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| Michele Damasceno, Divina Liturgia, Θεία Λειτουργία, XVI sec., Museo delle Icone e delle Sacre Reliquie dell'Arcidiocesi di Creta, Candia |
sexta-feira, 31 de maio de 2013
DON BOSCO: Maniera per assistere con frutto alla s. Messa
Maniera per assistere con frutto alla s. Messa
AVVERTIMENTO.
La
messa è l'offerta ed il sacrificio del corpo e del sangue di Nostro Signor Gesù
Cristo, che viene offerto e distribuito sotto le specie del pane e del vino
consacrato. Capite bene, o giovani, che nell'assistere alla santa Messa fate lo
stesso come se voi accompagnaste il divin Salvatore quando uscì di Gerusalemme e
portò la croce sul monte Calvario, dove giunto fra' più barbari tormenti fu
crocifisso, spargendo fino all'ultima goccia il proprio sangue. Questo medesimo
sacrificio rinnova. il Sacerdote mentre celebra la santa Messa con questa sola
distinzione, {90 [90]} che il sacrificio del Calvario fu con ispargimento di
sangue, quello della Messa è incruento, cioè senza spargimento di sangue.
Siccome non si può immaginare cosa più santa, più preziosa che il Corpo, il
Sangue, l'anima e la Divinità di Gesù Cristo, così voi quando andate alla santa
Messa, voglio che siate persuasi che fate un'azione la più grande, la più santa,
la più gloriosa a Dio, e la più utile all'anima propria. Gesù Cristo viene egli
stesso in persona ad applicare a ciascuno in particolare i meriti di quel sangue
adorabilissimo, il quale sparse per noi sul Calvario in croce. Ciò deve
inspirarci una grande idea della santa Messa e farci desiderare di assistervi
bene.
Ma il
vedere tanti giovanetti con volontà deliberata distratti starvi
irriverentemente, senza modestia, senza attenzione, senza rispetto, rimanendosi
in piedi, guardando qua e là, ci fa dire che costoro non assistano al divino
sacrifizio come Maria e s. Giovanni, ma come i Giudei, e rinnovano più volte i
patimenti del Calvario con grave scandalo dei compagni e disonore della
religione i
Per
evitare un male così grande entrate con disposizioni di vero cristiano nello
spirito di Gesù Cristo, e supponete di vederlo cominciare la sua dolorosa
passione, esposto a' più barbari trattamenti per nostra salvezza. Durante la
Messa state con modestia e raccoglimento tale, che alcuna casa non sia per
disturbarvi. Il vostro spirito, ii cuore, i sentimenti vostri non siano ad altro
intenti che ad onorare Iddio. Vi raccomando di avere grande premura per andare
alla {91 [91]} santa Messa, e,di tollerare anche a questo fine qualche incomodo.
S. Isidoro che era servo di campagna si levava di buon mattino per andare alla
santa Messa, e trovavasi a tempo debito a fare quelle cose che dal suo padrone
gli venivano comandate. Con questo si meritò dal Signore ogni sorta di
benedizioni, per modo che ogni suo lavoro riusciva bene. Ricordatevi anche di
ascoltare qualche volta la s. Messa in suffragio delle anime purganti,
specialmente dei vostri parenti.
In
principio della Messa
Signor
mio Gesù Cristo, io vi offerisco questo santo sacrifizio a vostra maggior gloria
ed a bene spirituale dell'anima mia. Fatemi la grazia che il mio cuore e la mia
mente ad altro più non pensino che a voi. Anima mia, scaccia ogni altro pensiero
e preparati ad assistere a questa santa Messa col massimo
raccoglimento.
Al
Confiteor.
Io
confesso a Dio onnipotente, alla Beata Maria sempre Vergine, al Beato Michele
Arcangelo; al Beato Gioanni Battista, a'santi Apostoli Pietro e Paolo e a tutti
i Santi, perchè molto peccai con pensieri, parole ed opere, per mia colpa, per
mia colpa, per mia grandissima colpa. Perciò prego la Beata {92 [92]} Vergine
Maria, il Beato Michele Arcangelo, il Beato Giovanni Battista, i ss. Apostoli
Pietro e Paolo e tutti i santi ad intercedere per me appresso il Signor nostro
Iddio.
Il
sacerdote ascende all'Altare.
