THE NAME OF THE MASS, DEFINITIONS, TERMINOLOGIES

The word Mass (missa) was designated for the Western Eucharistic Sacrifice about the time of Pope Gregory the Great in 604 AD. Other terms were also used to describe the Mass such as the Breaking of Bread, Liturgy or Divine Liturgy, the Lord’s Supper, the Divine Mysteries, the Sacrament of the Altar ( St. Augustine.)

The word Mass (missa) was derived from the word “dismissal” or “dismissio”, the “solemn form of leave-taking” or farewell. In churches and in emperor’s court, the closing event was the Mass. In religious gatherings at the ancient time, the closing prayer was the Mass.

“Sacrament” is defined as an external or outward sign given by the Church to give us Grace. The  Most Blessed Sacrament or the Sacrament of Love, or the Holy Eucharist is truly the Body and Blood of Our Lord Jesus Christ in the form of bread and wine.

The Holy Eucharist is the Body and Blood of Our Lord Jesus, therefore, It is the true and proper, and the only Sacrifice infinitely worthy in God’s Eye. It also is the Holy Communion with regard to His creatures. “The Eucharist performs at once two functions: that of sacrament and that of sacrifice.” “The sacrament is intended privately for the sanctification of the soul, whereas the sacrifice serves primarily to glorify by adoration, thanksgiving, prayer, and expiation. The recipient of the one is God, Who receives the Sacrifice of His only-begotten Son; of the other, man, who receives the sacrament for his own good.”

Also from the Catholic Encyclopedia, “Sacrifice is the external oblation to God by an authorized minister of a sense-perceptible (physical) object, either through its destruction (immolated oblation) or at least through its real transformation (for the Divine being transformed into species such as bread and wine is truly and humbly more than an immolation indeed), in acknowledgement of God’s supreme dominion and of the appeasing His Wrath.”

THE NATURE OF THE HOLY MASS:

The Sacrifice of the Mass is the sacrifice of praise or adoration, the most sublime act of worship, the highest prayer offered to God. Pope Paul VI once said, “The Mass is the most perfect form of prayer.”

The Sacrifice of the Mass is the sacrifice of thanksgiving. The word “eucharist” means “thanksgiving” in Greek. Once St. Theresa was overwhelmed with God’s goodness and asked Our Lord, “ How can I thank You?”  The Lord replied, “ Attend one Mass.”

The Sacrifice of the Mass is the sacrifice of atonement or propriation for all sins in which the Lord Jesus as the High Priest of God offers Himself up to His Father as the immolated Pascal Lamb to appease His Divine Anger and as the ransom for our sins. In return, our redemption and salvation are granted. In this sense, the Sacrifice of the Mass is truly the Sacrifice of the Cross in Calvary renewed in a bloodless manner. The altar on which the Body and Blood of Our Lord is offered mystically has became the Cross. At the words of Consecration of a priest, the High Priest Jesus Christ presides the Mass, both as God and the Victim of God. It is in this sense that  caused St. John Vianney uttering these words, “ If we knew the value of the Mass, we would die of joy ”, and St. Padre Pio once said, “The world could not exist more easily without the sun than without the Mass.” And the Lord Himself acknowledged this when He said He had renewed the Sacrifice of the Cross in Mass to atone for the additional offenses we had continually committed against God. This Sacrifice of the Cross is not another sacrifice, it is the very same One happening two thousand years ago on the mount of Calvary. Our Lord as the High Priest simply re-presents the Sacrifice to His Father to intercede on our behalf.

The Sacrifice of the Mass is the sacrifice of salvation. The Lord once said, “If anyone eat of this bread, he shall live forever; and the bread that I will give is My Flesh for the life of the world.” When we assist at Mass most devoutly, the Holy Eucharist, the Body and Blood  of Our Lord become the most precious and essential nourishment for our soul, giving it its spiritual vitality,  effaces all its defects, and erases all its sinfulness. Attending Mass worthily, all our venial sins and parts of their temporal punishments shall be forgiven. The extent of the Grace depends on our devotion at Mass, finite or infinite value, depends on the recipient of the Grace.

The Sacrifice of the Mass is the Sacrament of Love in which the two lovers united and become one, Our Lord and a soul, the very one He had purchased with His own Blood! God desires to be with His creatures so much that He condescends to be one of us, to die for each of us and for all, and to transform Himself into the simplest forms of bread and wine in order to be with us perpetually and to nourish us like a tender mother breast-feeding her infant. What joy should Our Lord have when He is received by one of His faithful servant and friend. What heavenly joy should we have when we realize that the Lord resides in our soul and our heart most intimately. On the other hand, what an agony and tragedy when Our Lord is forced to enter  an unclean mouth!  What a sacrilege, what a crime to give Him to a hardened sinner. “Sweet Lord, may my love in receiving You be the balm to heal Your wounded Heart and Body.” When we witness  such love from Our Lord for His sinful and unfaithful creatures, our hearts should be broken with deepest contrition, we should attend Mass with many tears and constantly imploring His Mercy and forgiveness. While witnessing Our Lord  laid on the Table of the Altar as the offering of the Victim Immolated with the eyes of Faith, how can I not be overwhelmed with emotion and love?
 

GRACES DERIVED FROM ASSISTING AT MASS DEVOUTLY

The Mass is Calvary continued.
Every Mass is worth as much as the sacrifice of our Lord's life, sufferings, and death.
Holy Mass is the greatest atonement for our sins.
At the hour of death the Masses you have heard will be your greatest consolation.
Every Mass will go with you to judgment and plead for pardon.
At Mass you can diminish more or less temporal punishment due to your sins, according to your fervor in attending.
Assisting devoutly at Holy Mass you render to the sacred humanity of our Lolation.
He supplies for many of your negligence and omissions.
He forgives the venial sins which you have not confessed. The power of Satan over you is diminished.
You afford the souls in Purgatory the greatest possible relief.
One Mass heard during life will be of more benefit to you than many heard for you after your death.
You are preserved from dangers and misfortunes which otherwise might have befallen you.
You shorten your Purgatory.
Every Mass wins for you a higher degree of glory in Heaven.
You receive the priest's blessing which our Lord ratifies in Heaven.
You kneel amidst a multitude of holy angels who are present at the adorable Sacrifice with reverential awe.
You are blessed in your temporal goods and affairs.
 

THE LORD’S  DISCOURSE ON THE HOLY EUCHARIST
            ( John 6: 35 - 58  )

I am the Bread of life. He who comes to Me shall not hunger, and he believes in Me shall never thirst… I am the living Bread that comes down from heaven, so that if anyone eats of it, he will not die, … he shall live forever; and the Bread that I will give is My Flesh for the life of the world …

Amen, amen, I say to you, unless you eat the Flesh of the Son of Man, and drink His Blood, you  shall not have life in you. He who eats My Flesh and drink My Blood has life everlasting and I will raise him up on the last day.

For My Flesh is food indeed, and My Blood is drink indeed. He who eats My Flesh, and drink My Blood, abides in Me and I in him. As the living Father has sent Me, And as I live because of the Father, so he eats Me, he also shall live because of Me. This is the bread that has come down form heaven; not as your fathers ate the manna, and died. He who eats this Bread shall live forever.

THE VISION OF THE LAST SUPPER GIVEN TO BLESSED EMMERICH

 (Blessed  Anne Catherine Emmerich (1774-1824) The Mystic, Stigmatist, Visionary, and Prophet )

During the whole of the Pascal Supper, the Lord’s demeanor was most touching and gracious, and at this humble washing  of His Apostles’ feet. He was full of love. He did not perform it as if it were a mere ceremony, but like a sacred act of love springing straight from the heart. By it He wanted to give expression to the love burned within. In His instruction, Jesus had spoken of the washing of the feet as of a purification from daily faults… This was a spiritual foot-washing, a kind of absolution. Jesus next delivered an instruction upon humiliation. He told them that He who was the greatest among them should be servant, and that for the future they should in humility wash one another’s feet.

He blessed the Passover loaves and the oil also that was standing near, elevated the plate of bread with both hands, raised His eyes toward heaven, prayed, offered, set it down on the table, and again covered it. Then taking the chalice, He received into it wine and water, blessed the chalice, raised it on high, praying and offering, and set it down again…

After that Jesus held His hands over the plate upon which the loaves had lain, while at His bidding Peter and John poured water on them (His hands)…that same plate was passed around, and all the Apostles washed their hands in it.

During this time, Jesus was becoming more and more recollected. He said to the Apostles that He was now about to give them all that he possessed, even His very self. He seemed to be pouring out His whole Being in love, and I saw Him becoming perfectly transparent. He looked like a luminous apparition.

In profound recollection and prayer, Jesus next broke the bread into several morsels and laid one over another on the plate. With the tip of His finger, He broke off a scrap from the first morsel and let it fall into the chalice, and at the same moment I saw, as it seemed to me, the Blessed Virgin receiving the Blessed Sacrament although she was not present in the Coenaculum .

