Here, after he has adored and elevated the Chalice, he goes on:
Wherefore, we thy servants, O Lord, as also thy holy people, being mindful as well of the blessed passion of the same Christ thy Son our Lord, as of his resurrection from the dead, and his glorious ascension into heaven, offer unto thy most excellent Majesty, of thy gifts bestowed upon us, a pure host, a holy host, an immaculate host, the holy bread of eternal life, and chalice of everlasting salvation.
Upon which vouchsafe, we beseech thee, to look with a propitious and pleasing countenance, and to accept them, as thou wert pleased graciously to accept the gifts of thy just servant Abel, and the sacrifice of our patriarch Abraham, and that which thy high priest Melchisedech offered unto thee, a holy sacrifice and spotless victim.
We most humbly beseech thee, O Almighty God, that thou wouldst command these offerings to be carried by the hands of thy holy angel unto thine altar on high, in the sight of thy divine Majesty, that as many of us as assist at this oblation, or partake of the sacred body and blood of thy Son, may be filled with every heavenly grace and blessing: through the same Christ our Lord. Amen.
The Commemoration Of The Dead.
Be mindful, O Lord, of thy servants, men and women, who are gone before us with the sign of faith, and rest in the sleep of peace.
[Here such Dead as are prayed for, should be particularly mentioned.]
To these, O Lord, and to all who sleep in Christ, grant, we beseech thee, a place of refreshment, light, and peace: through the same Christ our Lord. Amen.
Striking his breast, he says:
And to us also, thy unworthy servants, who hope in the multitude of thy mercies, vouchsafe to grant some part and fellowship with thy holy apostles and martyrs, with John, Stephen, Matthias, Barnabas, Ignatius, Alexander, Marcelline, Peter, Felicitas, Perpetua, Agatha, Lucy, Agnes, Cecily, Anastasia, and all thy saints: into whose company we beseech thee to admit us, not in confidence of any merit of our own, but of thine own gracious mercy and pardon: through Jesus Christ our Lord.
By whom, O Lord, thou dost always create, sanctify, quicken, bless, and give us those good gifts; so, by him, with him, and in him is to thee, O God the Father Almighty, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, all honour and glory.
P. Per omnia sæcula sæculorum.
P. For ever and ever,
R. Amen.
R. Amen.
Part IV.
The Communion, Or
Sacramental Part Of The Canon.
Let Us Pray.
Instructed in thy saving precepts, and following thy divine directions, we presume to say:
Our Father, &c.
R. But deliver us from evil.
P. Amen.
Deliver us we beseech thee, O Lord, from all evils, past, present, and to come. And by the intercession of the blessed and ever glorious Virgin Mary, mother of God, and of the holy apostles Peter and Paul, of Andrew, and of all the saints mercifully grant peace in our days, that through the assistance of thy mercy, we may be always free from sin, and secure from all disturbance: through the same Lord Jesus Christ thy son, who liveth and reigneth with thee God, in unity with the holy Ghost.
P. Per omnia sæcula sæculorum.
P. World without end.
R. Amen.
R. Amen.
P. Pax Domini sit semper vobiscum.
P. May the peace of the Lord be always with you;
R. Et cum spiritu tuo.
R. And with thy spirit.
Breaking the Host, he puts a particle thereof into the Chalice, saying:
May this mixture together, and consecration of the body and blood of our Lord Jesus be to us that receive it, or assist thereat, effectual to eternal life. Amen.
Then bowing and striking his breast, he says thrice:
Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the world,
have mercy on us.
Lamb of God who takest away the sins of the world,
have mercy on us.
Lamb of God who takest away the sins of the world,
give us peace.
In Masses for the Dead, instead of "Have mercy on us," he says, twice, "Give them rest," and lastly "Give them eternal rest." The following Prayer is also omitted:
Lord Jesus Christ who saidst to thy apostles "I leave you peace, I give you my peace," regard not my sins, but the faith of thy church, and vouchsafe to grant her that peace and unity which is agreeable to thy will; who livest and reignest for ever and ever. Amen.
O Lord Jesus Christ, Son of the living God, who, according to the will of thy Father, with the co-operation of the Holy Ghost, hast, by thy death, given life to the world, deliver me by this thy most sacred body and blood, from all my iniquities, and from all evils; make me always live up to thy commandments; and never suffer me to be separated from thee, who livest and reignest with God the Father, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, world without end. Amen.
Let not the participation of thy body, O Lord Jesus Christ, which I, though unworthy, presume to receive, turn to my judgment and condemnation; but let it, through thy mercy, become a safeguard and remedy, both of soul and body: who with God the Father, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, livest and reignest God for ever and ever. Amen.
