More honour is paid to God by a single Mass than by all other actions of Angels and men, even the most fervent or heroic. Yet how many are attracted to Mass by the intention of rendering to God an honour so extraordinary? Are there many who reflect with pleasure on the glory that the Almighty receives from this sacrifice, who rejoice at having it in their power to honour God according to His greatness and His deserts; who give thanks to our Divine Lord for having, while He abolished the ancient sacrifices, left us a Victim proportioned to the benefits we need, a Victim sufficient to efface all the sins of men?

If my own good works are weak, imperfect, nay, sometimes stained with venial sin; still when I offer up the adorable sacrifice of the Mass, then, O my God, I can be full of courage and confidence, I can challenge heaven itself to perform any action more pleasing to Thee. Happy a thousand times are Christians, if they but knew how to make profit of their advantages!

With what intentions do we come to Mass, with what fervour and recollection do we assist at it?  Do you come through human respect, through custom, (just to avoid mortal sin on a Sunday or holiday, and not at all on other days, though you well might)?  Do you allow yourself during Mass to be carried away by idle thoughts, keeping no control of your eyes and your attention?

Have you, then, nothing to thank God for? Have you continued to thank Him sufficiently, as warmly as He deserves?  Take care lest by ingratitude you dry up the fountain of His beneficence towards you, lest He divert to some more grateful recipient the blessings He intended for you.

"Without the Sacrifice of the Mass", says a holy doctor, "the world would have been destroyed by the Divine justice many times; the Mass restrains the arm of the Divine vengeance." That is why the demon endeavours to deprive us of the Mass by the efforts of heretics (and of men who hate God); for he sees that mankind would perish had it not this bulwark to oppose to the offended justice of God.