Chapter III

The Mysteries of Holy Mass

Now that I am about to speak of the mysteries of holy Mass, many and exalted as they are, I cannot but exclaim with David, the prophet king: “Come and behold ye the works of the Lord: what wonders He hath done upon earth.” (Psalms 45:9) Many indeed are the wonders and signs Christ has done upon earth, but amongst them all He has done nothing greater or more marvellous than the institution of the holy Mass at the Last Supper. It is an epitome, so to speak, of all the wonders God has wrought, and in itself so replete with mysteries that St. Bonaventure does not hesitate to say of it: “The holy Mass is as full of mysteries as the ocean is full of drops, or as the sky is full of stars, and as the courts of heaven are full of angels. For in it so many mysteries are daily performed that I should be at a loss to say whether greater or more lofty wonders have ever been accomplished by divine omnipotence.”

This statement does indeed appear strange and almost beyond belief. Can it really be true that the mysteries contained in the holy Mass cannot be numbered? Sanchez agrees with St. Bonaventure on this point, for he says: “In holy Mass we receive treasures so wonderful and so real, gifts so divine and so costly, benefits so many appertaining to this temporal life, hope so certain for the life which is to come, that without faith it would be impossible for us to believe these assertions to be the truth.” By these words he means to say that the good things, both Tor the present and for the future, which we receive through holy Mass surpass our natural powers of belief; and did not God grant to us the gift of supernatural faith, by which we are enabled to believe what we cannot understand, we should never credit the inestimable benefits we derive from holy Mass. The same writer adds: “Just as one may take from the sea or from a river all the water one needs, not only without exhausting it, but even without in the least diminishing its volume, so is it with the holy Mass. So immeasurably great is it that it can suffer no diminution, much less exhaustion of its plenitude.” This comparison teaches us that holy Mass is an ocean of grace and glorious mysteries, whence we may daily obtain all manner of good things both for our souls and our bodies.

The following remarkable incident will serve to illustrate what has just been said, and to kindle in the reader greater devotion toward holy Mass. We read in the life of St. John of Facundo, a noted member of the Augustinian Order, that he never on any account omitted saying Mass, and in fact, urged by his great longing to offer the holy sacrifice and receive Our Lord, he said it every morning at the earliest hour possible. He was, however, so slow in celebrating that the server used to go away and leave him at the altar, and at last no one could be got to serve his Mass. The saint then went to the prior, and entreated him to order the brothers to do *o. But the prior spoke sharply to him, saying, “Why do you give the brothers so much trouble by being so long over your Mass? I shall rather enjoin upon you henceforth to say Mass like other priests.” John did as he was commanded, but obedience cost him so much that he went again to the prior, and, throwing himself at his feet, begged him to withdraw his command. The prior would not consent to do this until John had confided to him, in confession, the reasons which made it impossible for him to say Mass more quickly. Having heard them, he no longer hesitated to tell the brothers that they must serve Father John’s Mass, even though their patience was somewhat taxed. Furthermore, the prior, having obtained permission from the saint, communicated his secret to another father, to whom he said: “You may believe me when I say that the reason why our Father John says Mass so slowly is because God reveals to him the profound mysteries that are accomplished in the Mass—mysteries so sublime that no human intelligence is capable of grasping them. The secrets he disclosed to me concerning them were of so tremendous a nature that I was overwhelmed with awe, and almost swooned. It is certain that Christ frequently manifests Himself visibly to this father, speaking with him as one speaks to a friend, and showing him His five sacred wounds, whence proceeds a light of exceeding brightness, which, shed upon the saint, quickens both body and soul, so that he experiences no need of earthly nourishment He also beholds the body of Christ shining like the sun at t noonday, and perceives its infinite beauty and glory. Such are the lofty and divine things he is privileged to know, mysteries which it is not given to man to fathom, much less to utter. Since I have thus been made aware of the immense benefits accruing to mankind by the celebrating or assisting at Mass I have made a firm resolution never to omit saying or hearing Mass, and to do my utmost to induce others to do the same.” From these noteworthy words which the prior uttered we see clearly that solemn mysteries are contained in the holy Mass, and we ought to reverence it most profoundly.

But before proceeding to explain these mysteries further I will next show how various types of the Old

Testament are fulfilled and, as it were, renewed in the holy Mass.

