of God's benefits have to be
recalled or besought, several masses are celebrated on one day, as
for instance, one for the feast, and another for a fast or for the
dead.

Reply Obj. 3: As already observed (Q. 73, A. 5), Christ wished to
give this sacrament last of all, in order that it might make a deeper
impression on the hearts of the disciples; and therefore it was after
supper, at the close of day, that He consecrated this sacrament and
gave it to His disciples. But we celebrate at the hour when our Lord
suffered, i.e. either, as on feast-days, at the hour of Terce, when
He was crucified by the tongues of the Jews (Mk. 15:25), and when the
Holy Ghost descended upon the disciples (Acts 2:15); or, as when no
feast is kept, at the hour of Sext, when He was crucified at the
hands of the soldiers (John 19:14), or, as on fasting days, at None,
when crying out with a loud voice He gave up the ghost (Matt. 27:46,
50).

Nevertheless the mass can be postponed, especially when Holy orders
have to be conferred, and still more on Holy Saturday; both on
account of the length of the office, and also because orders belong
to the Sunday, as is set forth in the Decretals (dist. 75).

Masses, however, can be celebrated "in the first part of the day,"
owing to any necessity; as is stated De Consecr., dist. 1.

Reply Obj. 4: As a rule mass ought to be said in the day and not in
the night, because Christ is present in this sacrament, Who says
(John 9:4, 5): "I must work the works of Him that sent Me, whilst it
is day: because the night cometh when no man can work; as long as I
am in the world, I am the light of the world." Yet this should be
done in such a manner that the beginning of the day is not to be
taken from midnight; nor from sunrise, that is, when the substance of
the sun appears above the earth; but when the dawn begins to show:
because then the sun is said to be risen when the brightness of his
beams appears. Accordingly it is written (Mk. 16:1) that "the women
came to the tomb, the sun being now risen"; though, as John relates
(John 20:1), "while it was yet dark they came to the tomb." It is in
this way that Augustine explains this difference (De Consens. Evang.
iii).

Exception is made on the night of Christmas eve, when mass is
celebrated, because our Lord was born in the night (De Consecr.,
dist. 1). And in like manner it is celebrated on Holy Saturday
towards the beginning of the night, since our Lord rose in the