Kneeling, rising, and taking the Host in his hands, he says:
I will partake of this heavenly bread, and call upon the name of the Lord.
He strikes his breast, saying devoutly, thrice:
Lord, I am not worthy that thou shouldst enter under my roof; speak only the word, and my soul shall be healed.
During the time of the Priest's communicating, it would be profitable for persons who are not then in a state of actually communicating, to communicate also spiritually or in desire; for this purpose say the following prayer:
O that I were among the number of those whose sanctity allows them to communicate daily! What a happiness, O my God! could I at this moment erect a throne for thee in my heart, pay thee my homage, lay open to thee my wants, and participate in the favours thou grantest to those who really and worthily receive thee. But since I am unworthy, do thou, O Lord, supply my want of the proper dispositions. Grant the pardon of my manifold sins, which I detest from the bottom of my heart, because they displease thee. Cast thy compassionate eye upon me, and purify my soul, that the ardent wish I now conceive to be united to thee by a worthy communion may be speedily accomplished. But until the arrival of so happy a moment I earnestly entreat thee, O dearest Lord, that thou wouldst make me partaker of all those advantages which the communion of the priest may produce in those thy people. By the efficacy of this enlivening sacrament, increase my faith, strengthen my hope, revive in my soul the rays of divine charity, inflame my heart with thy love, that it may pant only for thee and live for thee alone. Amen.
Receiving reverently both parts of the Host, he says:
May the body of our Lord Jesus Christ preserve my soul to life everlasting. Amen.
Taking the Chalice, he says:
What return shall I make to the Lord for all the good things that he hath given unto me? I will partake of the chalice of salvation, and call upon the name of the Lord. Praising I will call upon the Lord, and I shall be saved from mine enemies.
Receiving the Blood of our Saviour, he says:
May the blood of our Lord Jesus Christ preserve my soul to life everlasting. Amen.
Taking the first Ablution, he says:
Grant, Lord, that what we have partaken of with our mouth, we may receive with purity of mind; and that of a temporal gift it may become unto us an everlasting remedy. Amen.
Taking the second Ablution, he says:
May thy body, O Lord, which I have received, and thy blood which I have drank, cleave to my soul: and grant that no stain of sin remain within me, who have been fed with this pure and holy sacrament. Who livest and reignest for ever and ever. Amen.
Having wiped his Mouth, his Fingers, and the Chalice, he then
continues the Mass.
The Communion being every day different, what follows may be
said:
Let it be now, O Lord, an effect of thy mercy, that we who have been present at this holy mystery may find the benefit thereof in our souls.
Part V.
The Public Thanksgiving After Communion.
Dominus vobiscum:
The Lord be with you:
R. Et cum spiritu tuo.
R. And with thy spirit.
P. Oremus.
P. Let us pray.
The Post Communion being also different every day, what follows may be said:
We give thee thanks O God, for thy mercy in admitting us to have a part in offering this sacrifice to thy holy name: accept it now to thy glory, and be ever mindful of our weakness; pardon all our defects, and grant our request; through, &c. Amen.
P. Dominus vobiscum:
P. May the Lord be with you:
B. Et cum spiritu tuo.
R. And with thy spirit.
P. Ite, Missa est.
P. Depart, the Mass is finished.
Or, if "Gloria in excelsis" has not been said,
P. Benidicamus Domino.
P. Let us bless the Lord.
R. Deo gratias.
R. Thanks be to God.
In Masses for the Dead.
P. Requiescant in pace.
P. May they rest in peace.
R. Amen.
R. Amen.
May the performance of this my homage be pleasing to thee, O Holy Trinity; and grant that the sacrifice which I, though unworthy, have offered up, in the sight of the Divine Majesty, may be acceptable to thee, and, through thy mercy, become a propitiation for me, and all those for whom it hath been offered: through Christ our Lord. Amen.
The Priest turning himself towards the people, says, (except in Masses for the Dead.)
May almighty God, the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, bless you. Amen.
P. Dominus vobiscum:
P. May the Lord be with you:
R. Et cum spiritu tuo.
R. And with thy spirit.
P. Initium sancti Evangelii secundum Joannem.
P. The beginning of the Gospel according to St. John.
R. Gloria tibi, Domine.
R. Glory be to thee, O Lord.
The Gospel According To St. John.
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and God was the Word; the same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was made nothing that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men: and the light shineth in darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.
There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. This man came for a witness to give testimony of the light, that all men might believe through him. He was not the light, but was to give testimony of the light. It was the true light which enlighteneth every man that cometh into this world.
He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not. He came unto his own, and his own received him not. But as many as received him to them he gave power to be made the sons of God, to those that believe in his name; who are born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt amongst us. And we saw his glory, the glory as it were of the only begotten Son of the Father, full of grace and truth.
