A student said to a certain priest: “Father, your books set my soul on fire; your style moves me to tears, and my hands burn as they turn your pages. How can you possibly write with such a fiery pen?”
With the goal of evoking this reaction in his readers, Fr. Mateo wrote this short work on the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, making an effort to enlighten the mind and enkindle the heart, that is, to shine a bright light on the subject so that a deep and supernatural conviction will be generated in their mind concerning the mystery of our altars.
In addition, he also aimed to kindle a burning love for Jesus Christ in the reader’s soul. There are books enough which give light without warmth, and so here he asks the Heart of Jesus to enliven his thoughts and his pen, that he may write with the fire of love.
“Yes, I want to set my readers on fire.”—Fr. Mateo
