The Intermountain Catholic. (Salt Lake City [Utah] ;) 1899-1920, 1902-07-19
The Holy sacriice Of the Mass.

Inc aO4y 9dSI4uCS Oh the MASS.
The mass is a work to which the
salvation of the world is attached
ST. Oden, Abbot of Cuny
1t is to the mass that the earth owes
its preservation-witho this sacrifice
il would long ago have been annihilated
on account of the sins Of men-Timothy
OF = erusalem.
Every time that the Lord is immo-
lated on our affairs he confers no less
favor upon the world than which he
gave ii in becoming man.-St. Bona
venture
The sacrifice of the altar. being but
the application and the renewal of the
Sacra1ce of the Cross. a mass is. in
regard to the well being and salvation
Of men, as efficacious as the Sacrifice
OF Calvary.-St. Thomas Aouinas.
y mass is worth just as much as the
death Of Christ on the cross.-St. John
Chrysostom.
Should anyone die on the day on
which he has piously assisted at mass
without being able to receive the sac
raments, he is considered to have re-
ceived them, provided he had at his
death contrition for his sins.-St Au-
gustin.
He who hears mass in the state of
grace, for a greater reason. the priest
who celebrates in piety. merits more
than if he went on pilgrimage all
over the world. and gave all his DOS
sessions TO the poor.-St. Bernard.
Without doubt God will rant us all
that we ask of him during the mass.
and very often he grants US more than
We ask for.-St. Jerome.
The Sacrifice of the Mass is so ex-
cellent that nothing created can give
=. "a. -
all the merits of the incompara Bile
Mary, all the alterations of the angels,
all the sufferings of the martyrs. all
the austerities of the anchorets, all
the purity of the virgins, all the virtue
Of the confessors: in a word, all the
merits of the saints who were, who are,
or who viii be. from the beginning of
the world to the contamination of ages:
then Join to all these merits the viz
tues and merits of millions and millions
Of supposed worlds still more perfect
than ours-and still you cannot have
the exact idea of theryalue of one mass.
A mass in value is Infinitely beyond
all these, and never can there be a COM
parison between the finite and the in
finite. Reason itself is not slow in
comprehending this. All the honors, all
the homages which all actual and pos
sible creatures can give to God, even
though they should be intellectually
more perfect than they now are, have
but finite value. whereas the honor
given to God from mass is infinite.
Faith proclaims all this. and there can
be no question on this matter. The sac
rifice. considered in itself is of value
Infinitely beyond the conception of the
highest angel in heaven.
Hence there is no action that is more
dear to God than the holy mass; none
that renders him so much glory that
disarnls so efficaciously his wrath: that
obtains more successfully his favors;
that is more succoring to the church
on earth, or more comforting to the
souls in purgatory, or gives more joy
10 the church triumphant in heaven.
And the fruits of the holy mass are
simply innumera BILE. Those specially
mentioned in the Sayings OF Saints
above will suffice to give you fair idea
Of them.
Always. then, hear mass when an OPP
portunity is given you not only on a
Sunday, but also on other days, even
though the church be far away and
the weather somewhat unpleasant, and
make it a point to be in time. And,
when attending, avoid all wilful dis
fractions and sinful behavior such as
laughing. talking, gazing about, dis
monies. and do it reverently; when
called for stand erectly, kneel devoutly
or sit decently. Always remember that,
while mass is going on, you are present
at the same spectacle that the Jews
witnessed when Christ was crucified
on Calvary, then mass viii be for you
a strong means of salvation.
Without Thee, Lord. things be not what
they be.
Nor have they been, when compared
with Thee
In having all things and not Thee, what
have T?
Not having Thee what have my labors
got2
Let me enjoy but Thee, what further
crave |?
And having Thee alone. what have 1
not2
wish not sea nor land nor would J be
Possessed of Heaven, Heaven unpossessed
of Thee. f Quarles