R. Deo gratias.
R. Thanks be to God.
Another Devout Method
Of Assisting At The
Holy Sacrifice Of The Mass,
By turning the attention and affections of the soul towards the
mysteries of our blessed Saviour's passion and death, which are
thereby represented and shown forth according to these words,
THIS DO IN REMEMBRANCE OF ME; that is, for a perpetual and
grateful commemoration of my sufferings and death, as the
apostle explains it.
1 Corinthians xi. 26.
The Mass is called by St. Francis of Sales, Introd. p. 2, c. 14, the sun of spiritual exercises, the centre of religion, the heart of devotion, and the soul of piety. It is offered to none but God alone; as the nature of a sacrifice, in the common judgment of all mankind, is to acknowledge the supreme dominion of God over us, and our total subjection and dependence on him. It is a standing memorial and a commemorative sacrifice, that represents the sacrifice of the cross, and was prefigured by the sacrifice of Melchisedech, and foretold by the prophet Malichi.—c. i. v. 10. The faithful should go to it as if they were going to Mount Calvary, to be present at the crucifixion and death of Jesus Christ, and assist at it with a grateful remembrance and a feeling sense of his sufferings. The altar on which this great sacrifice is offered, with a crucifix erected thereon, is a figure of Mount Calvary, and of Christ crucified. The corporal and linen cloth that covered the altar, signify the linen cloth that wrapped the sacred body of Christ when he was buried. The chalice denotes the holy sepulchre of our Lord. The paten denotes the great stone that was rolled against the door of the sepulchre. The two candles signify the two testaments, and the light of faith revealed to the Jews and Gentiles. The priest who officiates represents the person of Christ, who is the High Priest of the New Law; his tonsure represents the crown of thorns which Christ wore; and the robes with which he is vested, represents the robes of derision with which Christ was ignominiously clothed. The amice represents the veil with which his eyes were muffled, when he was desired to prophesy who it was that struck him. The alb represents the white robe with which he was covered by Herod out of contempt. The cincture, maniple, and stole represent the cords and bandages with which he was bound like a malefactor. The chasuble, or outward vestment, represents the purple garment with which he was clothed like a mock king. The figure of a pillar on the front of the chasuble, represents the stone pillar at which he was scourged; and the figure of a cross on the back, represents the wooden cross which he carried on his shoulders from Jerusalem to Mount Calvary. The three languages, Hebrew, Greek, and Latin, which are used in the Mass, remind us of the title of the cross, which was written in Hebrew, Greek, and Latin letters. The different parts and ceremonies of the Mass correspond to the different stations of his passion, and represent all that happened from his entering into the Garden of Olives, until the day of his ascension into heaven, and the descent of the Holy Ghost upon the apostles; as will appear to the devout reader of the explanations premised to each prayer.
A Prayer Before Mass.
O Divine Spirit, descend into my soul, purify it from the dross of its imperfections, and replenish it with the flames of thy sacred affections, that it may breathe nothing but thy love, and desire nothing but the accomplishment of thy will. O ye angels, saints, and all creatures, come help me to honour, praise, bless, and love our Lord Jesus Christ, who once offered himself a bloody sacrifice on the cross for my salvation, and now offers himself an unbloody sacrifice on the altar for the same end.
Give me grace, O sweet Jesus, to assist at this holy sacrifice with the fervour and devotion of the pious shepherds in the stable of Bethlehem; and with a lively faith, profound respect, and humility of the three wise men of the East, who came to adore thee in the manger, and to offer thee the three mystical presents of frankincense, gold, and myrrh, in testimony of thy divinity, royalty and humanity. And now, since I, who am but dust and ashes, have presumed to speak, permit me to follow thee in spirit through the different stages of thy passion, and accompany thee to Mount Calvary.—Make me partaker of that charity which conducted thee to it, that I may return love for love, life for life, death for death. Give me such a feeling sense of thy sufferings, as the daughters of Sion had, when they met thee with thy cross on thy shoulders, and a thorny crown on thy head. Grant me resignation of my will to thine, like that of thy Virgin Mother at the foot of the cross. Prostrate before the throne of thy divine Majesty, I humbly implore thy pardon for all my offences, and thy grace to avoid relapse into sin. I offer up this divine sacrifice, by the hands of thy priest, to the glory of thy name; in acknowledgment of thy infinite greatness, and of my own nothingness; in thanksgiving for all thy benefits; in satisfaction for all my sins; in memory of thy dolorous passion; and to obtain of thy bounty, for myself and for thy whole church, for my superiors, spiritual and temporal, for my parents, benefactors, friends, and enemies, and all mankind, those precious graces and favours which thou knowest us to stand in most need of.
