Time after Pentecost
Introduction to the Time after Pentecost
- Chapter 1: The History of the Time after Pentecost
- Chapter 2: The Mystery of the Time after Pentecost
- Chapter 3: The Practice During the Time after Pentecost
- Chapter 4: Morning and Night Prayers for the Time after Pentecost
- Chapter 5: On Hearing Mass During the Time after Pentecost
- Chapter 6: On Holy Communion During the Time after Pentecost
- Chapter 7: On the Office of Vespers for Sundays and Feasts During the Time after Pentecost
- Chapter 8: On the Office of Compline During the Time after Pentecost
From Dom Guéranger's The Liturgical Year.
The solemnity of Pentecost and its octave are over, and the progress of the liturgical year introduces us into a new period, which is altogether different from those we have hitherto spent. From the very beginning of Advent, which is the prelude to the Christmas festival, right up to the anniversary of the descent of the Holy Ghost, we have witnessed the entire series of the mysteries of our redemption; all have been unfolded to us. The sequel of seasons and feasts made up a sublime drama, which absorbed our very existence; we have but just come from the final celebration, which was the consummation of the whole. And yet we have gone through but one half of the year. This does not imply that the period we have still to live is devoid of its own special mysteries; but, instead of keeping up our attention by the ceaseless interest of one plan hurrying on to its completion, the sacred liturgy is about to put before us an almost unbroken succession of varied episodes, of which some are brilliant with glory, and others exquisite in loveliness, but each one of them bringing its special tribute towards either the development of the dogmas of faith or the furtherance of the Christian life. This year’s cycle will thus be filled up; it will disappear; a new one will take its place, bringing before us the same divine facts, and pouring forth the same graces on Christ’s mystical body.
This section of the liturgical year, which comprises a little more or a little less than six months according as Easter is early or late, has always had the character it holds at present. But, although it admits only detached solemnities and feasts, the influence of the movable portion of the cycle is still observable. It may have as many as twenty-eight or as few as twenty-three weeks. This variation depends not only upon the Easter feast, which may occur on any of the days between March 22 and April 25 inclusively, but also on the date of the first Sunday of Advent, which is the opening of a new ecclesiastical year, and is always the Sunday nearest the Kalends of December.
In the Roman liturgy the Sundays of this series go under the name of ‘Sundays after Pentecost.’ As we shall show in the next chapter, that title is the most suitable that could have been given, and is found in the oldest sacramentaries and antiphonaries, but it was not universally adopted even by those Churches which followed the Roman rite; in progress of time, however, that title became the general one. To mention some of the previous early names: in the Comes of Alcuin, which takes us back to the eighth century, we find the first section of these Sundays called ‘Sundays after Pentecost’; the second is named ‘weeks after the feast of the Apostles’ (post natale Apostolorum); the third goes under the title of ‘weeks after St. Laurence’ (post Sancti Laurentii); the fourth has the appellation of ‘weeks of the seventh month’ (September); and, lastly, the fifth is termed ‘weeks after St. Michael’ (post Sancti Angeli), and lasts till Advent. As late as the sixteenth century many missals of the western Churches gave us these several sections of the Time after Pentecost, but some of the titles varied according to the special saints honoured in the respective dioceses, whose feasts were taken as the date-marks of this period of the year. The Roman missal, published by order of St. Pius V, has gradually been adopted in all our Latin churches, and has restored the ancient denomination to the ecclesiastical season we have just entered upon; so that the only name under which it is now known amongst us is ‘the Time after Pentecost’ (post Pentecosten).
From Dom Guéranger's The Liturgical Year.
That we may thoroughly understand the meaning and influence of the season of the liturgical year upon which we have now entered, it is requisite for us to grasp the entire sequel of mysteries, which holy Church has celebrated in our presence and company; we have witnessed her services, and we have shared in them. The celebration of those mysteries was not an empty pageant, acted for the sake of being looked at. Each one of them brought with it a special grace, which produced in our souls the reality signified by the rites of the liturgy. At Christmas Christ was born within us; at Passiontide He passed on and into us His sufferings and atonements; at Easter He communicated to us His glorious, His untrammelled life; in His Ascension He drew us after Him, and this even to heaven’s summit; in a word, as the apostle expresses all this working, ‘Christ was formed in us.’[1]
But, in order to give solidity and permanence to the image of Christ formed within us, it was necessary that the Holy Ghost should come, that so He might increase our light, and enkindle a fire within us that should never be quenched. This divine Paraclete came down from heaven; He gave Himself to us; He wishes to take up His abode within us, and to take our life of regeneration entirely into His own hands. The liturgy of this Time after Pentecost signifies and expresses this regenerated life, which is to be spent on the model of Christ’s, and under the direction of His Spirit.
Two objects here offer themselves to our consideration: the Church and the Christian soul. As to holy Church, the bride of Christ, filled as she is with the Paraclete Spirit, who has poured Himself forth upon her, and from that time forward is her animating principle, she is advancing onwards in her militant career, and will do so till the second coming of her heavenly Spouse. She has within her the gifts of truth and holiness. Endowed with infallibility of faith and authority to govern, she feeds Christ’s flock, sometimes enjoying liberty and peace, sometimes going through persecutions and trials. Her divine Spouse abides with her, by His grace and the efficacy of His promises, even to the end of time; she is in possession of all the favours He has bestowed upon her; and the Holy Ghost dwells with her, and in her, for ever. All this is expressed by this present portion of the liturgical year. It is one wherein we shall not meet with any of those great events which prepared and consummated the divine work; but, on the other hand, it is a season when holy Church reaps the fruits of the holiness and doctrine, which those ineffable mysteries have already produced, and will continue to produce during the course of ages. It is during this same season that we shall meet with the preparation for, and in due time the fulfilment of, those final events which will transform our mother’s militant life on earth into the triumphant one in heaven. As far, then, as regards holy Church, this is the meaning of the portion of the cycle we are commencing.
