The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1884-04-24

1duuer reaching from earth TO heaven,
ana angels ascending and descending,
ne declared: How terrible is this;
nus Is no other than the house of
God and the gate of heaven" With
how much more truth can we say this
mouse is the house of God?
his place is holy for a reason, if
po Slble, still greater. Il have chosen
this place to myself for house of
sacrlgce,' says Almighty God, of the
temple of JeruG allen. 1t was holy
place, and the house of God because it
was there sacrifice was offered to God;
SO this church is the house of God and
the place of sacrifice. and more holy
and sacred than the temple of. Ierusa-
lem, as the sacrifice we offer iSAreater
and more sacred than that offered in
the temple of old. More holy than the
temple OF Jerusalem, as the real sacri-
flee Is greater and more holy than the
pure type and figure; as the sacrifice
OF the new law is greater and holier
than the sacrifice of the old law. For
the sacrifice of the old law consisted
in the offering of dumb animals, but
the sacrifice of the new law, which Is
offered here in this church, is the
sacrifice of God himself. SLOW
terrible indeed is this place; it is no
other than the house of God"
Yes, in our churches is offered up
the self-same sacrifice that was offered
on the cross by our dear Redecmer
when He died for our salvation. The
Mass which is the same sacrifice that
our Savior offered the evening before
ne suffered death, when He took bread
and bi1ke aud gave to his disciples aud
said: Take We and eat, this is my
body, which is given for you,' and
taking the chalice he blest it and
gave to them and said: "Drink ye
all, of this; this is my blood which
shall be shed for many for the remis-
| sion of sins; do you this in remem-
bTance of me-" LAS often as you
shall do this you shall show forth the
death of the Lord until he come"
There and then at the Lords supper,
with his disciples, our dear Savior ex-
tended the holy sacrifice of the mass.
| The sacrifice of Melchisadec was of
bread and wine, and here the great
high priest, according to the order of
Melchisadec. for the first time offered,
under the form of bread and wine,
the august sacrifice of his body and
blood; the body which was about to
hang upon the cross: Z" this is my body
| WudU ID RlNCu W JO-g OAOOO
which he shed: "thiS is my blood what
shall be shed for many" He offered
in sacrifice, and gave to His apostles
the same authority and power with
which He offered this sacrifice, and
commanded them to do as he had done.
"Do this in commemoration of Me-"
This is the sacrifice instituted by
Jesus Christ, which was to supercede
the sacrifice of the old law, of which
it was written: "From the rising of
!, the sun TO the going down or the
J same, my name is great among the
Gentiles, and in every place there is
sacrifice, and there is offered to my
name clearer ablation, for my name
is great among the Gentiles, saith the
J the Lord of Hosts" This is the sacri-
flee of this mass, which has always been
offered in the Catholic church since
the time of the apostles themselves.
Sacrifice is the essense Of all religion.
All worship centerS around the Holy
Sacrifice of the mass, for there is God
whom we worship and adore. There
{ is He the object of all our worship.
He is present not only in His divinity,
II but in His humanity. He is really
q substantially present as the victim of
a the sacrifice. The Goldman is there,
: The Gre;It High priest, Offering him.
: self through the ministry of his law
q fully appointed priest, to his eternal
s Father. for US. What is there greater,
s more holy, on earth, or even in heaven
y for in the Holy Sacrife we have our
y Emanuel; our God with usO How
T great How sublime is this sacrificed
q How great. how admirable the
goodness, the mercy of our God
t How terrible is this place-it is
+ no other than the house of God
: Religion without a sacrifice is devoid
J. of the essential requisite of religion
8 and consequently cannot be true
l religion. Whyp From the very be-
r ginning of the human race, and at all
: times through, an inborn, sentiment,
e or through revelation from God, sac
!, rifice has BEN regarded as the most
! perfect form of divine worship, and
sacrifice has been offered from the be.
t ginning, as we read of the sacrifices
v of Abel, Cain, Noah, Job and Abra-
s ham; and God not only prescribed
t sacrifice and commanded thet g
s be offered, but the sacrifices which, ne
ordered were mere figures of a sacri
t fee which the Messiah should establish
1 Yes, the sacrifice of the mass is the
s essence of all divine works on earth
r That we have sacrificed is of itsel1
J. sufficient proof that the Catholic
Y church is the true church Of God, fol-
4 that only ca be the church of God
where has offered the sacrifice which
9 he commanded to be offered and which
e was foreto old should be offerc in every
g place to the end OF time. The truere
ligion of God must have a sacrifice
because, aside from every other rea.
4 son, sacrificei5 the most becoming
l the most expressive, and the most
} perfect manner of doing homage tc
God. 1t is the emily piece of worE
l that has, from the beginning, been
} used only in the worship of the deity
! All other forms of worship may also
l be given to creatures, as prayer
2 bowling the head, bending the knee
+ but sacrifice alone il off. red to God
g The nations VINO forget God, who have
! lost the knowledge of the true God
still retain that idea of worship, to
offer sacrifices. The worship of God
3 always had sacrifice and must still
have, but as the only true sacrifice
2 now ext is in the Catholic bhurch, il
l alone now, and none other, can be the
l true church. Consider this well
Sacrifice is the essence of religion.
The Catholic church alone has sac
rifice, therefore it alone il the true
church.
This house then, where God dwells
with us, we should loyo and respect.
We should love to come here to hear
the word of God; to listen to the ex-
PLANTATION of the will and law of God.
We should love to come here to pray
Tor what we need; to thank God for
his blessings to US; to ask grace and
help in all we need. We should love
TO come here to receive the holy eacra-
ment; to be reconciled to God when
we have the misfortune to sin; and
to receive him into our hearts in holy
communion. We should love to be
present and assist at the august sacri-
fice, where we have our Divine Medi-
ator, to offer worthy honor to GCd in
our stead. We should respect this
holy place, and show our love and
respect by lending material aid to
make this a place of grandeur and
beiuty as far as we have it in our
power to make it such; and If we love
Gods dwelling place here, and serve
him in spirit, and If in truth, then,
indeed, may we hope to enjoy ever
lasting presence in the house of His
eternity. in JOY unspeakable forever.
4 M