From Jesus, King of Love
INTRODUCTION: Now, I am going to let you in on a secret – the secret of my spiritual life. When I travel on the train, I say, ten, twenty ‘Masses of St. John’ – Masses in honor of the Blessed Trinity. There is no prayer like that. I have but three devotions: My Mass, my breviary, my rosary. The breviary is beautiful, but you cannot compare it with the Mass. There is no prayer like the Mass. As I travel, I offer my Mass on the altar of the holy Will of God, offering it in union with the thousands of priests saying Mass continuously, perpetually. I am tired, I cannot prepare conferences – I offer Mass instead. I said four or five Masses this morning. I do it the whole day. It unites my heart, my will with priests at the altar.
When I awake during the night, the first thing I do is to take the shortest form of the Mass of St. John, ‘Suscipe… Offerimus…’ ‘Hoc est enim Corpus Meum’ … ‘Hic est enim Calix Sanguinis Mei …’ ‘Domine, non sum dignus…’ ‘Corpus Domini Jesu Christi… Sanguis Domini Jesu Christi, custodiant animam meam in vitam aeternam. Amen!’ (The offering of the Host, the Chalice, the Consecration, Domine non sum dignus, the Communion prayers of the priest.)
I hope to die saying Mass – between two consecrations… Learn these prayers by heart and then during the day you can live the wonderful grace of your Mass. You have a few moments free –say a Mass of St. John. You wake up at night – say a Mass…
I remember preaching in a big community in California. The Mother Superior said to me one day, “Father, I want to thank you. Yesterday after your conference about Holy Mass I went to the infirmary to see a poor sister who suffers terribly and who cannot sleep at all, especially during the night. She was smiling. Mother, I have learned the secret of how to pass the night – the Mass of St. John. Thank Father for me for having told us about it.”
The Mass of Saint John
Offering of the Host
Accept, O holy Father, almighty and eternal God, this unspotted host, which I, Thy unworthy servant, offer unto Thee, my living and true God, for my innumerable sins, offenses, and negligences, and for all here present: as also for all faithful Christians, both living and dead, that it may avail both me and them for salvation unto life everlasting. Amen.
Offering of the Chalice
We offer unto Thee, O Lord, the chalice of salvation, beseeching Thy clemency, that it may ascend before Thy divine Majesty, as a sweet savor, for our salvation, and for that of the whole world. Amen.
The Consecration
“For this is my Body.”
“For this is the chalice of my Blood of the new and eternal testament, the mystery of faith; which shall be shed for you and for many unto the remission of sins.”
Domine, Non Sum Dignus
Lord, I am not worthy that Thou shouldst enter under my roof; say but the word, and my soul shall be healed.
The Communion Prayers
The Body of our Lord Jesus Christ preserve my soul unto life everlasting. Amen.
The Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ preserve my soul unto life everlasting. Amen.