Untitled - Saints' Books

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224 Material for Instructions. [PARTII.
the words, shall take diligent care and be bound ; they are
bound to suspend the priest who celebrates without due
reverence. And this they are obliged to do even with
regard to regulars; for in this every bishop is constituted
a delegate of the Apostolic See, and is therefore bound
to seek for information regarding 1,he manner in which
Mass is celebrated in his diocese.
And let us, dearly beloved priests, endeavor to amend,
if we have hitherto offered this great sacrifice with a
want of reverence and devotion. Let us, at least from
this day forward, repair the evil we have done. Let us,
in preparing for Mass, reflect on the nature of the action
that we are going to perform: in celebrating Mass we
perform an action the most sublime and holy that man
can perform. Ah, what blessings does a Mass, said with
devotion, bring on him who offers it, and on those that
hear it ! With regard to the priest who offers it, the
Disciple writes: Prayer is more quickly heard when
recited in the presence of a *
priest saying Mass." Now,
if God hears more speedily the prayers which a secular
offers in the presence of a priest celebrating Mass, how
much more readily will he hear the prayers of the priest
himself if he celebrates with devotion ! He who offers
the holy Mass every day with devotion shall always re
ceive new lights and new strength from God. Jesus
1
"Oratio citius exauditur in ecclesia in praesentia
Sacerdotis celebrantis."
* Such is the citation given by our author, but here is what we read
in the sermon mentioned as of John Herold, called The Disciple, speak
ing of the fruits of Mass "
granted to him that hears it: Oratio tua citius
exauditur in ecclesia in praesentia Dei, et etiam oratio Sacerdotis celebrantis;
quia quilibet Sacerdos in qualibet Missa tenetur orare pro circumstantibus."
De Sanctis, s. 48. (Prayer, as well as the prayer of
the priest celebrating, is more quickly heard in the church in the presence
of God because
;
every priest is obliged at every Mass to pray for those
that are present.) ED.