9781644135945

The Light of the World
meets them during the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, and this meeting is made possible through
the sacrificing priest.
“Be mindful O Lord of Thy servants . . . and of all here present, whose faith and devotion are
known to Thee” (Memento of the Living). This moment is filled with mystery. In this memento
the priest includes all those whom he wishes to be included in the fruits of the Mass and in the
merits of the sacrifice of the cross, which is the sun from which all light and life proceeds. If
the sun is to work its beneficent influence upon men, its warmth and light must be brought to
them through some medium. If the sun is to fill a room with its light, the rays of the sun must in
some way be directed into the room. Similarly, if the sacrifice of Christ on the cross is to become
our sacrifice, it must in some direct way be applied to us. Only then can we participate in the
reconciliation effected by Christ between His heavenly Father and us. Such a participation is
made possible through the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass; only in this way can we really share in
the adoration, prayers, and thanksgiving offered by Christ the eternal high priest. However, it is
necessary that the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass itself become in some sense our sacrifice. It does so
since the sacrificing priest offers the Mass for us. Christ could have enabled each person to offer
this sacrifice, but He did not do so. He has given the power of offering it solely to His priests.
The priest is charged with the duty of offering this sacrifice, of allowing it to produce its fruits,
and, through his free choice, of applying it as he sees fit. This privilege gives the priesthood its
immense importance and dignity. If he is “mindful” of me, if in his intention the Mass is to be
applied to me, then that sacrifice becomes my sacrifice; then it is I whom Christ meets during
the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. Of great importance, then, is the moment when the priest prays:
“Be mindful, O Lord, of Thy servants . . . and of all here present.” At this moment we meet the
Lord as did the widow at the gates of Naim.
“For whom we offer, or who offer up to Thee, this sacrifice of praise for themselves and
all those dear to them, for the redemption of their souls, the hope of their safety and salvation;
who now pay their vows to Thee, the eternal living and true God” (Memento of the Living).
After the priest, through his application of his intention in the Mass, has thus identified us and
our intentions with Christ, who is offering Himself in the Holy Sacrifice, we can indeed offer
up this Mass as our own, for ourselves and for those dear to us, and for all those for whose
salvation and sanctity we are solicitous: “For the redemption of their souls, the hope of their
safety and salvation.” In offering up the Lord as the victim of our sacrifice, we exercise a unique
power over the heart of God; for we offer to Him His own beloved Son through the miracle of
transubstantiation. We offer to God the heart of Jesus with its inexhaustible fountain of love.
He bears in that heart our sacrifice and our prayers for all those who are dear to us, and offers
them to the Father.
Through the power of this Holy Sacrifice we shall receive help and consolation. The prayers
that we lay upon the paten for the salvation and sanctification of our beloved ones will be
answered. In a mysterious manner the dew of grace will refresh the soul for whom we are
solicitous. The hour will come when the Lord will approach the bier of our dead and recall
them to the life of grace. “I say to thee, arise.” How rich we are in the possession of the Holy
Sacrifice of the Mass!
In order that we may be effectively united to the sacrifice of Christ, it is required on our part
that we have faith and the spirit of self-sacrifice. “Be mindful, O Lord, . . . of all here present,
578