64. The Holy Sacrifice of the Mass
46. The Holy Mass
It seems that the term “Holy Sacrifice of the Mass”—which comes from the Latin mittere, “to send”—was used as early as the fourth century by St. Ambrose of Milan (339–397). Other terms have also been used to refer to the Mass, especially Eucharist, Breaking of the Bread, and the Supper of the Lord, an expression of ancient Christian tradition but often incorrectly employed by Protestants.1
The three divine Persons are present in the sacrifice of the altar. By the will of the Father, with the cooperation of the Holy Spirit, the Son offers himself in a redemptive sacrifice.…
The Mass is, I insist, an action of God, of the Trinity. It is not a merely human event. The priest who celebrates fulfils the desire of our Lord, lending his body and his voice to the divine action. He acts, not in his own name, but in persona et in nomine Christi: in the person of Christ and in his name.2
46a) Sacrifices
Generally speaking, sacrifice (from sacrum facere, “to make sacred” or “to transform into something sacred”) is an act of religious virtue, the highest form of adoration. It can be more strictly defined as the offering of something sensible—a victim—in order to show the supreme excellence of God and his supreme dominion over all creatures. The victim should be destroyed, or at least partially removed from human use, as an act of submission to the divine majesty. A sacrifice is not merely an oblation. Whereas an oblation only offers something to God (as in the case of alms), a sacrifice also immolates, or somehow destroys, what is offered. Thus a real sacrifice requires:
· a physical, sensible thing,
· the destruction of this thing, or at least the change of its natural use (killing an animal, burning food, or pouring wine or oil over the altar),
· a legitimate minister (the main role of the priest, both in natural religion and in the Old Testament, is offering sacrifices),
· that it be offered to God in acknowledgement of his supreme and absolute authority over humanity and nature.
46b) The Mass is a Sacrifice
The Mass is the memorial of the sacrifice of the Lord. It meets all of the above conditions of a sacrifice. It is the perfect sacrifice that the Old Testament prefigured variously by the sacrifice of Abraham, the sacrifice of Melchizedek, the sacrifice of the paschal lamb, and the sacrifice prophesied by Malachi (cf. Gn 22:1–13; 14:17–20; Ex 12:1–14; Mal 1:10–11).
Consequently, the Holy Mass is the only sacrifice of the New Law: The messengers who heralded the coming of a person are no longer needed once that person has arrived.
When our Lord instituted the Eucharist during the last supper, night had already fallen. This indicated, according to St. John Chrysostom, that “the times had run their course.” The world had fallen into darkness, for the old rites, the old signs of God’s infinite mercy to mankind, were going to be brought to fulfillment. The way was opening to a new dawn—the new pasch. The Eucharist was instituted during that night, preparing in advance for the morning of the resurrection.3
It is a dogma of faith that the Holy Mass is a true sacrifice. Although the Church had acknowledged this truth since her beginning, the Council of Trent solemnly defined this against the Protestant heresy.4
It is also a dogma of faith that the sacrifice of the Mass is the “renewal,” without bloodshed, of the blood-shedding sacrifice of Calvary.5 Instead of renewal, the terms re-presentation (to make present once again) or reenactment (to perform once again) might be used. However, this could lead to a misunderstanding, since they are also used to denote dramatic and other essentially fictional representations, which is clearly not the case here. Thus, none of these terms exactly describes what happens in the Mass. Rather, the Mass incorporates us into a present redeeming act of Christ, which is substantially the same as the sacrifice of the cross. We use the expressions reenact, re-actualize, and make present to signify this occurrence.
