing is required to alter my wretched circum-
stances but to go to Mass, I know the way to the
church well enough to do without your guidance."
" Exactly," answered the prosperous man, " hear
holy Mass every day, and 1 promise you that
your affairs will soon take a turn for the better."
And, indeed, he spoke the truth, for no sooner
had he begun to assist at holy Mass daily, than
he was well supplied with work, so much so that
he was, in a brief period, enabled to clear off his
debts, put his house in good order, and enjoy
comforts to which he had been,f or many a weary
day, an utter stranger.* Do you believe in the
Gospel ? Now, if you do believe in the Gospel,
how could you entertain the least doubt of this
truth? Does it not tell you, emphatically, to
* Surius* Life of St John the Almoner.
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94 FOB SERVANTS AND FARM LABOURERS.
" Seek first the kingdom of God and his justice,"
and all those things shall be added to you."*
§. 6.
FOR 8EBVANTS AND FARM LABOURERS.
The great Apostle tells us, that " if any man
have not care of his own, and especially of those
of his house, he hath denied the faith, and is
worse than an infidel."! This care is to be un-
derstood as relating, not only to their bodies, but-
much more so to their souls. Thence it follows,
that if it would be a great impiety to deprive
one's servants of corporal food, it must be a far
more heinous impiety to deprive them of the
spiritual aliment, and especially of the most perfect
facility of daily assisting at Mass, for the loss of
which no employer, however rich and powerf ul,
can ever compensate. When God made the great
covenant with Abraham, He commanded that
not only he, but his entire household, should be
circumcised : "He that is born in thy house, and
he that is bought with thy money, must needs be
circumcised." § Here, then, is an evident proof
that a good Christian should not be satisfied with
attending in his own person at the divine worship
(especially at holy Mass), but he should, likewise,
use every means in his power to induce every
member of his entire household to follow his ex-
ample. So punctual was Saint Elzear, Count
• Mat. vl.33. fl Tim, ▼. 8.
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FOR SERVANTS AND FARM LABOURERS. 95
of Ariano, in carrying out this divine rule, that
among other ordinances established for the govern-
ment of his household, he made this the principal
one, that all his servants should, every morning,
assist at holy Mass. In fact, he insisted that every
one in his employment, male and female servants,
pages and grooms, should be present daily at the
divine sacrifice. 'Tis, truly, a most sanctifying
custom, and one, thank God, which is observed
by multitudes of pious people at Rome, where
Cardinals and Prelates, with their respective fol-
lowers, hear Mass every morning. Nor should
you foolishly think, that the time which your
servants spend assisting at holy Mass is time lost.
Oh, how richly will God compensate you for it !
Saint Isidore was a poor farm-labourer, who
never omitted to hear Mass daily; and God,
wishing to prove how grateful the humble man's
devotion was to Him, caused angels to plough his
field one morning, while he was assisting at the
holy sacrifice. True it is that God will not work
miracles so palpable for you, but in how many
different ways will He recompense your piety ?
You can easily draw your own conclusions on this
head, from what I am about to relate concerning
a poor vine-dresser, who supported his family by
the sweat of his brow. This excellent man made
it a rule to assist at Mass daily, before going to
his work. Having gone one morning, at day-
break, to the market square, he remained waiting
for some employer to give him a day's work, but,
on hearing the bell of the village church inviting
the people to JVlass, he, according to his custom.
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98 WARNING TO CARELESS CHRISTIANS.
felt sorrow for his past life, which was impious,
became a most devout attendant at the holy sacri-
fice, at which he assisted daily (causing many to
be celebrated for him in various churches)* till at
last, after a well-spent old age, he closed his days
in peace* dying a sanctified death.
Behold, now, how liberal of blessings God is
to all those who prove themselves truly devout to
the holy sacrifice of the Mass. To Mass, there-
fore, my poor people ; frequent the divine obla-
tion, and be assured, that in this permanent
devotion you will find comfort and balm for all
your sufferings and woes*
§. 7.
AN AWFUL WARNING TO ALL THOSE WHO DO NOT SET
PROPER VALUE ON THE GREAT TREA8URE OF THE
HOLT MASS.
The two great doctors of the Church, St.
Thomas the Angelic, and St. Bonaventore the
Seraphfc, teach, as we have shown in the pre-
ceding Instruction, that the most holy sacrifice of
the Mass is of infinite value, both by reason of
the Victim that is offered, that is, the body, the
blood, the soul, and the divinity of Christ our
Lord, as also by reason of the primary Offerer,
who is Jesus Christ himself. And yet, alas!
how many are there who set so little value on
this treasure of infinite value, that they postpone
it to their most perishable and sordid worldly in-
terests. My chiefest aim in composing this little
book has been to promote the spiritual and tern-
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WARNING TO CARELESS CHRISTIANS. 99
poral welfare of all those who will deign to peruse
it; and I cherish a hope, that every one who
studies its pages will be enlightened by them,
and taught to form something like an adequate
appreciation of a jewel whose value is inesti-
mable. And if hitherto this most holy sacrifice
has been to them a Hidden Treasure, now, that
they are conscious of the infinite value which it
contains, may they resolve effectually, in their
innermost heart, to get possession of it by assist-
ing daily at the holy Mass. Let me, then, in the
hope of causing my words to be graven on your
soul, narrate to you an appalling occurrence,
which will set the seal on my poor work.
Eneas Silvius, who was afterwards Pope Pius
II., tells us, that in a certain city of Germany,
called Svezia, there lived a gentleman of high
social position, who, after losing nearly his entire
wealth, retired to a country house, for the sake
of economising. Spending his time in great se-
clusion, he soon became a prey to the prof oundest
melancholy, so much so, indeed, that he was in a
state bordering on desperation. While he was in
this deplorable condition, the devil often sug-
gested to him that he ought to put an end to his
life, " for," said the tempter, " there is nothing
for a barren tree but the woodman's axe." In
this conflict of mental agony and temptations,
the gentleman had recourse to a holy confessor,
who gave him the following good advice : '' Let
no day pass without assisting at holy Mass, and
make your mind quiet." The gentleman, indeed,
was pleased with the advice, so much so that he
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100 WARNING TO CARELESS CHRISTIANS.
lost no time in carrying it out ; and in order to
prevent the possibility of ever losing Mass, he
engaged a chaplain, who daily offered the ador-
able sacrifice, at which he assisted with the most
edifying devotion. Now, it so happened, on one
occasion, that the chaplain went to a neighbour-
ing village to be present at the Mass of a priest
just then ordained, and the gentleman, so good
and pious, fearing that he would be deprived of
the holy sacrifice on that day, set out for the
same village, in order to gratify his devotion.
