Chapter XV

Holy Mass is the Most Powerful Sin-offering

The light of reason suffices to teach us that the infirmity of human nature, so prone to sin, needs a sacrifice of atonement, and of this the patriarchs who lived before the time of Moses were conscious. For we read of holy Job, who lived by the light of natural religion, that he was accustomed every seven days to call his ten children together to sanctify them, and offer holocausts for every one of them. For he said to himself: “Lest perhaps my sons have sinned [in their feasting] and have blasphemed God in their hearts.” (Job 1:5) Thus we see that the prompting of reason led the patriarchs to offer expiatory sacrifices to God Almighty, and implore His pardon. In the law of Moses God Himself appointed a sacrifice of atonement for the person who sinned, saying: “Let him do penance for his sin, and offer of the flocks an ewe-lamb or a she-goat, and the priest shall pray for him and for his sin. But if he be not able to offer a beast, let him offer two turtles or two young pigeons to the Lord, one for sin and the other for a holocaust, •.. and the priest shall pray for him and for his sin, and it shall be forgiven him.” (Lev. v. St 6> 7» 10O

If the Old Law, which was but a shadow of the New, appointed an expiatory sacrifice for the consolation and spiritual welfare of e Jews, how much the more needful that the Church should provide a sacrifice of atonement for her children—a new sacrifice, as far superior to the old as the Christian Church is to the Jewish Synagogue. The sacrifice of blood, offered upon the cross, was once offered, and could not be repeated; it was therefore necessary to institute another, which should be offered daily for our daily transgressions. On this point the Church teaches us: “Although Christ was about to offer Himself once on the altar of the cross, there to operate an eternal redemption; nevertheless, because that His priesthood was not to be extinguished by His death, at the Last Supper He offered up to God the Father His own body and blood, under the species of bread and wine, and commanded His apostles and their successors in the priesthood to offer them.” (Council of Trent, sess. xxii. ch. 1.)

Such are the words in which the holy Catholic Church declares to us that Christ at the Last Supper instituted the Mass, and commanded His apostles and priests to celebrate it. The reason of this is also given: “That He might leave to the Church a visible sacrifice, whereby that bloody sacrifice might be represented, and its salutary virtue be applied in remission of the sins we daily commit.” This passage contains an article of faith, which no one must venture to contradict; and it shows us that holy Mass is a sacrifice of atonement, since it was instituted by Christ in order that His Church might have a sacrifice for the remission of daily sins. What a salutary, what an all-prevailing, sacrifice of atonement! Happy the Church who possesses such a sacrifice!

That the Mass is indeed a veritable sacrifice of atonement, offered in expiation of the sins of the people, is shown by the action of the priest, who, at the commencement of the Mass, humbly bowing down, says the Conjiteor, or general confession, striking his breast three times; and after the server has done the same in the name of the congregation he pronounces the absolution: “May Almighty God have mercy upon you, forgive you your sins, and bring you to life everlasting.” Then, signing himself with the sign of the cross, he says: “May the almighty and merciful Lord grant us pardon, absolution; and remission of our sins.” He next invokes the mercy of God for the forgiveness of sin, saying the Kyrie eleison: “Lord, have mercy on us; Christ, have mercy on us! Must not this humble and devout ejaculation, rising to heaven, reach the ear of God, and move His divine heart to pity?

The priest also says many collects, secret prayers and other prayers, which contain a petition for forgiveness of sin. Presently he repeats three times, aloud: “Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the world, have mercy upon us!” All this leaves no doubt that the Mass is a sacrifice of atonement, offered for the remission of sin.

On this subject Marchantius says: “As Christ upon the cross took upon Himself the sins of the whole world, to atone for them with His blood, so we lay our sins upon Him as upon a victim about to be immolated upon the altar, that He may expiate them. It is to indicate this that the priest at the commencement of the Mass bows down at the foot of the altar, and in the spirit of humility presents himself as if laden with the sins of the people before the Eternal Father, in order to prevail on Him to have mercy. In this position he also personates Christ upon the Mount of Olives, Who, bowed down.under the burden of the sins of the whole world, which were laid upon Him, fell upon His face, His sweat becoming as drops of blood, and prayed earnestly to His heavenly Father. So the priest, Christ’s representative, prays for his own sins and those of all persons present, for whom the price of our redemption was once paid, and is daily renewed and offered afresh to operate the remission of sin.”