The first type of the holy sacrifice of the Mass was the sacrifice of the pious and just Abel, who offered a burntoffering of the firstlings of his flock to the Lord his God, out of true devotion and as a recognition of his subjection to the Divine Majesty. That this oblation was pleasing to Almighty God we learn from the words of Scripture: “The Lord had respect to Abel, and tc his offerings.” (Genesis 4:4) Or, as it has been otherwise translated: “The Lord kindled Abel’s sacrifice.” That is to say, when the pious Abel had laid his oblation, together with the wood, upon the altar, and by his prayers offered it up to God, fire descended from heaven, and consumed the flesh of the lamb that had been slaughtered. So it is in the holy sacrifice of the Mass; when the priest has offered the oblation of bread and wine upon the altar, and pronounced the words of consecration over them, the Holy Ghost, the divine fire, descends from heaven and consumes the oblation of bread and wine, changing it into the true body and blood of Christ Abel’s sacrifice found favor in the sight of God Almighty; the Christian sacrifice is incomparably more pleasing in His eyes. For when the officiating priest elevates the host and offers it up to God, the heavenly Father utters the same words which He spoke at the baptism of Jesus: “This is My beloved Son, in Whom I am well pleased.” (Matthew 3:17)

The second type of the holy sacrifice of the Mass was the sacrifice offered by the patriarch Noe, of which we read in Holy Scripture: “Noe built an altar unto the Lord, and taking of all cattle and fowls that were clean, offered holocausts upon the altar. And the Lord smelled a sweet savor, and said: I will no more curse the earth for the sake of man.” (Genesis 8:20,21) Now

Noe’fc sacrifice was so acceptable to God that His wrath was appeased, and He promised no more to destroy the earth with a deluge, how much more acceptable to Him will the sacrifice of the priest of the New Testament be, wherein His only Son is offered as a sweet victim.

Wc find a third type of the holy sacrifice of the Mass in the various sacrifices of the holy patriarch Abraham, who once offered his son Isaac, and of whom it is frequently said in Holy Scripture: u Abraham built also an altar to the Lord, and called upon His name.“(Genesis 12:8) The same is likewise said of Isaac and Jacob, who were faithful servants of God, and, like all His servants, were wont to offer burnt-offerings and sacrifices unto the Lord of lords. All priests of the New Testament have been imitators of the great patriarchs of old, and have closely followed their example by devoutly offering to the supreme Deity, at different times and in different places, the most acceptable sacrifice of the holy Mass. This practice is continued unto the present day with even greater zeal, since it is now customary for every priest who is truly devout to offer the holy sacrifice to God daily.

The fourth type of the holy Mass was the sacrifice of Melchisedech, the king and high priest, who, when the patriarch Abraham returned victorious from the slaughter of his enemies, as an act of thanksgiving offered to God Almighty a new oblation, consisting of bread and wine, presented with special forms and ceremonies. Melchisedech is pointed out in Holy Scripture as a type of Christ, as was said in the first chapter of this book.

The sacrifice offered by Aaron and all other priests of the Mosaic law formed a fifth type of the holy sacrifice of the Mass. Before the institution of this law, which was given by God Himself, the just men of the Old Testament, guided by the light of nature, had offered holocausts and burnt-offerings to God. In the law o* Moses God appointed three kinds of sacrifices to be offered to Him by the whole Jewish nation. These were burnt-offerings, peace-offerings, and sin-offerings. Two lambs without blemish were to be immolated to Him daily in the temple at Jerusalem. These sacrifices of the Jews lasted until the time of Christ, and all clearly foreshadowed the sacrifice of the cross. After the death of Christ they ceased; for the Jewish sacrifices were merged in the Christian, that is, in the holy sacrifice of the Mass.

All these ancient sacrifices, especially the sacrifices of Abel, Abraham, and the high priest Melchisedech, receive special mention in the Mass. After the Consecration the priest says: “We offer unto Thy most excellent majesty the holy bread of eternal life, and the chalice of eternal salvation. Upon which vouchsafe to look with a propitious and serene countenance, and to accept them, as Thou wert graciously pleased to accept the gift of Thy just servant Abel, and the sacrifice of our patriarch Abraham, and that which Thy high priest Melchisedech offered to Thee, a holy sacrifice, an immaculate host.” By these words of her liturgy the Church declares with sufficient plainness that the sacrifices of the Old Testament were types of the holy sacrifice of the Mass, and as such were acceptable and pleasing to the most high God.