47. The Institution and Essence of the Mass
During the Last Supper, our Lord anticipated the bloody sacrifice that he would accomplish once and for all on the cross the following day for the Redemption of the world.6
The Gospel narrative states that after the traditional songs, our Lord, departing from Jewish custom, got up and washed the disciples’ feet with the “second water” intended to be used for washing the hands of the guests toward the end of the meal. Then, he sat down and gave them the commandment of love (cf. Jn 13:1–17). He expressed his desire (cf. Lk 22:15ff) to eat that Passover with them, since he would not eat any other. Meanwhile, he told the disciples that he would not drink of the fruit of the vine any more (cf. Lk 22:18). The hour of his Passion was approaching.
Then he took bread, possibly a loaf that had been left on the table as custom required to indicate that no more food was going to be served, marking the end of the meal. He pronounced over it a “blessing” or “thanksgiving.” He consecrated the bread—“This is my Body …”—broke it, and gave it to the disciples.
Toward the end of the meal, probably when the third cup was served, he consecrated it—“This is the cup of my blood …” (Lk 22:20)—and gave it to them to drink.
After the institution of the Eucharist, Christ commanded the apostles to celebrate it until his return and “constituted them as priests of the New Covenant.”7
With this ceremony, our Lord anticipated his own immolation and oblation, which were to be accomplished on Calvary the following day. At the same time, he instituted the Mass to perpetuate the sacrifice of the cross. The Mass, however, is not merely a “renewal” of that supper. It is a mystical and real renewal, or reenactment, of the death of Christ on the cross—just as the Last Supper was a mystical and real anticipation of that death.
“Do this in memory of me.” With these words, Jesus meant: “Do not just hold a remembrance or memorial, a theatrical representation of what I have done. Rather do this, what I myself have done as I have done it. Do not celebrate a new sacrifice, different or unrelated to my oblation, but offer exactly what I have offered and drink the chalice that I have drunk.”
Jesus instituted the Eucharist during the Jewish paschal celebration. He was bringing the paschal feast to its completion; he was renewing it and replacing it with the definitive sacrifice.
During the Last Supper, Jesus made a reference to the Sinai covenant: The New Covenant sealed with his blood was to be the eternal one. What had only been foreshadowed now became a reality: communion of life between God and man. When Jesus said in the Last Supper, “This cup … is the new covenant in my blood” (Lk 22:20), he was repeating Moses’ very words. However, now it became the new alliance that will never be broken. Those who receive the Eucharist become part of the new people of God. The old sacrifices offered in the Temple came to an end. The sacrifices of bullocks, goats, and lambs offered by the Jews found completion in Christ’s sacrifice.
The immense value of the Mass comes precisely from its identity with the sacrifice of the cross: Both are one and the same sacrifice.8
Certainly, the offering is the same on the cross and in the Mass: Christ, really present in the Mass in a sacramental way. The offerer, the principal priest, is also the same, since the minister of the Mass acts in the name and in the person of Christ. Only the manner in which the sacrifice is offered differs: Christ shed his blood on the cross, while in the Mass, there is no bloodshed.9
There are, however, some easily understood accidental differences between the sacrifice on the cross and that of the Mass:
· Christ offered himself on the cross in his “passible” state: subject to suffering and death. In the Mass, he is in his glorious state: immortal and free from all sufferings.
· Christ offered himself on the cross directly, whereas in the Mass, he does so through the priest. In a certain way, the priest is identified with Christ at the moment of the consecration in which the priest acts in the person and name of Christ--in persona et nomine Christi.
· Christ earned our redemption on the cross; in the Mass, that redemption is applied to us.
The essence of the sacrifice of the Mass is the sacramental separation of the body and blood of our Lord through the double consecration of the bread and wine. Nevertheless, as we have seen, the whole of Christ is actually present under both species. The crucial moment of the Mass is, therefore, the consecration. The species are later destroyed in the communion of the priest, which does not belong to the essence of the Mass.10 Still, it does belong to the integrity of the sacrifice, and, consequently, the priest must consume both species.