These beautiful and consoling words cannot fail to infuse courage into-the heart of every sinner, and inspire him with joyous ardor in hearing holy Mass; for they tell him that Christ has taken upon Himself all the transgressions of which he is guilty, and will atone for them with His blood; they tell him that Christ in the sinner’s place implores the mercy of God the Father, offering to Him the great price of our redemption, to obtain for us remission of sin.

Let us now hear what the fathers of the Church say with respect to this expiatory sacrifice, and how they explain it. St James in his liturgy says: “We offer Thee this unbloody sacrifice, O Lord, for our sins and the ignorance of the people.” Here observe that we commit many sins of which we take no heed, which we do not confess, but for which we shall yet have to give account. That these unrecognized sins are accounted as transgressions we learn from David, who prays that they may be forgiven: “The sins of my youth and my ignorances do not remember.” (Psalms 24:7) And again: “Who can understand sins? From my secret ones cleanse me, O Lord, and from those of others spare Thy servant.” (Psalms 18:13,14) In order that we may not appear before the judgment-seat of God with these secret sins upon our soul, let us be diligent in hearing Mass, of which St. James, the first Bishop of Jerusalem, says: “That it is offered for the ignorances of the people.”

Marchantius also says: “The holy sacrifice of the Mass, offered to Almighty God, serves to atone for mortal sins, but preeminently for secret sins, those, that is, which after careful examination of conscience we cannot recall to mind.” Holy Mass does not actually cleanse from sin, but it obtains for us the grace of contrition, not only for known sins, but still more for those that are unknown or forgotten. St. Gregory says: “Just persons do not tremble on account of known sins, because they have confessed and done penance for them. Their chief cause for apprehension lies in the sins of which they are not conscious; as St. Paul says: ’ I am not conscious to myself of anything, yet am I not hereby justified: but He that judgeth me is the Lord’ (i. Cor. iv. 4.), and the Lord has sharper eyes than I have.” We miserable mortals shall indeed have cause to quake in the judgment on account of our secret sins. Wherefore we shall do well to offer all the Masses we hear to the divine justice for the remission of our secret sins. This is expressed in the words the Church places on the lips of the priest in the prayers for the fifth Sunday after Epiphany: “We offer unto Thee, O Lord, sacrifices of propitiation; that, taking compassion on us, Thou wouldst absolve us from our sins.” The sins of which we are not conscious we cannot confess to the priest; therefore we confess them in general to God, and offer to Him the Mass as a propitiatory sacrifice, beseeching Him to absolve us from them.

Furthermore, let us hear what Pope Alexander I. says concerning this sacrifice of propitiation: “By the offering of this victim the Lord is appeased, and forgives all, even the most grievous sins.” The holy pope and martyr Julius writes: “All sins and iniquities are blotted out by the offering of this oblation.” What comfort these words bring to the heart of the sinner, assuring him, as they do, that all sins, without exception, may be purged away by holy Mass! Again, St. Athanasius says: “The offering of the unbloody sacrifice is the expiation of our crimes.” Passages of this kind from the fathers might be multiplied, but we will content ourselves with the pronouncement of holy Church on the subject: “The holy Synod teaches that this sacrifice is truly propitiatory, and if one draw nigh unto God, contrite and penitent, He will be appeased by the offering thereof, and, granting the grace and gift of penitence, forgive even heinous crimes and sins.” (Sess. xxii. ch. 2.) Words of solace, which show us what blessings and graces flow to us from this noblest of sacrifices! What praise and gratitude we owe to Christ for having given us so efficacious a means of propitiating an offended God!

It may perhaps be asked, What need have we of a propitiatory sacrifice, since without it we can appease the wrath of God by sincere repentance?“I answer: Doubtless we can appease the divine anger by sincere contrition; but how is the sinner to obtain sincere contrition? It will not spring up of itself within his breast, for we might as well expect the dead to come to life again as a sinner of his own self to awake to penitence. If it were possible for him to do this, there would not be many doomed to eternal perdition; for almost everyone, feeling his end draw near, would excite in himself contrition and sorrow, and die in the grace of God. A sermon, or a pious book, may perchance be instrumental in awakening a sinner to repentance, but not without a special grace from God. God, justly offended by our crimes, is by no means bound to give us this ^race, and He does not give it lightly, unless He is specially moved thereto. Now, there is nothing in heaven or on earth which has so much power with God to induce Him to grant this grace as holy Mass. As Father Gobat says:” Holy Mass is for all those who hear it an expiatory sacrifice of such value that for the sake of it God grants them power to do all that is necessary to obtain pardon of the mortal sins they may have committed; that is, He gives them grace to acknowledge and bewail their sins, and to make a good confession.“