Tutta
la terra vi adori, o Signore, e canti lode al vostro santo nome. Sia gloria al
Padre, al Figliuolo ed allo Spirito Santo. Così sia.
Al
Kyrie eleison.
Signor
mio Gesù Cristo, abbiate misericordia di questa povera anima mia.
Al
Gloria.
Sia
gloria a Dio nel più alto dei cieli, e pace in terra agli uomini di buona
volontà, perchò solo Iddio è degno di essere amato, lodato e glorificato per
tutti i secoli.
All'Oremus.
Ricevete, o Signore, le preghiere che da questo Sacerdote vi sono indirizzate
per me. Concedetemi la grazia di vivere e morire da buon cristiano nel grembo
della santa Madre Chiesa.
All'Epistola.
Datemi
grazia, o Signore, di adempiere ledelmente tutte le cose prescritte dalla vostra
{93 [93]} santa legge, e infiammate il cuor mio del vostro santo Amore,
acciocché io vi ami e vi serva tutti i giorni della mia vita.
Al
Vangelo.
Io sono
pronto, o Signore, a confessare la fede del Vangelo a costo della mia vita
professando le grandi verità, che ivi sono contenute. Datemi grazia e fortezza
per fare la vostra divina volontà, fuggire il peccato e tutte le occasioni di
peccare.
Al
Credo.
Io
credo fermamente tutte le verità che voi, mio Dio, rivelaste alla vostra Chiesa,
perchè siete verità infallibile. Accrescete perciò in me lo spirito di viva
fede, ferma speranza, e d'infiammata carità.
All
O’ffertorio.
Vi
offerisco, o mio Dio, per le mani del Sacerdote quel pane e quel vino che
debbono essere cangiati nel corpo e nel sangue di Gesù Cristo. Vi offro nel
medesimo tempo il mio cuore, la mia lingua, affinchè per l'avvenire altro non
desideri nè d'altra cosa io parli, se non di quello che riguarda al vostro santo
servizio. {94 [94]}
All'Orate, fratres.
Ricevete, Signore, questo sacrifizio per onore e gloria del vostro santo nome,
per mio vantaggio, e per quello di tutta la vostra santa Chiesa.
Al
Prefazio.
Mio
cuore, alzati a Dio e pensa alla passione di Gesù Cristo, che egli va ad
incominciare per li tuoi peccati.
Al
Sanctus.
Anima
mia, allontana da te in questo momento ogni sollecitudine di cose temporali ed
unisci ogni tuo affetto al coro degli Angeli, e canta con essi un inno di gloria
dicendo: Santo, Santo, Sunto è il Signore, il Dio degli eserciti. Sia
glorificato e benedetto per tutti i secoli il suo santo nome.
Al
Memento dei vivi.
Vi
prego, o Gesù mio, di ricordarvi dei miei genitori, degli altri parenti,
de'benefattori spirituali e temporali, degli amici miei, ed anche de' miei
nemici:, ricordatevi specialmente del sommo Pontefice; di tutta la Chicca, e di
ogni autorità spirituale e temporale, a cui sia pace, concordia e benedizione.
{95 [95]}
Alla
elevazione dell'Ostia.
Con
tutta umiltà prostrato vi adoro, o Signore, e credo fermamente che esistete in
quest'Ostia sacra. Oh gran mistero, un Dio viene dal cielo in terra per la mia
salute! Sia lodato e ringraziato ogni momento il santissimo e divinissimo
Sacramento.
(100
giorni d'indulgenza ogni volta)
All'elevazione del Calice.
Signor
mio Gesù Cristo, io adoro quel sangue che voi spargeste per salvare l'anima mia.
lo ve l'offerisco in memoria della vostra passione, morte, risurrezione, e
ascensione al cielo: ricevetelo in isconto de' miei peccati e per li bisogni di
santa Chiesa.
Al
memento dei morti.
Ricordatevi, Signore, delle anime del Purgatorio e specialmente di quelle de'
miei parenti, benefattori spirituali e temporali. Liberatele da quelle pene e
date a tutte la gloria del Paradiso.
Al
nobis quoque peccatoribus.
Poi
meriti della vostra passione e morte, o mio buon Gesù, o per Quelli dell'augusta
{96 [96]} vostra genitrice, e di tutti i Santi concedetemi il perdono de’ miei
peccati.
