This is the first of a series of weekly talks on the Mass and the Eucharist.
Why is it that droves of Catholics are fleeing from the Catholic Church, like rats escaping a sinking ship? Why is it that the largest Religious group in USA, Mexico, the Philippines, Europe are non-practicing Catholics? Why is it that so many Catholics become angry, disgruntled, disillusioned about the Church that they belong to? You can offer massive reasons for the loss of many Catholics that used to practice their faith—many of whom were baptized, Confirmed, married in the Church. Many of the reasons given will hold water up to a certain valid explanation.
However, it must be asserted with all sincerity that one of the primary reasons, if not the primary reason itself, must be the lack of understanding, belief, and faith in the reality of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. Many forgot what the Holy Mass is. Many do not believe in the Real Presence of the Eucharist once consecrated. Still more, there were many who never believed in the first place because of a weak, diluted, watered down or erroneous catechesis, and especially on the explanation of Holy Mass, the Eucharist, Holy Communion.
In this short essay we would like to motivate those Catholics who believe in Holy Mass and the Eucharist to fortify and bolster their faith all the more. Furthermore, we would invite those who have drifted away to return; it is never too late and the loving Father that we meet in the Prodigal Son (Lk. 15: 11-32) always has His arms opened wide to receive His wandering sons and daughters.
To whet your appetite, we will expound briefly upon just a few of the extraordinary graces that flow from the celebration of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass to motivate all to love Holy Mass, participate more actively, consciously and fully. Also, we invite all to become ardent and fervent Apostles of the Mass. We invite you to invite the many wandering and lost sheep back to the arms of the loving Good Shepherd. (Lk. 10: 1-18)
In fact, if we really understood, even to a limited degree, what is happening in Holy Mass, we would place Holy Mass in the very center of our lives, the heart of our day, the raison d’etre of our existence. And as a consequence, we would come to Mass every day until God calls us from time to eternal life.
The following are short notes, numbers, ideas or concepts of what really happens every time the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass is celebrated, even if it were celebrated by some anonymous priest in some forlorn country, and celebrating Mass even if it were all by himself. In all truth, every Mass celebrated has infinite value. The greatest action the human person can do on this side of eternity is to attend Holy Mass and receive Jesus in the Eucharist in the state of grace.
GRACES THAT FLOW FROM THE HOLY SACRIFICE OF THE MASS
1. SALVATION OF SOULS! Jesus expressed in clear and unequivocal terms that our salvation depends on the Eucharist, the Bread of Life. The Words of Jesus are indisputable: “I am the Bread of Life; whoever eats my Body and drinks my Blood has eternal life and I will raise him up on the last day.” (Jn. 6: Bread of Life discourse)
2. SOULS IN PURGATORY ARE PURIFIED. No doubt, the most efficacious means by which the souls in Purgatory can be purified of the residual effects of their venial sins, and mortal sins that have not been expiated sufficiently, is through the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass offered on their behalf.
3. SOULS IN PURGATORY TOTALLY FREED AND ACCESS TO HEAVEN. As a follow up to the former concept, Mass and Holy Communion offered specifically for the soul/souls in Purgatory can catapult them into Heaven to be with the Lord for all eternity. Too bad that many people pray and offer prayers, sacrifices and Mass for the souls in Purgatory only in the month of November.
4. CALVARY IS RENEWED AND ENACTED. How difficult it is to comprehend the relationship between the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass and the Sacrifice that Jesus offered of Himself on Calvary that first Good Friday. However, it is reality! In every Mass the crucified Lord Jesus offers Himself to God the Father as the Spotless Victim for the salvation of the world!
5. VENIAL SINS CAN BE PURIFIED IN THE CONTEXT OF HOLY MASS. It is a grave error and often done by many, to deprive oneself of the reception of Holy Communion if he/she is aware of only committing venial sins. Quite the contrary, in the Penitential Rite if one begs pardon for their venial sins, the sins are forgiven by the prayerful and contrite recitation of the Confiteor. At the end of the Penitential Act the priest imparts the absolution for the venial sins.
6. FIRE BURNING DROSS/CHAFF/DRY HAY. In the moment of the reception of Holy Communion, the mere reception of Holy Communion can be compared to fire that burns rubbish, trash, weeds or dry chaff. The love burning in the most Sacred Heart of Jesus burns away the chaff of our venial sins. The Catechism of the Council of Trent expresses it with this concept. Frequent Communion is the antidote to our daily infirmities.
7. THE BLESSED TRINITY IS PRAISED IN THE MOST SUBLIME FASHION. Saint Ignatius of Loyola in Principle and Foundations specifies the primary purpose of our existence, the why of our purpose in life. The saint uses the following words: “We are created to praise God…(Spiritual Exercises # 23) Possibly the primary purpose of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass is to praise God the Father, by the offering of God the Son, through the power of the Holy Spirit. This is expressed most clearly in the DOXOLOGY: “Through Him, with Him and in Him to you Almighty Father, in the unity of the Holy Spirit all honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.”
8. PERSONAL SINS CAN BE EXPIATED. Even though your priest-confessor may not impose this as a penance in the Sacrament of Confession, a penitent attending Mass and receiving Holy Communion in reparation or expiation for his personal sins could be the greatest and most efficacious penance possible. To repair for past sins, there is nothing more powerful, pleasing and propitious than attending Mass and receiving Holy Communion.
9. FAMILY SIN/SOCIAL SINS EXPIATED. On a more expansive plane, the sins of all of humanity have their remedy, reparation and expiation most powerfully remitted through the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. The prayer in the Chaplet of Divine Mercy can be prayed in conjunction with the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass… “Eternal Father, I offer you the Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ in atonement for our sins and those of the whole world.”
10. ANGELIC INTERVENTION. Involved also in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass are the angels. In the Sanctus, we unite our prayers with the choirs of angels as we say: “Holy, holy holy….” The eloquent and brilliant Father of the Church, Saint John Chrysostom, states that numerous angels surround the Tabernacle in vigil before their Eucharistic Lord and King. By the way, angels can help us immensely to pay more attention and participate more fully in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.
The greatest lovers of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass are the saints. The extraordinary graces that they received came through Jesus in His Mystical Body the Church. However, it was through the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass that the infinite reservoir of graces inundated their souls, their lives, their sufferings and their extraordinary apostolic enterprises and successes.
We will conclude our short essay on the extraordinary graces that flow from the Mass by quoting a few of the saints—the greatest lovers of God and the greatest lovers of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. We invite you to meditate upon the words of the saints prayerfully, converse with the saints as your dear friends, and strive to imitate their love for God and Holy Mass.
THE INSPIRED WORDS OF THE SAINTS AND THE HOLY SACRIFICE OF THE MASS
1. “Man should tremble, the world should quake, and Heaven should be deeply moved when the Son of God appears in the altar in the hands of the priest.” (St. Francis of Assisi)2
2. “It would be easier for the world to survive without the sun than to do so without the Holy Mass.” (St. Padre Pio of Pietrelcina)
3. “No human tongue can enumerate the favors that trace back to the Sacrifice of the Mass. The sinners is reconciled with God; the just man becomes more upright; sins are wiped away; vices are uprooted; virtue and merit increases; and the devil’s schemes are frustrated.” (St. Lawrence Justinian)
4. “O you deluded people, what are you doing? Why do you not hasten to 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?” (St. Leonard of Port Maurice)
5. “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.” (St. Peter Julian Eymard)
