we are still living in the
flesh and are not all perfect enough to rule ourselves in spirit,
we need to come together to enkindle such a faith in one another
by example, prayer, praise, and thanksgiving, as I have said
above,[30] and through the outward seeing and receiving of the
sacrament and testament to move each other to the increase of
this faith. There are many saints, who like St. Paul the
Hermit,[31] remained for years in the desert without mass, and
yet were never without mass. But such a high spiritual example
cannot be imitated by everyone or by the whole Church.

[Sidenote: The Mass a Proclamation of the Gospel]

33. But the chief reason for outwardly holding mass is the Word
of God, which no one can do without, and which must daily be used
and studied. Not only because every day Christians are born,
baptised and trained, but because we live in the midst of the
world, the flesh and the devil, who do not cease to tempt us and
drive us into sin, against which the most powerful weapon is the
holy Word of God, as St. Paul also calls it, "a spiritual sword,"
[Eph. 6:17] which is powerful against all sin. This the Lord
indicated when He instituted the mass and said: "This do in
remembrance of Me" [Luke 22:19]; as though He said, "As often as
you use this sacrament and testament you shall preach of Me," As
also St. Paul says in I. Corinthians xi, "As oft as ye eat this
bread and drink this cup ye shall preach and proclaim the death
of the Lord until He come" [1 Cor. 11:26]; and Psalm cii, "They
shall declare the glory of the Lord in Zion and His praise in
Jerusalem, as often as the kings (that is, the bishops and
rulers) and the people come together to serve the lord" [Ps.
102:21, 22]; and Psalm cxi, "He hath instituted a memorial of His
wonders in that He has given meat to all who fear Him." [Ps.
111:4, 5]

In these passages you see how the mass was instituted to preach
and praise Christ, to glorify His sufferings and all His grace
and goodness, that we may be moved to love Him, hope and believe
in Him, and thus, in addition to this Word or sermon, receive an
outward sign, that is, the sacrament, to the end that our faith,
provided with and confirmed by divine words and signs, may become
strong against all sin, suffering, death and hell and everything
that is against us. And but for the preaching of the Word He
would nevermore have instituted the mass. He is more concerned
about the Word than about the sig