The words Our Lord addressed to St. Gertrude show how easily we may obtain remission of sin, through offering holy Mass to this end. It was one Holy Week, while the antiphon, “He is sacrificed because He Himself willed it,” was being sung, that He said to her: “If thou believest that I am offered up to God the Father upon the cross because it was My will to be offered in this manner, believe also and doubt not that every day I desire, with the same love and strength of desire, to be sacrificed for every sinner upon the altar, as I sacrificed Myself upon the cross for the salvation of the world. Therefore there is no one, however heavy the weight of Bin wherewith he is burdened, who may not hope for pardon, if he offers to the Father My sinless life and death, provided he believes that thereby he will obtain the blessed fruit of forgiveness.”

These words, coming as they do from the lips of divine Truth, are indeed full of sweet consolation. Can it possibly be true that the charity of Christ is so exceeding great that He desires daily to be offered to God the Father in holy Mass for each individual sinner, with the same desire that urged Him to suffer upon the cross for the world’s redemption? If so, fulfil, O sinner, this ardent desire of thy Lord; offer daily, nay, many times a day, the passion, the death of His well-beloved Son to God the Father, trusting to receive remission of thy sins according to the promise of Jesus Christ. This oblation can be made not only at Mass, but at other times besides; not only with the lips, but also with the heart For in the words quoted above, Our Lord makes no mention of holy Mass, nor of vocal prayer.

Now, if the unspoken offering of the heart is so efficacious, what must not the efficacy be of the actual material oblation, which is daily offered in holy Mass? For in the Mass Christ is not offered merely by words, or in a spiritual manner: He is offered actually and corporally by the hands of the priest, and what the priest offers we offer. For it is not in his own name alone that the priest offers the body and blood of Christ, it is in the name of all present, of all faithful Christians. After the consecration he employs these words: “Wherefore, O Lord, we thy servants, as also Thy holy people, offer to Thy most excellent Majesty a pure host,” etc.

Before leaving the subject of the expiatory sacrifice, let me add the words Our Lord spoke to St. Mechtilde: “Such is My long-suffering, when I come at the time of Mass, that there is no sinner, how great soever, there present, with whom I do not bear patiently, and to whom, provided he desire it, I do not gladly grant forgiveness of sin.” These words, ineffable in their charity, tell us how potent is holy Mass as an expiatory sacrifice, since it is the means of reconciling us to Christ so completely that, far from repulsing the sinner who comes to Mass, He stretches out His arms to him, He embraces him as a dear friend, He gladly forgives his offences, if only he gives signs of true penitence for his sins.

A beautiful instance of this is given in the lives of the fathers. A saintly recluse, named Paul the Simple, had received from God the gift of reading the secrets of the heart. When the hermits came to church on Sundays, he used to stand by the door, and if he perceived that one of them had some sin upon his conscience he would tell him of it in private, and exhort him to amend. One day, while he was thus standing at the church door, he saw a man approaching whose countenance, as indeed his whole person, was of a dark hue. Two devils walked on either side of him, pulling him hither and thither with the chains wherewith they had bound him; his guardian angel followed, sorrowfully, at some distance. The holy man began to weep and strike his breast, for he was grieved on account of the miserable condition of this unhappy sinner. The hermits begged him to come inside the church to hear Mass, but he remained upon the threshold, not ceasing to weep and lament. When the monks issued from the chapel after Mass, he watched anxiously for the object of his concern; and see! he came towards him with a bright and beaming countenance, his angel guardian at his side, while the devils withdrew discomfited. Then Blessed Paul sprang to his feet, and exclaimed aloud: “How inexpressible is the goodness of God! How unfathomable is the divine mercy!” Standing upon the steps of the church, he called to the others: “Come, brethren, listen, hear what has happened, and marvel at the wonders worked by our God. I saw this man enter these portals black as ebony, surrounded by demons; but when he comes out he is fair and white, and his angel walks beside him.” Turning to the individual in question, he said to him: “Give the glory to God, and tell us the condition of thy soul.” Then the man declared in the hearing of all: “I am a grievous sinner; for a long time I have been leading a licentious life. But when, just now in the church, I heard those words of the prophet Isaias read for the epistle: 1 Wash yourselves, be clean, take away the evil of your devices from My eyes. If your sins be as scarlet, they shall be made as white as snow’ [Is. i. 16, 18]—I breathed forth a prayer to God, saying: ’ O Thou Who earnest into the world to save sinners, fulfil Thy promise to me, a poor sinner.’ During the whole of the Mass I kept repeating these words: ’ I promise Thee, O my God, never again will I commit so great a sin; O Lord, receive me, miserable transgressor that I am.’ And I left the church fully resolved to lead a new life.” And all who were present praised God, saying: “How glorious are Thy works, O Lord, Who by the power of holy Mass dost bring the sinner to repentance, and admit him to Thy favor,”