As to the faithful soul, whose life is but a compendium of that of the Church, her progress, during the period which is opened to her after the pentecostal feasts, should be in keeping with that of our common mother. The soul should live and act in imitation of Jesus, who has united Himself with her by the mysteries she has gone through; she should be governed by the Holy Spirit, whom she has received. The sublime episodes peculiar to this second portion of the year will give her an increase of light and life. She will put unity into these rays, which, though scattered in various directions, emanate from one common centre; and, advancing from brightness to brightness,[2] she will aspire to being consummated in Him whom she now knows so well, and whom death will enable her to possess as her own. Should it not be the will of God, however, to take her as yet to Himself, she will begin a fresh year, and live over again those mysteries which she has already enjoyed in the early portion of previous liturgical cycles, after which she will find herself once more in the season that is under the direction of the Holy Ghost, till at last her God will summon her from this world, on the day and at the hour which He has appointed from all eternity.
Between the Church, then, and the soul, during the time intervening from the descent of the divine Paraclete to the consummation, there is this difference—that the Church goes through it but once, whereas the Christian soul repeats it each year. With this exception the analogy is perfect. It is our duty, therefore, to thank God for thus providing for our weakness by means of the sacred liturgy, whereby He successively renews within us those helps which enable us to attain the glorious end of our creation.
Holy Church has so arranged the order for reading the Books of Scripture during the present period as to express the work then accomplished, both in the Church herself and in the Christian soul. For the interval between Pentecost and the commencement of August, she gives us the four Books of Kings. They are a prophetic epitome of the Church’s history. They describe how the kingdom of Israel was founded by David, who is the type of Christ victorious over His enemies, and by Solomon, the king of peace, who builds a temple in honour of Jehovah. During the centuries comprised in the history given in those books, there is a perpetual struggle between good and evil. There are great and saintly kings, such as Asa, Ezechias, and Josias; there are wicked ones, like Manasses. A schism breaks out in Samaria; infidel nations league together against the city of God. The holy people, continually turning a deaf ear to the prophets, give themselves up to the worship of false gods, and to the vices of the heathen, till at length the justice of God destroys both temple and city of the faithless Jerusalem; it is an image of the destruction of this world, when faith shall be so rare, that the Son of Man, at His second coming, shall scarce find a vestige of it remaining.
During the month of August, we read the Sapiential Books, so called because they contain the teachings of divine Wisdom. This Wisdom is the Word of God, who is manifested unto men through the teachings of the Church, which, because of the assistance of the Holy Ghost permanently abiding within her, is infallible in the truth.
Supernatural truth produces holiness, which cannot exist, nor produce fruit, where truth is not. In order to express the union there is between these two, the Church reads to us, during the month of September, the books called ‘hagiographic’; these are Tobias, Judith, Esther, and Job, and they show Wisdom in action.
At the end of the world the Church will have to go through combats of unusual fierceness. To keep us on the watch, she reads to us, during the month of October, the Books of Machabees; for there we have described to us the noble-heartedness of those defenders of the Law of God, for which they gloriously died; it will be the same at the last days, when power will be ‘given to the beast to make war with the saints, and to overcome them.’[3]
The month of November gives us the reading of the Prophets: the judgments of God impending upon a world which He is compelled to punish by destruction are there announced to us. First of all, we have the terrible Ezechiel; then Daniel, who sees empire succeeding empire, till the end of all time; and finally the Minor Prophets, who for the most part foretell the divine chastisements, though the latest among them proclaim, at the same time, the near approach of the Son of God.
Such is the mystery of this portion of the liturgical cycle, which is called the Time after Pentecost. It includes also the use of green vestments, for that colour expresses the hope of the bride, who knows that she has been entrusted by her Spouse to the Holy Ghost, and that He will lead her safe to the end of her pilgimage. St. John says all this in those few words of his Apocalypse: ‘The Spirit and the bride say, Come!’[4]
[1] Gal. iv. 19.
[2] 2 Cor. iii. 18.
[3] Apoc. xiii. 7.
[4] Ibid, xxii. 17.
From Dom Guéranger's The Liturgical Year.
The object which the Church has in view by her liturgical year is the leading of the Christian soul to union with Christ, and this by the Holy Ghost. This object is the one which God Himself has in giving us His own Son to be our mediator, our teacher, and our Redeemer, and in sending us the Holy Ghost to abide among us. To this end is directed all that aggregate of rites and prayers which we have hitherto explained: they are not a mere commemoration of the mysteries achieved for our salvation by the divine goodness, but they bring with them the graces corresponding to each of those mysteries; that thus we may come, as the apostle expresses it, ‘to the age of the fullness of Christ.’[1]
As we have elsewhere explained, our sharing in the mysteries of Christ, which are celebrated in the liturgical year, produces in the Christian what is called in mystic theology the illuminative life, in which the soul gains continually more and more of the light of the Incarnate Word, who, by His examples and teachings, renovates each one of her faculties, and imparts to her the habit of seeing all things from God’s point of view. This is a preparation which disposes her for union with God, not merely in an imperfect manner and one that is more or less inconstant, but in an intimate and permanent way, which is called the unitive life. The production of this life is the special work of the Holy Ghost, who has been sent into this world that He may maintain each one of our souls in the possession of Christ, and may bring to perfection the love whereby the creature is united with its God.
