E SACRIFICE OF THE MASS

THE FOUR ENDS OF SACRIFICE.
sion, goes some way towards it. Many Masses may be
needed before John s conversion is secured. If John
does what in him lies he will get further grace to stir
his heart to repentance and to seek reconciliation and
pardon in the Tribunal of Penance. The Council of
Trent, in the passage quoted above, must not be under
stood to teach that Mass of itself forgives "enormous
crimes." Mass does not forgive the sins of John.
Mass wins for John, supposing he accepts and uses the
grace offered, the additional grace to make a good
confession, and thus to have his sins forgiven.
Let us now turn to James, who is free from grave
sin. What benefit does he receive from the Mass said
for him ? First, that Mass as the action of Christ,
who is the chief Celebrant in every Mass, necessarily
and infallibly satisfies for some of the temporal punish
ment due to past sins, the guilt of which has been
forgiven ; secondly, it obtains fresh graces for James,
strengthening him against temptation or fall, enabling
him to lead a holier life and to persevere in God s
service.
By Mass also (Council of Trent, Sess. xxii. ch.
i)
we obtain forgiveness of daily small faults through those
actual graces which stir us to sorrow and repentance.
For no sin great or small is ever forgiven after we have
come to the use of reason without sorrow and purpose
of amendment.
Mass remits the punishment of the living due
to mortal and venial sins after the guilt has been
forgiven in virtue of its being satisfactory. This
remission is infallible, relying on the merits of Christ ;
but to what extent punishment is remitted remains
unknown. St. Thomas says: "Although this offering of
the Mass, so far as its quality goes, is sufficient to cancel