He took the plate with the morsels of bread and said, “Take and eat. This is My Body which is given for you.” He stretched forth His right hand over it, as if giving a blessing, and as He did so, a brilliant light emanated form Him. His words were luminous as also the Bread, which as a body of light entered the mouth of the Apostles. It was as if Jesus Himself flowed into them. I saw all of them penetrated with light, bathed in light. Judas alone was in darkness. Jesus presented the bread first to Peter, then to John, and next made a sign to Judas to approach… The Lord then administered the Blessed Sacrament to the rest of the Apostles…

Jesus next raised the chalice by its two handles to a level with His face, and pronounced into it the words of consecration. While doing so, He was wholly transfigured and , as it were, transparent. He was as if passing over into what He was giving. He caused Peter and John to drink from the chalice while yet in His hands, and then He set it down. With the little spoon, John removed some of the Sacred Blood from the chalice to the small cups, which Peter handed to the Apostles who, two by two, drank from the same cup. Judas also partook of the chalice (though of this I am not quite certain), but he did not return to his place, for he immediately left the Coenaculum… He left without prayer or thanksgiving. And here we may see what an evil it is to fail to give thanks for our daily bread and for the Bread that endures to life eternal.

When He administered His Body and Blood to the Apostles, it appeared to me as if He emptied Himself, as if He poured Himself out in tender love. It is inexpressible.
 

THE BREAKING OF BREAD IN THE EARLY CHURCH ACCORDING TO ST. JUSTIN, THE MARTYR

( The holy martyr died in 165 AD. In his written defense of Christianity to the emperor, he gives us the earliest known description of the Holy Mass of the early Christians in Rome.)

On the day we call the day of the sun, all who dwell in the city or the country gather in the same place. The memoirs of the apostles and the writings of the prophets are read, as much as time permits. When the reader has finished, he who presides over those gathered admonishes and challenges them to imitate these beautiful things. Then we all rise together and offer prayers for ourselves… and for all others, wherever they may be, so that we may be found righteous by our lives and actions, and faithful to the commandments, so as to obtain eternal salvation. When someone bring bread and a cup of water and wine mixed together to him who presides over the brethren. He takes them and offer praise and glory to the Father of the universe, through the name of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and for a considerable time he gives thanks that we have been judged worthy of these gifts. When he has concluded the prayers and the thanksgiving, all present give voice to the acclamation by saying “Amen.” When he who presides has given thanks and the people have responded, those whom we call deacons five those present  the “eucharisted” bread, wine and water and take them to those who are absent. And this food is with us called Eucharist; and it is not lawful for anyone to partake of it but him who believes our teaching to be true, and has been washed with the washing which is for the forgiveness of sins and unto a new birth, and lives as Christ commanded. For it is not a common bread or common drink that we receive these, but just as by God’s word Jesus Christ our Saviour become flesh and blood for our salvation, so also we have been taught that the food made Eucharist by the word of prayer that comes form Him is both Flesh and Blood of that Jesus Who was made flesh. For the Apostles in the memoirs they composed, which are called Gospels, have thus recorded that they were given command… that Jesus took bread… and said, ‘ This is My Body’, and took the cup and said, ‘This is My Blood.’
 

THE ANGEL’S DISPOSITION TOWARD THE HOLY MASS. FATIMA PRAYER BEFORE RECEIVING THE EUCHARISTIC LORD

The sixth Fatima apparition of the Angel took place in autumn of 1916.

The angel brought with him a large Host and an empty chalice that he left suspended in air. Prostrating in front in adoration, he repeated three times the following prayers:

“Holy Trinity – Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, I adore Thee profoundly and I offer Thee the Precious Body, Blood, Soul, Divinity of Jesus Christ, present in all of the tabernacles on earth, in reparation for the outrages, sacrileges, and indifference by which He Himself is offended. And by the infinite merits of His Most Sacred Heart and the Immaculate Heart of Mary, I beg the forgiveness for poor sinners.”

While he did this, the suspended Host emitted drops of blood into the empty chalice. Rising, then he took the Host giving to Lucia, and the chalice with the Precious Blood to Jacinta and Francisco and said:

“Take and drink the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ, horribly outraged by ungrateful men. Make reparation for their crimes and console your God.”

Again he prostrated on the ground and repeated the previous prayer three times.

( We should imitate the Angel for his utmost reverence toward the Lord in the Holy Eucharist. His reverence is proper and praise-worthy as he could see God as He was, Face to face. And we also can comprehend humanly the gravity of offending God through the disrespect toward  the Body and Blood of Our Lord Jesus Christ. )
 

LAST VISION OF FATIMA ON JUNE 13, 1929, AT DOROTHEAN CONVENT CHAPEL , TUY , SPAIN

(Sister Lucia recalled:)

Suddenly the whole chapel was illuminated by a supernatural light, and a cross of light appeared above the altar, reaching to the ceiling.

In the bright light at the upper part of the cross could be seen the face of a man and his body to the waist, on his breast there was a dove also of light and, nailed to the cross, was the body of another man. Somewhat above the waist, I could see a chalice and a large host suspended in the air, onto which drops of blood were falling from the face of Jesus crucificed and from the wound in His side. These drops ran down onto the Host and fell into the  Chalice. Our Lady was beneath the right arm of the Cross. Under the left arm of the Cross, large letters, as of crystal clear water which ran down over the altar, forming these words: Grace and  Mercy. I understood that it was the Mystery of the Holy Trinity which was shown to me. Our Lady then said to me: “The moment has come when God asks the Holy father, in union with all the bishops of the world, to make the Consecration of Russia to my heart.”

( We can see here the reality of the Sacrifice of the Cross which is hidden from the physical realm, nevertheless happens every time upon the Church altar after the Consecration Words are spoken. )
 

THE REALITY OF THE HOLY MASS SEEN BY A SEER ( IDA PEERLEMAN OF AMSTERDAM)

At the Offertory during the Holy Mass, I saw the “Light’ (the Holy Spirit) coming over the altar and the priests. It radiated enormously. At the beginning of the Consecration I saw a heavenly vision. It was as if Heaven opened. And out of there, from on high, I saw a heavenly procession coming downwards, left and right, and in center was a “Radiant Figure” holding a Chalice surmounted by a sacred Host which radiated on all sides. On high, from where the procession was coming, I saw a heavenly Throne, and a Majestic Person (Heavenly Father) sitting thereon. At his side, I saw the Lady, glorified and crowned. More and more heavenly beings came downwards. Next I saw an altar, and the Chalice, and Sacred Host were placed on it.  All the heavenly beings prostrated round about the altar. “You, My priests, take care of this Divine secret.” Then everything faded away form the sight, and saw that Consecration was over. “The Light” ( The Holy Spirit) stayed till the end of the Holy Mass.
 

THE REASON WHY WE SHOULD ASSIST WELL AT MASS
    (1 Corinthians 11:23-30)

For I (St. Paul) myself have received from the Lord what I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus, on the night in which He was betrayed, took bread, and giving thanks, broke, and said, “This is My Body which shall be given up for you; do this in remembrance of Me.” In like manner, also the cup, after he had supped, saying, “ This cup is the new covenant in My Blood, do this as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.” For as often as you shall eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the death of the Lord, until He comes. Therefore, whoever eats this bread or drink this cup of the Lord unworthily, will be guilty of the Body and the Blood of the Lord. But let a man prove himself, and so let him eat of that bread and drink of the cup, for he who eats and drinks unworthily, without distinguishing the Body (without recognizing the Real Presence of the Lord), eats and drinks judgment to himself. This is why many among you are infirm and weak, and many sleep.
 

DISCOURSE ON THE HOLY MASS AND THE HOLY EUCHARIST BY ST. JOHN CHRYSOSTOM (344-407)

( St. John Chrysostom received the title the Doctor of the Eucharist. His name indicated his eloquent speech as “Chrysostom” means the “ golden mouth.” He was the bishop of Constantinople in 398. )

…I exhort all of you not to participate in the divine mysteries negligently… but purify yourselves many days before by penance, prayer, alm giving, and spiritual exercises…

…Now Elijah left his mantle to his disciple, but the Son of god when ascending to heaven, left His own flesh.

You dare not touch the sacred Host with dirty hands… Likewise, do not approach with dirty soul because that would be much graver and carries a more terrible punishment. There is nothing that fills the soul with uncleanness more than a constant anger within it.

Where do these calamities come from? Because some of you frequently do not assist at the prayers, and others skip the divine unions. Do you not notice how alert they are who want to receive some dignity from an earthly king, how they get others to help them attain what they desire? To those who forget about the divine unions, and to those who at the hour of the awesome and mystical supper are occupied in useless chatter and gossip, to them I say, “Man, what are doing?”

When you approach the awesome and divine table and those sacred mysteries, do it with fear and trembling, with a clean conscience, with prayer and fasting. Do not approach in disorder… because that would show great arrogance and no small disrespect; and those who do such things merit a severe punishment. Think to yourself what a great Victim you are going to touch, what table you are approaching. Consider that you, being earth and ashes, take the blood and body of Christ.