Al
Pater noster.
Vi
ringrazio, Gesù mio, di questo eccellente modello di preghiera che mi deste;
fatemi la grazia, che io la possa recitare colla divozione e coll'attenzione che
si merita. Concedetemi quanto in essa vi domanda per me quel sacerdote, e
soprattutto che io non cada in mortale peccato, unico e sommo male che può farmi
perdere eternamente. Dite il Pater
noster.
All'Agnus Dei.
Gesù
agnello immacolato, vi supplico ad usare misericordia a me e a tutti gli uomini
del mondo, affinché tutti si convertano a voi, per godere quella vera pace che
provano coloro, i quali sono in grazia vostra.
Al
Domine, non sum dignus.
O
Signore, per la moltitudine de' miei peccati io non son degno, che voi veniate
ad abitare nell'anima mia, ma dite solamente una parola, e mi sarà rimesso ogni
peccato. Oh! quanto mi spiace d'avervi offeso, fatemi la grazia che non vi
offenda mai più pel l’avvenire. {97 [97]} [Giovane provveduto.]
Alla
Comunione
Se non
potete comunicarvi sacramentalmente, fate almeno la comunione spirituale, che
consiste in un ardente desiderio di ricevere Gesù nel vostro cuore,
dicendo
Mio
caro e buon Gesù, poiché questa mattina non pòsso ricevere l'Ostia santa, venite
almeno a prendere possesso di me colla vostra grazia, onde io viva sempre nel
vostro santo amore.
Qui
fermatevi un istante e immaginatevi di aver ricevuta l' Ostia santa e che Gesù
si trovi entra di voi. Dimandategli le grazie che fanno più bisogno per voi e
pei vostri cari.
La
grazia che singolarmente vi domando è di poter stare lontano dai cattivi
compagni, perché se avrà la sorte di frequentare buoni compagni, io sarò anche
buono e potrò salvare l'anima mia.
Alle
ultime orazioni.
Vi
ringrazio, o mio Dio, di esservi sacrificato per me; fate che da questo momento
tutto io mi possa sacrificare a Voi. Dispiaceri, fatiche, caldo, freddo, fame,
sete ed anche la morte tutto accetterò volentieri dalle vostre mani, pronto ad
offerire tutto e perdere tutto, purché io possa adempiere la vostra santa legge.
{98 [98]}
Alla
Benedizione.
Benedite, o Signore, queste sante risoluzioni, beneditemi per la mano del vostro
ministro, e fate che gli effetti di questa benedizione siano eternamente sopra
di me. Nel nome del Padre, del Figliuolo, e dello Spirito Santo. Così
sia.
All'ultimo Vangelo.
Verbo
eterno, fatto carne per salvare l'anima mia, io vi adoro col più profondo
rispetto, e vi ringrazio di quanto patiste per me. Concedetemi la grazia di
conservare i frutti di questa santa Messa; perdonatemi, se non vi ho assistito
colla debita attenzione, e fate che uscendo io di questa chiesa abbiano gli
occhi, la lingua e tutti i sensi miei in sommo orrore orni cosa, che si opponga
alle verità del vostro santo Vangelo.