Some devout Catholics, and many who are not Catholics, take exception at this prayer, and are even scandalized by it, because they consider it to imply that the priest calls upon God graciously to accept his sacrifice in the same manner in which He vouchsafed to accept the sacrifices of Abel, Abraham, and Melchisedech; whereas it cannot be denied that the sacrifice of the Mass, in which the sacred body and blood of Christ are offered to God the Father, is far more pleasing to Him than the animals or the bread and wine offered to Him by the patriarchs of old. It must, however, by no means be overlooked that the priest does not beseech God Almighty to look propitiously upon the victim he is offering, because that which he offers to Him, Jesus Christ, His well-beloved Son, is incomparably more precious in His sight than any created being. All that the priest asks of God is that He will graciously accept this sacrifice, the way and manner in which he offers it, in other words, the devotion with which he celebrates Mass, just as He accepted the worship paid to Him when Abel, Abraham, and Melchisedech offered sacrifices. Thus the point in question is not the worthiness of the victim, for that is beyond dispute, but the devotion of the officiating minister and of the congregation who unite their prayers to his.

In regard to the mysteries of holy Mass, it must above all be borne in mind that the principal mysteries of Our Lord’s life and passion are represented and set before tw in it. David foretells this when in his prophetic spirit, he says: “He hath made a remembrance of His wonderful works, being a merciful and gracious Lord.” (P» ex. 4). And in order that we may have no doubt thai in this passage he refers to the sacrifice of the Mass upon our altars, he says in another psalm: “I will compass Thy altar, O Lord, that I may hear the voice of Thy praise, and tell of all Thy wondrous works.” (Ps, xxv. 6% 7.) The same is signified by Christ when, at the institution of the Holy Eucharist, He said to His apostles: “Do this for a commemoration of Me”; just as if He would say: Since the time is now approaching when, after accomplishing the redemption of mankind, I shall leave you and go to My heavenly Father, I institute the holy Mass as the one sacrifice of the New Testament, wherein all the mysteries of My whole life and of My passion are represented, and placed before the eyes of all believers, in order that you may never forget Me, but have Me ever in your remembrance.

We will now prove the truth of these words, and briefly explain how all the mysteries of Christ’s life and passion are contained in the Mass. First of all, the adorable mystery of the incarnation is not merely represented, but actually repeated. For just as the Blessed Virgin Mary offered herself to God, body and soul, to be instrumental in the incarnation of the Son of God, and, by the operation of the Holy Ghost, the Word was in her made flesh, so the priest offers to the heavenly Father bread and wine, which, when the words of consecration are uttered, are changed by the power of the Holy Ghost into the true body and blood of Christ. Thus the divine mystery of the incarnation is renewed, and the priest as truly holds Christ in his hands as the Mother of God bore Him in her virginal body. Is not this the greatest and most astounding of miracles?

In like manner the adorable mystery of the birth of Jesus Christ is renewed and clearly placed before us in the holy Mass. For just as Christ derived His human existence from the Blessed Virgin, so in the Mass, at the word of the priest, He again comes upon earth in the garb of humanity, and the celebrant, when the last words of the prayer of consecration have passed his lips, actually holds God made man in his anointed hands. In proof of this, kneeling, he humbly adores his God and his Creator; he reverently elevates Him, displaying Him with joy to the assembled people. Just as the blessed Mother of God showed her new-born infant, wrapped in swaddling-clothes, to the simple shepherds who came to adore Him, so the priest holds up that same infant Christ, not, indeed, wrapped in swaddling-clothes, but concealed under the form of bread, to the sight of the people.

that they may see and worship Him as their Lord and their God. And those who do this with heartfelt love and reverence perform a greater act of faith than did the pious shepherds; for they, beholding with their eyes the humanity of Christ, believed in His divinity, whereas we only see the outward forms of bread and wine, and yet firmly believe that both the divinity and humanity of Christ are concealed beneath them.