Let us come to church with fear and thanksgiving. Let us kneel while confessing our sins, and with tears, let us lament our wrong-doing. Before the Lord, let us pour out long and silent petitions. And cleansing ourselves in this way, let us go quietly and with proper modesty to meet the King of heaven. And upon receiving this holy and immaculate Host, let us kiss it ardently, and embracing it with our gaze, let us warm our mind and soul, so that we do not come together for judgment and condemnation, but for calmness of soul, for love, for virtues, for reconciliation with God, for lasting peace, for an occasion of a thousand good things, and in order to become holy and edify our neighbor.

When you see the Lord immolated and lying upon the altar, and the priest bent over that Sacrifice praying, and all the people empurpled by that precious Blood, can you think that you are still among men and on earth? Or are you not lifted up to heaven.

Reverence, therefore, reverence this table, of which we are all communicants! Christ, slain for us, the sacrificial victim who is placed thereon!

Take care then lest you too become guilty of the Body and Blood of Christ. They slaughtered His most holy Body; but you, after such great benefits, receive Him into a filthy soul. This is the Body which He gave us, both to hold in reserve and to eat, which was appropriate to intense love…

So also was Christ offered once? By whom was He offered? Quite evident, by Himself. Here shown that Christ was not Priest only, but also  Victim and Sacrifice… “He was offered once to take away the sins of many.” Why does he (St. Paul) say of many but not of all? Because not all have believed.

Do you want me to tell you what they do who leave Mass before it is finished and do not offer hymns of thanksgiving at the end of Mass? On that last night, while all others were at the table, Judas left hurriedly. Those who leave Mass before the last thanksgiving imitate Judas… He gives you His flesh, and you do not repay him even with words and give no thanks for what you have received?

We have partaken of the spiritual altar; let us also partake of spiritual charity.
 

THE LORD ON THE DISRESPECT FOR THE HOLY EUCHARIST OR THE HOLY MASS

I am as real in the Eucharist as I was in the Burning Bush of Sinai. I ordered Moses to remove his sandals before approaching Me. Seized with fear and respect, he removed them.

In the Holy Eucharist, I am Love, but I am God… always! Yet people walk up to Me without fear and without respect. Between the soul and Myself lies a deep abyss which only Love can fill: the Eternal One and nothingness.

My child, My love has enlightened you the vanity and the presumption of these outward gestures which outrage Me and make Me suffer in My Mystical Body. Be an example of respect when receiving My Sacrament of Love. Compensate for the folly of men by a greater reverence when I come to you.

The presumptuousness of the leaders of souls goes beyond all limits. Sacrileges are multiplying and the indifference of the faithful is the crowing of the perverse teachings which they receive.

I talk to you in this manner, because you implore Me. You are lending me your hand, and I make use of it.

In this Church, which is My Property, there has entered a sacrilegious lack of respect, innovations that hurt Me. She remains nonetheless you mother: Holy with My Holiness, living by the life I have given Her, subject to the men who lead her, but whose responsibility before me is great.

……………

Indifference wounds My Heart cruelly. Truly, I am telling you: I would rather find Myself in the hands of non-believers who do not know Me – and that is their excuse – than in vainglorious hands of Christians in name, but not in heart. My chosen souls do not conform to these customs, and when they come to Me, they must remove their shoes, as Moses did. What I mean is that they must approach Me only with respect and love in their outward and inward attitude.

I loathe the vanity of the souls who consider themselves as equal to their God. I have already told you: A day is coming which will be unlike all other days. Delay the day of My wrath with your love.

What you feel in your soul is only  the reflection of what I am feeling in My wounded Heart!
……………

I wish to tell you how, in the Blessed Sacrament, I still suffer torment in my mind and will, in My body, and in My heart. Although I am imprisoned in the tabernacle, My eyes pierce the veils that hide Me, so that I see not only those of My subjects  who are present in the church, but also those who are not there. By disobedience, those who should be present at the Holy Sacrifice, but do not attend, outrage My will by getting theirs against Mine.

Those, who come into My Eucharistic Presence through coercion or fear of punishment and who remain there just long enough to fulfill the minimum obligation, cause Me great mental pain.

My mind is tortured also by those who do not understand My wishes because they do not want to. Even among My chosen souls, there are those who wound Me thus.

My body, which is truly present in the tabernacle, still suffers from the treatment that it receives. I suffer, indeed, the pain of being imprisoned and unable to move without the assistance of My creatures. My body suffers from the insults of physical assault upon the Host. My body suffers when the Eucharist is kept in unclean places, when it is roughly and carelessly handled.
My body suffers when it is given into an unclean mouth, but it suffers more if it is given into an unclean soul.

 What shall I say of the sufferings of My Heart?
The coldness and indifference of men whom I love, for love of whom I annihilate Myself, pierces My Heart and causes Me untold anguish. Those who receive Me merely to fulfill an obligation - not because they want Me or love Me, break My Heart with their thoughtlessness and lack of love.

Ah yes, though My Passion is over, let it be remembered that I am God, and that time means nothing to Me. The past, the present, and the future are one before Me, and so I can truly be said to endure these torments now, which seared My Mind, My Body, and My Heart during My earthly pilgrimage.

Love Me, then, and comfort Me. My agony continues, and long for someone to share it with Me.
 

DEVOUT ASSISTING AT MASS BY FR. MARTIN VON COCHEM:

The Lord Jesus Himself said whoever should offer His passion and merits as if they were his own should receive them again in two-fold measure. Therefore, beseech our Lord to make amends for our indevotion and the imperfection of our oblation and for this end to offer the Holy Sacrifice to His father in our place.

“Since I know not how to offer this Holy Mass correctly, do Thou, my dearest Lord, take my place and present it for me, I pray thee, to Thy Eternal Father.”

Make an effort and great desire to assist at mass with the utmost reverence and attention. Be careful not to speak to or laugh with anyone. Any sin which is committed during the time of Mass is of greater moment, for it is a profanation of the highest Act of worship, an insult to Christ, Who is present in person, renewing the great work of Redemption.
 

THE EPISTLE OF ST. PAUL TO EPHESIANS, CHAPTER 5

Be ye therefore followers of God, as most dear children; and walk in love, as Christ hath loved us, and hath delivered Himself for us, an oblation and a sacrifice to God for an odor of sweetness.

But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not so much as be named among you, as becometh saints, or obscenity, or foolish talking, or scurrility, which is to no purpose, but rather giving thanks…

Speaking to yourself in psalms, and hymns, and spiritual canticles, singing and making melody in your hearts to the Lord, giving thanks always for all things, in the Name of Our Lord Jesus Christ, to God and the Father: be subject to one another, in the fear of Christ…

Husbands, love your wives, as Christ also loves the  Church, and delivered Himself up for it: that he might sanctify it, cleansing it by the laver of water in the word of life: that he might present it to Himself a glorious Church, not having spot or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy, and without blemish.
 

PRACTICAL POINTS TO ASSIST THE HOLY MASS DEVOUTLY

Some sinful inclinations: indifference, carelessness, distraction, being absence-minded, praying with their lips not their heart.

The only necessity needed: a fervent desire to assist at Holy Mass with all our mind, our heart, and our being, to adore the Lord in the Holy Sacrifice in the most profound reverence, to praise the Lord in praise and thanksgiving, to implore Him for His grace and Mercy  through His Passion and Death and the Precious Oblation for our sins and sins of others, and also to express to the Lord our most sincere contrition with much sorrow.

The lack of sensible feelings or emotion is not important ; the sincere desire to assist at Mass perfectly is.

If being distracted, say: “O sweet Jesus, I grieve from the bottom of my heart that I am so distracted. I beseech Thy sacred heart to supply what is lacking in me.”

To assist at the Holy Mass meaning to unite in the most perfect way with the presiding priest in offering the Divine Oblation, the Sacrifice of the Cross, the Body and Blood of Our Lord, to God.

Be attentive, be reverent, be contrite, be thankful, be loving.
 

PSALM TO SING BEFORE MASS
                    Ps. 63

O Lord, You are my God, for You I long;
For You my soul is thirsting.
My body pines for You,
Like a dry, weary land without water.

So I gaze on You in the sanctuary
To see Your strength and Your glory.
For Your love is better than life,
My lips will speak Your praise.

So I will bless You all my life,
In Your Name I will lift up my hands.
My soul shall be filled as with a banquet,
My mouth shall praise You with joy.

For You have been my help;
In the shadow of Your wings I rejoice.
My soul clings to You;
Your right hand holds me fast.
 

THE TESTIMONY OF CATALINA ON THE HOLY MASS

 (Catalina Rivas is a seer, stigmatist  from Cochabamba, Bolivia , taken from
http://www.greatcrusade.org )

In a marvelous catechesis, the Lord and the Virgin Mary have been instructing us first on how to pray the Rosary, that being to pray it with our hearts and meditate and enjoy the moments when we encounter God and our Blessed Mother.

