tion, and without attention, immediately begin to talk of useless things, or of the affairs of the world, and leave the church to pass through the streets, with Jesus Christ still present within them in the sacramental species. It would be well to do with such, what Father Avila once did. Seeing a Priest leaving the church immediately after celebrating Mass, he sent two clerks with lights to accompany him; on which the Priest enquiring what Priest they were going to attend, they answered: We are accompanying the Blessed Sacrament which you carry within you. To such might be said what St. Bernard wrote to the archdeacon Fulcone: Heu quomodo Christum tam cito fastidis! Epist. 25.

Many are the devout books which inculcate and enforce thanksgiving after Mass; but how many Priests are there who make it? those who do make it, may be easily distinguished. The wonder is, that while some are indeed diligent in meditation, and in other devotions, few or none remain after Mass to commune with Jesus Christ. Thanksgiving after Mass, ought not to terminate but with the day. Father Avila says, that the time after Mass ought to be considered as of the greatest value. The time after Mass is a most precious time, in which we may

treat with God and obtain from him treasures of grace. St. Teresa says, Let us not lose after Communion, so fine an opportunity of treating with God; his divine majesty is not accustomed to repay those ill with whom he takes up his abode, when they afford him a suitable entertainment. In another place, she says, that Jesus Christ, after communion, sits within us as upon the throne of graces, and says to each of us, as to the blind man whom he restored to sight, Quid vis ut tibi faciam? As though he said, I am here, O devout soul, to bestow upon thee my choicest graces: tell me, what

wouldst thou that I should do for thee?

Moreover, it is the opinion of many learned writers, of Suarez, of Gonet, and of others, that the more the soul, after communion, during the time that the sacramental species remain, disposes herself by fervent acts of devotion, the greater are the fruits which she reaps from it; because the Blessed Sacrament is in the nature of food, and as corporal food, so long as it remains in the stomach, nourishes the body; so with this spiritual and heavenly food, so long as it remains in the body, so long does it nourish the soul with divine graces, and the more plentifully in proportion as the soul disposes herself to receive them by continued acts

of suitable devotion. Besides, during this time, every pious act is of greater value and merit, inasmuch as the communicant is united to Jesus Christ according to his own words: Qui manducat meam carnem et bibit meum sanguinem, in me manet, et ego in illo. Jo. 6. And as St. Chrysostom says, Jesus Christ makes us then one with himself: Ipsa re nos suum efficit corpus. And hence, acts of piety and devotion are more meritorious then, than at any other time, because they proceed from the soul in union with Jesus Christ.

On the contrary, our Lord will not waste his graces on the ungrateful, as St. Bernard says: Nunquid non perit, quod donatur ingratis? Father Avila used to spend two hours in prayer and in communing with Jesus Christ after celebrating Mass. Oh, with what tenderness and affection does Jesus Christ speak to the soul after communion! with what endearing love does he treat her! It would not be much for a Priest to spend an hour with Jesus Christ after Mass. At least, I beseech every Priest to spend half an hour; or at the very least, a quarter: but, O God! a quarter is too little! St. Ambrose says: Verus minister Altaris Deo поп sibi natus est. If, then, a Priest, from the time of his ordination, belongs no more to

himself, nor to the world, nor to his relatives, but to God alone; for whom ought he to spend his whole life, but for God, and particularly after communion, by uniting himself with Jesus Christ.

In conclusion, I would say a word, in passing, on the question, whether it is more pleasing to God to say Mass, or to abstain from saying it through humility. To abstain through humility is good; but not best. Acts of humility render to God a limited honour; but the Mass an infinite honour, as coming from a divine person. Mark what Ven. Bede says: Sacerdos non legitime impeditus, celebrare omittens, quantum in eo est, privat S. S. Trinitatem gloria, Angelos lætitia, peccatores venia, justos subsidio, in Purgatorio existentes refrigerio, Ecclesiam beneficio, et seipsum medicina. De Miss. Sacrif. The glorious St. Cajetan, being in Naples, and hearing that a Cardinal, a friend of his, who had been accustomed to say Mass every day, began to celebrate less frequently in consequence of the multiplicity of affairs in which he was engaged, although it was during the dog-days, could not be persuaded from going at the risk of his life to Rome, to entreat his friend to resume his former custom in this respect, and went, and then returned again to Naples. It is related of Father

John of Avila, (Vita al § 26.) that going on one occasion on his way to say Mass at a distant hermitage, he became so overcome with fatigue, that despairing of being able to reach the place, which was still at a considerable distance, he began to think of returning without saying Mass; on which Jesus Christ appearing to him as a pilgrim, and opening his bosom and showing him his wounds, particularly that in his sacred side, said, "When I was thus wounded, I I was much more overcome and exhausted than thou art;" and so saying, disappeared. Father Avila roused himself: went forward and celebrated Mass.