48. The Mass: The Sacrifice of the Church
The Eucharist is also the sacrifice of the Church.11 The Church, the body of Christ, offers herself in union with the offering of her head, Christ. The Church unites herself to Christ in his intercession for all humanity. Christ is the only priest and victim; the entire Church participates in this double role. The life of the faithful, their praise, their suffering, their work, and their prayer are united to Christ. This total offering, thus, acquires a new value.
In the Mass, the entire Church—even those members in heaven—is, with Mary, at the foot of the cross participating in the offering and intercession of Christ.
The Passion and death of Jesus summarizes and crowns the redemptive work carried out during his life. The Holy Mass, a bloodless renewal of this sacrifice done by the Church, similarly summarizes and crowns her saving work, which is a continuation of that of Christ.
Consequently, the Holy Mass is both the center of the life of the Church and of the life of each of the faithful. “In a special way Christ stays with us in the daily offering of the holy Eucharist. That is why the Mass is the center and source of Christian life.”12 “With Christ in our soul, we end the holy Mass. The blessing of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit accompanies us all day long, as we go about our simple, normal task of making holy all honest human activity.”13
49. The Minister of the Holy Mass
Christ fundamentally offers the sacrifice of the Mass. He is the priest and the victim. The pope is associated in a special way in every celebration of the Mass. The local bishop is always responsible for the Eucharist—his name is mentioned—even though a priest celebrates Mass in the name of Christ.14
In a different sense, the Mass is also offered by the faithful who attend it. As the Roman Canon indicates: “Remember all of us gathered here before you.… We offer you this sacrifice of praise for ourselves and those who are dear to us.” Even those who are absent participate in the offering of the Mass:
May this offering be effective for the salvation of all men--Orate, fraters, the priest invites the people to pray—because this sacrifice is yours and mine, it is the sacrifice of the whole Church. Pray, brethren, although there may not be many present, although materially there may be only one person there, although the celebrant may find himself alone; because every Mass is a universal sacrifice, the redemption of every tribe and tongue and people and nation (cf. Rv 5:9).15
50. The Ends or Effects of the Holy Mass
The ends of the Mass exactly correspond to the ends of the sacrifice of Calvary, as we could also have deduced from their identity. There are four:
i) Latreutic: the adoration of God16
ii) Eucharistic: thanksgiving17
iii) Propitiatory: atonement for the sins of the living and the dead18
iv) Impetratory: petition of supernatural and natural goods
These ends are attained in the following manner:
· Insofar as the Mass is the work of Christ, the ends are reached ex opere operato; insofar as it is the work of the celebrant and the attendants, ex opere operantis, that is, according to the quality of their dispositions.
· The effects directly related to God (adoration and acts of thanksgiving) are produced infallibly, but those dependent on people (propitiation and impetration) are not. As is generally the case with prayers, the impetratory effect is attained if the request is convenient for the subject possessing the proper dispositions to receive it.
51. The Fruits of the Holy Mass
There are four fruits of the Mass:
i) General benefit the whole militant and suffering Church:
Through the communion of the saints, all Christians receive grace from every Mass that is celebrated, regardless of whether there is an attendance of thousands of persons, or whether it is only a boy with his mind on other things who is there to serve.19
ii) Special benefit those attending the Mass.
iii) Most special benefit the priest who celebrates it.
iv) Ministerial benefit those for whom the Holy Mass is offered.20
52. The Application of the Fruits of the Mass
Only the priest celebrating the Mass can apply the ministerial fruits. It can be offered for the living or the dead. In the latter case, it is offered as a suffrage, that is to say, it is offered to God in the hope that he considers it according to his infinite justice and wisdom.21
53. The Obligation to Celebrate Mass
Remembering always that in the mystery of the Eucharistic Sacrifice the work of redemption is continually being carried out, priests are to celebrate frequently. Indeed, daily celebration is earnestly recommended, because, even if it should not be possible to have the faithful present, it is an action of Christ and of the Church in which priests fulfill their principal role.22
The Second Vatican Council made this recommendation with the same words as the old Code.23
In the old Code, priests (merely because they were priests) were bound to say Mass only several times every year, although it was recommended that they celebrate at least on Sundays and holidays of obligation.24
Any ecclesiastical office (bishops, parish priests, etc.) brings with it the additional obligation of saying Mass and offering it for the people on many important celebrations and all Sundays. These are specified both for the entire Church and for each diocese.25 The Mass offerings received and accepted also entail an obligation to say Mass.