Well may we exclaim with these pious hermits: “How great is the power of this most holy sacrifice of the Mass! How mightily does it operate in the conversion of sinners! How many a hardened sinner is by it moved to repentance, rescued from eternal perdition!” Let us render continual thanks to our loving Saviour, Who at so great a cost to Himself appointed this salutary sacrifice of propitiation, thereby making it easy for us to reconcile ourselves to an offended God, and acquit ourselves of the debt we owe Him. How privileged we are in contrast to the Jews of old, who, for all their costly sacrifices, had not one which could avail for the remission of a single sin; as St. Paul says: “It is impossible that with the blood of oxen and goats sins should be taken away.” (Hebrews 10:4) If we lived under a dispensation like to that of the Jews, our sins would probably be unatoned for, and we should be lost forever, since now, when we possess a sin-offering of such surpassing virtue, we absent ourselves from it on such slight pretexts, and assist at it so carelessly. Bethink thyself, O sinner, how greatly against thy own interests thou art acting in neglecting Mass, and putting off to a future life the expiation of thy sins. See that thou correct thyself in this respect; rouse thyself from thy tepidity, and frequently offer to God the atoning sacrifice of the Mass.

The Manner in which Holy Mass Effects the Forgiveness of Sin and the Conversion of Hardened Sinners

St. Thomas Aquinas asserts the Mass to be a powerful means of atonement when he says: “The special effect of the holy sacrifice of the Mass is that it operates our reconciliation with God.” In explanation of this he gives the following illustration: “Just as a man will forgive the wrong done him by his fellow-man on consideration of a valuable gift which is presented to him, or a service which is rendered to him, so the anger of God may be appeased by the acceptable service thou dost render Him when thou hearest Mass, and by the priceless gift which thou dost offer Him in the oblation of the body and blood of Jesus Christ.” This doctrine of the angelic doctor coincides with the opinion of all theologians and with the teaching of Holy Scripture.

We are told that the patriarch Jacob, fearing that his brother Esau, enraged at finding that he had defrauded him of his birthright and his father’s blessing, would seek to revenge himself on him, said within himself: “I will appease him with presents, afterwards perhaps he will be gracious to me.” (Genesis 32:20) Accordingly he sent him a quantity of camels, cows, oxen, sheep, goats, in view of conciliating him. Now, when in holy Mass we offer to the God against Whom we have offended the virtues, the merits, the life, passion, and death of His Son, His anger will be far more quickly appeased than Esau’s was, because these gifts are of infinite value, and highly pleasing to God the Father. It is true our transgressions still cry for vengeance, but the blood of Christ calls for mercy on our behalf. The voice of this blood is, however, all-powerful. Therefore it prevails over the cry of our sins. Hence Albertus Magnus says: “By this inestimable gift the divine indignation and anger are fully appeased.”

No one will doubt that holy Mass has power to reconcile the repentant sinner to God; but whether it also avails to reconcile the unrepentant is quite another question, and one which must be answered in the negative, for only by sincere contrition can the sinner pass from a state of wrath to a state of grace. Consequently if an unrepentant sinner hears Mass, or Mass is said for him, it does not reconcile him to God, nor readmit him to grace.

Is^ )ly Mass qi no benefit to him, then? It is of great benefit to him, both temporally and spiritually. It profits him temporally, because for the sake of the Mass God preserves him from some misfortune, or bestows on him some favor. And the reason of this is because God, of His ineffable bounty, never leaves the least service unrewarded. Every time we hear Mass we merit an eternal recompense; but the unrepentant sinner is not capable of receiving an eternal recompense. Therefore God, of His pure mercy, gives him a temporal reward, such as preservation from some calamity, or the bestowal of some good thing in this life.