Dite
una Salve alla B. V. ed un Pater a san Luigi affinché vi aiutino a mantenere i
proponimenti fatti e soprattutto di evitare i cattivi discorsi. {99
[99]}
sábado, 25 de maio de 2013
sábado, 18 de maio de 2013
Father Stefano Manelli, FI : Jesus Our Eucharistic Love. St. Leonard of Port Maurice: The Hidden Treasue of the Holy Mass .AT THE FEET OF CHRIST IN THE EUCHARIST From the writings of Saint Faustina. •SAINT ALPHONSUS DE LIGUORI : Sacrifice of Jesus Christ in the Holy Mass
Father Stefano Manelli, FI : Jesus Our Eucharistic Love
Our Eucharistic Love
Eucharistic Life
According to the examples of the Saints
According to the examples of the Saints
Contents
About the Author
Preface
Chapter 1 - O Divine Eucharist
Chapter 2 - Jesus For Me
- Holy Mass is the Sacrifice of the Cross
- Daily Holy Mass
- Active and Fruitful Participation
- Holy Mass and the Souls in Purgatory
Chapter 3 - Jesus In Me
- Holy Communion: Jesus is Mine
- The Purity of Soul Necessary for Holy Communion
- Holy Communion with Mary
- Thanksgiving After Holy Communion
- The Bread of the Strong and Viaticum for Heaven
- Every Day With Him
- Spiritual Communion
Chapter 4 - Jesus With Me
Chapter 5 - The One Who Gives Us Jesus
Chapter 6 - The Bread That Our Heavenly Mother Gives Us
Chapter 7 - Prayers Before The Blessed Sacrament
- Holy Communion:
PreparationThanksgiving
- Holy Communion With MaryPreparationThanksgiving
- Before The Holy Eucharist:
The Visit to the Blessed Sacrament
Spiritual Communion
Visit to the Blessed Virgin Mary
Supplement:
Jesus “has loved me and has sacrificed
Himself for me.” (Gal. 2:20)
Jesus For Me
Pope John Paul II reminds us in his homily at Fatima on May 13, 1982, that Jesus on the Cross gave Mary to each one of us as Our Mother. On the Cross also Jesus sacrificed Himself for our salvation. Today Jesus continues to offer Himself to the Eternal Father for our salvation in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass which is the same sacrifice as the sacrifice of Jesus on the Cross.
Only in
Heaven will we understand what a divine marvel the Holy Mass is. No matter how
much we force ourselves and no matter how holy and inspired we are, we cannot
but stammer on this divine work which transcends men and Angels.
One day
Padre Pio of Pietrelcina had been asked, “Father, please explain the Holy Mass
to us.” “My children,” replied Padre Pio, “how can I explain it to you? The Mass
is infinite like Jesus ... ask an Angel what a Mass is and he will reply to you
in truth, 'I understand what it is and why it is offered, but I do not, however,
understand how much value it has.' One Angel, a thousand Angels, all of Heaven,
know this and think like this.”
St.
Alphonsus de Liguori came to affirm, “God Himself cannot bring about an action
more holy and greater than the celebration of one Holy Mass.” Why? Because the
Holy Mass is, one could say, the synthesis, because the Holy Mass can be said to
sum up the Incarnation and Redemption and contains the Birth, Passion and the
Death of Jesus, mysteries which God accomplished for our sakes. The second
Vatican Council teaches, “At the Last Supper, the night in which He was
betrayed, Jesus initiated the Eucharistic Sacrifice of His Body and Blood, in
order to continue the Sacrifice of the Cross throughout the centuries until His
return.” (Sacrosanctum Concilium, The Constitution on the Liturgy, n.47)
St. Thomas Aquinas, in an enlightening passage, wrote, “The celebration of the
Holy Mass is as valuable as the death of Jesus on the Cross.”
For this
reason, St. Francis of Assisi said, “Man should tremble, the world should
vibrate, all Heaven should be deeply moved when the Son of God appears on the
altar in the hands of the priest.”
Indeed,
inasmuch as it renews the Sacrifice of Jesus' Passion and Death, the Holy Mass,
even taken alone, is great enough to restrain divine justice. St. Teresa of
Jesus said to her daughters, “Without the Holy Mass, what would become of us?
All here below would perish, because that alone can hold back God's arm.”
Without it the Church certainly would not last and the world would become
hopelessly lost. “It would be easier for the world to survive without the sun
than to do so without the Holy Mass,” said Padre Pio of Pietrelcina. He was
following St. Leonard of Port Maurice who had said, “I believe that if there
were no Mass, the world would by now have sunk into the abyss under the weight
of its wickedness. The Mass is the powerful support which sustains it.”
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; it obtains for us a higher degree of glory in Heaven. “No human
tongue,” said St. Laurence 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 eliminated; virtue and merit
gain growth 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 squadrons 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. Also, in those supreme moments when
Jesus in the priest's hands undergoes His Passion and Death, we can beg 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 priests, they
asked them to remember them above all during the Canon.
It will
particularly be at the hour of our death that the Masses we have devoutly heard
will bring us our greatest consolation and hope, and one Mass heard during life
will be more profitable than many Masses heard by others in our behalf after our
death.
Our Lord
told St. Gertrude, “You may be sure that regarding one who devoutly assists at
Holy Mass, I will send him 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 had reason to say, “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 devoutly assisting at It, and assisting as
often as possible.”