On the road he met a peasant, who told him that
he might return home, as the Mass of the newly-
ordained priest was terminated, and there was to
be no other on that day. Deeply afflicted at this
intelligence, the gentleman began to weep bitterly,
repeating over and over again, u What is to be-
come of me, what is to become of me, miserable
man ? Perhaps this may be the last day of ray
life." The peasant wondered much at this out-
burst of grief, and said to him : ** Do not weep,
so, Sir, do not weep, for I will sell you my Mass.
Give me your cloak and I will give you the Mass
at which I assisted." The gentleman readily
accepted the proposal, and having given the cloak
to the peasant, he walked on to the church, where
he knelt down, and said a few short prayers. He
then set out for his residence, but he no sooner
reached the spot, where, in his simplicity, he had
made that most absurd and eocecrabU bargain with
the peasant, than he beheld the latter, who had
sold his Mass, hanging from the branch of an
V, like Judas, who strangled himself in despair.
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WARNING TO CARELESS CHRISTIANS. 101
In fact, the temptation to self-murder had passed
from him into that wretched peasant, who volun-
tarily deprived himself of the aids of grace which
he might have derived from the holy sacrifice,
and thus left himself an easy prey to the devil,
whose malignant suggestions he was not able to
overcome. Pondering on all this, the good gentle-
man convinced himself that his confessor had
given him the most valuable remedy for resist-
ing all sorts of temptation, and he thenceforth
resolved to be confirmed in his determination to
assist daily at the adorable sacrifice of the altar.
From this calamity so horrifying, I would have
you to deduce two truths of greatest import-
ance ; first, how abominable is the gross igno-
rance of some Christians, who, far from setting
right value on the adorable sacrifice, treat it as a
thing that may be bartered for vile lucre. Hence
that impropriety of language from the lips of
certain people, who frequently speak to a priest
in this manner : " Will you allow me to pay you
for a Mass ?" Pay for a Mass ! and where will
you find capital for that ? Where will you find
any sum of money that can equal the value of a
Mass, since one Mass is of greater value than all
Paradise itself ? Oh, ignorance the most intole-
rable! That trifling sum of money which you
give to the priest is given to him for his mainte-
nance, but not as a payment for the adorable sacri-
fice, which is beyond all price. 'Tis true that in
the course of this work I hive exhorted you to
hear Mass daily, and even to have Ma93 fre-
quently celebrated for your spiritual aud temporal
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102 WARNING TO CAEELESS CHRISTIANS.
necessities, and for the repose of those who are
dear to you, and yet, who knows but the devil
may have put it into your head to think and
speak as follows : " The priests, with their fine
and specious arguments, exhort us to have many
Masses celebrated; but all is not gold that
glistens. They are bent on making gain for
themselves, and it may one day appear that their
only motive was self-interest.'' Oh, how griev-
ously would you deceive yourself were you to
think or speak thus 1 For my own part, I thank
God for having led me to embrace an Institute
that professes the strictest and most rigid poverty,
an Institute in which we accept no alms for the
celebration of Mass, for even were we offered
one hundred dollars for a single Mass, we would
reject them, since we celebrate all our Masses
with the same intention that Christ had on the
cross, when He offered to his Eternal Father that
first sacrifice on Calvary. Therefore, if there be
any one who can speak out boldly, and without
the shadow of suspicion on such a subject, it is
I, whose only object is to promote your spiritual
and temporal welfare. This, indeed, has been
my sole aim throughout the little work which is
now in your hands ; and as-I close it, I would
fain exhort you to realise in practice the advice
I have so often given. Therefore, I beseech
you, once more, to hear as many Masses as you
can, and to cause many to be celebrated for you,
for you will thus be enabled to lay up for your-
selves an exceeding great treasure, which will re-
dound to your advantage in Time and in Eternity.
y VjVJVJ^I^
WARNING TO CABELKSS CHRISTIANS. 103
The second grand truth to be drawn from the
event already narrated, is the efficacy of holy
Mass in obtaining for us every good, for deliver-
ing us from every sort of evil, and particularly
for conferring on us spiritual strength to con-
quer temptations, be they ever so numerous
and formidable. Let me then repeat — to Mass, I
implore you ; to Mass, if you are desirous to
achieve victory over your enemies, and to see the
devil and all his powers crushed beneath your
feet.
There remains but one other advice, which I
would impress, with all my energies, on priests,
both Secular and Regular, for it relates to both
in an especial manner. Let me, therefore, repeat
to you, secular priests, that if you wish to obtain
great fruits in great abundance from the holy
sacrifice, you must hear it with profoundest
devotion. I have hammered on this nail more
than once in the progress of this work, but I now
give it the last blow in order to drive it home.
When at Mass be truly devout, and if it so please
you, use this little book, and carry into practice,
with all possible exactitude, what I have prescribed
for you in the second chapter. Your own expe-
rience (if you adopt my counsel) will convince
you that I am right, for within a brief period you
shall find a wonderful change effected in your
heart, and if I may be permitted to say so, you
will be able to lay your hand on the immense
blessings which God will send to you.
Oh, ye priests ! you have good reason to dread
the justice of God, if, through unbecoming haste
y VjVJVJ^I^
104 WARNING TO CARELESS CHRISTIANS.
or irreverent negligence, you violate the rubrics
of the sacred rites, if you pronounce the words
hurriedly, and without heeding their import ; in
a word, if you confound the action, and celebrate
the divine mysteries without that internal and
external devotion which the Church prescribes.
Remember that you consecrate, touch, and re-
ceive the Son of the Most High ; nor shall you
be without sin, if you either omit or slur over
the least ceremony ordained by the Rubric. You
will find this doctrine lucidly discussed by the
most learned Suarez. Hence it was that that
illustrious oracle of Spain, John d'Avila, held
as his unalterable opinion, that the EternalJudge
will call priests to a tremendous account for all
the Masses they celebrated. On this head, he
tells us, the scrutiny of the supreme Judge will
be inexorably rigorous and searching, far more so
than in regard of any other act of their lives.