But the spiritual profit accruing to him is much greater. For, according to the teaching of theologians, God gives in holy Mass preventing grace, by virtue of which the sinner is Drought to the knowledge and abhorrence of mortal sin. This divine assistance, merited by the Mass heard or celebrated, does not, however, produce the same effect in all. There are hardened sinners, and sinners who are inclined to penance. The latter will by the holy Mass be brought to true contrition and penance, and through them be reconciled to God; but the former, though the same grace is offered them, will reject it in the obduracy of their evil heart.

We must not, however, conclude that the Mass is not a propitiatory sacrifice because the hardened sinner will not accept, but rejects God’s preventing grace; it is, and always will be, a propitiatory sacrifice, and we are bound to regard it as such. The Church teaches: “If any one saith that the sacrifice of the Mass is not a propitiatory sacrifice, let him be anathema.” (Sess. xxii. c. 3.) It is termed propitiatory because through the merits of Christ assistance is given to the sinner to recognize and repent of his sins. This succor is specially given to those who assist at Mass. Were it not so, the Mass would possess no peculiar power of making us participators in Christ’s redemption over and above that of any other good work which may be offered up on behalf of a sinner. We know that this cannot be the case, for in the Mass Christ bequeathed to us a special antidote against the poison of sin.

It is by no means indispensable that the effects of the Mass should be immediately apparent; it is enough that they should come in God’s own time. We know that Christ upon the cross pleaded with tears on behalf of sinners, and offered for them His cruel passion and death; yet of all the thousands present how few struck their breasts in contrition and said in firm faith: “Indeed this was the Son of God.” (Matthew 27:54) The others continued obdurate, and thrust from them the proffered grace and divine assistance. Not until Pentecost did the prayer of Christ and His sacrifice upon the cross produce their effect; then three thousand persons were converted by the preaching of St. Peter. In like manner the holy sacrifice of the Mass does not always effect the conversion of the sinner at once: it works gradually, when God softens the hard heart of the sinner by degrees, and disposes it to receive the influence of grace. This gradual conversion is preeminently due to holy Mass, since it gives time for the sinner to hear several Masses or have them said for him. Marchantius says the same: “Holy Mass does not blot out sin, but it produces contrition, or the desire of true contrition. Sometimes this contrition is given during the celebration of the Mass which is said on behalf of a particular person, sometimes at a later period, but always in virtue of that Mass. Oftentimes it happens that by a special grace the sinner is converted after the lapse of some time, and is not aware that he owes his conversion to the potency of the holy sacrifice. And when the sinner is not converted it is because he rejects the divine assistance which is offered to him, and abuses the means of grace instead of using them aright.”

The words of this learned man testify to the immense power which the holy Mass possesses for the conversion of hardened sinners. The Church also teaches us that when a repentant sinner offers the holy sacrifice to God, with the intention of conciliating Him, the grace of conversion and reconciliation with God will certainly be granted him. “If we draw nigh unto God, contrite and penitent, and with sincere heart and upright faith, with fear and reverence, offer the holy Mass to God, the Lord, appeased by the oblation thereof, and granting the grace and gift of penitence, forgives even heinous crimes and sins.” (Sess. xxii. ch. 2.) What consolation these words contain for the heart of the sinner! With what hope do they not inspire the pusillanimous and despondent! They are assured that by the oblation of the Mass they can so far appease the anger of God that He will turn aside His wrath, will forgive them their transgressions, and admit them to His grace and friendship. Thus is fulfilled what Sirach says “The oblation of the just maketh the altar fat, and is an odor of sweetness in the sight of the Most High” (Ecclesiasticus 35:8); that is to say, when a miserable sinner offers to the Eternal Father His only-begotten Son as an expiatory sacrifice, and implores His mercy in virtue of Christ’s merits. The Wise Man says: “A secret present quencheth anger: and a gift in the bosom the greatest wrath.” (Proverbs 21:14) What is the secret gift here spoken of but the body of Christ under the form of bread? Let us in holy Mass offer this secret gift, this costly present, and we shall thereby quench the anger of God and appease His wrath.