In holy Mass that same child is also present Who was adored by the three kings, taken by Simeon in his arms, and presented by the blessed Mother of God in the temple to the Eternal Father. We can imitate the example of those holy personages, and offer to Christ acceptable worship, and merit an everlasting reward. Furthermore, we hear Christ proclaiming to us by the mouth of the priest His holy gospel, to the profit and salvation of our souls. As the Mass proceeds we behold Him exercising His miraculous power, transforming wine into His sacred blood, a miracle far greater than that of Cana, where He changed water into wine. Or we see Him, as at the Last Supper, changing the elements of bread and wine into His very flesh and blood. Finally, at the elevation we see Christ lifted up upon the cross; with the ears of our spiritual sense we hear Him interceding for us: “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” (Luke 23:34) They know not, that is, how deeply they have outraged Thy divine majesty by their transgressions. We do not, it is true, behold all these things with our bodily eyes, we discern them by the light of supernatural faith, and by this oui faith we merit a greater recompense than did those who witnessed them with the organs of the body. This we know on the authority of Our Lord Himself, Who said: “Blessed are they that have not seen and have believed.” (John 20:29) The higher and more incomprehensible are these mysteries the more meritorious is our faith, and the greater will be our reward in heaven. In regard to this Father Sanchez writes: “If Christians did but know how to profit by these things, they might, by hearing one single Mass, acquire a greater store of riches than could be found in all created things.”

Furthermore, in holy Mass Christ fulfils that most true and consoling promise which is recorded by the evangelist St. Matthew: “Behold, I am with you all days, even to the consummation of the world.” (Matthew 28:20) These words are not to be understood as referring only to His divinity, in virtue of which He is everywhere present, but also to His sacred humanity, in which He dwells among us, present in the Mass and in the adorable Sacrament of the Altar, ready at all times to listen to our prayers, to afford us assistance in our need. It must, moreover, be observed that in the Mass Christ is not merely present in person, as in the adorable Sacrament of the Altar: He is there as our victim, our mediator, as the atonement for our sins. For since Christ exercises in the Mass His sacerdotal functions, by right of His office it belongs to Him, as St. Paul says: “That He may offer up gifts and sacrifices for sins” (Hebrews 5:1); that He may, that is, offer up Himself to His heavenly Father for the sins of the people, as He offered Himself up to Him upon the cross.

What are the chief reasons, it may be asked, why Our Saviour will be with us day and night until the consummation of the world?

1. Because He is the head of His Church, and the members of that Church are His spiritual body; and since the body cannot be in heaven with its head, it is fitting that the head should remain on earth with the body.

2. Christ is the bridegroom and the Church is His bride, to whom He is united far more closely than any earthly spouses can be united; consequently His love impels Him to remain continually with His beloved bride. St. Paul, in his Epistle to the Ephesians, beautifully describes the nature of the love that Christ bears to His spouse: “Husbands, love your wives, as Christ also loved the Church, and delivered Himself up for it, that He might sanctify it, cleansing it by the laver of water in the word of life, that he might present it to Himself a glorious Church, not having spot or wrinkle, or any such thing, but that it should be holy and without blemish.” (Ephesians 5:25-27) Through holy Baptism we are made members of the Church, and adorned beautifully as are the angels. The love of Christ for a soul that is pure fat exceeds that of any earthly bridegroom for his bride, however fair she may be. And therefore He cannot bear to be separated from her, but declares that He will abide with her until the end of the world. It is, however, in an invisible manner that Christ abides with His Church, His bride. His union with her belongs not to the material, but to the spiritual, order, and is effected by faith, as He tells us in the words of the prophet Osee: “I will betroth thee to Me forever; and I will betroth thee to Me in justice, and judgment, and loving kindness and tender mercies. And I will betroth thee to Me in faith, and thou shalt know that I am the Lord.” (Osee 2:19,20) Now, as Christ espouses the Church to Himself in faith, He must needs remain hidden, in order that His bride, that is, the souls of the faithful, may have opportunity for the exercise of faith, and thereby earn a rich reward in heaven.

3. Since Jesus Christ is the bridegroom of the Church, it is fitting that He should guide and govern His spouse, that He should provide for her sustenance, that He should interest Himself in her safety and her welfare.

This, and much more besides, He does in holy Mass and in the sacraments, thereby proving Himself to be a fond and faithful lover, who allows His spouse to lack nothing that is needful for her in time and in eternity.