Explanation.
"The priest going from the sacristy to the altar, and retiring to the foot of it, in order to recite the 42nd psalm, Judica me Deus, &c. represents Jesus Christ retiring from his last supper, and praying to his heavenly Father in the garden of Gethsemani, situate at the foot of Mount Olivet. The beginning of the Mass, with the sign of the cross, and the invocation of the three persons of the most Holy Trinity, signifies that it is in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, that the faithful assembled, in order to celebrate the memory of Christ's passion and death. The psalm which is then repeated, expresses the deep concern of a soul kept at a distance from the temple of God, like David when he was persecuted by Saul, and the ardent desires with which we are to approach the altar, and partake of the divine mysteries. The Introit, or entrance of the Mass, and the Confiteor, or general confession made to the whole court of heaven, represent the fall of Adam, which was the source of all our miseries, and remind us that we ought to dispose ourselves for this great sacrifice by a sincere repentance for our sins."
Prayer At The Beginning Of Mass.
O Lord, in the multitude of thy mercies I will enter thy house, and adore thee in thy holy temple and confess to thy name. Though my sins are without number, I have still thy goodness to appeal to, I have still a confidence in the sufferings of my Redeemer, and hope, through his infinite merits, to find mercy, grace, and salvation. Thou, O dear Jesus, hast washed me once in baptism; wash me yet more from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sins. Sprinkle me with the hyssop of thy blood, and I shall be cleansed; wash me, and I shall be made whiter than snow.
Explanation.
"The priest bowing down before the altar, and saying the Confiteor, represents our Saviour loaded with the sins of mankind, prostrate at his prayers in the garden, and falling into a bloody sweat and most painful agony. The priest going up to the altar and kissing it, represents our Saviour going to meet his enemies, and receiving the treacherous kiss from Judas. When he goes to the book at the corner of the Epistle, forms the sign of the cross, and reads the Introit, he represents our Saviour seized, bound, and led captive to the courts of Annas and Caiphas, where he was struck across the face, blindfolded, buffeted, spit upon, and treated with the greatest indignity, by the servants of the high priest, as if he were a mock prophet."
Prayer At The Introit And Kyrie.
Blessed be thou, O Jesus, for all thou hast suffered for our redemption. It is but just that my sins should draw tears from my eyes, since they have drawn streams of blood from thy veins. I desire to join the most humble contrition of my soul with thy agony in the garden, and resolve to be sorry for my sins, even unto the hour of my death. My heart is pierced with grief to think that I have repaid thy goodness with such ingratitude; but until I cease to live, I will never cease to cry, with the humble publican: O God be propitious to me a sinner. May those bonds that tied thy innocent hands, loosen the chains of my sins, break the fetters of my iniquities, deliver me from the captivity of Satan, and restore me to the sweet liberty of thy children, that I may be enabled to cry out with thy prophet: Thou hast broken my chains: I will sacrifice to thee an host of praise. I cast myself at thy feet, and beseech thee by thy infinite charity, to strengthen me with thy all-powerful grace under all trials and afflictions. Never suffer me to betray thy sacred truths, or to take part with the world against thee. Grant that when any tribulation or anguish shall assault me, I may receive it with humility like unto thine, and with a true submission and resignation to thy heavenly Father's will. Grant that under the severest scourges I may call upon thee as a father, confide in thee as a father, and seek no comfort out of thee. Remember me at my last hour, when the terrors of death shall begin to seize me; then let thy angels comfort me; then let the memory of thy sufferings support me against all apprehensions, that no fear of death or judgment may ever lessen the hope I ought to repose in thee.
Explanation.