On some days of the year (i.e., Christmas, All Souls’ Day), priests of the Latin Rite are allowed to celebrate three Masses. For pastoral reasons, they may also receive permission to say two Masses on ordinary days and three Masses on holy days of obligation. This permission is given by the bishop either in general or for specific cases.26
54. Mass Offerings
The origin of Mass offerings derives from the early offering of bread and wine made by the faithful at the offertory. Since they would bring more than was needed, what was not used in the Mass was left for the priest’s sustenance and for almsgiving.
The Mass offering is not a payment for the Mass—this would be simony. The Mass offering is alms given to the priest for his sustenance on the occasion of asking him to apply the Mass for a specific intention. Regarding the amount, the practice established in the diocese must be followed. Needless to say, the donor may also be more generous.27
The Mass offering must not be confused with the allowance that could be given to a priest for transportation expenses or for celebrating the Mass in a specific place and time.
55. The Manner of Celebrating of the Holy Mass
Since the Holy Mass is the most important rite of the Church, it is not surprising that canon law, since the earliest times, meticulously specifies the manner of its celebration, down to even the smallest details.
There are abundant prescriptions about the place, altar, sacred vessels, vestments, gestures of the priest, and words he has to say. All these norms bind in conscience with greater or lesser gravity according to the importance of each one.
56. The Most August Sacrament
In summary, we will quote the opening canon of the chapter devoted to this sacrament in the present Code of Canon Law:
The most august sacrament is the blessed Eucharist, in which Christ the Lord himself is contained, offered and received, and by which the Church continually lives and grows. The Eucharistic Sacrifice, the memorial of the death and resurrection of the Lord, in which the Sacrifice of the cross is for ever perpetuated, is the summit and the source of all worship and Christian life. By means of it the unity of God’s people is signified and brought about, and the building up of the body of Christ is perfected. The other sacraments and all the ecclesiastical works of the apostolate are bound up with, and directed to, the blessed Eucharist.28
Footnotes:
1. Cf. CCC, 1337–1372.
2. St. Josemaría Escrivá, Christ is Passing By, 86.
3. Ibid., 155. Author’s emphasis; cf. St. John Chrysostom, In Matt. Homiliae, 82.1 (PG 58. 700).
4. Cf. DS 1739, 1758; CCC, 1357, 1365ff.
5. Cf. DS 1743, 1753; CCC, 1366.
6. Cf. CCC, 1337–1344.
7. DS 1740.
8. Cf. C. Belmonte, Understanding the Mass, 3; CCC, 1367.
9. Cf. DS 1743; CCC, 1365.
10. This is sententia communior: cf. D.M. Prummer, O.P., Manuale Theologiae Moralis (Barcelona: Herder, 1955), 3.232–233.