For this
reason we must consider ourselves fortunate every time we have an opportunity to
attend a Holy Mass; and in order not to lose the opportunity, we should never
withhold ourselves because of some sacrifice, especially on Sundays and holy
days.
Let us
remember St. Maria Goretti, who, to go to Sunday Mass traveled on foot, a
journey of 15 miles going and returning home. We should think of Santina
Campana, who went to Mass while she had a high fever. Think of Saint Maximilian
M. Kolbe, who offered Holy Mass when his health was in such pitiful condition
that one of his brothers in religion had to support him at the altar so that he
would not fall. And how many times Padre Pio of Pietrelcina celebrated Holy Mass
while he was bleeding and had a fever!
In our own
daily lives, we ought to rank the Holy Mass ahead of any other good; for, as St.
Bernard says, “One merits more by devoutly assisting at a Holy Mass than by
distributing all of his goods to the poor and traveling all over the world on
pilgrimage.” And it cannot be otherwise, because nothing in the world can have
the infinite value of one Holy Mass.
We ought
to prefer Holy Mass all the more to mere amusements that waste our time and
bring no profit to our soul. St. Louis IX, King of France, attended several
Masses every day. A minister of the government complained, remarking that he
could devote that time to the affairs of the kingdom. The saintly king remarked,
“If I spent twice the time in amusements, like hunting, no one would have any
objection.”
Let us be
generous and willingly make sacrifices so as not to lose so great a good. St.
Augustine said to his Christians, “All the steps that one takes as he travels to
hear Holy Mass are counted by an angel; and then one will be given a high reward
by God in this life and in eternity.” The Curé of Ars adds, “How happy is that
guardian angel who accompanies a soul to Holy Mass!” Once one
realizes that Holy Mass has infinite worth, he is not surprised at the Saints'
eagerness and care to attend it every day, and even more often insofar as
possible.
St.
Augustine has left us this praise of his mother, St. Monica, “She did not let a
day pass without being present at the divine Sacrifice before Your altar, O
Lord.”
St.
Francis of Assisi usually attended two Masses each day; and when he was sick he
asked a friar who was a priest to celebrate Holy Mass for him in his cell so
that he would not be without Holy Mass.
Every
morning after celebrating Holy Mass, St. Thomas Aquinas served another Mass in
thanksgiving.
The
shepherd boy, St. Paschal Baylon, could not go to church to attend all the
Masses he would have liked because he had to take the sheep to the pasture. So,
every time he heard the church bells give the signal for Mass, he knelt on the
grass among the sheep before a wooden cross that he had made, and in this way he
would, from afar, follow the priest as he offered the divine Sacrifice. What a
lovable Saint, a true seraphim of love towards the Eucharist. On his death bed
he heard the bell for Mass and had the strength to whisper to his brethren, “I
am happy to unite to the Sacrifice of Jesus the sacrifice of my poor life.” And
he died at the Consecration of Holy Mass.
St.
Margaret, Queen of Scotland and mother of eight children, went to Mass every day
and brought her children with her, and with motherly care she taught them to
treasure the little missal which she chose to adorn with precious stones.
Let us
manage our affairs so well that we will not lack time for Holy Mass. Let us not
say that we are too busy with chores, for which Jesus could remind us, “Martha,
Martha, thou art troubled about many things, but one thing alone is necessary.”
(Luke 10:41-42).
When one
really wants to, one finds time to go to Mass without failing in one's duties.
St. Joseph Cottolengo recommended daily Mass for everybody — for teachers,
nurses, laborers, doctors, parents — and to those who objected that they did not
have time to go he replied firmly, “Bad management! Bad economy of time!” He
spoke the truth. If we but appreciated the infinite value of the Holy Mass, we
would be very desirous of assisting and would try in every way to find the
necessary time.
When St.
Charles of Sezze was going about Rome seeking alms for his community, he would
take time out to make visits to a church to attend additional Masses. It was at
the moment of the elevation of the Host during one of these Masses that he
received the dart of love into his heart.
Every
morning St. Francis of Paula went to church and he remained therein to attend
all the daily Masses which were celebrated. St. John Berchmans, St. Alphonsus
Rodriguez and St. Gerard Majella used to serve at as many Masses as they could.
(They did this with such devotion and edification that they attracted many of
the faithful into church.)