Remember, O Christian, if thou livest in mortal sin thou art a prey of the devil, a slave of Satan. Whereas if thou art in a state of grace, thou art the spouse of Jesus Christ, beloved by Him, amply provided by Him with all the means that are conducive to thy salvation. How numerous are the graces and benefits this loving bridegroom offers to thee in holy Mass! How numerous the means He places within thy reach of acquiring virtue, of insuring thy salvation } Every time thou hearest Mass in a state of grace, with devout attention and in a spirit of recollection, Our Lord, of His loving kindness, makes thee to participate in no less than seventy-seven graces and fruits. Well mayst thou marvel at this; it is, however, true, as we shall proceed to show. An enumeration of these graces may, perhaps, assist thee to believe in and recognize them.

Seventy-seven Graces and Fruits to be Derived from Devout Attendance at Holy Mass

1. For thy salvation God the Father sends His beloved Son down from heaven.

2. For thy salvation the Holy Spirit changes bread and wine into the true body and blood of Christ

3. For thy sake the Son of God comes down from heaven and conceals Himself under the form of the sacred host.

4. He even abases Himself to such an extent as to be present in the minutest particle of the sacred host.

5. For thy salvation He renews the saving mystery of the incarnation.

6. For thy salvation He is born anew into tht world in a mystic manner whenever holy Mass is celebrated.

7. For thy salvation he performs upon the altar the same acts of worship that He performed when on earth.

8. For thy salvation He renews His bitter passion in order that thou mayst participate in it.

9. For thy salvation He mystically renews His death, and sacrifices for thee His precious life.

10. For thy salvation He sheds His blood in a mystic manner, and offers it up for thee to the Divine Majesty.

11. With this precious blood He sprinkles thy soul, and purifies it from every stain.

12. For thee Christ offers Himself as a true burntoffering, and renders to the Godhead the supreme honor which is its due.

13. By offering this act of worship to God thou dost make reparation for the glory which thou hast failed to give Him.

14. For thee Christ offers Himself to God as a sacrifice of praise, thus atoning for thy omissions in praising His holy name.

15. By offering to God this oblation which Christ offers thou givest Him greater praise than do the holy angels.

16. For thee Christ offers Himself as a perfect sacrifice of thanksgiving, making compensation for all failures on thy part to render thanks.

17. By offering to God Christ’s act of thanksgiving thou dost make ample acknowledgment of all the benefits He has bestowed on thee.

18. For thee Christ offers Himself as the all-powerful victim, reconciling thee to the God Whom thou hast offended.

19. He pardons thee all thy venial sins, provided thou art firmly resolved to forsake them.

20. He also makes reparation for many of thy sins of omission, when thou didst leave undone the good thou mightest have done.

21. He removes many of the imperfections attaching to thy good deeds.

22. He forgives thee the sins, unknown or forgotten, which thou hast never mentioned in confession.

23. He offers Himself as a victim to make satisfaction for a part at least of thy debts and transgressions.

24. Each time thou hearest Mass thou canst do more to pay the penalty due to thy sins than by the severest work of penance.

25. Christ places to thy credit a portion of His merits, which thou mayst offer to God the Father in expiation of thy offences.

26. For thee Christ offers Himself as the most efficacious peace-offering, interceding for thee as earnestly as He interceded for His enemies on the cross.

27. His precious blood pleads for thee in words as countless as the drops which issued from His sacred veins.

28. Each of the adorable wounds His sacred body bore is a voice calling aloud for mercy for thee.

29. For the sake of this propitiatory victim the petitions proffered during Mass will be granted far sooner than those that are proffered at other times.

30. Never canst thou pray so well as whilst present at Mass. 1

31. This is so because Christ unites His prayers to thine, and offers them to His heavenly Father.

32. He acquaints Him with thy needs and the dangers to which thou art exposed, and makes thy eternal salvation His particular concern.

33. The angels also, who are present, plead for thee, and present thy poor prayers before the throne of God.

34. On thy behalf the priest says Mass, by virtue of which the evil enemy will not be suffered to approach thee.

35. For thee and for thy everlasting salvation he says Mass, and offers that holy sacrifice to God Almighty.

36. When thou hearest Mass, thou art thyself in spirit a priest, empowered by Christ to offer the Mass both for thyself and others.

37. By offering this holy sacrifice thou dost present to the Blessed Trinity the most acceptable of all oblations.

38. Thou dost offer an oblation precious indeed, of greater value than all things in heaven and earth.

39. Thou dost offer an oblation precious indeed, for it is none other than God Himself.

4a By this sacrifice thou dost honor God as He alone is worthy to be honored.