11. Cf. CCC, 1368–1372.
12. St. Josemaría Escrivá, Christ is Passing By, 102.
13. Ibid., 91.
14. Cf. CCC, 1369.
15. St. Josemaría Escrivá, Christ is Passing By, 89.
16. Cf. CCC, 1361.
17. Cf. Ibid., 1359–1360.
18. Cf. DS 1743, 1753.
19. St. Josemaría Escrivá, Christ is Passing By, 89.
20. Cf. CIC, 901.
21. Cf. CCC, 1371.
22. CIC, 904.
23. Cf. PO, 13.
24. Cf. Codex Iuris Canonici of 1917, c. 805.
25. Cf. CIC, 388, 429, 534.
26. Cf. Ibid., 905.
27. Cf. Ibid., 945–958.
28. Ibid., 897.
It seems that the term “Holy Sacrifice of the Mass”—which comes from the Latin mittere, “to send”—was used as early as the fourth century by St. Ambrose of Milan (339–397). Other terms have also been used to refer to the Mass, especially Eucharist, Breaking of the Bread, and the Supper of the Lord, an expression of ancient Christian tradition but often incorrectly employed by Protestants.1
The three divine Persons are present in the sacrifice of the altar. By the will of the Father, with the cooperation of the Holy Spirit, the Son offers himself in a redemptive sacrifice.…
The Mass is, I insist, an action of God, of the Trinity. It is not a merely human event. The priest who celebrates fulfils the desire of our Lord, lending his body and his voice to the divine action. He acts, not in his own name, but in persona et in nomine Christi: in the person of Christ and in his name.2
46a) Sacrifices
Generally speaking, sacrifice (from sacrum facere, “to make sacred” or “to transform into something sacred”) is an act of religious virtue, the highest form of adoration. It can be more strictly defined as the offering of something sensible—a victim—in order to show the supreme excellence of God and his supreme dominion over all creatures. The victim should be destroyed, or at least partially removed from human use, as an act of submission to the divine majesty. A sacrifice is not merely an oblation. Whereas an oblation only offers something to God (as in the case of alms), a sacrifice also immolates, or somehow destroys, what is offered. Thus a real sacrifice requires:
· a physical, sensible thing,
· the destruction of this thing, or at least the change of its natural use (killing an animal, burning food, or pouring wine or oil over the altar),
· a legitimate minister (the main role of the priest, both in natural religion and in the Old Testament, is offering sacrifices),
· that it be offered to God in acknowledgement of his supreme and absolute authority over humanity and nature.
46b) The Mass is a Sacrifice
The Mass is the memorial of the sacrifice of the Lord. It meets all of the above conditions of a sacrifice. It is the perfect sacrifice that the Old Testament prefigured variously by the sacrifice of Abraham, the sacrifice of Melchizedek, the sacrifice of the paschal lamb, and the sacrifice prophesied by Malachi (cf. Gn 22:1–13; 14:17–20; Ex 12:1–14; Mal 1:10–11).
Consequently, the Holy Mass is the only sacrifice of the New Law: The messengers who heralded the coming of a person are no longer needed once that person has arrived.
When our Lord instituted the Eucharist during the last supper, night had already fallen. This indicated, according to St. John Chrysostom, that “the times had run their course.” The world had fallen into darkness, for the old rites, the old signs of God’s infinite mercy to mankind, were going to be brought to fulfillment. The way was opening to a new dawn—the new pasch. The Eucharist was instituted during that night, preparing in advance for the morning of the resurrection.3
It is a dogma of faith that the Holy Mass is a true sacrifice. Although the Church had acknowledged this truth since her beginning, the Council of Trent solemnly defined this against the Protestant heresy.4
It is also a dogma of faith that the sacrifice of the Mass is the “renewal,” without bloodshed, of the blood-shedding sacrifice of Calvary.5 Instead of renewal, the terms re-presentation (to make present once again) or reenactment (to perform once again) might be used. However, this could lead to a misunderstanding, since they are also used to denote dramatic and other essentially fictional representations, which is clearly not the case here. Thus, none of these terms exactly describes what happens in the Mass. Rather, the Mass incorporates us into a present redeeming act of Christ, which is substantially the same as the sacrifice of the cross. We use the expressions reenact, re-actualize, and make present to signify this occurrence.
47. The Institution and Essence of the Mass
During the Last Supper, our Lord anticipated the bloody sacrifice that he would accomplish once and for all on the cross the following day for the Redemption of the world.6
The Gospel narrative states that after the traditional songs, our Lord, departing from Jewish custom, got up and washed the disciples’ feet with the “second water” intended to be used for washing the hands of the guests toward the end of the meal. Then, he sat down and gave them the commandment of love (cf. Jn 13:1–17). He expressed his desire (cf. Lk 22:15ff) to eat that Passover with them, since he would not eat any other. Meanwhile, he told the disciples that he would not drink of the fruit of the vine any more (cf. Lk 22:18). The hour of his Passion was approaching.