Venerable
Francis of the Child Jesus, a Carmelite, served at ten Masses every day. If it
happened that he had a few less to serve, he would say, “Today I have not had my
full breakfast.” And what can we say of Padre Pio of Pietrelcina? Padre Pio
heard many Masses every day, and participated at them by reciting many Rosaries!
The Holy Curé of Ars was not mistaken when he said, “The Mass is the devotion of
the Saints.”
The same
must be said of the love that holy priests have had for celebrating Mass. It was
for them a terrible suffering to be unable to celebrate Mass. “When you hear
that I cannot celebrate Mass any more, count me as dead,” St. Francis Xavier
Bianchi said to a brother religious.
St. John
of the Cross made it clear that the greatest suffering he had during his ordeal
of imprisonment was that of not being able to celebrate Mass nor receive Holy
Communion for nine continuous months.
Obstacles
and difficulties did not count for the Saints when they were arranging their
affairs with a view to not losing so excellent a good. For example, one day in
the streets of Naples, St. Alphonsus Liguori suffered violent pains in the
abdomen. The religious who accompanied him urged him to stop and take a
sedative. But the Saint had not yet celebrated Mass and his prompt response was,
“My dear brother, I would walk ten miles in this condition in order not to miss
saying Holy Mass.” And his sufferings would not move him to break the
Eucharistic fast which at that time was obligatory from midnight. He waited
until the pain subsided a little and then continued his walk to church.
The
Capuchin, St. Laurence of Brindisi, found himself in a town of heretics. Since
this town had no Catholic church, he journeyed forty miles on foot to reach a
chapel cared for by Catholics in which he was able to celebrate Holy Mass.
St.
Francis de Sales one time was staying in a Protestant town, and to celebrate
Holy Mass he had to go every morning before dawn to a Catholic parish church
which was on the other side of a broad stream. During the autumn rains the
stream rose more than usual and washed away the little bridge on which the Saint
had been crossing. But St. Francis was not disheartened. He threw a large beam
in the place where the bridge had been and continued to cross over. In winter,
however, because of the ice and snow, there was serious danger of his slipping
and falling into the water. The Saint then devised a procedure whereby he put
himself astride the beam and then maneuvered across on all fours, so that he
might not miss his celebration of Holy Mass.
We will
never succeed in sufficiently pondering that mystery beyond description, the
Holy Mass, which reproduces on our altars the Sacrifice of Calvary. Nor can we
ever have too much devotion for this supreme marvel of Divine Love.
“Holy
Mass,” wrote St. Bonaventure, “is an achievement of God wherein He places before
our view all the love He has borne us; in a sense it is the synthesis, the sum
of all benefits bestowed upon us.” The
infinite greatness of the Holy Mass should enable us to understand the need of
attentively and devoutly taking part in the Sacrifice of Jesus. Adoration, love
and sorrow ought to have undisputed predominance among our sentiments.
In a very
moving reflection, quoted forcefully by Vatican II, Pope Pius XII portrayed the
dispositions with which one should take part in the Holy Mass; that is, it
should be with “the dispositions that the Divine Redeemer had when He sacrificed
Himself — the same humble spirit of submission — that is, of adoration, love,
praise and thanksgiving to the great majesty of God ... so that we reproduce in
ourselves the condition of victimhood, the self-denial that follows the Gospel's
teaching, whereby of our own accord we make the willing sacrifice of penance,
sorrow and expiation for our sins.”
True,
active participation at Holy Mass is what makes us into slain victims like Jesus
and succeeds in “reproducing in us the pain-marked features, the suffering
likeness of Jesus” (Pius XII), allowing us “the fellowship of His sufferings” as
we are “made conformable to His death” (Philippians 3:10). All the rest is
simply liturgical ceremony, simply clothing. St. Gregory the Great taught: “The
Sacrifice of the altar will be on our behalf truly acceptable as our offering to
God when we present ourselves as victims.” As a reflection of this doctrine, in
early Christian communities the faithful used to advance in penitential garb,
chanting the litany of the Saints, in a procession to the altar for the
celebration of Holy Mass, with the Pope presiding. If we would go to Mass in
this spirit, we should want to make our own the sentiment St. Thomas the Apostle
expressed when he said, “Let us also go, that we may die with Him” (John 11:16).