This, as St. Bonaventure reminds us, the priest does in the name of all present when he elevates the sacred host, as if to say: “We miserable sinners have transgressed and grievously offended Thee, 0 heavenly Father; but look upon the face of Thy Christ, Whom we here present to Thee, hoping to change Thy anger into mercy. Turn not away Thy face from Thy Son, of Whom Thou saidst: ’This is My beloved Son, in Whom I am well pleased.’ For His sake turn us to Thee, and be not angry with us anymore.” By such supplications and the oblation of the Mass many sinners have obtained the grace of repentance, which otherwise they would not have done. Holy Church would not place upon the lips of the priest the following prayer (secret for the fourth Saturday of Lent) were she not well aware that the offering of this expiatory sacrifice has the power to soften the hard heart, to convert the obstinate sinner: “Be appeased, we beseech Thee, O Lord, by our offerings which Thou hast accepted: and graciously compel our wills, even though rebellious, to turn to Thee.’ Wherefore let the sinner, although he may have sunk so low in the defilement of sin that he must needs almost despair of his conversion, go to Mass, and repeat that prayer, humbly imploring the God of mercy to convert him by means of the great power of holy Mass.

But here an objection may perhaps be raised: What will such a prayer avail, how will it profit the sinner, since Holy Scripture says; “He that turneth away his ears from hearing the law, his prayer shall be an abomination” (Proverbs 28:9)? The angelic doctor St. Thomas Aquinas thus answers this question: M Although it is clearly stated in several passages of Scripture that the prayer of one who is in mortal sin cannot be pleasing to God, yet of His ineffable bounty He does not reject that prayer which is prompted by good motives, but graciously listens to it.“

But even supposing that God would not accept the prayer of a hardened sinner, nevertheless He would most assuredly accept the holy Mass, so pleasing in His sight, which the suppliant offers. I do not mean that the prayer which the sinner offers during the Mass is pleasing to God, but that the Mass offered by the hardened sinner is most acceptable to Him. Can7 it be doubted that the just God will graciously accept the precious gift of the body and blood of His Son, even when offered by a sinner who in himself is hateful to Him? Will He not say: “Although this man is My enemy and abhorrent to Me, yet the gift which he offers to Me with a good intention is surpassingly valuable and agreeable to me. Since he thus honors Me, I will in return for this gift offer him My grace; and if he accepts it I will overlook the affront he has done Me, and restore him to My friendship and favor.”

This assertion does not rest on my opinion alone, but upon the authority, as has already been seen, of the Council of Trent, which teaches that the offering of the holy sacrifice is a means of reconciling the sinner to God, and of obtaining the remission of all, even heinous, crimes and sins. Listen, O sinner! to this consoling truth. Take from it fresh hope of thy salvation, fresh courage for the amendment of thy life; disentangle thyself from the net of despair, and trust in this all-powerful sacrifice of atonement. Although Holy Scripture says: “To God the wicked and his wickedness are hateful alike” (Wisdom 14:9), yet do thou go diligently to church, and there join in offering the holy sacrifice to God. For even if thou didst hear Mass in a state of mortal sin, thou wouldst not commit another mortal sin, as priests do if they celebrate unworthily, or the laity if they communicate unworthily; on the contrary, thou dost obtain help to return to the state of grace.

The same effect is produced if a good man hears Mass on behalf of an evil-doer, offering it to God for his conversion. We learn this from the revelations made to St. Gertrude. One day, when the saint was earnestly entreating God at the time of Mass to prevent with His grace those souls who were destined to be converted and saved, and in virtue of the holy sacrifice to anticipate the time fixed for their conversion, she longed to plead also for those reprobate sinners who appeared to be doomed to eternal perdition, so great was the compassion she felt for them. She restrained herself, however, fearing that she would pray in vain. Our Lord, desiring to correct this pusillanimity on her part, said to her: “Do you suppose that My spotless body and precious blood, here upon the altar, is not sufficiently powerful to bring those who are in the way of perdition to a better course of life? ’ St. Gertrude, amazed at the excess of loving-kindness evinced in these words, felt emboldened, while pondering them in her heart, to cry to the all-merciful Saviour, imploring Him by His precious body and blood, by the holy Mass then being celebrated, by His perpetual oblation of Himself upon the altar for the salvation of sinners, to bring at least some of those sinners who were in the way of damnation back to a state of grace. Our Lord graciously received her fervent petition, and assured her that it should be granted. Let this testimony to the potency of holy Mass to save sinners induce us to hear it frequently and devoutly, and offer it for our own conversion and that of other sinners.

By Means of Holy Mass Venial Sins are Blotted Out

BLOTTED OUT.