They have also instructed us on the way to make a good confession and, in this document, a teaching on what happens during the Holy Mass and how to live it with our hearts. This is the testimony that I must and want to give to the whole world, for the greater Glory of God and for the salvation of all of those who want to open their hearts to the Lord.

It is also given so that many souls consecrated to God will rekindle the fire of their love for Christ, some of whom are the owners of the hands that have the power to bring Him to our world so that He can become our nourishment.

It is also given for others so that they break lose of the “routine practice” of receiving Him and relive the amazement of their daily encounter with Love. And it is given so that my lay brothers and sisters from the entire world live the greatest Miracle with their hearts: the celebration of the Eucharist.

It was the vigil of the Annunciation and the members of our group had gone to the Sacrament of Reconciliation. Some of the ladies of the prayer group had not been able to do it, and so they left their reconciliation for the next day before the Mass.

When I arrived at church the next day, a little bit late, the Archbishop and priests were already coming out of the sacristy. The Virgin Mary said with her soft and feminine voice that sweetens one's soul: “Today is a day of learning for you and I want you to pay close attention because of what you will witness today.

Everything that you will experience today, you will have to share with all of humanity.” I was deeply moved without understanding why, but I tried to be very attentive.

The first thing I noticed was a choir of very beautiful voices that was singing as if it was far away. For moments the music came closer and, then, it went further away like the sound of the wind.

The Archbishop started Mass and, when he reached the Penitential Rite, the Blessed Virgin said: “From the bottom of your heart ask the Lord to forgive your faults that have offended Him.

In this way you will be able to participate worthily in this privilege of assisting at the Holy Mass.” I thought for a fraction of a second: “Surely I am in a state of grace of God, I went to confession last night.”

She answered: “Do you think that since last night you have not offended the Lord? Let Me remind you of a few things. When you left to come here, the girl who helps you approached to ask you for something and, as you were late and in a hurry, you did not answer her in a very nice way.

There was a lack of charity on your part and you say, you have not offended God...? "While on the way here, a bus crossed over your lane and almost hit you. You expressed yourself in a very non-advisable way against that poor man, instead of saying your prayers and preparing yourself for Mass.

You have failed in charity and lost your peace and patience. And you say you have not hurt the Lord? "You arrive at the last minute when the procession of the celebrants is already coming out to celebrate the Mass… and you are going to participate without previous preparation..."

I replied, “All right, my Mother, say no more to me. You do not have to remind me of more things because I am going to die of grief and shame.” "Why must you all arrive at the last moment?

You should have arrived earlier to be able to pray and ask the Lord to send His Holy Spirit that He may grant you a spirit of peace and cleanse you of the spirit of the world, your worries, your problems and your distractions so as to enable you to live this so sacred a moment.

However, you arrive almost when the celebration is about to commence and you participate as if it is an ordinary event, without any spiritual preparation.

Why? This is the greatest of Miracles. You are going to live the moment when the Most High God gives His greatest gift and you do not know how to appreciate it."

This was enough. I felt so bad that I had more than enough to ask for forgiveness from God. It was not only for the offenses of that day, but also for all the times that, like so many other people, I had waited for the priest to finish his homily before entering the Church.

It was also for the times that I did not know or refused to understand what it meant to be there, and for the times that perhaps my soul was full of more serious sins and I had dared to participate in the Holy Mass.

It was a Feast day and the Gloria was to be recited. Our Lady said: “Glorify and bless with all your love the Holy Trinity, in your acknowledgement of being one of Its creatures.”

How different was that Gloria! Suddenly I saw myself in a far off place full of light, before the Majestic Presence of the Throne of God.

With so much love I went on thanking Him, as I repeated: “For your immense Glory we praise You, we bless You, we adore You, we give You glory, we give You thanks, Lord, God, Heavenly King, God the Father Almighty.”
 

And I recalled the paternal face of the Father, full of kindness. “Lord Jesus Christ, only Son of the Father, Lord God, Lamb of God, You take away the sins of the world…”

And Jesus was in front of me, with that face full of tenderness and Mercy... “For You alone are the Holy One, You alone are the Lord, You alone are the most High Jesus Christ with the Holy Spirit...”, the God of beautiful Love.

He, Who at that moment, caused my whole being to tremble… And I asked: “Lord, deliver me from all evil spirits. My heart belongs to You.

My Lord, send me Your peace so that I can gain the finest benefits from the Eucharist and that my life may produce the best fruits. Holy Spirit of God, transform me, act within me, guide me. Oh God, give me the gifts that I need to serve you better!”

The moment of the Liturgy of the Word arrived and the Virgin Mary made me repeat: “Lord, today I want to listen to Your Word and produce abundant fruit. May Your Holy Spirit clean the interior of my heart so that Your Word grows and develops in it, purifying my heart so that it may be well disposed.”

Our Lady said: “I want you to be attentive to the readings and to all of the homily of the priest.

Remember that the Bible says that the Word of God does not return without bearing fruit. If you are attentive, something from all that you heard will remain in you.

You should try to recall all day long those Words that left an impression on you. Sometimes it may be two verses, other times the reading of the entire Gospel or perhaps only one word.

Savor them for the rest of the day and it will then become part of you, because that is the way to change one’s life, by allowing the Word of God to transform you.

“And now, tell the Lord that you are here to listen, that you want Him to speak to your heart today."

Once again I thanked God for giving me the opportunity to hear His Word. And I asked Him for forgiveness for having had such a hard heart for so many years and for having taught my children that they had to go to Mass on Sundays because it is commanded by the Church and not for love and the need to be filled with God.

I had attended so many Eucharistic Celebrations mostly out of obligation and, because of this, I believed I was saved. But I did not live it and, much less, did I pay attention to the readings or to the priest’s homily!

How much pain I felt for so many years of needless loss because of my ignorance! How superficial is our attendance at the Mass when we go only because someone is getting married, or for a funeral Mass or because we have to be seen by society!

How much ignorance about our Church and the Sacraments! How much waste in trying to instruct and enlighten ourselves about the things of the world, which in a moment can disappear leaving us with nothing and, at the end of our life, not serve to extend a minute to our existence!

However, we know nothing of that which will give us a little of heaven on earth and, afterwards, eternal life. And we call ourselves cultured men and women!

A moment later the Offertory arrived and the Holy Virgin said: “Pray like this: (and I repeated after her) Lord, I offer all that I am, all that I have, all that I can.

I put everything into Your Hands. Build it up, Lord, with the little thing that I am. By the merits of Your Son, transform me, God Almighty. I petition You for my family, for my benefactors, for each member of our Apostolate, for all the people who fight against us, for those who commend themselves to my poor prayers.

Teach me to lay down my heart as if on the ground before them so that their walk may be less severe.

This is how the saints prayed; this is how I want all of you to do it.”

Thus, this is how Jesus asks us to pray, that we put our hearts as if on the ground so that they do not feel its severity, but rather that we alleviate the pain of their steps.

Years later, I read a book of prayers of a Saint whom I loved dearly, Jose Maria Escrivá de Balaguer, and in that book I found a prayer similar to that which the Virgin Mary taught me.

Perhaps this Saint, to whom I entrust myself, pleased the Virgin Mary with those prayers.

Suddenly some characters whom I had not seen before began to stand up. It was as if from the side of each person present in the Cathedral, another person emerged and soon the Cathedral became full of young, beautiful people.

They were dressed in very white robes and they started to move into the central aisle and, then, went towards the Altar.

Our Mother said: “Observe. They are the Guardian Angels of each one of the persons who are here. This is the moment in which your guardian angel carries your offerings and petitions before the Altar of the Lord.”

At that moment, I was completely astonished, because these beings had such beautiful faces, so radiant as one is unable to imagine.

Their countenance was very beautiful with almost feminine faces; however, the structure of their body, their hands, their height were masculine. Their naked feet did not touch the floor, but rather they went as if gliding.

That procession was very beautiful. Some of them were carrying something as like asource golden bowl of gold with something that shone a great deal like with a golden-white light.

The Virgin Mary said: “They are the Guardian Angels of the persons people that who are offering this Holy Mass for many intentions, those who are conscious of what this celebration means.

They have something to offer the Lord..” “Offer yourselves at this moment… offer your sorrows, your pains, your hopes, your sadness, your joys, your petitions.

Remember that the Mass has infinite value.

Therefore, be generous in offering and in asking.”

Behind the first Angels came others who had nothing in their hands; they were coming empty handed.

The Virgin Mary said: “Those are the angels of the people who are here but never offer anything. They have no interest in living each liturgical moment of the Mass and they have no gifts to carry before the Altar of the Lord.”

At the end of the procession came other angels who were rather sad, with their hands joined in prayer but with their eyes downcast.

“These are the Guardian Angels of the people who are here but do not want to be, that is to say of the people who have been forced to come here, who have come out of obligation but without any desire to participate in the Holy Mass.

The angels go forth sadly because they have nothing to carry to the Altar, except for their own prayers.”

