Of the Most Holy Mass, and the Manner of Hearing It; the Fifth Exercise.
1. I have not yet spoken to you of the sun of spiritual exercises, which is the most holy, most sacred, and most adorable sacrifice and sacrament of the altar, the centre of the Christian religion, the heart of devotion, the soul of piety, an ineffable mystery, and a profound abyss of divine charity, by which God, in giving Himself truly to us, magnificently communicates to us His graces and favours.
2. Prayer made in union with this divine sacrifice has a marvellous power; for the soul, finding itself then as it were leaning upon its Beloved, abounds in heavenly favours, and receives such consolations and spiritual sweetnesses that, to use the expression of the Canticle, it resembles those pillars of smoke which rise from myrrh, frankincense, and the most exquisite aromatic woods.
3. Therefore make every effort to attend Holy Mass every day, that you may offer with the priest the sacrifice which your Saviour continually offers to God His Father for you and for the whole Church. The angels are always there in great numbers, says Saint John Chrysostom, to honour by their presence this holy and dread mystery; and being there with them, we cannot but receive a most blessed influence from such fellowship. The choirs of the Church Triumphant and those of the Church Militant stand united with Our Lord during this divine action, to win for us, through Him, with Him, and in Him, the heart of God His Father, and to draw down upon us all His mercy. What happiness, then, for a devout soul to contribute by its own affections to so precious and so desirable a good!
1. I have not yet spoken to you of the sun of spiritual exercises, which is the most holy, most sacred, and most adorable sacrifice and sacrament of the altar, the centre of the Christian religion, the heart of devotion, the soul of piety, an ineffable mystery, and a profound abyss of divine charity, by which God, in giving Himself truly to us, magnificently communicates to us His graces and favours.
2. Prayer made in union with this divine sacrifice has a marvellous power; for the soul, finding itself then as it were leaning upon its Beloved, abounds in heavenly favours, and receives such consolations and spiritual sweetnesses that, to use the expression of the Canticle, it resembles those pillars of smoke which rise from myrrh, frankincense, and the most exquisite aromatic woods.
3. Therefore make every effort to attend Holy Mass every day, that you may offer with the priest the sacrifice which your Saviour continually offers to God His Father for you and for the whole Church. The angels are always there in great numbers, says Saint John Chrysostom, to honour by their presence this holy and dread mystery; and being there with them, we cannot but receive a most blessed influence from such fellowship. The choirs of the Church Triumphant and those of the Church Militant stand united with Our Lord during this divine action, to win for us, through Him, with Him, and in Him, the heart of God His Father, and to draw down upon us all His mercy. What happiness, then, for a devout soul to contribute by its own affections to so precious and so desirable a good!
4. If by some force majeure you cannot be present in person at this sovereign sacrifice, at least you must carry your heart thither, to assist there spiritually. Take a moment in the morning, then, to go in spirit to the church, if you cannot go there otherwise; unite your intention with that of all Christians, and in the place where you are perform the same interior acts that you would perform if you were actually present at Holy Mass in some church.
5. Now, in order to hear Holy Mass well, whether in person or in mind, here is a method I propose to you:
1.º From the beginning until the priest has ascended the altar, make with him the preparation, which consists in placing yourself in the presence of God, acknowledging your unworthiness, and asking pardon for your faults.
2.º From the time the priest has ascended the altar until the Gospel, consider the coming and life of Our Lord in this world by a simple and general meditation.
3.º From the Gospel until the _Credo_, consider the preaching of Our Lord; declare to Him that you wish to live and die in the faith and obedience of His holy word, and in union with the holy Catholic Church.
4.º From the _Credo_ until the _Pater_, apply your heart to the mysteries of the Passion and death of our Redeemer, which will then be truly and essentially represented to you; and, uniting your intention with that of the priest and the rest of the people, offer the holy sacrifice to God the Father for His honour and for your salvation.
5. Now, in order to hear Holy Mass well, whether in person or in mind, here is a method I propose to you:
1.º From the beginning until the priest has ascended the altar, make with him the preparation, which consists in placing yourself in the presence of God, acknowledging your unworthiness, and asking pardon for your faults.
2.º From the time the priest has ascended the altar until the Gospel, consider the coming and life of Our Lord in this world by a simple and general meditation.
3.º From the Gospel until the _Credo_, consider the preaching of Our Lord; declare to Him that you wish to live and die in the faith and obedience of His holy word, and in union with the holy Catholic Church.
4.º From the _Credo_ until the _Pater_, apply your heart to the mysteries of the Passion and death of our Redeemer, which will then be truly and essentially represented to you; and, uniting your intention with that of the priest and the rest of the people, offer the holy sacrifice to God the Father for His honour and for your salvation.
5. From the _Pater_ until Communion, strive to awaken in your heart a thousand ardent desires to be forever united to our Saviour by the bonds of an eternal love.
6. From Communion until the end, thank the divine Majesty for His Incarnation, His life, His Passion, His death, and the immense love He shows us in the holy Sacrifice, beseeching Him, by all His merits, to be forever gracious to you, to your relations, to your friends, and to the whole Church. Then, humbling yourself with all your heart, devoutly receive the divine blessing which Our Lord gives you by the hand of His minister.
But if, during Mass, you wish to make your meditation on the mysteries you have chosen for each day, there will be no need to proceed to these particular acts; it will suffice to have, at the beginning, the intention of adoring and offering the holy Sacrifice through the exercise of your meditation, since in every meditation these acts are included, either expressly or tacitly and implicitly.
6. From Communion until the end, thank the divine Majesty for His Incarnation, His life, His Passion, His death, and the immense love He shows us in the holy Sacrifice, beseeching Him, by all His merits, to be forever gracious to you, to your relations, to your friends, and to the whole Church. Then, humbling yourself with all your heart, devoutly receive the divine blessing which Our Lord gives you by the hand of His minister.
But if, during Mass, you wish to make your meditation on the mysteries you have chosen for each day, there will be no need to proceed to these particular acts; it will suffice to have, at the beginning, the intention of adoring and offering the holy Sacrifice through the exercise of your meditation, since in every meditation these acts are included, either expressly or tacitly and implicitly.