Through the holy sacrifice of the Mass venial sins also are atoned for—sins which are highly displeasing to God, far more so, in fact, than we unhappy sinners are wont to imagine. The following simile may help us to appreciate the malice of venial sin. A man had a son who made him angry every day: he was careless at his work, idle, given up to pleasure; he made a bad use of his father’s money, and paid no heed to the admonitions addressed to him. The father complained bitterly of his son’s conduct. But the latter excused himself on the plea that he never raised his hand against his father, or did him any mortal injury. In like manner we conduct ourselves towards God by the venial sins we daily commit

If we had no expiatory sacrifice wherewith to appease the wrath of our heavenly Father, to what a miserable end we should come! Even though our daily sins are venial, not mortal, we yet stand in great need of a sacrifice of atonement, lest the divine anger at length get the upper hand and He drive us out of His house as unworthy to be His sons.

In order to provide against so miserable a fate our loving Saviour has appointed for us a powerful means of atonement in holy Mass, wherein the oblation of the divine victim is offered for the blotting out of venial as well as mortal sin. This is expressly stated by holy Church in the decrees of the Council of Trent: “Christ instituted the holy Mass in the Last Supper that its salutary virtue be applied to the remission of those sins which we daily commit.” (Sess. xxii. ch. 2.) These words, which are too clear to need elucidation, prove beyond a doubt that the Mass is intended for the forgiveness of daily venial sin.

A learned writer expresses the same truth at greater length; he says: “This sacrifice is repeated daily because we sin daily, and the sins we commit are such as are inevitable to human frailty. Wherefore so long as the Christian falls daily, so long will Christ be immolated daily in a mystical manner.” Christ has, it is true, given us many other means of expiating our venial sins, such as making acts of contrition, prayer, patience in suffer ~ ing, etc., but none of these is so efficacious as holy Mass.

On this point Suarez says: “It may be assumed that those who offer the holy sacrifice with the intention of obtaining the remission of their venial sins obtain it at least by reason of their prayer, because their will is opposed to venial sin.’ By this he intends to say: Since contrition for sin is indispensable to forgiveness, if a man hears Mass with the object of obtaining the pardon of his venial sins, it is a sure sign that he feels contrition for them, and desires to be delivered from them. Father Gobat says:” Holy Mass is so essentially a sacrifice of atonement for those who hear it that by virtue of this holy sacrifice they obtain the remission of all their venial sins, even though they feel as yet no lively contrition for them. And provided they hear Mass in view of obtaining this remission, it is granted immediately and in full force.“This assurance, given us by learned writers, that if we offer holy Mass in order to obtain forgiveness of venial sin it will be granted to us, even if our contrition be but weak, is indeed most consoling. It affords a fresh motive for going to Mass, since we have therein so easy a means of blotting out our daily offences.

Again, speaking of the immense power inherent in holy Mass for the pardon of venial sin, Suarez says: “Christ instituted this divine oblation, and attached to it the virtue of His death, which is applied to us for the remission of our daily sins.” That is to say: Christ forgives our venial sins by virtue of His death, inasmuch as in holy Mass His death is renewed in a mystic manner. Osorius also remarks that not only is the penalty of sin done away with in holy Mass by virtue of Christ’s passion, but the guilt of venial sins is also cancelled by this holy sacrifice.

“The fruit of the Mass,” says Father Stratius, “is exceedingly plenteous, for it renders us participators in the superabundant riches of Christ’s merits and satisfaction for sin. Such is the power of holy Mass that our sins melt away before it as wax before the fire, and the penalties we have incurred are turned aside from us.” Wherefore, at the time of the Confiteor> at the commencement of the Mass, do thou pray thus: “O most just God> with contrite heart and steadfast hope I lay my sins upon this sacred altar, in order that they may be consumed by the flames of Thy divine charity, purged away by the precious blood of Jesus, and fully atoned for by His infinite merits. Amen.”