In this state, in this unitive life, the soul is made to relish, and assimilate into herself, all that substantial and nourishing food which is presented to her so abundantly during the Time after Pentecost. The mysteries of the Trinity and of the blessed Sacrament, the mercy and the power of the Heart of Jesus, the glories of Mary and her influence upon the Church and souls—all these are manifested to the soul with more clearness than ever, and produce within her effects not previously experienced. In the feasts of the saints, which are so varied and so grand during this portion of the year, she feels more and more intimately the bond which unites her to them in Christ, through the holy Spirit. The eternal happiness of heaven, which is to follow the trials of this mortal life, is revealed to her by the feast of All Saints; she gains clearer notions of that mysterious bliss, which consists in light and love. Having become more closely united to holy Church, the bride of her dear Lord, she follows her in all the stages of her earthly existence; she takes a share in her sufferings; she exults in her triumphs. She sees, and yet is not daunted at seeing, this world tending to its decline, for she knows that the Lord is nigh at hand. As to what regards herself, she is not dismayed at feeling that her exterior life is slowly giving way, and that the wall which stands between her and the changeless sight and possession of the sovereign Good is gradually falling to decay; for, it is not in this world that she lives, and her heart has long been where her treasure is.[2]
Thus enlightened, thus attracted, thus established by the incorporation into herself of the mysteries wherewith the sacred liturgy has nourished her, as also by the gifts poured into her by the Holy Ghost, the soul yields herself up, and without any effort, to the impulse of the divine mover. Virtue has become all the more easy to her as she aspires, it would almost seem naturally, to what is most perfect; sacrifices, which used formerly to terrify, now delight her; she makes use of this world as though she used it not,[3] for all true realities, as far as she is concerned, exist beyond this world; in a word, she longs all the more ardently after the eternal possession of the object she loves, as she has been realizing, even in this life, what the apostle describes where he speaks of a creature as being ‘one spirit with the Lord’[4] by being united to Him in heart.
Such is the result ordinarily produced in the soul by the sweet and healthy influence of the sacred liturgy. But if it seem to us that, although we have followed it in its several seasons, we have not as yet reached the state of detachment and expectation just described, and that the life of Christ has not, so far, absorbed our own individual life into itself, let us be on our guard against discouragement on that account. The cycle of the liturgy with its rays of light and grace for the soul, is not a phenomenon that occurs only once in the heavens of holy Church; it returns each year. Such is the merciful design of God, ‘who hath so loved the world as to give it His only-begotten Son’[5]—of God, ‘who came not to judge the world, but that the world may be saved by Him.’[6] And holy Church is but carrying out that design by putting within our reach the most powerful of all means for leading man to his God, and uniting him to his sovereign Good; she thus testifies the earnestness of her maternal solicitude. The Christian who has not been led to the term we have been describing by the first half of the cycle will still meet, in this second, with important aids for the expansion of his faith and the growth of his love. The Holy Ghost, who reigns in a special manner over this portion of the year, will not fail to influence his mind and heart; and, when a fresh cycle commences, the work thus begun by grace has a new chance of receiving that completeness which had been retarded by the weakness of human nature.
[1] Eph. iv. 13.
[2] St. Matt. vi. 21.
[3] 1 Cor. vii. 31.
[4] Ibid. vi. 17.
[5] St. John iii. 16.
[6] Ibid. 17.
From Dom Guéranger's The Liturgical Year.
During this second part of the year, the Christian, on waking in the morning, will unite himself with holy Church, who, every day in her Office of Lauds, hails the return of light, making use of these words of the royal prophet:
Deus, Deus meus, ad te de luce vigilo.
O God, my God, unto thee do I watch at break of day.
He will profoundly adore the divine Majesty; and, thanking his sovereign Lord, who has protected him while involved in the darkness of night, he will proffer Him his service for the whole day which is now commencing; he will wish to spend it in love and obedience, as behoves one whom Christ has united to Himself by His mysteries, and whom the Holy Ghost is willing to guide and govern. The time for morning prayer being come, he may give expression to the sentiments which should then animate his soul, by using these formulas of the Church:
Morning Prayers
First, praise and adoration of the most holy Trinity:
℣. Benedicamus Patrem et Filium cum Sancto Spiritu.
℟. Laudemus et superexaltemus eum in sæcula.
℣. Gloria Patri, et Filio, et Spiritui Sancto.
℟. Sicut erat in principio, et nunc, et semper, et in sæcula sæculorum. Amen.
℣. Let us bless the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Ghost.
℟. Let us praise him and extol him above all, for ever.℣. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost.
℟. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.
Then praise to our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ:
℣. Adoramus te, Christe, et benedicimus tibi;
℟. Quia per sanctam crucem tuam redemisti mundum.
℣. We adore thee, O Christ, and we bless thee;
℟. Because, by thy holy cross, thou hast redeemed the world.
