From Jesus Our Eucharistic Love
Wonderful are the saving effects which every Sacrifice of the Mass produces in the souls of those who participate. It obtains sorrow and pardon for sins. It lessens the temporal punishment due to sins.
It weakens the influence of Satan and the untamed impulses of our flesh. It strengthens the bonds of our union in the Body of Christ. It protects us from danger and disaster. It shortens the punishment of Purgatory; and it obtains for us a higher degree of glory in Heaven.
“No human tongue,” said St. Lawrence Justinian, “can enumerate the favors that trace back to the Sacrifice of the Mass. The sinner is reconciled with God; the just man becomes more upright; sins are wiped away; vices are uprooted; virtue and merit increase; and the devil’s schemes are frustrated.”
And so St. Leonard of Port Maurice did not tire of exhorting the crowds which listened to him:
“O you deluded people, what are you doing? Why do you not hasten to the churches to hear as many Masses as you can? Why do you not imitate the angels, who, when a Holy Mass is celebrated, come down in myriads from Paradise and take their stations about our altars in adoration to intercede for us?”
If it is true that we all have need of graces for this life and for the next, nothing can win them from God like the Holy Mass.
St. Philip Neri used to say, “With prayer we ask graces from God; in the Holy Mass we constrain God to give them to us.”
The prayer offered during Holy Mass engages our whole priesthood, both the ministerial priesthood (even apart from that of the individual priest at the altar) and the common priesthood of all the faithful.
In Holy Mass our prayer is united with Jesus’ prayer of agony as He sacrifices Himself for us.
In a special way during the Canon, which is the heart of the Mass, the prayer of all of us becomes also the prayer of Jesus, present amongst us.
The two Mementoes of the Roman Canon, during which the living and the dead are remembered, are precious moments for us to present our petitions. And in those supreme moments when Jesus in the priest’s hands undergoes His Passion and Death, we can beg also for our own needs and we can recommend both living and deceased persons who are dear to us.
Let us take care to profit by this.
The saints held this to be very important, and when they recommended themselves to the prayers of the priests, they asked them to remember them above all during the Canon.
It will be particularly at the hour of death that the Masses we have devoutly heard will bring us our greatest consolation and hope.
One Mass heard during life will be more profitable than many Masses heard by others in our behalf after our death.
St. Joseph Cottolengo assures a holy death to whoever assists often at Holy Mass. St. John Bosco also considers it a sign of predestination to participate in many Masses.
Our Lord told St. Gertrude, “You may be sure that to someone who devoutly assists at the Holy Mass, I will send as many of My saints to comfort him and protect him during the last moments of his life as there will have been Masses which he has heard well.” How consoling!
The holy Curé of Ars correctly declared, “If we knew the value of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, how much greater effort we would put forth in order to assist at it!”
And St. Peter Julian Eymard exhorted, “Know, O Christian, that the Mass is the holiest act of religion. You cannot do anything to glorify God more, nor profit your soul more, than by devoutly assisting at it, and assisting as often as possible.”
Only in Heaven will we understand what a divine marvel the Holy Mass is. No matter how much effort we apply and no matter how holy and inspired we are, we can only stammer if we would explain this Divine Work, which surpasses men and angels. -Fr. Stefano Manelli, Jesus Our Eucharistic Love http://amzn.to/2uUTT8C (afflink)
There is a dream of St John Bosco that is not well known but is about the virtue of purity. How can we protect ourselves from sins against purity?
Great sermon!
An excellent book that will inspire you to receive the Holy Eucharist with more devotion and love!
“A treasure of Eucharistic devotional writings and examples from the Saints showing their stirring Eucharistic love and devotion. Originally written in Italian, this latest edition is the most complete and accurate English translation. It is the most popular of the Academy of the Immaculate books. A valuable aid for reading meditatively before the Blessed Sacrament.”
Thank you!
LOVE this! Thank you!