Hence it was, that when some one told him that
a young priest had died immediately after cele-
brating his first Mass, the holy man sighed and
asked : " Has he then said Mass ?" and on being
answered that the young priest had had the
happiness of departing this life immediately after
his first celebration, he resumed : " Alas, he has
to render a terrible account to God, since he has
celebrated even one Mass." And you and I, who
have celebrated so often, how will it be Vith us
at the bar of God's tribunal ? Let us, therefore,
make a holy resolution to revise (at least during
our annual Retreat) all the rubrics of the Missal,
and all the sacred ceremonies, in order that we
y VjVJVJ^I^
WARNING TO CARELESS CHRISTIANS. 105
may be able to celebrate, as the Church requires,
with all possible punctuality. And here let me
say, that if we priests celebrate with grave and
devout external composure, and what is of greater
moment, with great internal fervour, even laymen
will be brought to hear Mass daily, and to hear
it with profoundest devotion. Thus will we
be enabled by God to rekindle in the hearts of
the faithful of our times the fervour of the early
Christians, and our good God will thus be su-
premely honored and glorified. To promote that
honor and glory is the sole aim of this little book.
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PRAYERS FOE MASS, &c.
BT THE
BLESSED LEONARD OF POET MAUEICE.
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AN EASY METHOD
OF
ASSISTING AT HOLT MASS
WITH GREAT ERTJU.
A Prayer to the Holy Ghost, to be said before assisting
at Mass, in order to obtain His illuminating Grace,
Come, O Holy Ghost ! and with thy most sancti-
fying grace collect, I implore Thee, all the powers
and all the affections of my soul, so that with
undivided attention, and with my entire heart, I
may he enabled to assist at this Holy Mass, and
derive from it those blessings for which, although I
confess myself unworthy, I earnestly hope, to the
greater glory of God, and the welfare of my soul,
through the goodness and mercy of the same, my
Lord and my God. Amen.
Prayer while the Priest is saying the Confiteor.
O my most amiable Lord and Saviour, who,
when bowed down by agony and overwhelming
grief in the garden of Gethsemane, didst address
Thyself in suppliant prayer to the Eternal Father,
while the drops of Thy bloody sweat bedewed the
ground ; grant me grace so to recal Thy most
y VjVJD^I^
108 METHOD OF ASSISTING AT
bitter passion, that I may be excited to shed tears
of heart -sprung contrition, as Thou Thy bloody
sweat of grief that night. Amen.
A Prayer when the Priest ascends the Altar,
O my most loving and meek Saviour, who, when
dragged like a malefactor into the presence of
Annas, didst endure the bufferings of the impious
Jews, grant that imitating Thee I also may en-
dure resignedly the insults of mine enemies, and
comport myself as becomes a true Christian amid
all the trials and temptations of this deceitful
world. Amen.
A Prayer at the Kyrie Eleison.
O my loving Lord ! whom Peter, chief of the
Apostles, did deny in the house of Caiphas; I
humbly beseech Thee to give me grace to shun
evil associates, so that I may never, by following
their counsels or example, or the promptings of my
own corrupt nature, fall away from Thee and
Thine infinite goodness. Amen.
A Prayer at the Epistle,
O most sovereign Lord ! who being led to
Pilate's house by the Jews, with every sort of
insult, wast falsely accused by perjured wituesses ;
enlighten me, I implore Thee, to avoid all the
snares of my enemies, and so strengthen me by
the constant practice of good works, that I may
never fail to profess openly and devoutly the holy
Catholic Faith, now and at the hour of my death.
\men.
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HOLY MASS WITH GREAT FRUIT. 109
A Prayer at the Gospel.
O my most compassionate Redeemer! who,
when sent back by Herod to Pilate, whose hatred
to Thee was the motive of their reconciliation ;
grant me such sanctifying grace that I may never
be terrified by the artifices of the impious ; but
rather draw from persecutions and temptations
such encouragement that even in the midst of them
my heart may not wax faint, but grow more and
more reconciled to Thy most holy will. Amen.
A Prayer at the Offertory.
My Lord and my Redeemer, who, to satisfy the
justice of the Eternal Father for my crimes, didst
suffer Thy divine person to be bound to the column
which the stripes of the scourgers sprinkled with
Thy most precious blood ; grant me grace to
purify my soul from its loathsome stains of guilt
in that all-sanctifying stream, so that I may pre-
sent it pure and undefined in union with Thy
merits to the Eternal Father. Amen.
A Prayer when the Priest washes his Fingers.
O my most tender Saviour ! O Son of the living
God I who, when pronounced innocent by Pilate,
didst meekly bear the yells and bloodthirsty exe-
crations of the Jews in their implacable hatred to
Thee ; grant me grace to lead a sinless life amid
the trials and temptations of this world ; oh, grant
that I may always meet the insults and outrages of
ray enemies with resignation and holy forbearance.
Amen.
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110 METHOD OF ASSISTING AT
A Prayer at the Preface.
my most sweet and loving Saviour, who didst
submit to Pilate's unjust sentence, condemning
Thee to die ignominiously on the hard wood of the
cross ! grant me the grace, that when the last hour
of my mortal term shall have come, I may, for
love of Thee, feel no dread when my sentence of
death, no matter how agonizing, is about to be
executed ; but that I may breathe out my soul in
the embrace of Thy most holy arms. Amen.
A Prayer at the Memento for the Living.
O my most merciful Saviour, who, to redeem the
world, didst submit to carry the ignominious Cross
upon thy shoulders to Golgotha, grant me grace so to
walk in Thy divine footmarks, that I may patiently
embrace the cross of the mortifications and trials of
this world, and carry it resignedly for love of Thee,
even unto death. Amen.
A Prayer at the Elevation of the Host,
O my compassionate Saviour, who after .being
cruelly nailed to the Cross by the hands of the im-
pious Jews, wast raised up from the ground upon
it; raise, I implore Thee, by Thine exceeding
great mercy, my weak heart above all the passions
and cares of earth, so that my soul may be con-
stantly fixed on Thee, remembering Thy most
bitter Passion, the certainty of my own death, and
the imperishable joys of heaven. Amen.
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HOLY MASS WITH GREAT FRUIT. Ill
A Prayer at the Elevation of the Chalice.
My Lord and my Redeemer, who hast willed that
the source of all graces should be Thy blood
streaming from Thy most sacred wounds ; enable
me at all times, when suddenly assailed by sinful
thoughts, to take refuge in the power and efficacy
of thy most sacred wounds, and obtain from them
that aid which will enable me to triumph over
temptation during my whole life. Amen.
A Prayer at the Memento for the Dead.
My ever adorable Redeemer, who, while gasping
in agony on the Cross, didst supplicate Thy Eternal
Father for the salvation of all mankind, for those
even who nailed Thee to the ignominious gibbet ;
enkindle in my heart a most ardent love of Thee,
so that at every moment of my life, in conformity
with Tby divine example, I may learn to love my
neighbour, and do good even to my enemies.
Amen.
A Prayer at the Pater Noster.
