I wonder how many of today’s trendier Blessed Sacrament Fathers would disavow the writings of one of their confreres now long dead, Père Chauvin, whose article I found in one of their publications dated 1917. Father presents a meditation still applicable today, and most pertinent to us in these days of diabolical confusion. God never changes; neither does His Truth. Let’s take to heart what Father wrote and recall this teaching when at our next Mass:
The Mass, A Continuation of the Sacrifice of the Cross
Père Chauvin, S. S. S.
The Holy Mass is the continuation of the Sacrifice of the Cross. We may, alas! behold renewed at the foot of this new Calvary the sacrilegious scenes displayed on Golgotha on Good Friday.
Which one am I?
When Jesus was agonizing on the Cross, there might be seen several groups scattered over the plateau and the slopes of Golgotha. Jesus’ enemies were numerous. Only a few pious women and some close friends were standing around the Cross. We again find, alas! at the foot of the altar the same hostile sentiments, the same indifferent and defiant attitude.
First, look at the executioners. “They are tearing off the Saviour’s garments which are adhering to His blood-covered Flesh. They are mocking at His nudity and roughly nailing Him to the Cross. They are drenching Him with vinegar and gall and, under His very eyes, they are jocosely sharing His poor garments among them.”
Pardon, O Divine Saviour, for all these new executioners who come to maltreat Thee even on the Calvary of Thy love! Grant mercy to all who in the course of ages have violated Thy temples and tabernacles! for all who have sacrilegiously shared the spoils of Thy altars, for all who have cast Thee on the ground, covered Thee with spittle, trodden Thee under foot, insulted Thee with the genuflections of the praetorium…for all who have scourged Thee in their heart by sacrilegious Communions….!
At the foot of the Cross we meet blasphemers, wagging their head and mocking Jesus.
Pardon, O divine Saviour, for all those that pursue Thee to the altar with their blasphemies and arrogant defiance!…
Pardon for all those heretics that twist and pervert the Divine Word, in order to turn it against the Mass !…
Numbers pass by at the foot of the Cross without pausing, satisfied with casting a rapid glance on the Divine Crucified.
These are the indifferent.
Pardon for that new legion of indifferents who deign not even to [disturb] their occupations or their pleasures to assist at the Sacrifice of Calvary continued on the altar!
Lastly, a multitude of Jews remain at a great distance from the Cross, contented with curiously regarding Jesus’ crucifixion and agony. Others turn their attention to the various actors on the scene. They exchange extravagant and imbecile remarks with one another, and turn away well-pleased at being able to kill some hours of their time with a spectacle not seen every day. The soldiers find their amusement in playing dice at the very foot of the gibbet of the Cross.
Pardon, O Divine Saviour, for all who go to Mass as to a public performance! They neglect all that is passing at the altar, in order to view the externals, the lights, the decorations…. Their heart, perpetually distracted by their own affairs and interests, is far from Thee.
Mary, Our Lady of the Most Blessed Sacrament, and my tender Mother, increase in souls at this moment faith in the Divine Sacrifice of the altar, for if it does not save them, it will be their eternal loss.