"The repetition of the Kyrie Eleison, Christe Eleison, &c. (that is, Lord have mercy on us, Christ have mercy on us,) three times, in honour of each of the three Divine Persons, reminds us that Christ was denied three times by St. Peter. The Dominus vobiscum, or, Our Lord be with you, which is the usual salutation in the scriptures, and which the priest says after the Gloria in Excelsis, it being the greatest of all blessings for the Lord to be with us, and we with him, reminds us how Peter was touched with repentance, when Christ cast a glance of his merciful eyes upon him. The aforesaid hymn, which a choir of angels sung in the air at our Saviour's birth, denotes the joy that is in heaven among the angels upon the conversion of a sinner, The Kyries also remind us of the longing desires of the holy fathers for the coming of the Messiah. The Gloria represents Christ's nativity. The Collects, Epistle, and Gospel, his prayers, miracles, and preaching.—The priest returning to the epistle side of the altar, and reading the Collects and the Lesson, represents Christ sent by Caiphas to Pilate, after being falsely accused and unjustly condemned by the Sanhedrin of the Jews. Then the priest goes to the middle of the altar, and humbly bowing himself down, prays in silence. This represents Christ conducted to Herod, and interrogated and scoffed at by him, without returning the least answer, or saying a word to justify himself. The priest going to the gospel side of the altar, and returning to the middle to make a profession of faith, by repeating the Nicene Creed, represents Christ sent back to Pilate in a fool's dress, and professing that he came to bear witness to the truth, and that his kingdom is not of this world. The removal of the Mass-book from the right to the left side of the altar, signifies that the new law of the gospel being rejected by the Jews, who were the first called, was preached to the Gentiles, who embraced it with joy, and were converted to the Christian religion in great multitudes. The lighted candles are emblems of their spiritual joy and of God's glory, and denote the light of faith which Christ brought to the world by his gospel.—At the beginning of the gospel, the priest and the people make the sign of the cross, first upon their foreheads, to signify that they are not ashamed of the cross of Christ, nor of his doctrine; secondly, upon their mouths, to denote that they are ready to profess it openly by word of mouth; and thirdly, upon their breasts, to signify that they will always preserve it carefully in their hearts. The people rise up and stand during the gospel, to show by this posture their readiness to go and practise whatever they shall be commanded by the word of God."
Prayer At The Gloria, Epistle, And Gospel.
Let heaven and earth join together, and the choirs of angels he united with the voices of men, to sing eternal praises to God, in trinity and unity, for the mercies we have received in the admirable work of our redemption. O my amiable Jesus, how am I bound to love thee! How black must my ingratitude be, if, after such demonstrations of love, I can continue to offend thee! I am the offender, I am the malefactor, and thou hast taken upon thee the punishment due to my sins! It is I who deserve to be accused, arraigned, dispised, and condemned, and not thou: O innocent and spotless Lamb of God, eternal praise be to thy name. Whilst the Jews proclaim thee a blasphemer, I own thee for my Lord; and beseech thee, that under all reproaches and calumnies I may remember what thou hast suffered for me, and that I may endeavour, by an humble and patient silence, to show myself on all occasions to be thy true disciple. Grant that whenever I am persecuted by lies or false accusations, thy example may be my comfort, my model, and my rule. Give me courage, constancy, and patience, under all the injuries, crosses, and contradictions, which thy providence shall permit to befall me during my pilgrimage here on earth. Do not suffer me to despair of thy mercy, or die in my sins, like unhappy Judas: but soften my stony heart, and melt it into tears of compunction. Leave me not to myself, but teach me to confide wholly in thee. Look on me with an eye of pity, and awaken me from the sleep of death, that I may bewail my past sins in the bitterness of my soul, and persevere in serving thee and promoting thy glory. May the fall of Peter be a lesson to me all the days of my life, to shun all evil company, to fly all the dangerous occasions of sin, and never to deny thee, my Lord and my God, either by word or deed; but openly to profess my faith without fear or shame. I thank thee for revealing thy heavenly truths, and for instructing us by thy holy apostles in the only true saving faith. Give me grace to attend to thy doctrine, to live up to the maxims of thy gospel, to profess thy faith by the practice of good works, and never to swerve from thy sacred law. Have mercy on all those that are involved in the dismal state of mortal sin, and grant them the grace of sincere repentance. Let the light of thy countenance shine upon those who are sitting in the darkness of infidelity, and in the gloomy shade of death.— Bring back the strayed sheep to thy fold, and unite them to the communion of thy church, that we may all become one sheepfold under one shepherd.
Explanation.
"When the priest unveils the chalice for the Offertory, he represents Christ stripped of his garments and bound to the pillar. The offering of the bread on the paten, denotes Christ offering up his body to be scourged. The mingling of the water with the wine, denotes the water and blood that flowed from his side on the cross. The offering the chalice with the wine, represents Christ scourged, and the streams of his blood flowing down upon the ground. The covering the chalice with the paten, represents him crowned with thorns, and treated as a mock king. The washing of the fingers at the Lavabo, reminds us how Pilate washed his hands before the multitude, and pronounced Christ innocent and just. The Orate Fratres reminds us that Christ was shown to the people with ensigns of mock royalty, Pilate crying out at the same time: Ecce Homo, Behold the man. The priest saying the Secret Prayers in silence, represents Christ condemned to be crucified, and submitting to the unjust sentence without any defence or reply. The Preface, (so called because it serves as an introduction to the Canon of the Mass,) and the Canticle of the Hebrew children, which are repeated with a loud voice, remind us that Christ was loaded with the cross; the pious Hosanna being changed into the clamorous and cruel Crucifige, or crucify him."
Prayer At The Offertory, Lavabo, And Preface.
