Mass Pages
Mass of St Gregory - by Isenbrant, Adriaen - from
Museo del Prado, Madrid
(In an attempt to depict "transubstantiation", the above painting shows
Jesus stepping down into the chalice from behind a curtain, i.e. mystery.)
The Sacrifice of the Mass, during which we offer
ourselves and Jesus to God, is by far the most pleasing form of worship
to God the Father.  The prayers
said during the Mass, by the people and the priest, are the most powerful prayers we can ever possibly say. They reap the most merciful benefit
for ourselves, our family (present and departed), and the whole world (see the Mass and the Mystical Body of Christ to understand how
this interrelationship works).
“As the heart continually pumps life-sustaining blood to
all members of the human body, so each Mass is like a heart-beat sending life-giving grace
of the divine Head to all members of the Mystical Body who do not place obstacles in the
way of His gifts”
Our blessed Lord, through the Sacrifice
of the Eucharist, has placed in our
hands the most adequate means of offering to the Father supreme adoration, thanksgiving,
and reparation for our sins
and the sins of others; that is, of filling up what is
wanting in other members of the Mystical Body.
And since Our Savior offers our prayers along with His own, our
petitions offered up in the Mass
have a special efficacy, provided what we ask is in keeping with the Father’s
will.
Four (4) Sacred Chalices every second, are lifted up in consecration
to God. Over three
hundred thousand (300,000) Masses are offered throughout the World every 24 hours; and yet the World is still deficient in its Graces.  Why? Only a handful of people take the time to attend Mass
on a daily basis, or even a weekly
basis. The Power of the Sacrifice
of the Mass is proportional to the piety and number of people willing to sacrifice
an hour of their time to attend; and that number and quality is pitifully small. The redeeming
and strengthening power
of Christ - at work through the Eucharist - is needed as never before.
One of the primary reasons for Our Lady's appearance at Fatima was to alert us that souls
would be lost because there is no one to pray for them. Ask the help
of the Mother of Jesus who was at the foot of the Cross for
that first Sacrifice, offering herself
and her dying
Son for the same redemptive
purpose as He. Ask her to
assist with you at Mass, and help you to surrender your will to God as she did, no matter how difficult. For God gives Himself to us, especially in
Holy Communion, in the measure that we give ourselves to Him.
Our duty as Christians requires that we save not only our own souls,
but those of all men/women. Once a person dies,
he/she is completely helpless to do anything
to further their own cause with God. How
many loving parents are needlessly anguishing in Purgatory because their children can not
find the time to pray for their release? The most powerful
means of attaining their release is through participation in the Holy
Sacrifice of the Mass. Never assume your loved
ones are in Heaven. Saint Augustine asked for prayers for his
saintly mother, (Saint Monica), for over twenty years after
her death.
The links to Web Pages below were compiled to help in promoting increased piety, and appreciation of the beauty,
sweetness, comfort,
spiritual joy and redemptive
power of the Mass instituted by
Christ on Holy Thursday
when He said: Do this in memory of
Me.
When You Miss One Mass
It is well for you to consider what you lose every
time that you pass up Mass and Holy
Communion.
1. You miss a personal visit with Jesus, Author of all spiritual energy and of all holiness;
2. You lose a special increase of sanctifying grace, which makes your soul more pleasing to God;
3. You lose a quota of sacramental
grace which entitles you to special help in times of temptation
and in the discharge of your daily duties;
4. You lose a precious opportunity of having all of
your venial sins wiped away;
5. You miss the special preserving influence which
each Holy Communion confers against the fires
of passion;
6. You miss the opportunity of having remitted a
part, or all, of the temporal punishments due to your sins;
7. You lose the spiritual joy,
the sweetness and particular comfort
that come from a fervent Holy Communion;
8. You lose a part of the glory
that your body might enjoy at its resurrection on the Last
Day;
9. You lose the greater degree of glory you would possess in Heaven for all eternity;
10. You may lose:
 complete victory over some fault or passion;
some particular grace long prayed for;
the conversion or salvation of some soul;
deliverance of a relative or friend from Purgatory;
many graces for others, both the living and the dead.
Will a few extra minutes of sleep repay you for all these
losses?
What riches hundreds of
thousands of Catholics
deprive themselves
daily by neglecting Mass. It
in itself is the best preparation for Holy
Communion. At the hour of death our
greatest consolation will be the Masses
we have heard and the Holy Communions received.
With Ecclesiastical Approval
Chicago, December 6, 1940
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