41. By this sacrifice thou dost give infinite satisfaction to the Most Holy Trinity.

42. Thou mayst present this glorious oblation as thine own gift, for Christ Himself gave it unto thee.

43. When thou hearest Mass aright, thou dost perform an act of highest worship.

44. By hearing Mass thou dost pay the most profound reverence, the most loyal homage, to the sacred humanity of Our Lord.

45. It is the best means whereby to venerate the passion of Christ, and obtain a share in its fruits.

46. It is also the best means of venerating the blessed Mother of God, and increasing her joy.

47. By hearing Mass thou canst give greater honor to the angels and saints than by reciting many prayers.

48. By hearing Mass devoutly thou canst also enrich thy soul more than by aught else in the world.

49. For in this act thou dost perform a good work of the highest value.

50. It is a signal exercise of pure faith, which will receive a great reward.

51. When thou dost bow down before the sacred host and the sacred chalice, thou dost perform a supreme act of adoration.

52. For each time that thou dost gaze reverently upon the sacred host thou wilt receive a recompense in heaven.

53. Each time thou dost smite thy breast with compunction some of thy sins are remitted to thee.

54. If thou hearest Mass in a state of mortal sin, God offers thee the grace of conversion.

55. If thou hearest Mass in a state of grace, God gives thee an augmentation of grace.

56. In holy Mass thou dost spiritually eat the flesh of Christ, and drink His blood.

57. Thou art privileged to behold with thine eyes Christ hidden under the sacramental veil, and to be beheld by Him.

58. Thou dost receive the priest’s benediction, which is confirmed by Christ in heaven.

59. Through thy diligence in hearing Mass thou wilt also obtain corporal and temporal blessings.

60. Furthermore, thou wilt be preserved from many misfortunes that would otherwise befall thee.

61. Thou wilt also be strengthened against temptations which would otherwise have vanquished thee.

62. Holy Mass will also be to thee a means of obtain ing the grace of a holy death.

63. The love thou hast shown for holy Mass will secure for thee the special succor of angels and saints in thy last moments.

64. The remembrance of the Masses heard in thy lifetime will be a sweet solace to thee in the hour of death, and inspire thee with confidence in the divine mercy.

65. They will not be forgotten when thou dost stand before the strict Judge, and will incline Him to show thee favor.

66. Thou needest not fear a long and terrible purgatory if thou hast already to a great extent atoned for thy sins by frequently assisting at holy Mass*

67. One Mass devoutly heard will do more to mitigate the pains of purgatory than any act of penance, however difficult of performance.

68. One Mass in thy lifetime will be of greater service to thee than many said for thee after death.

69. Thou wilt attain a high place in heaven, which will be thine to all eternity.

7a Thy felicity in heaven will, moreover, be increased by every Mass thou hearest on earth.

71. No prayers offered for thy friends will be as efficacious as a single Mass heard and offered on their behalf.

72. Thou canst amply recompense all thy benefactors by hearing Mass for their intention.

73. The best help, the greatest consolation, thou canst afford the afflicted, the sick, the dying, is to hear Mass for them.

74. By this same means thou canst even obtain for sinners the grace of conversion.

75. Thou canst also earn for all faithful Christians saving and salutary graces.

76. For the suffering souls in purgatory thou canst procure abundant refreshment.

77. And if it is not within thy power to have Mass said for thy departed friends thou canst by devout assistance at the holy sacrifice release them from the tormenting flames.

What dost thou now think of holy Mass, O Christian? Can it be supposed that in the whole world there is any other good work whereby so many graces and fruits are placed within our reach? It is no longer possible to question the truth of the words of Father Sanchez quoted above: “If Christians only knew how to profit by holy Mass, they might acquire greater riches than are to be found in all the things God has created.” We have indeed a precious storehouse in the Mass: happy he who can earn treasures so great at the cost of so little labor! Who would willingly miss Mass? Who would not delight in hearing it? Let us resolve never to lose an opportunity of hearing Mass, provided the duties of our state of life do not prevent us from doing so.

To omit hearing Mass daily merely from carelessness or indolence would be a proof that we were either ignorant of, or indifferent to, the divine treasures it contains. God grant that those who read this book may in future appreciate more fully this pearl of great price, value it more highly, seek it more diligently!

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