“Do not sadden your Guardian Angel. Ask for much, ask for the conversion of sinners, for peace in the world, for your families, your neighbors, for those who ask for your prayers.

Ask, ask for much, but not only for yourselves, but for everyone else.

“Remember that the offering which most pleases the Lord is when you offer yourselves as a holocaust so that Jesus upon His descent may transform you by His own merits.

What do you have to offer the Father by yourselves? Nothingness and sin. But the offering of oneself united to the merits of Jesus, that offering is pleasing to the Father.”

That sight, that procession was so beautiful that it would be difficult to compare it to another. All those celestial creatures bowing before the Altar, some leaving their offerings on the floor, others prostrating themselves on their knees with their foreheads almost touching the floor.

And as soon as they arrived at the Altar, they would disappear from my sight. The final moment of the Preface arrived and when the assembly said, “Holy, Holy, Holy”, suddenly everything that was behind the celebrants disappeared.

Behind the left side of the Archbishop, thousands of Angels appeared in a diagonal line, small angels, big angels, angels with immense wings, angels with small wings, angels without wings.

As the previous ones, all were dressed with tunics like the white robes of the priests or altar boys. Everyone knelt with their hands united in prayer and bowed their heads in reverence.

Beautiful music was heard as if there were many choirs with different voices, all singing in unison together with the people: Holy, Holy, Holy… The moment of the Consecration, the moment of the most marvelous of Miracles had arrived.

Behind the right side of the Archbishop appeared a multitude of people also in a diagonal line. They were dressed in the same tunic but in pastel colors of: rose, green, light blue, lilac, yellow, in short, in different and very soft colors.

Their faces were also brilliant, full of joy. They all seemed to be the same age. You could note (I can’t say why) that they were people of different ages but their faces looked the same, without wrinkles, happy.

They all knelt down as well at the singing of “Holy, Holy, Holy Lord…” Our Lady said: “These are all the Saints and the Blessed of Heaven and among them are the souls of your relatives who already enjoy the Presence of God.”

Then I saw Her, exactly to the right of the Archbishop, a step behind the celebrant. She was suspended a little off the floor, kneeling on some very fine, transparent but at the same time luminous fabric, as crystalline water.

The Holy Virgin, with hands joined, was looking attentively and respectfully at the celebrant. She spoke to me from there, but silently, directly to the heart, without looking at me: “It surprises you to see Me standing a little behind Monsignor [the Archbishop], does it not ?

This is how it should be... With all the love that My Son gives Me, He has not given Me the dignity that He has given the priests of being able to perform the daily Miracle with My hands as they do with their priestly hands.

Because of this, I feel a deep respect for priests and for the miracle that God carries out through them, which compels Me to kneel here behind them.”

[Translator’s note: In Latin America and in other countries a Bishop and Archbishop is addressed as “Monsignor”.]

My God, how much dignity, how much grace the Lord pours over the priestly souls and neither we, nor perhaps some of them, are conscious of this.

Before the Altar, there appeared some shadows of people in a gray color with their hands raised. The Holy Virgin said: “These are the blessed souls of Purgatory, who await your prayers to be refreshed.

Do not stop praying for them. They pray for you but they cannot pray for themselves. It is you who have to pray for them, in order to help them depart so that they can be with God and enjoy Him eternally.

“Now you now see it; I am here all the time. People go on pilgrimages, searching for the places where I have appeared. This is good because of all the graces that they will receive there.

But during no apparition, in no other place, am I more present than during the Holy Mass. You will always find Me at the foot of the Altar where the Eucharist is celebrated; at the foot of the Tabernacle, I remain with the angels because I am always with Him.”

To see that beautiful countenance of the Mother at that moment of the words “Holy, Holy, Holy…” as well as all the others with their radiant faces, with hands joined, awaiting that miracle which repeats itself continuously, was to be in Heaven itself.

And to think there are people who can at that moment be distracted in conversation. It hurts me to tell you, many men, more than women, stand with their arms crossed, as if paying homage to the Lord as one equal to another.

The Virgin Mary said: “Tell all people that never is a man more manly then when he bends his knees before God.”

The celebrant said the words of the Consecration. He was a person of normal height, but suddenly he began to grow, becoming filled with light, a supernatural light between white and gold that enveloped him and grew very strong around the face.

And because of it I could not see his features. When he raised the Host, I saw his hands and on the back of his hands he had some marks from which emanated a great deal of light.

It was Jesus! It was Him Who was wrapping His Body around the celebrant, as if He were lovingly surrounding the hands of the Archbishop.

At that moment the Host began to grow and became enormous and upon it the marvelous face of Jesus appeared looking at His people.

By instinct I wanted to bow my head and Our Lady said: “Do not look down. Look up to view and contemplate Him. Exchange your gaze with His and repeat the prayer of Fatima: Lord, I believe, I adore, I trust and I love You. I ask pardon for those who do not believe, do not adore, do not trust and do not love You. Forgiveness and Mercy…

Now tell Him how much you love Him and pay your homage to the King of Kings.” I told it to Him and it seemed as if I was the only one He was looking at from the enormous Host.

But I learned that this was the way He gazed at each person, with love to the fullest. Then I lowered my head until I had my forehead on the floor, as did all the Angels and the blessed from Heaven.

Perhaps for a fraction of a second, I wondered how Jesus was taking on the body of the celebrant and at the same time He was inside the Host. And as he lowered the Host, it returned to its normal size.

Tears ran down my cheeks; I was unable to let go of my astonishment. Immediately Monsignor said the words of the Consecration of the wine and, as the words were being said, lightning appeared from the heavens and in the background.

The walls and ceiling of the church had disappeared. All was dark but for that brilliant light from the Altar. Suddenly, suspended in the air I saw Jesus crucified.

I saw Him from the head to the lower part of the chest. The cross beam of the Cross was sustained by some large, strong hands. From within this resplendent light, a small light, like a very brilliant, very small dove, came forth and flew swiftly all over the Church.

It came to rest on the left shoulder of the Archbishop, who continued to appear as Jesus because I could distinguish His long hair, His luminous wounds and His large body, but I could not see His Face.

Above was Jesus crucified, His head fallen upon His right shoulder. I was able to contemplate His face, beaten arms and torn flesh. On the right side of His chest He had an injury and blood was gushing out toward the left side and toward the right side, what looked like water, but it was very brilliant.

They were more like jets of light coming forth towards the faithful, and moving to the right and to the left.

I was amazed at the amount of blood that was flowing out toward the Chalice. I thought it would overflow and stain the whole Altar, but not a single drop was spilled.

At that moment the Virgin Mary said: “This is the miracle of miracles. I have said to you before that the Lord is not constrained by time and space. At the moment of the Consecration, all the assembly is taken to the foot of Calvary, at the instant of the crucifixion of Jesus.”

Can anyone imagine that? Our eyes cannot see it, but we are all there at the very moment that they are crucifying Jesus.

And He is asking for forgiveness to the Father, not only for those who killed Him, but also for each one of our sins: “Father forgive them because they know not what they do.”

From that day on, I do not care if the world thinks I am crazy, but I ask everybody to kneel and try to live, with their heart and with all their sensibility that they are capable of, this privilege that the Lord grants us.

When we were going to pray the Our Father, the Lord spoke for the first time during the celebration and said: “Wait, I want you to pray with the deepest profundity which you can summon.

At this moment, bring to mind that person or persons which have done you the greatest harm during your life, so that you embrace them close to your bosom and tell them with all your heart: “In the Name of Jesus I forgive you and wish you peace. In the Name of Jesus, I ask for your forgiveness and wish my peace.

If the person is worthy of that peace, then the person will receive it and feel better for it. If that person is not capable of opening up to that peace, then peace will return to your heart.

But I do not want you to receive nor offer peace when you are not capable of forgiving and feeling that peace in your heart first.

“Be careful of what you do,” continued the Lord, “you repeat in the Our Father: forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.

If you are capable of forgiving but not forgetting, as some people say, you are placing conditions upon the forgiveness of God. You are saying: You forgive me only as I am capable of forgiving but no more.”

I do not know how to explain my pain, at the realization of how much we can hurt the Lord. And also how much we can injure ourselves by holding so many grudges, bad feelings and unflattering things that are born from our own prejudices and over-sensitivities.

I forgave; I forgave from the heart and asked for forgiveness from all the people whom I had hurt at one time or another, in order to feel the peace of the Lord.

The celebrant said, “...give us peace and unity…” and, then, “the peace of the Lord be with all of you.” Suddenly I saw that among some (not all) of the people who were embracing each other, a very intense light placed itself between them.

I knew it was Jesus and I practically threw myself to embrace the person next to me. I could truly feel the embrace of the Lord in that light.

It was Him Who embraced me giving me His peace, because in that moment I had been able to forgive and remove from my heart all grief against other people.

That is what Jesus wants, to share that moment of joy, hugging us and wishing us His Peace. The moment of the celebrants’ Communion arrived. There I once again noticed the presence of all the priests next to Monsignor.