O my soul! run to thy suffering Lord, and at his feet pour out thyself in thanksgiving, and in all the ecstasies of love and praise. It is thy God that suffers, that he may redeem a slave, a poor sinful worm of the earth. When I behold thee, O dear Jesus, stripped naked, fastened to the pillar, cruelly scourged, torn, and mangled, I see the immensity of thy love for us, and the greatness of our sins against thee. I see in thy wounds, the slavery into which we are degraded, and the punishment due to our crimes. Our sins bound thy hands, and every stroke thou didst receive was the effect of our iniquities. I offer thee my heart and soul, to be eternally consecrated to thy divine service, and to be washed and purified in the purple streams that gushed forth from every pore of thy sacred body. I throw myself into the arms of thy infinite mercy, with a firm resolution to die rather than renew thy passion, by relapsing into any mortal sin. No, dear Redeemer, I never will prefer Barabbas to thee; I never will set thee in competition with the world, or its delusive charms, sinful pleasures, or sordid interests. O amiable Jesus, thou shalt be my choice for ever. I will strike no more nails into thy hands by my evil deeds. I will add no more thorns to thy painful crown by my sinful thoughts. I will no more pierce thy sacred side by any unlawful desires. I will not scourge thy holy flesh by curses or blasphemies, nor crucify thee over again by any fresh crime. I am determined, with thy assistance, to put off the old man with all his acts, by a candid and naked confession of all my past sins. O grant that I may never appear naked of virtue in thy sight; but may be clad with the white robe of innocence when I shall be presented before thy awful tribunal. Pierce my heart with the thorns of penance and compunction here, that I may, through thy merits, be crowned with glory hereafter. Grant that whenever I am under any affliction, meet with any adversity, disgrace or contempt, or feel any part of the thorny crown on my head, I may rejoice in bearing such a resemblance of thy sufferings, and show by my patience and humility whose disciple I am. Give me grace to submit with cheerfulness to the rod of thy paternal correction; and support my natural weakness, that I may not sink under the weight of any cross with which it shall please thy Divine Providence to visit me. Disengage my heart from all earthly affections. Raise and elevate my soul to thee, that I may always live and converse in heaven, where thou, my only treasure, art. I now presume to join my unworthy voice with the heavenly choirs of all thy angels and saints, who are incessantly singing eternal praises to thee:
Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God of Sabaoth; Heaven and Earth are full of thy glory: Blessed is he who cometh in the name of the Lord: Hosannah in the highest, &c.
Explanation.
"The Canon, which is the most sacred and most solemn part of the Mass, is read in a low voice, to denote the mourning and affliction of the faithful at the time of our Saviour's passion, which amazed and silenced all nature. The priest raises his hands, in imitation of Moses, who, as we read, (Exodus xvii.) prayed with his hands lifted up, whilst Josue was combating with the Amalekites. After the Memento for the living he spreads his hands over the bread and wine that are to be consecrated, in imitation of the priests of the old law, who were ordered, (Lev. 1.) when they offered sacrifice, to lay their hands upon the victim before it was immolated. These ceremonies represent Christ led away to be crucified, carrying his cross on his shoulders to Mount Calvary, admonishing the devout women on the way, who wept over him, to mourn for themselves and for their children; and when he arrived at the end of his painful journey, stripped again of his garments, and laid on the painful bed, without any other pillow to support his head but the thorns with which he was crowned. The signing of the oblation with the sign of the cross, denotes how his hands and feet were stretched and nailed on the cross. The separated consecration of the bread and wine, represents his body slain, and his blood shed, for the remission of our sins. The elevation of the consecrated Host, represents him exalted on the cross in the sight of the whole multitude. The elevation of the Chalice represents the sacred blood flowing from his wounds. The ringing of the bell denotes the earthquakes and other signs which happened at his death. The five crosses formed over the oblation, signify the five principal wounds in his body. The time from the elevation to the communion corresponds to the three hours he hung alive on the cross. The Memento for the dead denotes that whilst he was thus elevated between heaven and earth, he prayed as a powerful mediator for the whole world, even for his enemies and crucifiers. The conversion of the thief on the cross, on one side of him, is represented by the priest striking his breast, and saying, nobis quoque peccatoribus. The seven petitions of the Pater Noster remind us of Christ's last words on the cross. The breaking of the Host is used in imitation of his having broken it before he gave it to his disciples at his last supper. The breaking of it in three parts represents his mystical body, or the church in three states: the blessed in heaven, the souls in purgatory, and the faithful on earth; this great sacrifice being offered for the whole church, triumphant, suffering, and militant; in honour of the first, that is, in thanksgiving to God for all the graces bestowed upon them, and for all the happiness they enjoy; for the relief of the second, to obtain a speedy admittance for them into eternal glory; and for the benefit of the last, according to the four great ends of sacrifice. The breaking of the Host also represents the death of Christ on the cross, and is a figure of his soul being separated from his body after he bowed down his sacred head. The mixing a particle of the Host with the sacramental species in the chalice, represents the descent of his soul into Limbo, or the prison of the Fathers of the old testament."
