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In becoming man, the Son of God chose to share our life on earth, and our sufferings - though He is without sin. And He sacrificed His life so that we could be freed from sin and from the fear of death.
Many Catholics have no idea of what is really happening at Mass. It is tragic that so many children say that they are bored at Mass. Not having been instructed about the Holy Sacrifice of Christ, they are ignorant of the fact that Christ is truly Present amongst us, praising the Father of Light in the presence of the whole Church. We pray with the Saints and the Holy Souls, and with the Holy Angels.
Christ accepted death, in order to conquer death. He rose from the grave by His Divine power; He shared that same power with His devoted followers - and still does so today. Christ has made a Way back to Heaven, in which we can follow.
Christ's Sacrifice of Calvary, re-presented in the Mass in a sacramental manner, is the 'fragrant' sacrifice whose scent - of obedience and love - rises to Heaven, gives worthy praise to the Father, and is all-sufficient.
The prayers of the Saints rise up to join the sacrificial prayer of Christ, as it rose from the Cross and rises still from Christ Who offers the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, which is Calvary's offering, re-presented.
After the Consecration, we can be certain that Christ is Present amongst us: Christ Who died on the Cross, praying for sinners, and Who is Present now, praying for us in our day, and offering the same sacrifice.
Everyone who dies meets Christ, even people of other religions, and even people who have never heard of Him. They will see Him revealed as their God, and as the Saviour Who died for them. Some will fall down in adoration, believing in Him at last, and will be saved, even if they need purification. Others will recognise Him as the enemy of the evil which they continued to love in earthly life, and despise Him, and hurl themselves away from Him, to end in Hell.
Everyone who dies meets Christ, even people of other religions, and even people who have never heard of Him. They will see Him revealed as their God, and as the Saviour Who died for them. Some will fall down in adoration, believing in Him at last, and will be saved, even if they need purification. Others will recognise Him as the enemy of the evil which they continued to love in earthly life, and despise Him, and hurl themselves away from Him, to end in Hell.
Everyone who dies meets Christ, even people of other religions, and even people who have never heard of Him. They will see Him revealed as their God, and as the Saviour Who died for them. Some will fall down in adoration, believing in Him at last, and will be saved, even if they need purification. Others will recognise Him as the enemy of the evil which they continued to love in earthly life, and despise Him, and hurl themselves away from Him, to end in Hell.
Christ asked me to place two pictures side by side in a new published card, so that people can see that the prayer He offers, as our High-Priest, from the sanctuary at Mass, is the very same sacrificial prayer and offering that He once offered from the Cross.
Men in storybooks have undertaken long journeys to prove their love for a princess. Christ has undertaken the longest journey of all, to prove His love for Mankind. He descended from the heights of glory in Heaven, not just to Earth, but to the bottom of the dungeon in which He huddled, bleeding and deserted, during His Passion.
When a priest commits grave sin, and does not repent, it is as if he dirties everything he touches, as he goes about his duties; but nothing can sully the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass or Christ the pure and Holy Saviour, Son of God, Whose once-for-all Sacrifice each priest offers from the altar.
The Father in Heaven looks down upon many children who have been badly instructed. It is amazing that at their First Holy Communion many know nothing about sin, about the Saviour Who died for us, about the Sacrifice of Calvary, and about that same sacrifice being re-presented here, in the Mass.
A good preparation for Mass consists of prayer, with reflection on the Company of Heaven with whom we pray, and on the Eternal Father, Source of all Love, wisdom and life, to Whom we shall offer Christ's sacrificial praise, in the Holy Eucharist.
Christ told me how little the Cross is mentioned by preachers and teachers today: the Cross on which He suffered because of the grievous sins no longer mentioned. He is grieving, too, because people say that devotion to His Mother is old fashioned, and because Catholic school children are often taught more about self-esteem than humility.
It is a serious matter to miss Mass carelessly or deliberately, and so to miss being present at the re-presentation of Christ's Sacrifice of Calvary. We could not be there, at Calvary; but we show how little love we have for Christ, and how little concern about our sin and weaknesses, if we cannot be bothered to attend Mass, as Christ prays there for us to be forgiven our wrong-doing.
It was as a 'cloud' over the earth had been rent apart, when Jesus toured Galilee, speaking the truth about the purpose of life, the glory of the Father, the need for repentance, and for Baptism. He showed out God's nature and God's Will. He revealed the extent of Divine Love by accepting death on a Cross, rather than give up His Mission. He proved His Divinity by His miracles, above all by His Resurrection.
Truly, only by His Death and Resurrection did Christ defeat sin and death; and that saving work is made present now, in what we call a sacramental manner. Hidden under the appearance of bread and wine, Jesus Christ is bodily Present with us, offering His once-for-all Sacrifice to the Father, in the Spirit.
Satan, the wicked Angel, imagined that death would defeat the 'Son of Man'. Yet Jesus conquered both death and Satan by rising from the dead. In private prayer, and at Mass where Jesus' Sacrifice is re-presented, we are right to praise and thank our Saviour for shedding His Blood on the Cross, for our sakes, and re-uniting Heaven and earth by his love and obedience.
Truly, the Mass is the re-presentation of the unique, saving Sacrifice which Christ offered on Calvary. Here, He prays for us to His Father in Heaven, that we will be forgiven and made holy.
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