When he took Communion, the Virgin Mary said: “This is the moment to pray for the celebrant and the priests who accompany him. Repeat together with Me: “Lord, bless them, sanctify them, help them, purify them, love them, take care of them and support them with Your Love.

Remember all the priests of the world, pray for all the consecrated souls...” Dear brothers and sisters, that is the moment in which we should pray for them, because they are the Church as we, the laity, are also.

Many times we, the laity, demand so much from the priests, but we are unable to pray for them, to understand that they are human and to comprehend and appreciate the solitude that many times can surround a priest.

We should understand that the priests are people like ourselves and that they need to be understood, to be cared for. They need affection and attention from us because they are giving their life to each one of us, as Jesus did, by being consecrated to Him.

The Lord wants the people of the flock that God has entrusted to him to pray and help in the sanctification of their Pastor. Someday, when we are on the other side, we will understand the marvels that the Lord has done, giving us priests who help us to save our souls.

The people began to leave their pews on their way to Communion. The great moment of the encounter had arrived.

The Lord said to me: “Wait a moment; I want you to observe something...” An interior impulse made me raise my eyes towards the person who was going to receive Communion on the tongue from the hands of the priest.

I should clarify that this person was one of the ladies from our group who the previous night was unable to go to confession but this morning was able to do so before the Holy Mass.

When the Priest placed the Sacred Host on her tongue, a flash of light, like a very golden white light, went right through this person, first through her back, then surrounding her from the back, around her shoulders and then her head.

The Lord said: “This is how I Myself rejoice in embracing a soul who comes with a clean heart to receive Me.”

The tone of voice of Jesus was that of a happy person. I was astonished to see my friend return to her pew surrounded by light, embraced by the Lord. I thought of the marvel that we miss so many times by going to receive Jesus with our small or large offences when it should be a feast.

Many times we say that there are no priests to whom to go to confess at any given moment. But the problem is not about confessing at each moment but the problem resides in our ease of falling into evil again.

On the other hand, in the same way that we make an effort to search for a beauty parlor or men search for a barber when we have a party, we have to also make an effort to seek a priest when we need to remove all that dirt from ourselves.

We must not have the audacity to receive Jesus at any moment with our hearts full of ugly things. When I went to receive communion, Jesus told me: “The Last Supper was the moment of the greatest intimacy with My own.

During that hour of love, I established what could be thought of as the greatest act of lunacy in the eyes of men, that of making Myself a prisoner of Love.

I established the Eucharist. I wanted to remain with you until the end of the centuries because My Love could not bear that you remained orphans, you whom I loved more than My life.”

I received that Host which had a different flavor. It was a mixture of blood and incense that inundated me entirely. I felt so much love that the tears ran down my cheeks without me being able to stop them.

When I returned to my seat, while kneeling down, the Lord said: “Listen...” A moment later I began to hear the prayers of the lady who was seated in front of me and who had just received communion.

What she said without opening her mouth was more or less like this: “Lord, remember that we are at the end of the month and I do not have the money to pay the rent, the car payments or the children’s school.

You have to do something to help me… Please, make my husband stop drinking so much. I cannot bear any more his being intoxicated so often and my youngest son is going to repeat the year again if you do not help him.

He has exams this week... And do not forget our neighbor who must move. Let her do it right away. I cannot stand her anymore… etc., etc.”

Then the Archbishop said: “Let us pray,” and obviously all the congregation stood up for the final prayer.

Jesus said in a sad tone: “Did you take note of her prayer? Not a single time did she tell Me that she loves Me. Not a single time did she thank Me for the gift that I have given her by bringing down My Divinity to her poor humanity, in order to elevate her to Me.

Not a single time has she said: thank You, Lord. It has been a litany of requests… and so are almost all of those who come to receive Me.”

“I have died for love and I am risen. For love I await each one of you and for love I remain with you... But you do not realize that I need your love. Remember that I am the Beggar of Love in this sublime hour for the soul.”

Do you all realize that He, Love, is begging for our love and we do not give it to Him? Moreover, we avoid going to that encounter with the Love of Loves, with the only love who gives of itself in a permanent oblation.

When the celebrant was going to give the blessing, the Holy Virgin said: “Be attentive, take care… You do any old sign instead of the Sign of the Cross.

Remember that this blessing could be the last one that you will receive from hands of a priest. You do not know when leaving here if you will die or not. You do not know if you will have the opportunity to receive a blessing from another priest.

Those consecrated hands are giving you the blessing in the Name of the Holy Trinity. Therefore, make the Sign of the Cross with respect, as if it was the last one of your life.”

How much we miss in not understanding and not participating everyday at the Holy Mass! Why not make an effort to begin the day a half hour earlier and run to the Holy Mass and receive all the blessings that the Lord wants to pour over us?

I am aware that because of their obligations not everybody can attend daily Mass, but at least two or three times a week. So many avoid Mass on Sundays with the smallest excuse that they have a child, or two, or ten, and, therefore, they cannot attend Mass.

How do people manage when they have other important types of commitments? They take all the children or take turns and the husband goes at one hour and the wife another, but they carry out their duty to God.

We have time to study, to work, to entertain, to rest, but WE DO NOT HAVE TIME AT LEAST ON SUNDAY TO GO TO THE HOLY MASS. Jesus asked me to remain with Him a few minutes more after Mass had finished.

He said: “Do not leave in a hurry after Mass is over. Stay a moment in My company and enjoy it and let Me enjoy yours…”

As a child I had heard someone say that the Lord remained with us for five or ten minutes, after communion. I asked Him at this moment: “Lord, truly, how much time do You stay with us after communion?”

I suppose that the Lord must have laughed at my silliness because He answered: “All the time that you want to have Me with you. If you speak to Me all day long, offering Me some words during your chores, I will listen to you.

I am always with you. It is you who leaves Me. You leave the Mass and the day of obligation ends.

You kept the day of the Lord and it is now finished for you. You do not think that I would like to share your family life with you, at least that day.”

“In your homes you have a place for everything and a room for each activity: a room to sleep, another to cook, another to eat, etc. Which place have you made for Me?

It should not be a place where you only have an image, which collects dust all the time, but a place where at least five minutes a day the family meets to give thanks for the day and for the gift of life, to ask for their needs of the day, to ask for blessings, protection, health.

Everything has a place in your homes, except Me.”

“Men plan their day, their week, their semester, their vacations, etc. They know what day they are going to rest, what day they will go to the movies or to a party, or visit grandmother or the grandchildren, the children, their friends and to their amusements.

How many families say at least once a month: ‘This is the day for our turn to go and visit Jesus in the Tabernacle,’and the whole family comes to talk to Me?

How many sit down in front of Me and have a conversation with Me, telling Me how it has been since the last time, telling Me their problems, the difficulties they have, asking Me about what they need… making Me part of these things? How many times?

“I know everything. I read even the deepest secrets of your hearts and minds. But I enjoy your telling Me about your life, your letting Me participate as a family member, as your most intimate friend.

Oh, how many graces does man loose by not giving Me a place in his life!”

When I remained with Him that day and on many other days, He continued to give us teachings. Today I want to share with you this mission that He has entrusted to me.

Jesus said: “I wanted to save My creature because the moment of opening the door to Heaven has been impregnated with too much pain…”

“Remember that not even one mother has fed her child with her own flesh. I have gone to that extreme of Love to communicate My merits to all of you.

“The Holy Mass is Myself prolonging My life and My sacrifice on the Cross among you. Without the merits of My life and My Blood, what do you have with which to come before the Father? Nothing, misery and sin...

“You should exceed in virtue the angels and archangels, because they do not have the joy of receiving Me as nourishment like you do.

They drink a drop from the spring, but you that have the grace of receiving Me, you have the whole ocean to drink.”

The other thing that the Lord spoke about with pain concerned people who encounter Him out of habit, of those who have lost their awe of each encounter with Him.

That routine turns some people so lukewarm that they have nothing new to tell Jesus when they receive Him. He also said that there were so many consecrated souls who lose their enthusiasm of falling in love with the Lord, and have made their vocation an occupation, a profession to which nothing more is given, except that which is demanded of one, but without feeling...

Then the Lord spoke to me about the fruits that must come from each communion that we take. It does happen that there are people who receive the Lord daily but do not change their lives.

They spend many hours in prayer and do many works, etc. but their life does not go on transforming and a life that does not transform cannot bear true fruits for the Lord.

The merits we receive in the Eucharist should bear the fruits of conversion in us and fruits of charity toward our brothers and sisters. We the laity have a very important role in our Church.

We do not have the right to be silent because the Lord has sent us out, as all the baptized, to go forth and announce the Good News. We do not have the right to absorb all this knowledge and not share it with others and to allow our brothers to die of hunger when we have so much bread in our hands.

We cannot watch our Church crumble as we stay comfortable in our parishes and homes, receiving and receiving so much from the Lord: His Word, the homilies of the priests, the pilgrimages, the Mercy of God in the Sacrament of Reconciliation, the marvelous union with the nourishment of communion, the talks of preachers.