Prayer At The Canon Of The Mass.
O King of glory! when shall I leave this earthly prison, this miserable Babylon, and be admitted into thy lovely tabernacles? O ocean of sweetness, and fountain of divine love, when shall I contemplate thee face to face in thy happy kingdom? My sins are a terror to my soul, but having so plentiful a redemption, I never will despair. Thy wounds cry out for mercy. Mercy, then, O God of goodness! have mercy on me. O Jesus, be a Jesus to my soul, and save me. I am thy purchase, snatched from the jaws of hell by the merits of thy sacred passion; accept me, therefore, an unworthy sinner. Purify me in those sacred streams that flowed from thy bleeding wounds, and present me to thy eternal Father, that through thee I may obtain his blessing and favour, which of myself I do not deserve. Extinguish in me all ambition, pride, and vanity, the love of the world, and every degree of vicious self-love. Grant me true humility, perfect patience, unfeigned charity, and sincere devotion. Give me only grace to practise what thou commandest, and command what thou pleasest. Increase true religion; plant thy faith in our hearts; give peace and unity to thy church; repentance and pardon to all sinners. Grant comfort to the sick and afflicted; relief to the distressed; mercy, grace, and salvation to all those for whom thou hast shed thy blood, and whom I am bound to pray for, particularly N. We render thee thanks for admitting us to have a part in this great sacrifice, which thy Catholic Church offers to thy holy name, by the hands of the priest, for thy people. Accept it now, we beseech thee, O Lord, to thy glory, in satisfaction for all our offences and ingratitude, and in union with that divine intention with which our blessed Saviour offered it up, when he instituted it at his last supper, and consummated it upon the altar of the cross.
Prayer At The Elevation Of The
Consecrated Host And Chalice.
Hail, O King of glory, Prince of peace, and Saviour of the world! Hail, O immaculate Host! offered for me and all mankind on the cross! I adore, bless, and glorify thee, O loving Jesus, with all the faculties of my soul and body. May all thy creatures sound forth thy praises. O sacrament of piety! O sign of unity! O bond of charity! O the goodness of my God! O how wonderful are the ways of divine love! How incomprehensible are the riches of the divine bounty!
O my bleeding Jesus, I bow down to the ground to adore thee! Hail! most precious blood, shed for me and the sins of the whole world! Hear, O eternal Father, the voice of thy Son's blood, that cries out loudly to heaven, not for vengeance, but for mercy: let it now speak in my behalf, and plead my pardon; let it blot out my iniquities, and cleanse my soul from all the foul stains of sin. I beg it most humbly for the sake of Jesus, who died upon the cross for my redemption.
Prayer After The Elevation.
Behold, O almighty and all-gracious God, thy Son, Jesus, in whom thou art well pleased. Look upon the face of thy Christ and my Saviour, here present. Look upon this spotless lamb, this adorable victim, this pure holocaust of obedience, humbled to the very death of the cross. Behold in him what may move thee to look down upon us with an eye of mercy, and to forgive us our sins. He is our High Priest, sprinkled with his own blood. Receive the sacrifice he has offered for us, in consideration of all the honours and homages that are due to thy sovereign goodness from me and all creatures. Extend, O compassionate Creator, the virtue of it unto the souls in the church suffering, and grant to the faithful departed rest and life everlasting, particularly to N.; mitigate their punishment, and translate them to that state of glory for which thou hast designed them. Thou hast formerly promised, that looking on thy rainbow thou wouldst remember the covenant made between thee and the patriarch Noah, (Genes, ix.); canst thou then look down on the blood of thy beloved Son Jesus, offered here to thee in sacrifice, and not remember the great covenant of the new law, sealed and confirmed with the effusion of his sacred blood?
O dear Jesus! that I could love thee as thy goodness deserves. The more thou hast humbled thyself for my sake, the more I am bound to love thee. Remember thou hast bought me at a dear rate. O let not thy blood be lost or spilt in vain for me; but receive me into the number of the elect. I detest my sins, which were the cause of thy sufferings, and thy most cruel executioners. My crimes, alas! were the nails that bored thy hands and feet, and fastened thee to an ignominious cross. O who will give sorrow to my heart, and a fountain of tears to my eyes, that I may bewail them in the bitterness of my soul all the days of my life, and that at the hour of my departure I may, by means of a true conversion, be entitled to hear those comfortable words which thou saidst to the penitent thief on the cross: This day shalt thou be with me in paradise. I acknowledge my unworthiness, I do not deserve to be ranked among the number of thy children, yet I will presume to say that heavenly prayer which thou hast taught me: "Our Father, who art in heaven," &c.
