Untitled - Saints' Books

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INSTR. i.] The Celebration of Mass. 211
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sacrifice of the cross. 1
St. John Chrysostom says: The
celebration of a Mass has the same value as the death of
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Christ on the cross." And of this we are still more
assured by the holy Church in the Collect for the Sun
day after Pentecost: As many times as this commemo
rative sacrifice is celebrated, so often is the work of our
redemption performed."
The same Redeemer who
once offered himself on the cross is immolated on the
altar by the ministry of his priests. For the victim is
one and the same," says the Council of Trent: "the
same now offering by the ministry of priests, who then
offered Himself on the cross, the manner alone of offer
ing being different.""
In a word, the Mass is, according to the prediction of
the prophet, the good and the beautiful thing"
of the
Church: For what is the good thing of him, and what is his
beautiful thing, but the corn of the elect and wine springing
forth virgins?* In the Mass, Jesus Christ gives himself
to us by means of the most holy sacrament of the altar,
which is the end and object of all the other sacraments,
says the angelic Doctor. 6 Justly, then, has St. Bonaventure
called the Mass a compendium of all God s love
and of all his benefits to men. 7 Hence the devil has
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In qualibet Missa invenitur omnis fructus quern Christus operatus
est in cruce."
J. Herolt,De Sanct. s. 48.
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Quidquid
est effectus
Dominicae passionis, est effectus hujus Sacramend." In Jo. 6, lect. 6.
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Tantum valet celebratio Missse, quantum mors Christ! in cruce."
/. Herolt, De Sanct. s. 48.
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"Quoties hujus Hostise commemoratio celebratur, opus nostrae
redemptionis exercetur." Miss. Doni. 9 /. Pent.
Una enim eademque est Hostia, idem nunc offerens Sacerdotum
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ministerio, qui seipsum tune in cruce obtulit, sola offerendi ratione
di versa." Sess. 22, cap. 2.
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"Quid
enim bonum ejus est, et quid pulchrum ejus, nisi frumentum
electorum, et vinum germinans virgines?" Zach. ix. 17.
"Sacramenta in Eucharistia consummantur." P. 3, q. 65, a. 3.
Et ideo hoc est memoriale totius dilectionis suse, et quasi com
pendium quoddam omnium beneficiorum suorum." De Inst. Novit .
p. i, c. ii.