In other words, we are receiving so much and we do not have the courage to leave our comfort zone and go to a jail, to a correctional institution, to speak to the neediest.

To go and tell them not to give up, that they were born Catholic and that their Church needs them there, suffering, because their suffering will serve to redeem others, because that sacrifice will gain for them eternal life.

We are not capable of going where the terminally ill are in the hospitals and by praying the Divine Mercy Chaplet, helping them with our prayers during that time of struggle between good and evil to free them from the snares and temptations of the devil.
 

Every dying person has fear and just taking their hand and talking to them about the love of God and the marvel that awaits them in Heaven next to Jesus and Mary, next to their departed ones, gives them comfort.

The hour in which we currently live does not allow us to be indifferent. We must be an extension of the hands of our priests and go where they cannot reach.

But for this, we need courage. We must receive Jesus, live with Jesus, nourish ourselves with Jesus.

We are afraid to commit ourselves a little more and when the Lord says, “First seek the Kingdom of God and the rest will be added onto you,” He says it all, brothers and sisters.

It means to seek the Kingdom of God, by all possible means and with all means and… to open your hands in order to receive EVERYTHING in addition! This is because He is the Master Who pays the best, the only One Who is attentive to your smallest needs.

Brothers, sisters, thank you for allowing me to carry out the mission that was entrusted to me, that of having these pages reach you… The next time you attend Holy Mass, live it.

I know the Lord will fulfill for you His promise that “your Mass will never again be the same.” And when you receive Him, love Him! Experience the sweetness of feeling yourself resting against the folds of His side, pierced for you in order to leave you His Church and His Mother, to open for you the doors to His Father’s House.

Experience this so that you are able to feel for yourself His Merciful Love by means of this testimony and try to reciprocate with your childlike love. May God bless you this Easter.
 

MY OWN DEVOTIONS DURING MASS

(Written by the one who put this booklet together, a Catholic convert. I read the entire booklet or at least the Psalm 62 and my own devotion before every Mass and throughout the day including a spiritual Communion to relive the Holy Mass spiritually in union with the whole Church.)

I begin the day in church with Morning offering, Rosary, Scriptural or spiritual readings, Station of the Cross, Adoration of Blessed Sacrament .

I normally spend fifteen minutes before daily Mass just to adore the Lord in silence, show my love to Him, or recite Psalms from Missal. I also greet Blessed Mother, asking her blessings.

Making the Sign of the Cross, my Amen ends with my hand upon my heart, pushing inward as a deep expression of love and gratitude to God.

At the Greeting, the presiding priest blesses us saying, “The Grace of the Lord be with you”, I always say, “And also with you” and silently I earnestly implore God’s mercy upon our priest regardless who he is. This moment my heart is always moved with great compassion for our priests and it seems to me the Lord is very well pleased.

At Penitential Rite, my soul expresses a deep contrition and sorrow for my sins and short-comings, especially the most recent ones. May my heart be pierced as I have pierced the Lord’s most Sacred and tender Heart.

At Kyrie, My mouth says, “Lord, have mercy.”, but my soul echoes, “O Lord, forgive me and have mercy on me, a wretched sinner!”

On Sunday, singing Gloria, I praise the Lord with all my strength even I cannot sing very well. My sincere desire is to have the utmost reverence and deepest gratitude to God. I lift up my soul and whole being in praise and song of adoration and thanksgiving.

At opening Prayer, I try to be very attentive the words and most importantly, in imploring the Lord most ardently for the grace mentioned by the presiding priest.

During the Liturgy of the Word, I remain utmost attentive, no movement of mind, eyes, and heart. I love to read Responsorial Psalm over and over again, very prayerfully and in adoration and thanksgiving, just as the Psalm is my life-song.  By “Alleluia”, I sing my praise to our Blessed Lord with a sincere and joyful acclamation. I bow my head to adore the Lord present in His Sacred Scripture, the Gospel of Life and Love. I say, “ O Lord, carve my heart with the revelation of the Divine Truth. Sweet Lord, how I love You!” When the presiding Priest or deacon proclaim, “This is the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ ...”, I respond with one of my favorite prayer during Mass, “Praise to You, Lord Jesus Christ”, spoken slowly and deliberately, word by word as if I treasure every word spoken in praise. I truly love this moment.

During Homily, I often pray pray one Hail Mary  to implore Blessed Mother’s intercession for a holy and edifying sermon for the sake of my brothers and sisters present at Mass.

I attentively recite the Nicene Creed with absolute belief in all the Teaching of the Church.

Through prayers of petition, I bow my head, earnestly implore the Divine Mercy and truly believe that, through His Goodness, God hears my prayers.

During the presentation of the Gift of bread and wine, I lift up my face to heaven saying with the utmost reverence and thanksgiving, “Blessed be God forever.” And with a merit of a beggar, I humbly pray, “May the Lord accept the sacrifice at your hands, for  the praise and glory of His Name, for the good of all people and for the good of His Church.” I offer myself to the Lord God, all my being, my life and my heart desire for His glory and salvation of souls. I offer my wife and children as well. I ask Him to sanctify them.

The most touching prayers to me have to be the Eucharistic prayers. With all my strength and will, with deepest adoration, humility, thankfulness, and most of all, with love, I pray, “I lift up my heart to You, O Lord. You are the desire of my heart, You are all I want.”

While reciting Sanctus, I picture myself as one of the bystanders on Palm Sunday, along the wayside in Jerusalem to welcome our King Who comes in the Name of the Lord, and soon will humbly be subjected to be the Sacrificial Lamb for my sake. I cry out, “Hosanna, save us O Lord we beseech Thee!” “Hosanna, hosanna, my Lord, my God, in the highest, condescends to be sacrificed. Blessed is He Who comes in the Name of the Lord, Who comes to do the Will of His Father, to pay ransom for many, to grant me an eternal life. O my God and King , I adore Thee and I thank Thee. “ then I repeat many times the two words “ My Lord” affectionately and most profoundly as these two words can enclose so much emotion, so much love and longing of my soul, these two words resonate in my heart for many minutes which seem endless as the sweetest sounds of a lover to his God.

During the Consecration, I listen to every word of the Consecration as I feel as they come from the mouth of my Lord at the Last Supper on earth before he dies. My soul ,my whole being is immersed in the ocean of love, full of contrition, humility, adoration, gratitude, sorrow and joy, love and compassion. The moment is heavenly, I am in the bosom of our Lord, I rest upon His chest, I am embraced by Him. “ O sweet Lord, I love You! O sweet Lord, I love You! Have mercy on us, forgive me for my wrong-doing, my weakness ...My Lord, my Love, how I love You!” Many times I do not say anything simply murmuring three words,” I love You.” Kneeling down, bow my head deeply, spiritually I see my whole being prostrating to adore the Lord, to express my most sincere affection to my humble Immolated Lord Who has died to save me, a wretched sinner, and now perpetually makes Himself available to me as the Bread of Life.

At the Breaking of Bread, I feel like our Lord sacred Body broken for us at the Scourging, precious Blood drawn out from His pierced Heart sprinkling purifying us, His whole humanity broken, lacerated, all spent for the Love of us.

At the Elevation of the Sacred Host, I bow my head deeply (I prefer to kneel down) and acclaim silently in my heart, over and over again, “ O my Lord , my God, how I love You!!” And I stay in adoration for a while, completely absorbed in the Lord’s Love and Presence, in His Heart. I wish this moment never ends. In such bliss, I pray, “Heavenly Father, I adore Thee, I praise Thee, I glorify Thee, I worship Thee, I thank Thee, and I love Thee. Heavenly Father, thank You for all Your blessings and Grace, most of all, for the Precious Body and Blood of Your beloved Son, our Precious Lord, the precious Gift Which I am not worthy to receive. Through His Passion and Death, may It be, not my condemnation, but the atonement for my sins and salvation of my soul.”

Since knowing more about Fatima apparition, I say the Fatima Eucharistic prayer instead, “Holy Trinity – Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, I adore Thee profoundly and I offer Thee the Precious Body, Blood, Soul, Divinity of Jesus Christ, present in all of the tabernacles on earth, in reparation for the outrages, sacrileges, and indifference by which He Himself is offended. And by the infinite merits of His Most Sacred Heart and the Immaculate Heart of Mary, I beg the forgiveness for poor sinners.”
“Most Holy Trinity, my God, my God, I adore You and I love You  in the Most Blessed Sacrament.”

Turning toward Blessed Mother’s icon, I pray in silence, “ Mother, receive here the Precious Body and Blood of your dearly beloved Son, Our Lord Jesus Christ, the Precious Gift offered to you out of love, thanksgiving, and veneration.”