When St.
Margaret Mary Alacoque attended Holy Mass, as she gazed at the altar, she would
never fail to take a glance at the Crucifix and the lighted candles. Why? It was
to impress into her mind and heart two things: the Crucifix reminded her
of what Jesus had done for her; the lighted candles recalled what she
must do for Jesus; that is, sacrifice herself and consume herself for Him and
for souls.
The best
example of participation at the Holy Sacrifice is given us at the foot of the
Cross by the most Blessed Virgin Mary, St. John the Evangelist and St. Mary
Magdalen with the pious women (John 19:25). To assist at Mass is very much like
being at Calvary.
St. Andrew
Avellino used to be moved to tears as he said, “One cannot separate the most
Holy Eucharist from the Passion of Jesus.”
One day a
spiritual son asked Padre Pio of Pietrelcina, “Father, how should we take part
at Holy Mass?”
Padre Pio
replied, “As Our Lady, St. John and the pious women did on Calvary, loving Him
and showing Him pity.”
In a
missal of one of his spiritual children Padre Pio wrote: “In assisting at Holy
Mass, concentrate intently on the tremendous mystery which is taking place
before your eyes, and that is the Redemption and reconciliation of your soul
with God.” At another time he was asked, “Father, why is it that you cry so much
during Mass?” “My daughter,” replied Padre Pio, “what are those few tears
compared to what takes place at the altar? There should be torrents of tears!”
And still another time it was said to him, “Father, how much you must suffer by
standing on the bleeding wounds of your feet for the entire time of Mass!” Padre
Pio replied, “During Mass I am not standing, I am hanging.” What a reply! The
few words, “I am hanging,” very strongly express what it is to be “crucified
with Christ” of which St. Paul speaks (Gal. 2:19), and which distinguishes the
true and full participation at Mass from the vain, academic, even to the point
of only noisy external verbal participation. St. Bernadette Soubirous spoke well
when she said to a new priest, “Remember that the priest at the altar is always
Jesus Christ on the cross.” St. Peter of Alcantara vested for Holy Mass as
though he were about to go up on Calvary, because all the priestly vestments
have a referral to the Passion and Death of Jesus; the alb recalls the white
tunic which Herod made Jesus wear in order to mock Him as crazy; the cord
recalls the scourging of Jesus; the stole recalls the rope which tied Jesus; the
tonsure recalls the crowning with thorns; the chasuble, signed with the sign of
the cross, recalls the cross on the shoulders of Jesus.
Those who
have assisted at the Mass of Padre Pio recall those burning tears of his; they
recall his forceful request that those present follow Holy Mass on their knees;
they recall the impressive silence in which the sacred rite unfolded; they
recall the distressing suffering which showed itself spontaneously on Padre
Pio's face when he pronounced with great effort the words of Consecration; they
remember the fervor of the silent prayer of the faithful which filled the church
while Padre Pio, silently, prayed several Rosaries for over one hour.
But the
suffering participation of Padre Pio at Holy Mass is the same of all the Saints.
The tears of Padre Pio were like those of St. Francis of Assisi (which at times
became bloody), like those of St. Vincent Ferrer, of St. Ignatius, of St. Philip
Neri, of St. Laurence of Brindisi (who at times soaked seven handkerchiefs with
his tears), of St. Veronice Juliani, of St. Joseph of Cupertino, of St.
Alphonsus, of St. Gemma Galgani ... But, after all, how is it possible to remain
indifferent before the Crucifixion and Death of Jesus? We shall certainly not be
like the Apostles who slept in Gethsemane and much less shall we be like the
soldiers who, at the foot of the Cross, thought only of the game of dice,
heedless of the atrocious spasms of Jesus dying! (And yet, this is the
distressing impression that we get when seeing a so-called “rock” Mass,
celebrated to the rhythm of guitars playing profane and cheap tunes with women
in indecent clothes and youths in the most strange fashions ... “Lord, pardon
them!”)
Let us
watch the Blessed Virgin and the Saints. Let us imitate them. Only by following
them are we on the right road, the road which “has pleased God” (1 Cor. 1:21).