My Lord Jesus Christ, who with thy latest breath
didst recommend Thy most blessed Mother to
St. John, and St. John to her; deign always to
accept my body and soul, so that with Thy holy
assistance I may make great progress in the way
of the Spirit and of perfection. Amen.
A Prayer when the Priest puts into the Chalice a portion
of the Host.
O merciful Saviour,who,descending into Limbo,
didst gladden with Thy divine presence the expect-
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112 METHOD OF ASSISTING AT HOLY MASS.
ant souls of the Patriarchs ; cause, I implore Thee,
the efficacy of Thy most precious blood and of
Thy most holy Passion to descend upon the souls
suffering in Purgatory, so that being released from
their direful tribulations, they may be received into
the eternal joys of heaven. Amen.
Prayer at the Agnus Deu
My Lord Jesus Christ, since many of the Jews
acknowledged their black ingratitude, and wept for
their awful crimes when they beheld Thee expiring
in torture ; grant me grace, through the merits of
Thy most bitter death, that I also may weep and
do penance for my heinous transgressions. Amen.
Prayer when the Priest receives the most Holy Communion,
My most merciful Lord, who, to redeem all man-
kind, didst permit Thy most holy Body, after it was
taken down from the Cross, to be laid in a new made
sepulchre ; grant me the grace that my heart may
be so renewed, as to be a fit abode for Thee* Amen #
Prayer when the Priest gives the Blessing.
O my Lord, most loving and most worthy of my
love, who, while Thy disciples were all fervently
praying in the supper-room, didst send down the
Holy Ghost to comfort them ! cleanse, I beseech
Thee, my heart with Thy most holy grace, so that
the Holy Ghost may find it a pleasing dwelling-
place, and abide therein, enriching with His multi-
form gifts the poverty of my soul. Amen.
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EXERCISES
OF PREPARATION AND THANKSGIVING JPOR
CONFESSION AND HOLY COMMUNION.
Soul that belongest to God, read and meditate
these devout exercises. The more you read, and
the more you are influenced by these holy sugges-
tions, the more pleasing will you be to Jesus, and
the greater will be your blessing in the world to
come. If the first sentence awakens deep sorrow
and devotion in your heart, read no farther for a
while, but rather surrender yourself to that inspira-
tion by which God begins to attract you and
work upon you. Whenever you cannot receive
sacramentally, make it a rule to do so spiritually,
sighing out your love to Jesus, and desiring
nothing so much as to receive Him in the adorable
Sacrament. For this spiritual communion, you will
prepare yourself by making the following fervent
acts, aspirations, and exercises.
Before Confession.
Mourn, O my soul ! for all your crimes ; regard
your sins as the greatest of all calamities, and do so in
order that you may confess them with the proper
dispositions; for you have outraged God your
Father ; you have insulted God who created you ;
you have treated with indignity God who has loved
you so tenderly ; you have offended God who has
made you his adopted child ; you have insulted God
who has made you an heir to the kingdom of
heaven ; you have insulted God the Supreme Good —
_ i
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114 BEFORE CONFESSION.
infinite goodness itself — the source and centre of all
grace ; nay, you have insulted God at the very mo-
ment when He was showering blessings upon you.
Mourn for your transgressions, for you have
sinned against God, who for love of you became in-
carnate; you have insulted a God, who in His
excessive love of you was born in a manger ; you
have insulted a God, who even in His childhood
wept tears of blood for you; you have insulted a
God, who for your sake lived in misery and obscu-
rity under the humble roof of a carpenter; you
have outraged a God, who for love of you spent
many a weary day announcing that h.oly doctrine
without which you could not be saved; you have
insulted a God, who has deigned to bequeath Him-
self to you in the adorable sacrament of the
Eucharist; you have insulted a God, who agonized
in a bloody sweat for you ; you have insulted a
God, who meekly allowed Himself to be manacled,
dragged, and reviled for love of you ; you have in-
sulted a God, who patiently bore the strokes, the
phlegm, and the brutality of the impious Jews, for
love of you ; you have insulted a God, who allowed
Himself to be fastened to the column, and lashed
by the cruel scourgers for love of you ; you have
insulted a God, who did not refuse to be crowned
with brain-piercing thorns for love of you ; yeu
have insulted a God, who suffered Himself to be
clothed as a mock king, and made an object of
scorn and jest for love of you ; you have insulted a
God who bore the heavy weight of an ignominious
cross for love of you ; you have insulted a God,
whose hands and feet were transpierced with rude
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BEFORE CONFESSION. 115
nails for love of yon ; you have insulted a God,
who breathed out his last sigh nailed on a
gibbet for love of you ; you have insulted a God,
who suffered His adorable lips to be moistened
with vinegar and gall for love of you ; you have
insulted a God, who in the excess of His love be-
queathed His immaculate Mother to you that she
might be your Mother, and you her grateful child ;
you have insulted a God, who died and was laid in
the sepulchre for love of you, who suffered His side
to be pierced by the soldier's lance for love of
you ; you have insulted a God — a God who by His
own power arose again to life, and now is enthroned
at the right hand of His eternal Father in Heaven,
whither He invites you. In a word, you have in-
sulted Jesus Christ, who ransomed you with the
shedding of His blood; you have insulted your
Prince, your Life, the Physician of your soul ; you
have insulted a God, who has sought, alas how
vainly ! for your love, in order to shower blessings
on you here, and everlasting blessings in eternity ;
you have insulted a God, whose love of you has
known no limit. My soul, my wretched soul ! why
hast thou acted thus ? What evil has God done
unto you P Alas, alas! why hast thou outraged
His patience thus ? But now, at least, begin to
repent of your transgressions, and to love God.
Oh, that I had always served and loved that good
God, who so loved me that He laid down His life for
me ! My God, my love, my life, my hope ! I love
Thee with all the powers of my heart and soul ; and
I detest my sins because they alienate me from Thee.
At the tribunal of penance, which Thou hast insti-
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116 AFTER CONFESSION.
tuted, I will confess all my transgressions, firmly
resolved, with the aid of Thy grace, never to
offend Thee more !
Another Prayer.
O most adorahle Trinity, and most worthy of
all my love, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, my
God, I prostrate myself before Thee I Mercifully
regard me, most miserable sinner, who would fain
be reconciled to Thee by a good confession. But,
O my God, as I can do nothing but what is bad,
if unassisted by Thee, I implore Thee by the
bowels of Thy tender mercy so to enlighten me,
that I may remember all my sins ; make me sensible
of their enormity and hideousness, so that I may
abominate them with all my heart! O Jesus,
never-failing fountain of compassion ! I approach
Thee that Thou mayest wash me of all my iniqui-
ties ! Sun of righteousness, send the bright beams
of Thy illuminating grace into the dark recesses
of my soul. Divine Physician, deign to heal Thy
infirm creature. Love, that art infinite, kindle the
flames of Thy love in my soul, so that it may love
none but Thee. And may this confession that I
am going to make be all that Thou would wish it.
