Rev. Fr. Paul OSullivan - The Wonders of the Mass

The Wonders of
The Mass

Father Paul
OSullivan, O.P.

Copyright 1993, Father Paul O'Sullivan, O.P.

These beautiful pages on the Mass have been approved by:

His Eminence Cardinal Cerejeira

His Eminence Cardinal Pietro Ciriaci, Papal Nuncio, Lisbon

His Grace the Archbishop of Braga

His Grace the Archbishop of Evora

His Grace the Archbishop of Aveiro

His Lordship the Bishop of Coimbra

His Lordship the Bishop of Beja

His Lordship the Bishop of Portalegre

BOOKS BY

FATHER PAUL OSULLIVAN, O.P.

HOW TO BE HAPPYHOW TO BE HOLY

ALL ABOUT THE ANGELS

AN EASY WAY TO BECOME A SAINT

THE HOLY GHOSTOUR GREATEST FRIEND

READ ME OR RUE IT

HOW TO AVOID PURGATORY

THE SECRET OF CONFESSION

Including The Wonders of Confession

THE WONDERS OF THE HOLY NAME

THE WONDERS OF THE MASS

ST. PHILOMENATHE WONDER-WORKER

Contents

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Chapter 1

The Wonders of Holy Mass

The Saints never speak so eloquently as when they speak of the Mass. They can never say enough on this sublime subject, for St. Bonaventure says that the wonders of the Mass are as many as there are stars in the heavens and grains of sand on the seashores of the world.

The graces, blessings and favors granted to those who assist at this Divine Sacrifice are beyond all comprehension.

The Mass is the greatest wonder in the world. There is nothing on Earth equal to it, and there is nothing in Heaven greater than it.

The next greatest wonder is the indifference and ignorance of Catholics regarding Holy Mass. How is it that so many Catholics do not go to Mass?

The Great Sacrifice of Calvary is offered near to their homes, almost at their very doors, and they are too slothful to assist at it.

The Sacrifice of Calvary?! Yes, for the Mass is really and truly the very same as the Death of Jesus on the Cross. [See footnote on p. 8.]

Why do not mothers, why do not catechists, why do not teachers instill into the minds and hearts of those in their charge the wonders of the Mass? Priests are bound by the Council of Trent to do so.

Protestants may well ask those Catholics who neglect hearing daily Mass if they do really believe that God is born on the altar and that God dies on the altar as He did on Calvary? [See footnote on p. 8.] If they do believe, why do they not assist at Mass?

St. Augustine tells us that pagans and Gentiles of his time asked tepid and indifferent Christians with bitter irony if they sincerely believed that the God of all mercy and goodness descended on their altars! You Christians, they continued, accuse us of adoring false gods, but at least we believe they are gods and we honor them; whereas, you despise Him whom you call the True God!

No intelligent, no enlightened Christian would fail to attend Mass if he only knew what it was.

St. Louis and the Mass

King Louis of France, who labored perhaps more strenuously than any man in his kingdom and who was one of the best and most glorious sovereigns who ever ruled over France, found time to hear two or three Masses every day!

Some of his courtiers suggested that he was overtaxing himself with so many Masses. The King replied: If I spent much more time in following the pleasures of the chase, or in entertaining my friends at rich banquets, or in frequenting for several hours each day theaters and places of amusement, you would not complain that I was devoting too much time to pleasure.

You forget, my good friends, that by hearing Mass I not only secure for myself innumerable blessings, but I confer the most important benefits on my kingdom, many more than I could possibly do in any other way.

This reply of St. Louis may be addressed to those thousands and thousands of apathetic and indifferent Christians who could easily hear daily Mass and do not do so.

Even were they to make a great sacrifice, they would receive blessings and favors above their highest hopes. But, as a matter of fact, many could hear Mass without any sacrifice, or at so trifling a cost that their guilt in neglecting this Divine Sacrifice is, indeed, incomprehensible. Nothing but lamentable ignorance can explain the reason why so many Catholics neglect to hear daily Mass.

By hearing Mass, the day would become worth a thousand days to them, so wonderful would be the graces and benefits they should receive.

Far from losing time, their business would prosper more, and they would reach a degree of happiness that they could never otherwise hope to attain.

Simon De Montfort

The famous general and hero, Simon de Montfort, with only 800 horse soldiers and very few foot soldiers, was unexpectedly trapped in the town of Muret by an army of 40,000 men led by the King of Aragon and Raymond the Count of Toulouse, who espoused the cause of the Albigensian heretics. He was hearing Mass when his officers came to announce that the besieging army was marching to attack the town.

Let me first finish Mass, he replied, and then I will be with you.

He then hastened to where his forces were already gathered together, bade them trust in God, and ordering the gates to be flung open, he charged right at the heart of the approaching army, threw it into utter disorder, struck down the King of Aragon himself and won a glorious victory.

Baronius declares that the Emperor Lothaire heard three Masses every day, even when he was on the battlefield with his troops.

In the Great War [WorldWar I] it was well known that Marshal Foch, the Commander-in-chief of the French and British armies, heard Mass every day, even when the position was most critical.

The Emperor Otho of Germany once summoned a council of his chief officers and advisers to take place in the Palace at Worms, at an early hour in the morning.

The Duke of Bohemia, one of the princes who was to take part in the council, was wont to hear Mass daily and was, therefore, late in arriving at the royal palace.

This delay threw the Emperor into a fury, and without waiting for the Duke, he commenced the council, giving orders to all present not to show honor or give any greeting to the Duke on his arrival.

Some short time after, the Duke entered the council chamber and to the surprise of those present, the Emperor, who at first seemed startled, rose in haste and showed every mark of respect to the Duke. When the weighty matters of state had been discussed, the Emperor Otho, noticing the surprise manifested by the assembled lords and princes at his change of demeanor toward the Duke of Bohemia, explained: Why, he said, did you not see that he came accompanied by two angels, one on either side? I dared not show my resentment.

Similar wonderful favors are granted to the humblest of the faithful, to anyone who hears Mass devoutly.

Here are some incidents.

The Angel and the Roses

A poor farmer was wont to attend daily Mass for many years of his life.

He was crossing the snow-covered fields one cold morning on his way to church. He thought that he heard footsteps behind him, and turning, he saw his Angel Guardian bearing a basket full of beautiful roses, which exhaled a delicious perfume. See, said the Angel, these roses represent each step you have taken on the way to Mass, and each rose represents, too, a glorious reward which awaits you in Heaven. But far, far greater are the merits you have gotten from the Mass itself.

How to Make Ones Business Prosper

Two businessmen resided in the same French town. Both were engaged in the same line of commerce, but while one was prosperous, the other found it very hard to gain a sufficiency, notwithstanding that he worked harder and rose earlier than his friend.