Then he took bread, possibly a loaf that had been left on the table as custom required to indicate that no more food was going to be served, marking the end of the meal. He pronounced over it a “blessing” or “thanksgiving.” He consecrated the bread—“This is my Body …”—broke it, and gave it to the disciples.
Toward the end of the meal, probably when the third cup was served, he consecrated it—“This is the cup of my blood …” (Lk 22:20)—and gave it to them to drink.
After the institution of the Eucharist, Christ commanded the apostles to celebrate it until his return and “constituted them as priests of the New Covenant.”7
With this ceremony, our Lord anticipated his own immolation and oblation, which were to be accomplished on Calvary the following day. At the same time, he instituted the Mass to perpetuate the sacrifice of the cross. The Mass, however, is not merely a “renewal” of that supper. It is a mystical and real renewal, or reenactment, of the death of Christ on the cross—just as the Last Supper was a mystical and real anticipation of that death.
“Do this in memory of me.” With these words, Jesus meant: “Do not just hold a remembrance or memorial, a theatrical representation of what I have done. Rather do this, what I myself have done as I have done it. Do not celebrate a new sacrifice, different or unrelated to my oblation, but offer exactly what I have offered and drink the chalice that I have drunk.”
Jesus instituted the Eucharist during the Jewish paschal celebration. He was bringing the paschal feast to its completion; he was renewing it and replacing it with the definitive sacrifice.
During the Last Supper, Jesus made a reference to the Sinai covenant: The New Covenant sealed with his blood was to be the eternal one. What had only been foreshadowed now became a reality: communion of life between God and man. When Jesus said in the Last Supper, “This cup … is the new covenant in my blood” (Lk 22:20), he was repeating Moses’ very words. However, now it became the new alliance that will never be broken. Those who receive the Eucharist become part of the new people of God. The old sacrifices offered in the Temple came to an end. The sacrifices of bullocks, goats, and lambs offered by the Jews found completion in Christ’s sacrifice.
The immense value of the Mass comes precisely from its identity with the sacrifice of the cross: Both are one and the same sacrifice.8
Certainly, the offering is the same on the cross and in the Mass: Christ, really present in the Mass in a sacramental way. The offerer, the principal priest, is also the same, since the minister of the Mass acts in the name and in the person of Christ. Only the manner in which the sacrifice is offered differs: Christ shed his blood on the cross, while in the Mass, there is no bloodshed.9
There are, however, some easily understood accidental differences between the sacrifice on the cross and that of the Mass:
· Christ offered himself on the cross in his “passible” state: subject to suffering and death. In the Mass, he is in his glorious state: immortal and free from all sufferings.
· Christ offered himself on the cross directly, whereas in the Mass, he does so through the priest. In a certain way, the priest is identified with Christ at the moment of the consecration in which the priest acts in the person and name of Christ--in persona et nomine Christi.
· Christ earned our redemption on the cross; in the Mass, that redemption is applied to us.
The essence of the sacrifice of the Mass is the sacramental separation of the body and blood of our Lord through the double consecration of the bread and wine. Nevertheless, as we have seen, the whole of Christ is actually present under both species. The crucial moment of the Mass is, therefore, the consecration. The species are later destroyed in the communion of the priest, which does not belong to the essence of the Mass.10 Still, it does belong to the integrity of the sacrifice, and, consequently, the priest must consume both species.
48. The Mass: The Sacrifice of the Church
The Eucharist is also the sacrifice of the Church.11 The Church, the body of Christ, offers herself in union with the offering of her head, Christ. The Church unites herself to Christ in his intercession for all humanity. Christ is the only priest and victim; the entire Church participates in this double role. The life of the faithful, their praise, their suffering, their work, and their prayer are united to Christ. This total offering, thus, acquires a new value.