May it bring about in me an entire change of life,
so that I may be fully reconciled to Thee, my God,
my hope, my love; for Thou art indeed my
Saviour, and without Thee there is no peace for
this erring soul.
Prayer after Confession,
Oh, that I could thank Thee as I ought, my
beloved Jesus, for having, by Thy gracious power,
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BEFORE HOLT COMMUNION. 117
saved me from the fires of hell, Thau hast, by
the Sacrament of Penance, restored me to the in-
heritance of Thy heavenly kingdom. Endless,
boundless goodness of my God, how can I thank
thee P But, oh, this weak heart is likely to relapse,
if not sustained by Thee ; and like Judas, I top am
capable of betraying Thee, if Thou wilt not guide
and uphold me by the aid of Thy grace. Ah I I
cannot rely on myself: assist me, therefore; let Thy
hands overshadow me ; strengthen me when
temptations assail me, and, ob, rather call me to
Thyself, through the brazen portals of death, than
let me live to insult Thee any more.
PRAYERS BEFORE HOL V COMMUNION.
Awake, slumbering soul, to bless thy God for
all His mercies ! Remember that He became in-
carnate for thee. Remember that Jesus, who was
born in the manger of Bethlehem, who conquered
death, and who is enthroned at the right hand of
His Father, is now really and truly present in the
most holy Sacrament of the Eucharist. O thrice
holy belief ! O greatest of all consolations ! God is
here really present under the appearances of bread
and wine ! He, the Almighty One, is ready to
take up His abode in my heart, and to become
entirely mine!
Act of Faith.
Jesus, my loving God, since thoa hast revealed
it, I firmly believe that Thoa art really and truly
present, soul, body, and divinity, in the adorable
Eucharist. I believe that in the most holy
118 BEFORK HOLY COMMTTNIOK.
Eucharist I receive that very Jesus who died, and
who rose again from the dead, and that in Him I
receive the eternal Father and the Holy Ghost.
Act of Adoration.
O my soul, what art thou doing ? What
thoughts engross thee ? Yet a little while and thy
loving God will come to dwell within thee. O
Lord Omnipotent ! 1 prostrate myself in humble
adoration before Thee. I adore Thee, O Jesus ! in
this Sacrament of Thy love. Come, Mary, my
tender Mother; come, all ye angels and saints, and
with me adore my Jesus. Oh, obtain for me a
lively faith, and profoundest veneration, now that
I am about to receive my Jesus; and now my soul
thou shalt be filled with all good, since thy Jesus
comes to abide in thee. He comes to enlighten
thee, to unite Himself with thee, in order that thou
mayest have a foretaste of that never-ending delight,
which He has prepared for thee in heaven. Awake !
exult, O my heart ! let thy confidence grow stronger ;
and remember that thou art now about to obtain
the gratification of all thy most fervent desires.
Jesus is Almighty; He can give thee all good
things. He openeth His hand, and showers bene-
dictions on all. He is to thee a loving Father, and
desires to enrich thee with the profusion of His
choicest gifts. He is ever faithful to His word, and
He will, therefore, bless thee with everything thou
dost need. O Jesus, exhaustless mine of wealth !
give me Thy graces ; teach me to love thee daily
more and more; teach me, Jesus! to hope un-
failingly in Thy tender mercies.
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BEFORE HOLY COMMUNION. 119
Act of Hope.
O Jesus, dearest hope of my soul ! I rely with
unshaken confidence on Thy divine promises. Thy
most precious blood, shed for me on Calvary, is a
pledge of Thy loving compassion for my poor soul.
O Thou who art infinite compassion ! grant, now
that I am about to receive Thee, that my soul may
be sanctified. Grant that all its desires may be
acceptable to Thee, so that I may live and die
loving none but Thee, O beauty ever ancient and
ever new 1 Come, then, God of my heart's fondest
hopes, sanctifier of souls, come and sanctify me.
O my soul ! what is there that God has left undone
to win thy love ? Did He not take flesh of the
Virgin Mary ? Was He not born in a miserable
manger ? Did He not die on the cross for love of
thee ? and, O miracle of love! is He not now really
and truly present in the Eucharist for love of thee ?
He now invites thee to the heavenly banquet, to
receive Him, and so lovingly does He invite thee,
that His divine heart will brook no delay. O love,
that has had no equal ! The God of infinite
beauty, perfection, and majesty desires this morn-
ing to bestow such blessings on me as He hath
never bestowed on the Seraphim. He deigns, nay
desires to take up His abode in my heart He, the
Almighty Lord, desires to be united with me? and
thou, my soul, wilt thou not give all thy love to that
God who has loved thee so tenderly ?
Act of Love.
Jesus, centre of my love, God of my heart, how
worthy art Thou of my love, and of all the pure
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120 BEFORE HOLT COMtfTJNIOH.
affections of my heart. My God, I love thee with
all the faculties of my heart and soul. Thou art
my Creator, my sovereign Lord, and I love Thee
more than myself ; for Thou art the sole object of
my heart's longings. Thou art the beginning and
the end of all. Oh, that I could praise and bless
Thee as the angels and saints do in heaven ! Ob, that
I were able, even at the sacrifice of my life, to
make all mankind praise, bless, love, and adore
Thee ! God, most amiable ! how gladly would I
spend all my days in toil for love of Thee. Inflame
my love that it may be worthy of Thee. Teach .
me, I beseech Thee, to bless, thank, and love Thee,
with that love which Thy holy Mother cherished
for Thee. I love Thee, O Jesus ! but do Thou in
Thy goodness so strengthen that love that it may
never fall away from Thee, for the sake of all the
accumulated goods of this transitory world. Jesus,
Thou art my treasure, my life, my hope, my bliss.
