has helps both general and special in the exercise of his priesthood, which are more than adequate for every duty, danger, and temptation.
We have already spoken of the general helps of the priesthood, and of the pastoral care: we will now count up the special helps which surround a priest in all his life.
1. First, and above all, is his daily Mass. "When the morning was come, Jesus stood on the shore." The day begins with the presence of Jesus; the altar is the shore of the Eternal World, and Jesus comes at our word. In the Holy Mass we know Him, and yet our eyes are holden. He is in another form. We cannot see Him; but we know that it is the Lord. He makes ready for us, and gives to us the Bread of Life. If we were to spend a whole life in preparation, one such divine contact with His Presence would be an overpayment of all our prayer and penance and purification of heart.[1] But He comes to us, not once in our life only, but morning by morning. Every day begins with Him. If the first hour of every day were spent in the presence—certain though unseen—of our guardian-angel or of our patron Saint, our whole day would
- ↑ S. Gregory of Nazianzum says: "Extreme old age would not be a long preparation for the priesthood."—Orat. ii. § lxxii.
