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The Christmas Cycle
Saturday
“The right hand of the Lord hath wrought strength” (Offertory). God works wonders in the
order of grace as well as in the order of nature. Therefore in the Postcommunion we pray:
“May Thy gifts, O God, detach us from earthly pleasures and ever strengthen us with heavenly
nourishment.” Detachment from earthly pleasures and spiritual nourishment and strength are
the fruit of the devout assistance at Mass and frequent Communion.
“May Thy gifts detach us from earthly pleasures.” The world offers many pleasures: sinful pleasures,
about which we shall say nothing here, and necessary, legitimate pleasures, with which we
are here principally concerned. The organs of pleasure are the senses, which are refreshed and
delighted by the ever-recurrent beauties of nature, by the fragrance of flowers, by the beauty of
great works of art, by the subtle charms of fine literature, by the grace and movement of good
music, and even by the enjoyment of delicate foods and beverages. Noble and worthwhile
pleasure may be found in the enjoyment of family life, in the attachment of true friends, and
in the devotion of those who love us. We experience pleasure in the service of others, in our
work, in the feeling of accomplishment, in the advancement of science, and in the pursuit of
truth. These pleasures were created by an all-wise providence, and man needs them; they refresh
his energy and strength and keep the human organism working smoothly just as oil does in a
machine. And yet in the Mass today we pray that we may be detached from earthly pleasures.
Are we to suppose that these legitimate pleasures are no longer permitted to us? Surely that is
not the mind of the liturgy.
God has strewn these pleasures abundantly through life, but we should not rest satisfied in
them or cling to them obstinately, or seek them exclusively and inordinately. They should serve
the purpose which God had in mind in creating them; they should lead us more surely and more
sweetly to God, their Author. The fruit, then, of our prayer and of the Mass and Communion
should be this, that we do not become attached to these pleasures after they have served their
purpose. The delight we find in legitimate pleasures should arouse in us the desire to pass on
from them to God, who is their source.
A soul that rests satisfied with these pleasures, legitimate though they may be, makes a grave
mistake, for they are so easily lost. Natural beauty, the fruit of our study and toil, the pleasures
and satisfactions of life, may all slip from our grasp before we have begun to enjoy them. We
should use these things as a means of lifting ourselves to a greater and imperishable good. This,
then, is the gift asked for in the Communion prayer, that we be detached from the pleasures of
the world and be lifted beyond them to God, who is “all in all” (1 Cor 15:28). We should come
to seek for nothing for ourselves, but all for God.
“May Thy gifts . . . ever strengthen us with heavenly nourishment.” We pray here for the
countless gifts of God, the gifts designed by His eternal wisdom for our body and soul, for
our mind and our spirit. The most marvelous of these gifts, the gift that contains them all,
is the gift of the Eucharist. The reception of the Eucharist should always furnish us with
new strength and courage; it should always renew the ardor of our love for God and our
neighbor. If our disposition is good, the result can hardly be otherwise. The life of the eternal
Word of God, which we receive in the Eucharist, is the real source of all love. The life of the
Word consists in loving the Father and all things which proceed from Him. The Word was
made flesh to manifest this love to men, and by this manifestation to lead men themselves
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