I love Thee because Thou hast toiled add died for
me. I love Thee because Thou alone art worthy
of my undivided lore. Thou art my Lord and my
God, and I desire nothing so much as to love Thee
incessantly, and uninterruptedly. Soul, God has
created thee to love Him. Give Him, therefore,
all thy love. O heart, thou knowest that there is
no peace, happiness, or contentment without thy
God ! Sever, then, all earthly attachments, and
hail the coming of thy God. Mary, mother of
pure love, pray that I may love my God with all
my soul and all my strength. Alas ! my soul,
hast thou not been the abode of vice, crime, and
cold indifference to thy God? Hast thou not
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BEFORE HOLT COMMUNION. 121
often and often transgressed His holy laws ? Ah,
hast thou not often imitated the impious Jews
who crucified thy Redeemer? Nay, hast thou
not surpassed them in cruelty and black ingrati-
tude ? Hast thou not by mortal sin crucified the
Son of God over and over again ? O my soul,
now that He is about to visit thee in the Sacra*
mem of love and reconciliation, implore Him to
wipe out all the stains of thy iniquity.
Act of Contrition.
My loving Jesus, by my multiplied crimes I
have crowned Thee with the thorny crown; I
fastened Thee to the cross ; I have drenched
Thy lips with vinegar and gall ; I have thrust the
spear into Thy side ; I have caused Thee to die.
How could I be worthy to receive Thee ; I who
am not worthy to breathe the breath of this
mortal life. I am a wretch whom the earth
should swallow up— a sinner against whom
heaven should cast all its thunderbolts — a
oriminal who deserves to be detested by all
created things. But, O my God, Thou art in-
finite goodness ! How repeatedly, alas ! have
1 trampled on Thy blood, dishonoured Thy name,
scorned Thy authority ; yet not only dost Thou
pardon me, but Thou, of Thy own divine will,
aesirest to be reconciled to me ; and for an act
of penance, for a tear of contrition and love,
Thou cancellest all my Crimes* Thou restores!
roe to Thy favour, and Thou makest me once
more Thy friend and son. Oh, in truth, Thou art
my God, infinitely kind, infinitely great, infinitely
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122 BEFORE HOLY COMMUNION.
faithful) and infinitely loving 1 xThou art mj
God, an abyss of limitless glories and perfection.
Oh, how transcendently great is Thy goodnessin
giving Thyself to me — to me a miserable sinner !
Praise to Thy ever-holy name ! Ah, would that
I might die of sorrow for having outraged so
good a God. I am heart-broken for having sin-
ned against Thee! Pardon me, O my God I I
consult not my own selfish interests ; I only
wish that Thou, my loving God, shouldst be
honoured and glorified by me henceforth and for
ever. Purify with thy most precious blood, O
Jesus ! this sin-stained soul, till it is made a fit
tabernacle for Thy Divine Majesty. O Mary,
thou comforter of the afflicted ! give me tears of
heart-sprung contrition. My soul, thou art about
to partake of the body of the Lord Jesus. Hast
thou duly considered who God is, and what thou
art ? Ah, though thou wert one of the Cherubim,
uniting in thy own person the love felt by
myriads of angels, and all the virtues of the
saints, even so thou wouldst never be adequately
worthy of receiving thy God.
An Act of Humility.
At last, O Jesus ! the hour has arrived when
Thou shalt come to dwell in the heart of one who
is, alas 1 a vile sinner. Oh, by the bowels of Thy
tender mercy, I supplicate Thee to have com-
passion on me, and to tolerate me ! Lord, Thou
art that God, before the awful splendour of whose
sanctity heaven and earth fade into nothingness.
Ah, how unworthy, then, am I to appear in Thy
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BEFORE HOLY COMMUNION. 123
sight ; but I must hasten to receive Thee, for
Thou wiliest that I should do so; nay, Thou dost
invite me, and like a son I must obey Thee, my
God and my All. Let the Seraphim, let the
Saints, let ever- blessed Mary satisfy for my
defects and want of intense devotion. Lord, if I
am not worthy to love and receive Thee, Thou
deservest to be loved and received by me. Do
with me as Thou wiliest. Render me subservient
to Thy greater honour and glory ; make me
worthy of this greatest of all favours ; supply all
my deficiencies, and make this poor heart entirely
Thine own. The hour has come, my soul, the
long-wished-for hour, when thou art to receive
thy Jesus. The King of kings, the Lord of
lords, thy God, is about to enter under thy roof.
" Behold the Bridegroom cometh, let us go forth
to meet Him." But, O my soul! why art thou
so cold ? why dost thou not burn with holy
desire to partake of His sacred body? Ah,
should not the consciousness of His divine love
and compassion kindle within thee intensest love
for Him ? If thou were only to receive Him
once during thy life, with what fervour would st
thou prepare for that august occasion ! But,
alas ! now that Infinite Goodness is ever ready to
give Himself to thee, thou art tepid, nay and cold
at the very moment when He is about to take up
His abode in thee ! O my soul ! would that thou
wert like those pure and loving ones who longed
with a burning desire for this divine communion.
Would that like them thou thirsted for that all-
refreshing fountain. Courage, my soul ! awake !
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124 BEFORE HOLY COMMUNION.
yearn to receive thy Jesus ; hanger and thirst
for the Supreme Good shrouded in the sacra-
mental veils. Awake ! invite Him with tears of
love, and with a heart all on fire with love of Him.
An Act of Desire,
Comb, Thou, bread of angels, and satisfy the
cravings of my soul ; come, Thou, glowing furnace
of charity, and inflame my soul with the fires of
divine love ; come, Shepherd divine, and guide me ;
come, Eternal Father, my hope, my life, my joy,
and source of all my happiness ; come, Thou,
dearest object of all my aspirations ; come, Thou,
comforter of the sorrowful, light supernal of the
soul ; edme,Thou, who art the solace and refresh-
ment of the weary ; come to me, O Thou, for
whom the nations prayed, and for whom the
patriarchs sighed ! come to me, O Thou, the de-
sired of ages, joy of angels, glory of the heavens,
supreme delight of saints I come to me, for I yearn
for Thee ; come to me, for Thou hast transpierced
me with the arrows of Thy love ; come, delay
not, for my heart waxes faint, and I feel that I
cannot exist without Thee; come, O Jesus I I
beseech Thee, come. Most holy Mary, behold
I am going to receive the body and blood, soul
and divinity of thy adorable Son. From thy
blessed hands I would fain receive Him. Present
Him to me as thou didst to the shepherds, and the
kings who came from afar off to adore Him, and
to holy Simeon, in the temple. Oh, obtain for me
grace to receive Him worthily ! Beseech Him
to fill me with His choicest blessings; and
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AFTER HOLY COMMUNION. 125
dear Mother! hearken to the prayer of thy
suppliant child.
An Act of Offering.
O my God ! I offer Thee this my communion
in unison with that of ever Blessed Mary,
of Thy holy Apostles, of all Thy Saints, and of
all the just who this day receive Thee, or who
shall receive Thee in future times. My wish and
intention is to make all those fervent acts of pre-
paration and thanksgiving which are offered to
Thee now, or shall he offered in time to come.
