_POINT II._ _What treasure do we possess in the holy Mass?_ No one but God could have conceived the blessing granted to the faithful of being present in their successive generations at the mystical renovation of the sacrifice of the cross. There, before us, day after day, the same Redeemer of the world who made Himself the victim of expiation of our sins on Calvary, makes Himself a victim again in the same sacrifice, and offers Himself to His eternal Father, as truly as He did then, to obtain for those present in particular the graces they desire from His liberality. No prayer could be more powerful than the holy Mass. If only we duly enter into the spirit of it, a spirit of deep reverence, of eager supplication, of lively confidence, the daily Mass cannot fail to be for us a copious source of the choicest blessings. Whenever we find ourselves in some special need of God’s assistance, let us offer or hear Mass for that purpose. The result will not always be visible, but it will probably often be so, and it will always be very real. How do we profit daily by this wondrous grace? It will be an important gain towards the renewing of spirit if we improve our manner of attendance at holy Mass. _POINT III._ _What do we receive in Holy Communion?_ We receive God Himself, no greater gift is possible. And we receive Him as our food; that is, coming to do for our soul what food does for the body, giving it strength and growth, and keeping it from corruption. Each worthy Communion increases in us sanctifying grace, gives us an additional supply of actual grace to lead holy lives, and, as the Council of Trent declares, it frees us from venial sins and preserves us from falling into mortal sins. But the amount of grace received in Holy Communion depends in great part on our own dispositions. We can greatly increase it by making careful preparation for the reception of our Lord, by fervor at the moment of reception, reciting firm acts of faith in the Divine presence, humble acts of adoration, acts of ardent love and of eager desire and petitions for Divine graces. The time of thanksgiving after Holy Communion contains some of the most precious moments of the day. How do I profit by this golden opportunity to enrich my poor soul? Can I improve my ways in this respect? We read in the Life of St. Alphonsus Rodriguez written by a lay brother (pp. 81, 82), that on All Saints’ Day, 1612, after he had received Holy Communion amid the Scholastics and Brothers of the community, Christ “showed him in a sensible manner His presence in the hearts of all those who had just received Him, so that he perceived the Saviour resplendent with glory whole and entire in each religious.” Thus Christ is really present in each of us during those precious moments. Can we not give Him a more loving and honorable reception than we often do?