Thirdly, invocation of the Holy Ghost:
Veni, Sancte Spiritus, reple tuorum corda fidelium, et tui amoris in eis ignem accende.
Come, O Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of thy faithful, and enkindle within them the fire of thy love.
After these fundamental acts of religion, recite the Lord’s Prayer, uniting your intentions with those which your Saviour had when He gave it to you. First, then, raise up your thoughts and desires to the interests of His glory, while you say the first three petitions: and in the last four, humbly put before Him the favours you yourself stand in need of:
Pater noster, qui es in cœlis, sanctificetur nomen tuum; adveniat regnum tuum; fiat voluntas tua sicut in cœlo et in terra. Panem nostrum quotidianum da nobis hodie; et dimitte nobis debita nostra, sicut et nos dimittimus debitoribus nostris; et ne nos inducas in tentationem; sed libera nos a malo. Amen.
Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name; thy kingdom come; thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive them that trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil. Amen.
Then address our blessed Lady, using for this the words of the Angelical Salutation. While saying it, think of the share she took in the mysteries whereby we have been saved and united to God. Think, too, of the immense power given to her by her divine Son, and of the maternal love she bears for us mortals.
The Angelical Salutation
Ave Maria, gratia plena; Dominus tecum; benedicta tu in mulieribus, et benedictus fructus ventris tui, Jesus.
Sancta Maria, Mater Dei, ora pro nobis peccatoribus, nunc et in hora mortis nostræ. Amen.
Hail Mary, full of grace: the Lord is with thee; blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.
Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now, and at the hour of our death. Amen.
After this you should recite the Creed, that is the Symbol of faith. It contains the dogmas we are to believe, and which we have seen in such living reality by means of the liturgy, which has celebrated them each in its turn. Faith is the first bond which unites us to God. It is faith that gives us to know Him, and reveals to us the object of our hope and of our love. Our faith should be dearer to us than our life, and we should be ever praying for its increase.
The Apostles' Creed
Credo in Deum, Patrem omnipotentem, Creatorem cœli et terræ. Et in Jesum Christum Filium ejus unicum, Dominum nostrum: qui conceptus est de Spiritu Sancto, natus ex Maria Virgine, passus sub Pontio Pilato, crucifixus, mortuus et sepultus: descendit ad inferos, tertia die resurrexit a mortuis: ascendit ad cœlos, sedet ad dexteram Dei Patris omnipotentis: inde venturus est judicare vivos et mortuos.
Credo in Spiritum Sanctum, sanctam Ecclesiam Catholicam, sanctorum communionem, remissionem peccatorum, carnis resurrectionem, vitam æternam. Amen.
I believe in God the Father almighty, Creator of heaven and earth. And in Jesus Christ his only Son our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary; suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead, and buried; he descended into hell; the third day he rose again from the dead, he ascended into heaven, sitteth at the right hand of God the Father almighty; from thence he shall come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Ghost; the holy Catholic Church; the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and life everlasting. Amen.
After having thus made the profession of your faith, unite with holy Church, who hails each morning the rising of the day-star, who is her Jesus, ‘the light of the world,’[1] and the Sun of justice. To this end you may recite the following beautiful hymn, composed by St. Ambrose:
Hymn
Splendor Paternæ gloriæ,
De luce lucem proferens,
Lux lucis, et fons luminis,
Diem dies illuminans.
Verusque sol illabere,
Micans nitore perpeti:
Jubarque Sancti Spiritus
Infunde nostris sensibus.
Votis vocemus et Patrem,
Patrem perennis gloriæ,
Patrem potentis gratiæ,
Culpam releget lubricam.
Confirmet actus strenuos,
Dentes retundat invidi:
Casus secundet asperos,
Donet gerendi gratiam.
Mentem gubernet et regat,
Casto, fideli corpore;
Fides calore ferveat,
Fraudis venena nesciat.
Christusque nobis sit cibus,
Potusque noster sit fides:
Læti libamus sobriam
Ebrietatem Spiritus.
Lætus dies hic transeat,
Pudor sit ut diluculum,
Fides velut meridies,
Crepusculum mens nesciat.
Aurora cursus provehit,
Aurora totus prodeat,
In Patre totus Filius,
Et totus in Verbo Pater.
Deo Patri sit gloria,
Ejusque soli Filio,
Cum Spiritu Paraclito,
Et nunc, et in perpetuum.
Amen.
O Brightness of the Father’s glory!
bringing light from the light!
Thou light of light, and fount of light,
and day that illuminest the day!
O thou true sun! pour forth thy rays on us,
shining upon us with unfading splendour!
O radiance of the Holy Ghost,
be thou infused into our senses and powers.
Give us also to invoke the Father,
the Father of eternal glory,
the Father of mighty grace,
that he would drive from us sin and its allurements.
May he give energy to our deeds and strengthen them;
may he break the teeth of the envious serpent;
may he support us when we rudely fall,
and give us the grace to act.
May he govern and rule our mind,
in a chaste and faithful body;
may our faith be fervent in warmth,
void of the poisons of error.
May Christ be our food,
and faith our drink;
may we in gladness quaff
the sober inebriation of the Spirit.
May this day be one of joy;
modesty its dawn,
faith its noon;
and no night to dim the mind.