I offer them all to Thee now in union with those
virtues, merits, and that sanctity with which Theu,
my Jesus, didst receive Thyself in the Eucharist
at the Last Supper. May the Church trium-
phant in heaven, and militant on earth, supply
my deficiencies of love, adoration and gratitude !
DEVOUT EXERCISES AFTER COMMUNION.
Behold my cravings are appeased! behold
all my longings are gratified 1 now my God hath
deigned to visit me I now Jesus abides in my
heart ! Now I can say with the Apostle, I am
no longer my own but Christ's. I no longer live
in myself but in Christ, and Christ lives in me.
I entirely belong to Christ, and oh, happiness !
Christ is mine. Oh, ineffable goodness ! the
God of Heaven has passed the portal of my lips,
come into my bosom, #nd taken up His abode in
the heart of a mortal creature, who is so con-
temptible, so wretched, and so unworthy 1 My
soul, of what art thou now thinking ? Thou
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126 AFTER HOLY COMMUNION.
art now possessed of that God for whom thou hast
been longing. Thou art sanctified by the real
presence of Jesus, thou art incorporated with
Jesus. Thou and thy Jesus are one. mar-
vellous and delightful union ! My son], now that
thou art so intimately united to Jesus, wilt thou
not address Him? Wilt thou not hold sweet
converse with thy God who is dwelling in thy
heart? Awake, be recollected, employ all thy
faculties to adore Him, and greet Him thus : —
" Welcome, beloved Jesus, I bless Thee for hav-
ing come to dwell within me. Long have I sighed
for this moment. But oh, how it grieves me to
think that Thou hast come to abide in a heart
harder and colder than the stable of Bethlehem
— a heart more replete with sorrow and affliction
to Thee, than the rugged cross was to Thy sacred
body. O Lord ! what dost Thou discover in me
but a heart obdurate to Thy divine appeals — a
heart devoted to the perishable things of this
delusive world ? Ah, my God ! wherefore hast
Thou come to dwell in me ? Let me, in the bitter-
ness of self-reproach, say with St. Peter, depart,
depart from me, depart from this body of sin,
which is unfit to be the abode of Eternal
Majesty, " Depart from me for I am a sinful
man, O Lord.'' Go and reside within those
sinless loving souls who pine for Thy advent.
But no, O my heavenly guest ! depart not from
me; for if I lose Thee I am lost. O God!
Thou art my chiefest hope, and I will not be
separated from Thee. O Supreme Good for
whom I have longed ! I will clasp Thee to my
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AFTEE HOLY COMMUNION. 127
heart ; and oh, may I live and die in Thy ten-
der embrace ! Mary, my holy protectress, and
all you angels and saints, share with me your
affections, that I may welcome as I should this
coming of Jesus to my heart.
Act of Thanksgiving.
Adorabjle Trinity, one God most worthy of
my love, I thank Thee with my whole heart for
having given Jesus to me, a poor sinner; I
thank Thee for having given me Jesus in the
Sacrament of the Eucharist ; I thank Thee for
having invited me to receive Him ; and oh, sweet
Jesus ! how can I ever thank Thee sufficiently
for having deigned to visit me ? How can I
thank Thee as I ought ? O spotless Virgin ! O
angels ! O all ye blessed citizens of heaven ! O
all ye souls glowing with purest love of God !
enable me to thank my Lord incessantly for His
infinite condescension. But how far does all this
fall short of the thanks due to God 1 Surely the
thankskiving even of all heaven falls immeasu-
rably short of what is due to an infinite God, and
what is there in heaven or on earth that could
compensate Him for his infinite benefits ? What
then am I to do, but offer, O my most sweet
Jesus ! Thy own love itself in thanksgiving for
Thy infinite love. Let all Thy tender mercies,
Thy gracious condescension, and Thy attributes,
which are infinite, render unto Thee that honour
and gratitude which Thou so eminently deservest.
O adorable Trinity, one God! I thank Thee
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128 AFTER HOLT COMMUNION.
through Jesus, anddoTbou,0 Tri-une God! thank
Aesus for me. Now let my heart overflow with
gratitude, and may Thy divine Majesty accept,
and he content with this infinite thank-offering.
O supreme and everlasting Good J to Thee alone he
praise, adoration, and glory, from all creatures
through endless ages. Amen. Of what art thou
thinking now, my soul? Art thou not a living
temple, in which Thy Redeemer has deigned
really to dwell ? Dismiss all idle and distracting
thoughts ; now is the propitious moment, now is
the acceptable moment for petitioning Him for
the graces which thou needest, and for obtaining
them from the source of all grace who now dwells
within thee. Now, indeed, Heaven's gate is open,
now the adorable Trinity, with eyes of mercy and
love, looks down on the object of its compla-
cency, Christ Jesus, who is in thy bosom at this
moment. O my soul! waste not a moment
so precious, but employ all thy energies to
co-operate in this all-important affair of thy
eternal salvation. But how ? What sayest thou
to thy God? Ah, thoughtless and contemptible as
thou art. thou wouldst fain live on in thy miseries
even whilst the God of all riches is abiding
within thee] Wilt thou continue dumb?
wilt thou let thy thoughts be distracted? Hast
thou no interests to promote, no desires to be
gratified? In a word, hast thou become in-
sensible and indifferent? Dost thou not know-
that if thou dost not ask thou shalt not receive ?
Were a powerful monarch to enter thy house,
and invite thee to ask favours of him, wouldst
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AFTER HOLT COMMUNION. 129
thou fail to accept suck invitation ? Alas, alas!
we are miserable indeed, for we have not lively
faith. The King of kings, the Lord of heaven's
treasures is abiding within thee ; thy God has
visited thee ; He desires to enrich thee with
-every grace, and yet thou remainest silent. The
Infinite, AH- Bountiful Being complains that His
graces are not prayed for; and impatient of
man's tepidity, and desiring to outpour the
treasures of His beneficence on so unworthy
a creature, He Himself invit6s us to ask.
* Hitherto you have not asked anything in my
r name. Ask and you shall receive, that your joy
i may be full."* My soul thou hast received the
i, Omnipotent Lord, a most tender and bountiful
l Father, a God who is ever faithful to His word,
r and why therefore shouldst thou be afraid ? Seek
Him, trust in Him, ask Him for great favours-
favours worthy of thy God.
Act of Petition.