In the Mass, the entire Church—even those members in heaven—is, with Mary, at the foot of the cross participating in the offering and intercession of Christ.
The Passion and death of Jesus summarizes and crowns the redemptive work carried out during his life. The Holy Mass, a bloodless renewal of this sacrifice done by the Church, similarly summarizes and crowns her saving work, which is a continuation of that of Christ.
Consequently, the Holy Mass is both the center of the life of the Church and of the life of each of the faithful. “In a special way Christ stays with us in the daily offering of the holy Eucharist. That is why the Mass is the center and source of Christian life.”12 “With Christ in our soul, we end the holy Mass. The blessing of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit accompanies us all day long, as we go about our simple, normal task of making holy all honest human activity.”13
49. The Minister of the Holy Mass
Christ fundamentally offers the sacrifice of the Mass. He is the priest and the victim. The pope is associated in a special way in every celebration of the Mass. The local bishop is always responsible for the Eucharist—his name is mentioned—even though a priest celebrates Mass in the name of Christ.14
In a different sense, the Mass is also offered by the faithful who attend it. As the Roman Canon indicates: “Remember all of us gathered here before you.… We offer you this sacrifice of praise for ourselves and those who are dear to us.” Even those who are absent participate in the offering of the Mass:
May this offering be effective for the salvation of all men--Orate, fraters, the priest invites the people to pray—because this sacrifice is yours and mine, it is the sacrifice of the whole Church. Pray, brethren, although there may not be many present, although materially there may be only one person there, although the celebrant may find himself alone; because every Mass is a universal sacrifice, the redemption of every tribe and tongue and people and nation (cf. Rv 5:9).15
50. The Ends or Effects of the Holy Mass
The ends of the Mass exactly correspond to the ends of the sacrifice of Calvary, as we could also have deduced from their identity. There are four:
i) Latreutic: the adoration of God16
ii) Eucharistic: thanksgiving17
iii) Propitiatory: atonement for the sins of the living and the dead18
iv) Impetratory: petition of supernatural and natural goods
These ends are attained in the following manner:
· Insofar as the Mass is the work of Christ, the ends are reached ex opere operato; insofar as it is the work of the celebrant and the attendants, ex opere operantis, that is, according to the quality of their dispositions.
· The effects directly related to God (adoration and acts of thanksgiving) are produced infallibly, but those dependent on people (propitiation and impetration) are not. As is generally the case with prayers, the impetratory effect is attained if the request is convenient for the subject possessing the proper dispositions to receive it.
51. The Fruits of the Holy Mass
There are four fruits of the Mass:
i) General benefit the whole militant and suffering Church:
Through the communion of the saints, all Christians receive grace from every Mass that is celebrated, regardless of whether there is an attendance of thousands of persons, or whether it is only a boy with his mind on other things who is there to serve.19
ii) Special benefit those attending the Mass.
iii) Most special benefit the priest who celebrates it.
iv) Ministerial benefit those for whom the Holy Mass is offered.20
52. The Application of the Fruits of the Mass
Only the priest celebrating the Mass can apply the ministerial fruits. It can be offered for the living or the dead. In the latter case, it is offered as a suffrage, that is to say, it is offered to God in the hope that he considers it according to his infinite justice and wisdom.21
53. The Obligation to Celebrate Mass
Remembering always that in the mystery of the Eucharistic Sacrifice the work of redemption is continually being carried out, priests are to celebrate frequently. Indeed, daily celebration is earnestly recommended, because, even if it should not be possible to have the faithful present, it is an action of Christ and of the Church in which priests fulfill their principal role.22
The Second Vatican Council made this recommendation with the same words as the old Code.23
In the old Code, priests (merely because they were priests) were bound to say Mass only several times every year, although it was recommended that they celebrate at least on Sundays and holidays of obligation.24
Any ecclesiastical office (bishops, parish priests, etc.) brings with it the additional obligation of saying Mass and offering it for the people on many important celebrations and all Sundays. These are specified both for the entire Church and for each diocese.25 The Mass offerings received and accepted also entail an obligation to say Mass.
