Sunday, March 16, 2014

Extraordinary Community News



"I will go in unto the Altar of God
To God, Who giveth joy to my youth"

Tridentine Community News
(March 16, 2014):

Graces to be Gained from Holy Mass
Despite its modest name, “A Blog for Dallas Area Catholics” (http://veneremurcernui.wordpress.com) offers meaty material for readers, no matter where they reside. One recent post, a portion of which is reprinted below, outlines some of the graces to be gained by assisting at Holy Mass. This list was excerpted from the book, Explanation of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass by Fr. Martin von Cochem, a Capuchin priest who lived from 1625-1712.

  • For thy salvation God the Father sends His beloved Son down from Heaven
  • For thy salvation the Holy Spirit changes bread and wine into the True Body and Blood of Christ
  • For thy sake the Son of God comes down from Heaven, and conceals Himself under the form of the Sacred Host
  • He even abases Himself to such an extent as to be present in the minutest particle of the Sacred Host
  • For thy salvation He renews the saving mystery of the Incarnation
  • For thee Christ offers Himself as a true burnt-offering, and renders to the Godhead the supreme honor which is its due
  • By offering this act of worship to God thou dost make reparation for the glory which thou hast failed to give Him
  • For thee Christ offers Himself to God as a Sacrifice of praise, thus atoning for thy omissions in praising His Holy Name.
  • By offering to God this oblation which Christ offers thou givest Him greater praise than do the holy angels
  • By offering to God Christ’s act of thanksgiving thou dost make ample acknowledgement of all the benefits He has bestowed on thee
  • For thee Christ offers Himself as the all-powerful Victim, reconciling thee to the God Whom thou has offended
  • He pardons thee all thy venial sins, provided thou art firmly resolved to forsake them
  • He offers Himself as a victim to make satisfaction for a part at least of thy debts and transgressions
  • Each time thou hearest Mass thou canst do more to pay the penalty due to thy sins than by the severest work of penance
  • 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
  • Never canst thou pray so well as whilst present at Mass
  • This is so because Christ unites His prayers to thine, and offers them to His Heavenly Father
  • He acquaints Him with thy needs and the dangers to which thou art exposed, and makes thy eternal salvation His particular concern
  • By offering this Holy Sacrifice thou dost present to the Blessed Trinity the most acceptable of all oblations, greater than all things in Heaven and earth
  • By this Sacrifice thou dost honor God as He alone is worthy to be honored
  • By this Sacrifice thou dost give infinite satisfaction to the Most Holy Trinity
  • When thou hearest Mass aright, thou dost [...] perform an act of highest worship
  • When thou dost bow down before the Sacred Host and the Sacred Chalice, thou dost perform a supreme act of adoration
  • For each time that thou dost gaze reverently upon the Sacred Host thou wilt receive a recompense in Heaven
  • Each time thou dost smite thy breast with compunction some of thy sins are remitted to thee
  • If thou hearest Mass in a state of mortal sin, God offers thee the Grace of conversion
  • 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
  • One Mass devoutly heard will do more to mitigate the pains of Purgatory than any act of penance, however difficult the performance
  • One Mass in thy lifetime will be of greater service to thee than many said for thee after death
  • Thou wilt attain a higher place in Heaven, which will be thine for all eternity
  • 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.

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!”

Tridentine Masses This Coming Week
  • Mon. 03/17 7:00 PM: Low Mass at St. Joseph (Feria of Lent)
  • Tue. 03/18 7:00 PM: Low Mass at St. Benedict/Assumption-Windsor (Feria of Lent)
  • Wed. 03/19 6:00 PM: High Mass at St. Joseph (St. Joseph, Spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary) – Dinner for young adults age 18-35 follows Mass, organized by Juventútem Michigan
  • Sat. 03/22 8:00 AM: Low Mass at Our Lady of the Scapular, Wyandotte (Feria of Lent)
[Comments? Please e-mail tridnews@detroitlatinmass.org. Previous columns are available at http://www.detroitlatinmass.org. This edition of Tridentine Community News, with minor editions, is from the St. Albertus (Detroit) and Assumption (Windsor) bulletin inserts for March 16, 2014. Hat tip to A.B., author of the column.]

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