What has been said above may be summed up in these words of Marchantius: “It is evident that, in accordance with the object of its institution, the holy sacrifice of the Mass blots out venial sin. For Christ, knowing well how weak our nature is and how prone to evil by reason of original sin, provided us with a suitable remedy, and ordained a daily sacrifice for daily sins.” How can we sufficiently thank our loving Redeemer for this unspeakable benefit, how can we appreciate it aright? If we had not this divine oblation, or if we were to make no use of it for the expiation of our venial sins, alas! what a weight of sin should we not carry with us before the tribunal of the Eternal Judge! How long, how severe, would be the atonement required from us in another world I for these are the sins of which David speaks when he says: “My iniquities are multiplied above the hairs of my head.” (Psalms 39:13) And again: “Who can understand sins?’* (Psalms 18:13) They are the sins of which the Church says:” My transgressions are more in number than the sands of the sea.“These sins often escape our observation altogether, so that we do not confess or atone for them. We may, however, purge away and expiate them by means of the all-prevailing sacrifice of propitiation which the greatest of all benefactors has graciously bestowed upon us in holy Mass,

Wouldst thou obtain forgiveness of thy venial sins by virtue of that holy sacrifice, then imitate the example of St. Gertrude, of whom it is recorded that “during holy Mass, which is the most true and efficacious atonement for the guilt of man, when the sacred victim was immolated by the priest, she offered it to the Most High for the cleansing away of her sins. God the Father received the oblation graciously and admitted the saint to His embrace.” These words, taken from the revelations of the saint, may well make us marvel at the wonderful power of this holy sacrifice. For when St. Gertrude, at the elevation of the adorable host, fervently prayed: u Holy Lord God, I offer to Thee this sacred host for the remission of my sins,“these few words were effectual not merely to cleanse her soul from the stains it had contracted, but to render it worthy to be admitted to the bosom of God the Father.

In imitation of the saint, see that thou, with a devotion and an emphasis like hers, at the elevation of the host, offer to God the Father the sacred oblation of the body and blood of His Son for the complete atonement and cleansing away of thy sins, both mortal and venial, saying: “Most merciful Father, since this sacred victim is the most true and worthy atonement for the guilt of mankind, vouchsafe to receive it in expiation of my sins, and grant me remission of the chastisement due to them. Amen.” The more often, the more earnestly, thou dost this, the greater the number of venial sins which will be blotted out. For if thou dost ponder what has been said in this book of the supernatural power of the holy sacrifice of the Mass, thou wilt not doubt that it can avail to cancel all thy sins and shortcomings.

Consider, furthermore, that holy Mass does not only deliver from venial sin, it also cleanses our souls from their stains. St. John Damascene teaches us this when he says: “The immaculate and unbloody sacrifice of the Mass is for the healing of all wounds and the purification of all stains.” This God foretold by the mouth of the prophet Ezechiel of old: “I will pour upon you clean water, and you shall be cleansed from all your filthiness.” (Ezechiel 36:25) The cleansing here spoken of is effected by means of the sacred stream which flowed from Our Lord’s pierced side; we read in St. John’s Gospel: “One of the soldiers with a spear opened His side, and immediately there came out blood and water.” (John 19:34) This was done by the special permission of God, for the divine Saviour desired to receive this wound in His side, and that it should remain open after His death, that it might become for us “a fountain of water, springing up into life everlasting.” (Ibid. iv.

i4.)

The existence of this fountain was foretold by the prophet Zacharias: “There shall be a fountain open to the house of David and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem.” (Zacharias 13:1) Out of this life-gi\ing source the precious stream of blood and water flows perennially, and to it all have free access, that they may quench their thirst and wash their stains away. The cleansing fount only flows, however, for those who go to it; it only profits those who draw from it water to wash away the stains of sin. In every Mass that is celebrated this salutary stream flows over all who are present, for the wound of Christ’s side is then opened afresh. Happy we for whose cleansing this fountain ever flows! How many unhappy sinners have gone thither, and thence with joy drawn the waters of grace, as the prophet Isaias foretold: “You shall draw water with joy out of the Saviour’s fountains.” (Isaias 12:3) And those sinners who neglect to repair to this fountain He kindly invites to do so: “All you that thirst, come to the waters; and you that have no money, make haste, buy and eat; come ye, buy wine and milk without money and without any price.” (Isaias 55:1) In like manner St. John in the Apocalypse invites us: “The spirit and the bride say: Come. And he that heareth, let him say: Come. And he that thirsteth, let him come; and he that will, let him take the water of life, freely.” (Apocalypse 22:17)

Behold how earnestly the prophet Isaias and the apostle John invite us to this health-giving fountain, which flows in holy Mass, because they both know how salutary is this water from the Saviour’s side. For this fountain is a healing bath wherein our souls are washed, purified,, and sanctified. Let us with the greatest joy and eagerness betake ourselves to this fount of grace, open to us in holy Mass, and hear Mass with contrition and devotion, in order to cleanse our souls from guilt and stain.

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