The aurora is swiftly advancing;
O may the full aurora come,
the whole Son in the Father,
and the whole Father in his Word!
To God the Father,
and to his only Son,
and to the Paraclete Spirit,
be glory for ever and ever.
Amen.
After having thus paid your homage to your divine mediator, next make a humble confession of your sins, reciting for this purpose the general formula made use of by the Church.
The Confession Of Sins
Confiteor Deo omnipotenti, beatæ Mariæ semper Virgini, beato Michaeli archangelo, beato Joanni Baptistæ, sanctis apostolis Petro et Paulo, et omnibus sanctis, quia peccavi nimis, cogitatione, verbo et opere: mea culpa, mea culpa, mea maxima culpa. Ideo precor beatam Mariam semper Virginem, beatum Michaelem archangelum, beatum Joannem Baptistam, sanctos apostolos Petrum et Paulum et omnes sanctos, orare pro me ad Dominum Deum nostrum.
Misereatur nostri omnipotens Deus, et dimiseis peccatis nostris, perducat nos ad vitam æternam. Amen.
Indulgentiam, absolutionem et remissionem peccatorum nostrorum tribuat nobis omnipotens et misericors Dominus. Amen.
I confess to almighty God, to blessed Mary ever Virgin, to blessed Michael the archangel, to blessed John the Baptist, to the holy apostles Peter and Paul, and to all the saints, that I have sinned exceedingly in thought, word, and deed; through my fault, through my fault, through my most grievous fault. Therefore I beseech blessed Mary ever Virgin, blessed Michael the archangel, blessed John the Baptist, the holy apostles Peter and Paul, and all the saints, to pray to the Lord our God for me.
May almighty God have mercy on us, and, our sins being forgiven, bring us to life everlasting. Amen.
May the almighty and merciful Lord grant us pardon, absolution and remission of our sins. Amen.
This is the proper time for making your meditation, as, no doubt, you practise this holy exercise. It may be the case with some souls that their assiduous application to the mysteries of the holy liturgy has produced upon them this, among other effects—that it has opened to them the way of prayer, properly so called. Let, then, each one commune with God, under the influence of the Holy Spirit. During this long period, which never lasts less than six months, the Christian is free to choose the subject of his communings with God, for he has been enlightened as to all things, by the words and works of his Lord, who came down from heaven to earth that He might teach us all truth. So that, whether he stay to ponder over the mysteries which have been revealed to him, according to the attraction which he feels for them; or fix his attention upon the perfections of that divine model, in whom there are, so resplendently, all the marks of the second Adam come down from heaven; or our Lord point out to him those miseries and imperfections which are in him, and keep him still so far from his model: all will tend to enlighten him, to inflame him, and to unite him with his God. When a soul is continually being influenced by her contact with the Church through the liturgy, it is impossible for the spirit of prayer not to grow within her, and, either imperceptibly or suddenly, produce in her a transformation into Him, who, being God, has united Himself to our nature, in order that, through Him, we might be united with God.
Your meditation or prayer ended, or deferred on account of your not having leisure to make it at this hour of the morning, you will next address this prayer to God, begging Him to grant you the grace to avoid, during this day, every kind of sin, and to perform all manner of good works. Say, then, this prayer of the Church, for her prayers are the best:
℣. Domine, exaudi orationem meam,
℟. Et clamor meus ad te veniat.
Oremus.
Domine, Deus omnipotens, qui ad principium hujus diei nos pervenire fecisti, tua nos hodie salva virtute, ut in hac die ad nullum declinemus peccatum; sed semper ad tuam justitiam faciendam nostra procedant eloquia, dirigantur cogitationes et opera. Per Christum Dominum nostrum. Amen.
℣. O Lord, hear my prayer,
℟. And let my cry come unto thee.
Let us Pray.
Almighty Lord and God, who hast brought us to the beginning of this day, let thy powerful grace so conduct us through it that we may not fall into any sin; but that all our thoughts, words, and actions may be regulated according to the rules of thy heavenly justice, and tend to the observance of thy law. Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
During the day you would do well to use the instructions and prayers which you will find in these volumes, both for the proper of the time and the proper of the saints. In the evening you may use the following prayers.
NIGHT PRAYERS
After having made the sign of the cross, adore that sovereign Lord, who now offers you repose after the labours of the day. Beg His protection on these hours of sleep and night; to this end, you may recite this beautiful hymn of St. Ambrose, which was so great a favourite with St. Augustine, his disciple.[2]
Hymn
Deus, Creator omnium
Polique rector, vestiens
Diem decoro lumine,
Noctem soporis gratia.
Artus solutos ut quies
Reddat laboris usui,
Mentesque fessas allevet,
Luctusque solvat anxios.
Grates, peracto jam die,
Et noctis exortu, preces,
Voti reos ut adjuves,
Hymnum canentes, solvimus.
Te cordis ima concinant,
Te vox sonora concrepet,
Te diligat castus amor,
Te mens adoret sobria.
Ut, cum profunda clauserit
Diem caligo noctium,
Fides tenebras nesciat
Et nox fide reluceat.
Dormire mentem ne sinas,
Dormire culpa noverit;
Castos fides refrigerans
Somni vaporem temperet.
Exuta sensu lubrico
Te cordis alta somnient;
Nec hostis invidi dolo
Pavor quietos suscitet.