I approach the table of the Lord, keep saying,” With all my heart , I long for Thee.” At the Moment of Communion  with the Lord, I receive Him with the most profound reverence and the most perfect love that I can humanly offer at that moment. I say over and over again, “Sweet Lord, I love You.” I can feel these three words vibrating through my whole being, my heart pulsating finding its true joy and true love. He grant me His Blood and I offer Him my tears, both mingle into one on my lips.

From that moment when everything in surrounding ceases to exist, I kneel down to adore the Lord, to embrace Him, to pour out my heart in prayers of thanksgiving, these prayers have no words as they are already engraved onto my heart. Sometimes, I praise the Lord in Psalm after Mass officially ends, say Hail Mary to venerate Blessed Mother in the Presence of the Lord, or simply remain kneeling quietly in love and adoration, treasure every second of this divine Union as I know the Lord remains in me as I am in Him. Will Heaven be like this? Heaven is already here on earth, more so, my Lord is here with me alone in my heart, in the Most Adorable Sacrament of the Mass.
 

PRAYER AFTER THE CONSECRATION

I offer Thee, O Heavenly Father, this Holy Sacrifice; I offer Thee thy beloved Son, His Incarnation, His birth, His passion; I offer Thee His sweat of blood, His scourging, His crown with thorns, the carrying of the Cross; I offer Thee the Crucifixion, the cruel Death He endured, the crimson stream that flowed from His wounds; I offer all that He did and suffered for me, which is now re-enacted in this Mass. I offer it to Thee for Thy greater glory and for my own salvation. Amen.
 

DEVOTION AT THE ELEVATION OF THE SACRED HOST
BY FR. MARTIN VON COCHEM

In Revelations of St. Gertrude, she revealed during the Elevation of the Sacred Host, the Lord Jesus stands before his Father, offer Himself as the Oblation for the faithful in the manner past human comprehension.

“Behold, O Christians, here is your Savior, your Redeemer, your Sanctifier. Contemplate Him with sincere faith, pour out your hearts to Him. Blessed are the eyes that see the things you see (Luke 10:23) Happy indeed are the eyes that gaze with reverence on this Sacred Host and firmly believe that Jesus is hidden under this lowly form.”

The Lord Himself said, “As often as anyone looks in devout adoration at the Sacred Host, or being unable, wishes that he could do so, his reward in Heaven is increased, and he is entitled to a special degree of bliss in the enjoyment of the Beautific Vision.”

“My Lord and my God!” St. Thomas the Apostle once acclaimed, with utmost reverence,  with strongest Faith, with most sincere contrition, and with deepest love for his Saviour.
 

DEVOTION AFTER THE ELEVATION OF THE SACRED HOST:
BY FR. MARTIN VON COCHEM

After the adoration of the Elevated Sacred host, the “Breaking of Bread” or the act of oblation follows. The oblation of the Sacred Host is the most real and most powerful atonement for the guilt of man. There is no means more efficacious for appeasing the anger of God than offering to Him the Body and Blood of His Son in the Consecrated Host.

After the oblation coming from the Consecrated Host, follows the Elevation of the Chalice. According to the promise the Lord repeated or signified in the words of the Consecration, when you assist devoutly at Mass, your sins are remitted just as if you stood upon Calvary beneath the Cross with contrition of heart and were sprinkled with the Precious Blood. You will then be cleansed from all stain and guilt of sins.

After the Elevation, the priest offers this Holy Sacrifice to God. We too should imitate him and do the same. After the priest has replaced the chalice upon the corporal, he says, “Wherefore, O Lord, we Thy servants, as also Thy holy people, offer upon Thy most Excellent Majesty, of Thy gifts and presents, a pure Host, a holy Host, an immaculate Host, the holy Bread of eternal life and the Chalice of everlasting salvation.

PRAYER BEFORE THE HOLY COMMUNION
(SINCE 1548)

We do not presume to come to this Thy table, O merciful Lord, trusting not in our own righteousness, but in Thy manifold and great mercies. We are not worthy so much as to gather up the crumps under Thy Table. But Thou art the same Lord whose property (attribute) is always to have mercy. Grant us, therefore, gracious Lord, so to eat the Flesh of Thy dear Son Jesus Christ, and to drink His Blood, that we may ever more dwell in Him, and He in us. Amen.
 

PRAYER BEFORE HOLY COMMUNION IN BYZANTINE RITE:

O Lord, I believe and profess that you are truly Christ, the Son of the living God, who came into the world to save sinners of whom I am the first. Accept me as a partaker of Your mystical supper, O Son of god; for I will not reveal Your mysteries, nor will I give you a kiss as did Judas, but like a thief I confess to You: Remember me O Lord when You shall come into Your kingdom. Remember me O Master when you shall come into Your kingdom. May the partaking of You Holy mysteries, O Lord, be not for my judgment or condemnation but for the healing soul and body. O Lord, I also believe and profess that this, which I am about to receive, is truly Your most precious Body, and Your life-giving Blood, which I pray, makes me worthy to receive for the remission of sins and for life everlasting. Amen.

O God, be merciful to me, a sinner.
O God, cleanse me of my sins and have mercy on me.
O Lord, forgive me for I have sinned without number.
 

OFFERING THE HOLY EUCHARIST TO OUR LADY

Mary, most holy Virgin Mother, I have received your Son, Jesus Christ. With love, you became His Mother, gave birth to Him, nursed Him, and help Him to grow to manhood. With love I return Him to you to hold once more, to love with all your heart, and to offer to the Holy Trinity as our supreme act of worship for your honor and for all the good of all your pilgrim brothers and sisters. Mother, ask God to forgive me my sins and help me to serve Him more faithfully. Keep me true to Christ until death, and let me come to praise Him with you forever and ever. Amen.
 

THE LAST DISCOURSE FROM THE LORD AT THE LAST SUPPER AFTER THE BREAKING OF BREAD. THE MEDITATION WE SHOULD HAVE AFTER THE HOLY MASS

“A new commandment I give you, that you love one another that as I have loved you, you also love one another. By this will all men know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.  (John 13: 34-35)

If you love me, keep My commandments. (Jn 14:15) He who has my commandments and keep them, he it is who loves Me. But he who loves Me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and manifested Myself to him. (Jn 14:21) Peace I leave with you.... Do not let your heart be troubled or be afraid. (Jn 14:27) If you love Me, you would indeed be rejoice that I am going to the Father,... (Jn14:28)

This is My Commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love than this no one has, that one lay down his life for his friends. You are My friends if you do the things I command you. No longer do I call you servants... but I have called you friends... You have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and have appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain (long-lasting fruit, spiritual fruit for souls); that whatever you ask the father in my Name, He may give you. These things I command you, that you may love one another.”

(That is the life we should lead ,the life of service and love, after receiving the Lord in the Holy Eucharist so that His precious Gift will not be in vain, will not be our condemnation, but will be the eternal bliss for our souls.)
 
 

THE BENEFITS IN RECEIVING THE LORD IN THE HOLY COMMUNION. THE MANNER IN WHICH HE COMES, REVEALED TO ST. MECHTILDE

“In the first place, I come with such profound humility that there is no one present at the Holy Mass so insignificant to whom I will not stoop, to whom I will not go, if only he is desirous to receive me. In the second place, I come with such untiring patience that there is no one, be he even My worst enemy, whose presence I do not tolerate – nay, whose offenses
I will not willingly forgive, provided he wishes to be reconciled to Me. Thirdly, I come with such abundant charity that there is no one, however cold or hardened, whose heart, if he so crave, I will not kindle and soften with My love. Fourthly, I come with such kindness and generosity that I am ready to make the most destitute abound in riches. Fifthly, I bring with me food so sweet to the palate that all who hunger and thirst may be refreshed and satisfied. Sixthly, I come resplendent with light so brilliant that no heart can be so blind, so wrapped in darkness, as not to be enlightened and purified by My Presence. Seventhly, I come with such plenitude of sanctity and graces that there is none so slothful, so listless, so indevout whom I cannot arouse from his stupor.”
 

ADORING THE LORD IN THE BLESSED SACRAMENT, EITHER IN THE EUCHARISTIC ADORATION (THE SACRED HOST IS EXPOSED) OR PRAYING IN FRONT OF THE TABERNACLE AT CHURCH IS THE BEST DEVOTION FOSTERING A PROPER SPIRIT  AT THE HOLY MASS.

( The Lord is really present bodily at church. As the Prisoner of love, He always resides in the tabernacle in the form of bread or the Sacred Host. )

Frequent  visiting  Him at church will bolster our Faith in the Real Presence in the physical species of bread and wine.

To console and pray to the Lord, our soul will develop a longing desire for being united intimately with Our Lord in the Holy Communion.

To adore Him in the Blessed Sacrament, we will more eagerly and naturally adore the Lord at the Evelation of the Sacred Host, at receiving His Body and Blood on our tongue, and during all other moments of the Mass.

To be in His Presence, in the proximity of His Being will help us to be drawn to the holy Mass as we are becoming intimate, in love, and familiarized to the One we love and talk to daily. We will grow in love with Him.

First, we long to be in His house, then we will long to receive Him.
 

THE END