O mt loving Lord ! since Thou hast deigned to
visit me that I may be enriched with Tby graces ;
since Thou commandest me to ask them of Thee,
listen to me now, I implore Thee, by the bowels
of Thy tender mercy. Bestow on me, O Jesus !
an increase of lively faith, hope, charity, and
sorrow for my sins. Grant me humility, purity,
patience, and every other virtue ; cleanse me of all
my defilements ; change this erring heart, and
•John, xvi.
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130 AFTBR HOLT COMftUJBTION.
detach it from the perishable things of. this
world; conform it to Thy divine will, so that I
may incessantly seek Thy greater glory'; cause
all its affections tb bo centered in Thee alone ; let
its only wish be to obtain Tby love, and never
allow it to forfeit that supremest blessing*
I know that grace is a wondrous gift ; I acknow-
ledge that I have not merited it ; but Thou, my
loving Jesus, dost merit it for me, The great-
God of heaven is able to confer graces exceeding
freat ; grant me, then, this which I have implored
y your passion and death on the cross ; grant it
to me for the love you bear to the eternal Father ;
grant it to me by the merits of .ever-blessed
Mary ; by the merits of Thy Chttrdh triumphant
in heaven, and militant on earth ; grant it to me
because Thou art infinite goodness and com-
passion. [Here pray with a lively faith for the
graces and favours which are required for yourself
and those who ask your prayers."] O adorable
Trinity ! O my most lovingGod accept my humble
petition. Now is the moment when Thou wilt
not deny Thy graces even to the most unworthy,
because it is not I alone that ask them, but
Thy divine Son Jesus unites with .me in im-
ploring them. Indeed, I am not worthy of Thy
attention, but Jesus, who prays with me and in me,
deserves to be heard. Eternal and Omnipotent
Father, I base all my hopes on the promises of
my Lord Jesus Christ, who has told us that what-
ever graces we ask of Thee in His name shall be
granted to us by Thee. " Amen, amen, I say
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AFTEE HOLY COMMUNION. 131
to you, if yon ask the Father anything in ray
name he will give it to you."*
Act of Oblation.
Jesus, my loving God, Thou hast given Thyself
entirely to me, and gratitude requires that I
should give myself wholly to Thee. Thou hast
sanctified me by coming to dwell in my heart,
and henceforward I will, with Thy divine assist-
ance, be entirely consecrated to Thee, My eyes,
which Thou hast opened to the true light, snail
be Thine. My ears, which have heard Thy gentle
invitation, shall be Thine; and this tongue, which
has been sanctified by Thy adorable body and
blood, shall be Thine for evermore. Oh, may all
my senses be devoted to Thy greater honour and
glory; may they never rebel against Thy holy
law ; may my memory teem with grateful re-
collections of Thy goodness; may this will, which
Thou hast sanctified, postpone everything to the
love of Thee. To Thee I offer my body and
my soul — all my senses, and all my faculties — my
entire being. O celestial fire! consume in me
all that is base and impure. O Omnipotent love !
teach me to love Thee with fidelity, now and for
evermore. Amen.
Act of Self-Oblation to be made every Morning.
My eternal God, behold me prostrate before Thy
immense majesty, and humbly adoring Thee. To
* St. John, xvi.
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132 OBLATION FOR EVERT MORNING.
Thee I offer all my thoughts, words, and actions
during this day ; and my dearest wish is that all
of them may tend to promote Thy honour and
glory. Lord, 1 desire nothing hut to love Thee,
serve Thee, praise Thee, bless Thee, and fulfil
Thy divine will. O eternal God ! I beseech Thee
to enlighten my understanding. Teach me to have
unshaken faith in Thy mercy; teach me how to
satisfy Thy divine justice for my many heinous
sins. Grant that my prayers may obtain comfort
for the souls in Purgatory, and the grace of con-
version for all sinners. Tis my most ardent wish
that everything I undertake to-day may be in
union with those most pure intentions which
Jesus and Mary had during their mortal term ; I
desire nothing so much as that my intentions
should be the same as those which actuated Thy
saints during their pilgrimage in this transitory
world. Grant, O my God ! that I may imitate
their holy examples, and live the life of the just.
Accept, therefore, I beseech Thee, my poor heart ;
give me Thy holy benediction, and grace to avoid
all sin, mortal and venial, throughout the entire
course of my life, but particularly during this day
on which I desire and intend to perform all. the
works necessary to gain the indulgences of Thy
holy Church, nay, and to assist at all the Masses
that are celebrated in the whole universe, applying
them all in suffrage for the souls in Purgatory, in
order that they may be released from their torments.
Amen.
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CONDUCT IN THE CHURCH. 133
How you should act after receiving the holy Communion.
As soon as you have received the body and
blood of the Lord, and retired from the church,
observe, as far as you can, profound silence and
recollection. Remember the great work you have
performed, and never forget that you have sacra-
mentally received Jesus — that very Jesus who for
nine months dwelt in the womb of the blessed Virgin
Mary. During the day make frequent acts of
lively faith, and casting yourself in spirit at His
feet, say to Him : u Lord, have mercy upon me. O
Lord ! preserve me from sin, grant me the grace of
final perseverance; grant me the grace of a holy
death, and make my soul worthy of Paradise.
Lord, send Thy blessings on my home and family,
and grant that my children may grow up in Thy
holy service." Ask great blessings of God ; ask
with humble confidence, and you may rest assured
that you will obtain them alL
The Viaticum.
In every house there should be a wax candle set
apart for the most solemn moment when the priest
comes to administer the holy Viaticum to the sick
and dying. This candle should be called the candle
of the adorable Sacrament, and should be carefully
preserved, and never lit except on the occasion
already specified. Devotion of this sort has merited
special favours from the Most High.
Conduct in the Church.
On entering the church, remember that you are
in the presence of Christ's altar, and that His
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134 CONDUCT IN THE CHURCH.
divine majesty is there enthroned. Yon are, there-
fore, to comport yourself with silent recollection,
interior and exterior, doing and thinking only
such things as are calculated to edify your neigh-
bour, and bring down God's blessing upon you.
Avoid all noise, such as unnecessary coughing,
which is likely to distract others, and especially
the priest, if he happens to be preaching. Spitting
on the floor of God's consecrated temple is an
irreverence which should be carefully avoided. ' On
entering the church, therefore, say to yourself, I
am now in the house of God, in the presence of
God's throne, and it behoves me to conduct
myself with strictest and holiest decorum. All my
senses must be consecrated to God, for I have
entered the holy place to adore and supplicate
Him. Bear well in mind what I have here laid
down for your observance, and never forget that
God's temple is holy, and that those who profane it
by thought, word, or action, provoke the anger of
the Eternal.
THE END;
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