Explanation
"When the priest strikes his breast, and says the Agnus Dei, (that is, O Lamb of God, &c.) he reminds us of the Centurion and many others striking their breasts with sorrow, and bewailing their offences, when they beheld Christ expiring on the cross, and were eye-witnesses of the prodigies which happened at his death. The Prayer for Peace, before the communion of the priest, signifies, that to communicate worthily, we must be in peace with God and our neighbour, and approach with a clean heart and pure conscience. The priest's communion is a sign of the burial of Christ's body, which was taken down from the cross, wrapped up in clean linen, and laid in a new monument, cut out of a rock, near Mount Calvary. The purifying and covering of the chalice represents Christ's sepulchre, shut and covered with a stone. The resurrection of Christ from the dead is represented by the priest going to the corner of the Epistle, and reading the Post Communion, the mass-book being brought back to the right side of the altar, to signify that the Jews are to be converted to the Christian faith at the end of the world. Dominus vobiscum represents Christ appearing to his disciples, and giving them his peace. The last Collect represents Christ conversing forty days with his disciples, and speaking to them of the kingdom of God. The last Dominus vobiscum, represents Christ's last apparition to his disciples; and the blessing given by the priest to the people, denotes that Christ lifted up both his hands, and blessed his apostles and other disciples before he left them, and in their sight ascended into heaven. The Ite Missa est, and the reading of the Gospel at the left corner of the altar, denote that Christ came not to call the just, but sinners, to repentance: and sent his apostles to teach all nations; and that they preached the gospel with amazing success in all parts of the known world, after the descent of the Holy Ghost."
Prayer At The Agnus Dei.
O Innocent Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the world, have mercy on me; for nothing is more pleasing to thee than to have compassion on those that are miserable. Give me tears of repentance, that I may mourn for the evil I have committed. In thee I place all my hope, because thou alone art my salvation, my strength, my refuge, and the fountain of all my good. I most humbly beseech thee, by the anguish of thy passion, and by thy sufferings on the cross, especially at that hour when thy blessed soul left thy body, to spare me in that dreadful moment, and have mercy on my soul. Let me experience the multitude of thy tender mercies, when I shall be in conflict with the pangs of death. Let thy passion and death stand then between my soul and thy justice. I accept the sentence of my death, in whatever manner I am to suffer it, in union with thy death on the cross. I humbly submit to it, and now offer it to thy divine majesty as a sacrifice and a just punishment due to my sins. I commend my soul into thy hands, and most earnestly entreat thee to give me thy blessing this day, and to grant me perseverance in thy service, that on the day of judgment I may be ranked in the happy number of those blessed souls, who are to be invited by thee to take possession of the kingdom of thy glory. During the time of my sojourn here on earth, preserve me from thirsting after the false goods of this world.—May I always remember thy vinegar and gall, and rest contented with what is sufficient to support nature. May I every day increase in thy love, and may all created objects be of little account with me, that thou mayest be the only delight of my soul and my everlasting joy.
Prayer At The Communion.
I Adore, O dear Jesus, thy sacred body and blood, soul and divinity, here present on the altar under the sacramental forms. Praised be this most holy sacrament with as many praises as there are stars in the heavens, atoms in the air, drops of water in the ocean, sands in the sea, sparks in the fire, motes of dust upon the earth, flowers in the spring, grains of corn in the summer, leaves in the autumn, flakes of snow and hailstones in the winter, or creatures in the universe. O that I had the necessary dispositions of a worthy communicant! how willingly would I unite myself to my divine Redeemer in this sacrament of love! O may I receive it worthily at the hour of my death, that it may serve me as a viatic to a happy eternity. Though I am unworthy to receive it now sacramentally, yet I wish to receive it spiritually into my soul by faith, love, and devotion. Enter then, O divine bridegroom, into this poor lodging: you vouchsafed to lodge in a stable, you did not refuse to enter into the house of Zachæus, the publican; enter into my house as into the house of another Zachæus, and give a blessing to my soul, as thou didst to the house of Zachæus: say unto me, as thou saidst unto him: Salvation is this day come to this house.—Luke, xix.
A Prayer At The Last Collects, &c.
Praise, honour, and glory be to thee, O blessed Redeemer, who coming forth out of the grave, didst rise triumphantly from the dead, and having conversed with thy disciples for forty days, didst ascend into heaven, where thou sittest at the right hand of thy eternal Father. Inflame my heart and soul with thee, that I may seek nothing but to be united to thee for ever in heaven.