atisfy our
four great debts and wants in adoration to God on account of His
omnipotence, in thanksgiving for His benefits, in atonement for our
sins, and to obtain His assistance in difficulties and temptations. The
holy Mass obtains for us all graces and blessings, temporal and
spiritual.

Since the Mass is the highest act of public worship, it is proper that
it should be celebrated with fitting sacred ceremonies. Every ceremony
which the Church prescribes has its deep significance. All tend to bring
before our minds the mystery of the passion.

The _altar_, which is reached by means of steps, represents Mount
Calvary, upon which Christ died with His arms extended as if to enfold
all men as brothers. The _crucifix_ recalls Jesus dying on the cross.
The _lighted candles_ are symbols of the faith and devotion which ought
to burn in the hearts of the faithful when present at Mass. The _sacred
vestments_, embroidered with the sign of the cross, indicate that the
priest is the minister and visible representative of Jesus Christ, the
invisible priest. The sign of the cross made many times by the priest
over the host and chalice reminds us that we offer to God the divine
Victim of the cross, and that we ought to unite ourselves to Him by
loving the cross, by patience and Christian penance. We genuflect
because Our Lord is really present. If we know He is not present on the
altar we bow in honor of the place where He sometimes reposes. _Holy
water_ is used to signify that our souls must be pure if we wish God to
answer our prayers. _Incense_ is used at solemn High Mass and at
Vespers. It is symbolic of prayer, agreeably to the words of the 140th
psalm: "Let my prayer, O Lord, be directed as incense in Thy sight." And
St. John, describing the heavenly Jerusalem in the 8th chapter of the
Apocalypse, says: "Another angel came, and stood before the altar,
having a golden censer; and there was given him much incense, that he
should offer of the prayers of all saints upon the golden altar which is
before the throne of God."

The sacrifice of the Mass, then, is the sacrifice of Calvary, since the
same Victim is offered up and by the same High Priest, Jesus Christ. The
Emanuel, the God with us, the thought of whom made the prophets tremble
centuries before He came, that divine Teacher who loves to dwell with
the children of men, the Catholic Church beholds dwelling in the midst
of us on our altars. If you have visited some of our a