Christum rogemus et Patrem,
Christi Patrisque Spiritum:
Unum, potens per omnia,
Fove procantes, Trinitas.
Amen.
O God, Creator of all things,
and ruler of the heavens,
’tis thou that clothest day with beautiful light,
and night with the boon of sleep.
’Tis sleep that restores
our wearied limbs to the toil of work.
Sleep gives repose to the mind when tired,
and takes away the anxious-making grief.
The day is spent, and night is come;
we offer thee our thanks and prayers,
singing our hymn,
that thou mayst help us, thy servants.
May our inmost heart sing thy praise,
and tuneful voices sound forth thy name;
may our chaste affection love,
and our sober mind adore thee.
And when the night’s deep gloom
shall shut out the day,
may our faith know nought of darkness,
and the very night be day by faith.
Let not our soul, but only sin feel sleep;
let faith keep us chaste,
and by its refreshing power,
check the vapours of sleep.
May our heart’s deepest self,
unshackled by the allurements of sense,
dream of thee; nor let the fear of the enemy,
whose envy is ever laying snares, disturb us when at rest.
Let our prayer ascend to Christ and to the Father,
and to the Spirit of Christ and of the Father:
O Trinity, one in essence, and all-powerful,
be merciful to us, who pray to thee.
Amen.
After this hymn, say the Our Father, Hail Mary, and Apostles’ Creed, as in the morning.
Then make the examination of conscience, going over in your mind all the faults committed during the day. Think, and humble yourself at the thought, how sin makes us degenerate from the divine adoption. Then make a resolution to avoid sin for the time to come, to do penance for it, and to shun the occasions which might again lead you into it.
Having concluded the examination of conscience, recite the Confiteor (or ‘I confess’) with heartfelt contrition; and then give expression to your sorrow by the following act, which we have taken from the venerable Cardinal Bellarmine’s catechism.
Act of Contrition
O my God, I am exceedingly grieved for having offended thee; and, with my whole heart, I repent of the sins I have committed: I hate and abhor them, above every other evil, not only because, by so sinning, I have lost heaven, and deserve hell, but still more because I have offended thee, O infinite Goodness, who art worthy to be loved above all things. I most firmly resolve, by the assistance of thy grace, never more to offend thee for the time to come, and to avoid those occasions which might lead me into sin.
You may then add the acts of faith, hope, and charity, to the recitation of which Pope Benedict XIV. has granted an indulgence of seven years and seven quarantines for each time.
Act of Faith
O my God, I firmly believe whatsoever the holy Catholic Apostolic Roman Church requires me to believe: I believe it, because thou hast revealed it to her, thou who art the very truth.
Act of Hope
O my God, knowing thine almighty power, and thine infinite goodness and mercy, I hope in thee that, by the merits of the Passion and death of our Saviour Jesus Christ, thou wilt grant me eternal life, which thou hast promised to all such as shall do the works of a good Christian; and these I resolve to do, with the help of thy grace.
Act of Charity
O my God, I love thee with my whole heart and above all things, because thou art the sovereign Good: I would rather lose all things than offend thee. For thy love also, Ilove, and desire to love, my neighbour as myself.
Then say to our blessed Lady the following solemn anthem, which the Church says, in her honour, till Advent.
Anthem to the Blessed Virgin
Salve, Regina, mater misericordiæ: vita, dulcedo, et spes nostra, salve.
Ad te clamamus, exsules filii Hevæ;
Ad te suspiramus, gementes et flentes in hac lacrymarum valle.
Eia, ergo, advocata nostra, illos tuos misericordes oculos ad nos converte.
Et Jesum, benedictum fructum ventris tui, nobis post hoc exsilium ostende;
O clemens, o pia, o dulcis Virgo Maria!
℣. Ora pro nobis, sancta Dei Genitrix,
℟. Ut digni efficiamur promissionibus Christi.
Oremus.
Omnipotens sempiterne Deus, qui gloriosæ Virginis Matris Mariæ corpus et animam, ut dignum Filii tui habitaculum effici mereretur, Spiritu sancto cooperante præparasti: da, ut cujus commemoratione lætamur, ejus pia intercessione ab instantibus malis, et a morte perpetua liberemur. Per eumdem Christum Dominum nostrum.
Amen.
Hail, holy QUEEN, mother OF mercy; our life, our sweetness, and our hope, all hail!
To thee we cry, poor banished children of Eve:
To thee we send up our sighs, mourning and weeping in this vale of tears.
Turn, then, most gracious advocate, thine eyes of mercy towards us;
And, after this our exile, show unto us the blessed fruit of thy womb, Jesus;
O merciful, O kind, O sweet Virgin Mary!
℣. Pray for us, O holy Mother of God,
℟. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.
Let us Pray.
O almighty and everlasting God, who, by the co-operation of the Holy Ghost, didst prepare the body and soul of Mary, glorious Virgin and Mother, to become the worthy habitation of thy Son; grant that we may be delivered from present evils, and from everlasting death, by her gracious intercession, in whose commemoration we rejoice. Through the same Christ our Lord.
Amen.
You would do well to add the litany of our Lady. An indulgence of three hundred days, for each time it is recited, has been granted by the Church.
The Litany of the Blessed Virgin
Kyrie, eleïson.
Christe, eleïson.
Kyrie, eleïson.
Christe, audi nos.
Christe, exaudi nos.
Pater de cœlis, Deus, miserere nobis.
