Untitled - Saints' Books

2 1 2 Material for Instructions. [PART n.
always sought to deprive the world of the Mass by
means of the heretics, constituting them precursors of
Antichrist, whose first efforts shall be to abolish the
holy sacrifice of the altar, and, according to the prophet
Daniel, in punishment of the sins of men, his. efforts
shall be successful: And strength was given him against the
continual sacrifice because of sins?
Most justly, then, does the holy Council of Trent re
quire of priests to be most careful to celebrate Mass
with the greatest possible devotion and purity of con
science: "It is sufficiently clear that all industry and
diligence is to be applied to this end, that it (the mys
tery) be performed with the greatest possible inward
cleanness and purity of heart." 2
And in the same place
the Council justly remarks, that on priests who celebrate
this great sacrifice negligently, and without devotion,
shall fall the malediction threatened by the prophet
Jeremiah: Cursed be he that doth the work of the Lord
negligently? And St. Bonaventure says that he who
approaches the altar without reverence and considera
4
tion, celebrates or communicates unworthily. In order,
then, to avoid this malediction, let us see what the
priest must do before Mass, during Mass, and after
Mass. Before Mass preparation is
necessary, during
the celebration of Mass reverence and devotion are neces
sary, after Mass thanksgiving is necessary. A servant
of God used to say that the life of a priest should be
nothing else than preparation and thanksgiving for
Mass.
1 "
Robur autem datum est ei contra juge Sacrificium propter
peccata." Dan. viii. 12.
2 "
Satis apparet omnem operam et diligentiam in eo ponendam
esse, ut quanta maxima fieri potest interiori cordis munditia peragatur."
Sess. 22, Deer, de obs. in eel. M.
3 "
4 "
Maledictus, qui facit opus Domini fraudulenter." Jer.
xlviii. 10.
Cave ne nimis tepidus accedas; quia indigne sumis, si non
accedis reverenter et considerate." De Pnep. ad M. c. 5.