“The best example of participation at the Holy Sacrifice is given us at the foot of the Cross by the Most Blessed Virgin Mary, St. John the Evangelist and St. Mary Magdalen ... To assist at Mass is very much like being at Calvary.” - Father Manelli
Once we
have left this world, there is nothing we will desire more than the celebration
of Holy Mass for our souls. The Holy Sacrifice of the Altar is the most powerful
intercessory prayer, for it surpasses every prayer, every penance and every good
work. Nor will it be difficult for us to understand that if we recall that the
Sacrifice of the Mass is the same Sacrifice of Jesus which He offered on the
Cross and which He now offers on the altar with its infinite expiatory value.
Jesus, immolated, is the true Victim of “Propitiation for our sins” (1 John 2:2)
and His Divine Blood is effused “unto remission of sins” (Matt. 26:28).
Absolutely nothing can be equalled to Holy Mass, and the salutary fruits of the
Sacrifice can be extended to an unlimited number of souls.
One time,
during the celebration of Holy Mass in the Church of St. Paul at the Three
Fountains in Rome, St. Bernard saw an unending stairway which went up to Heaven.
Very many angels went up and down on it, carrying from Purgatory to Paradise the
souls freed by the Sacrifice of Jesus, renewed by priests on the altars all over
the world.
Thus, at
the death of one of our relatives, let us take much more care about having
celebrated, and assisted at, Holy Masses for him, rather than about the flowers,
the dark clothes and the funeral procession ...
There are
recounted many apparitions of souls being purified in Purgatory who came to ask
Padre Pio to offer Holy Mass for their intentions so that they would be able to
leave Purgatory. One day he celebrated Holy Mass for the father of one of his
fellow Franciscan brothers. At the end of the Holy Sacrifice, Padre Pio said to
his brother, “This morning the soul of your father has entered into Heaven.” The
brother was very happy to hear that, yet he said to Padre Pio, “But, Father, my
good father died thirty-two years ago.” “My son,” Padre Pio replied, “before God
everything is paid for.” And it is Holy Mass which obtains for us a price of
infinite value: The Body and the Blood of Jesus, the “Immaculate Lamb” (Apoc.
5:12)
During a
sermon one day, the Holy Curé of Ars gave the example of a priest who,
celebrating Mass for his deceased friend, after the Consecration prayed as
follows, “Holy and Eternal Father, let us make an exchange. You possess the soul
of my friend in Purgatory; I have the Body of Your Son in my hands. You liberate
for me my friend, and I offer to You, Your Son, with all the merits of His
Passion and Death.”
Let us
remember: All prayers and good works offered for a soul are good and
commendable, but when we can, let us above all have celebrated Holy Masses
(especially the Thirty Gregorian Masses), for the souls of the deceased who are
dear to us.
In the
life of Blessed Henry Suso we read that as a young man he had made this
agreement with a brother of his religious order, “Whichever one of us outlives
the other, let him hasten the glory of the one who has passed into eternity with
the celebration of one Holy Mass every week.” The companion of Blessed Henry
died first in a mission territory. Blessed Henry remembered his promise for a
little while; then, because he had been obliged to celebrate Masses for others,
he substituted the weekly Mass which he had promised his friend with prayers and
penances. But his friend appeared to him and scolded him, “Your prayers and your
penances are not sufficient for me, I need the Blood of Jesus,” “because it is
with the Blood of Jesus that we pay the debts of our sins” (Col. 1:14).
Also, the
great St. Jerome has written that “for every Mass devoutly celebrated many souls
leave Purgatory and they fly to Heaven.” The same must be said for Holy Masses
devoutly heard. St. Mary Magdalen of Pazzi, the well-known Carmelite mystic, was
in the habit of mentally offering the Blood of Jesus for the purpose of freeing
the souls in Purgatory, and in an ecstasy Jesus showed her that truly many souls
in Purgatory were liberated by the offering of the Precious Blood. Nor could it
be otherwise because, as St. Thomas Aquinas teaches, that just one drop of the
Blood of Jesus with Its infinite value, can save the whole universe from every
offense.
Let us,
therefore, pray for the souls in Purgatory, and free them from their pains by
having celebrated and hearing many Holy Masses. “All good works taken together,”
said the holy Curé of Ars, “cannot have the value of one Holy Mass, because they
are the works of men, whereas the Holy Mass is the work of God.” 
At their ordination, priests are told by their Bishop to imitate Our Lord. This should be especially notable when the priest celebrates Holy Mass.
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