Fili, Redemptor mundi, Deus, miserere nobis.
Spiritus Sancte, Deus, miserere nobis.
Sancta Trinitas, unus Deus, miserere nobis.
Sancta Maria, ora pro nobis.
Sancta Dei Genitrix, ora, etc.
Sancta Virgo virginum,
Mater Christi,
Mater divinæ gratiæ,
Mater purissima,
Mater castissima,
Mater inviolata,
Mater intemerata,
Mater amabilis,
Mater admirabilis,
Mater boni consilii,
Mater Creatoris,
Mater Salvatoris,
Virgo prudentissima,
Virgo veneranda,
Virgo prædicanda,
Virgo potens,
Virgo clemens,
Virgo fidelis,
Speculum justitiæ,
Sedes sapientiæ,
Causa nostræ lætitiæ,
Vas spirituale,
Vas honorabile,
Vas insigne devotionis,
Rosa mystica,
Turris Davidica,
Turris eburnea,
Domus aurea,
Fœderis arca,
Janua cœli,
Stella matutina,
Salus infirmorum,
Refugium peccatorum,
Consolatrix afflictorum,
Auxilium Christianorum,
Regina Angelorum,
Regina Patriarcharum,
Regina Prophetarum,
Regina Apostolorum,
Regina Martyrum,
Regina Confessorum,
Regina Virginum,
Regina Sanctorum omnium,
Regina sine labe originali concepta,
Regina sacratissimi rosarii,
Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccata mundi, parce nobis, Domine.
Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccata mundi, exaudi nos, Domine.
Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccata mundi, miserere nobis.
Christe, audi nos.
Christe, exaudi nos.
℣. Ora pro nobis, sancta Dei Genitrix,
℟. Ut digni efficiamur promissionibus Christi.
Oremus.
Concede nos famulos tuos, quæsumus, Domine Deus, perpetua mentis et corporis sanitate gaudere: et gloriosa beatæ Mariæ semper Virginis intercessione a præsenti liberari tristitia, et æterna perfrui lætitia. Per Christum Dominum nostrum.
Amen.
Lord, have mercy on us.
Christ, have mercy on us.
Lord, have mercy on us.
Christ, hear us.
Christ, graciously hear us.
God, the Father of heaven, have mercy on us.
God the Son, Redeemer of the world, have mercy on us.
God the Holy Ghost, have mercy on us.
Holy Trinity, one God, have mercy on us.
Holy Mary, pray for us.
Holy Mother of God, pray, etc.
Holy Virgin of virgins,
Mother of Christ,
Mother of divine grace,
Mother most pure,
Mother most chaste,
Mother inviolate,
Mother undefiled,
Mother most amiable,
Mother most admirable,
Mother of good counsel,
Mother of our Creator,
Mother of our Redeemer,
Virgin most prudent,
Virgin most venerable,
Virgin most renowned,
Virgin most powerful,
Virgin most merciful,
Virgin most faithful,
Mirror of justice,
Seat of wisdom,
Cause of our joy,
Spiritual vessel,
Vessel of honour,
Singular vessel of devotion,
Mystical rose,
Tower of David,
Tower of ivory,
House of gold,
Ark of the covenant,
Gate of heaven,
Morning star,
Health of the weak,
Refuge of sinners,
Comforter of the afflicted,
Help of Christians,
Queen of Angels,
Queen of Patriarchs,
Queen of Prophets,
Queen of Apostles,
Queen of Martyrs,
Queen of Confessors,
Queen of Virgins,
Queen of all Saints,
Queen conceived without original sin,
Queen of the most holy rosary,
Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the world, spare us, O Lord.
Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the world, graciously hear us, O Lord.
Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the world, have mercy on us.
Christ, hear us.
Christ, graciously hear us.
℣. Pray for us, O holy Mother of God,
℟. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.
Let us Pray.
Grant, O Lord, we beseech thee, that we thy servants may enjoy constant health of body and mind: and by the glorious intercession of blessed Mary, ever Virgin, be delivered from all present affliction, and come to that joy which is eternal. Through Christ our Lord.
Amen.
Here invoke the holy angels, whose protection is, indeed, always so much needed by us, but never so much as during the hours of night. Say with the Church:
Sancti angeli custodes nostri, defendite nos in prælio, ut non pereamus in tremendo judicio.
℣. Angelis suis Deus mandavit de te,
℟. Ut custodiant te in omnibus viis tuis.
Oremus.
Deus, qui ineffabili providentia sanctos angelos tuos ad nostram custodiam mittere dignaris: largire supplicibus tuis, et eorum semper protectione defendi, et æterna societate gaudere. Per Christum Dominum nostrum.
Amen.
Holy angels, our loving guardians, defend us in the hour of battle, that we may not be lost at the dreadful judgment.
℣. God hath given his angels charge of thee,
℟. That they may guard thee in all thy ways.
Let us Pray.
O God, who in thy wonderful providence hast been pleased to appoint thy holy angels for our guardians: mercifully hear our prayers, and grant we may rest secure under their protection, and enjoy their fellowship in heaven, for ever. Through Christ our Lord.
Amen.
Then beg the assistance of the saints by the following antiphon and prayer of the Church:
Ant. Sancti Dei omnes, intercedere dignemini pro nostra omniumque salute.
Ant. All ye saints of God, vouchsafe to intercede for us and for all men, that we may be saved.