On some days of the year (i.e., Christmas, All Souls’ Day), priests of the Latin Rite are allowed to celebrate three Masses. For pastoral reasons, they may also receive permission to say two Masses on ordinary days and three Masses on holy days of obligation. This permission is given by the bishop either in general or for specific cases.26
54. Mass Offerings
The origin of Mass offerings derives from the early offering of bread and wine made by the faithful at the offertory. Since they would bring more than was needed, what was not used in the Mass was left for the priest’s sustenance and for almsgiving.
The Mass offering is not a payment for the Mass—this would be simony. The Mass offering is alms given to the priest for his sustenance on the occasion of asking him to apply the Mass for a specific intention. Regarding the amount, the practice established in the diocese must be followed. Needless to say, the donor may also be more generous.27
The Mass offering must not be confused with the allowance that could be given to a priest for transportation expenses or for celebrating the Mass in a specific place and time.
55. The Manner of Celebrating of the Holy Mass
Since the Holy Mass is the most important rite of the Church, it is not surprising that canon law, since the earliest times, meticulously specifies the manner of its celebration, down to even the smallest details.
There are abundant prescriptions about the place, altar, sacred vessels, vestments, gestures of the priest, and words he has to say. All these norms bind in conscience with greater or lesser gravity according to the importance of each one.
56. The Most August Sacrament
In summary, we will quote the opening canon of the chapter devoted to this sacrament in the present Code of Canon Law:
The most august sacrament is the blessed Eucharist, in which Christ the Lord himself is contained, offered and received, and by which the Church continually lives and grows. The Eucharistic Sacrifice, the memorial of the death and resurrection of the Lord, in which the Sacrifice of the cross is for ever perpetuated, is the summit and the source of all worship and Christian life. By means of it the unity of God’s people is signified and brought about, and the building up of the body of Christ is perfected. The other sacraments and all the ecclesiastical works of the apostolate are bound up with, and directed to, the blessed Eucharist.28
Footnotes:
1. Cf. CCC, 1337–1372.
2. St. Josemaría Escrivá, Christ is Passing By, 86.
3. Ibid., 155. Author’s emphasis; cf. St. John Chrysostom, In Matt. Homiliae, 82.1 (PG 58. 700).
4. Cf. DS 1739, 1758; CCC, 1357, 1365ff.
5. Cf. DS 1743, 1753; CCC, 1366.
6. Cf. CCC, 1337–1344.
7. DS 1740.
8. Cf. C. Belmonte, Understanding the Mass, 3; CCC, 1367.
9. Cf. DS 1743; CCC, 1365.
10. This is sententia communior: cf. D.M. Prummer, O.P., Manuale Theologiae Moralis (Barcelona: Herder, 1955), 3.232–233.
11. Cf. CCC, 1368–1372.
12. St. Josemaría Escrivá, Christ is Passing By, 102.
13. Ibid., 91.
14. Cf. CCC, 1369.
15. St. Josemaría Escrivá, Christ is Passing By, 89.
16. Cf. CCC, 1361.
17. Cf. Ibid., 1359–1360.
18. Cf. DS 1743, 1753.
19. St. Josemaría Escrivá, Christ is Passing By, 89.
20. Cf. CIC, 901.
21. Cf. CCC, 1371.
22. CIC, 904.
23. Cf. PO, 13.
24. Cf. Codex Iuris Canonici of 1917, c. 805.
25. Cf. CIC, 388, 429, 534.
26. Cf. Ibid., 905.
27. Cf. Ibid., 945–958.
28. Ibid., 897.