And here you may add a special mention of the saints to whom you bear a particular devotion, either as your patrons or otherwise; as also of those whose feast is kept in the Church that day, or who have been at least commemorated in the Divine Office.
This done, remember the necessities of the Church suffering; and beg of God that He will give to the souls in purgatory a place of refreshment, light, and peace. For this intention recite the usual prayers:
Psalm 129
De profundis clamavi ad te, Domine: Domine, exaudi vocem meam.
Fiant aures tuæ intendentes: in vocem deprecationis meæ.
Si iniquitates observaveris, Domine: Domine, quis sustinebit?
Quia apud te propitiatio est: et propter legem tuam sustinui te, Domine.
Sustinuit anima mea in verbo ejus: speravit anima mea in Domino.
A custodia matutina usque ad noctem: speret Israel in Domino.
Quia apud Dominum misericordia: et copiosa apud eum redemptio.
Et ipse redimet Israel: ex omnibus iniquitatibus ejus.
Requiem æternam dona eis, Domine.
Et lux perpetua luceat eis.
℣. A porta inferi,
℟. Erue, Domine, animas eorum.
℣. Requiescant in pace.
℟. Amen.
℣. Domine, exaudi orationem meam.
℟. Et clamor meus ad te veniat.
Oremus.
Fidelium Deus omnium Conditor et Redemptor, animabus famulorum famularumque tuarum, remissionem cunctorum tribue peccatorum: ut indulgentiam, quam semper optaverunt, piis supplicationibus consequantur. Qui vivis et regnas in sæcula sæculorum.
Amen.
From the depths I have cried to thee, O Lord: Lord, hear my voice.
Let thine ears be attentive to the voice of my supplication.
If thou wilt observe iniquities, O Lord: Lord, who shall endure it?
For with thee there is merciful forgiveness: and by reason of thy law, I have waited for thee, O Lord.
My soul hath relied on his word: my soul hath hoped in the Lord.
From the morning watch even until night: let Israel hope in the Lord.
Because with the Lord there is mercy: and with him plentiful redemption.
And he shall redeem Israel from all his iniquities.
Eternal rest give to them, O Lord.
And let perpetual light shine upon them.
℣. From the gate of hell,
℟. Deliver their souls, O Lord.
℣. May they rest in peace.
℟. Amen.
℣. O Lord, hear my prayer.
℟. And let my cry come unto thee.
Let us Pray.
O God, the Creator and Redeemer of all the faithful, give to the souls of thy servants departed the remission of all their sins: that through the help of pious supplications, they may obtain the pardon they have always desired. Who livest and reignest for ever and ever.
Amen.
Here make a special memento of such of the faithful departed as have a particular claim upon your charity; after which, ask of God to give you His assistance, whereby you may pass the night free from danger. Say, then, still keeping to the words of the Church:
Ant. Salva nos, Domine, vigilantes, custodi nos dormientes: ut vigilemus cum Christo, et requiescamus in pace.
℣. Dignare, Domine, nocte ista,
℟. Sine peccato nos custodire.
℣. Miserere nostri, Domine.
℟. Miserere nostri.
℣. Fiat misericordia tua, Domine, super nos.
℟. Quemadmodum speravimus in te.
℣. Domine, exaudi orationem meam,
℟. Et clamor mens ad te veniat.
Oremus.
Visita, quæsumus, Domine, habitationem istam, et omnes insidias inimici ab ea longe repelle: angeli tui sancti habitent in ea, qui nos in pace custodiant, et benedictio tua sit super nos semper. Per Dominum nostrum Jesum Christum, Filium tuum, qui tecum vivit et regnat in unitate Spiritus sancti, Deus, per omnia sæcula sæculorum.
Amen.
Ant. Save us, O Lord, while awake, and watch us as we sleep; that we may watch with Christ, and rest in peace.
℣. Vouchsafe, O Lord, this night,
℟. To keep us without sin.
℣. Have mercy on us, O Lord.
℟. Have mercy on us.
℣. Let thy mercy, O Lord, be upon us,
℟. As we have hoped in thee.
℣. O Lord, hear my prayer,
℟. And let my cry come unto thee.
Let us Pray.
Visit, we beseech thee, O Lord, this house and family, and drive from it all snares of the enemy; let thy holy angels dwell herein, who may keep us in peace, and may thy blessing be always upon us. Through Jesus Christ our Lord, thy Son, who liveth and reigneth with thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end.
Amen.
And finally, as a close to the day, you may recite those words which were the last uttered by our Redeemer on the cross. The Church offers them to God, each day at Compline.
In manus tuas, Domine, commendo spiritum meum.
Into thy hands, O Lord, I commend my soul.
[1] St. John viii. 12.
[2] Confessions, Bk. ix., ch. 12.
From Dom Guéranger's The Liturgical Year.
Of all the good acts wherewith a Christian can sanctify his day, there is not one which bears comparison with that of assisting at the holy sacrifice of the Mass. It is in that sacrifice, the supreme act of religion, that is centred all the homage due from man to his Creator; and it is also from the same sacrifice that God pours out profusely upon his creature man every sort of blessing. The very Son of God is really present there; there He is offered up to His Father, and the offering is always well-pleasing; and they who assist at this divine immolation with faith and love receive into their souls graces of a far richer kind than are given by ordinary means.
The assistance at Mass, if completed by the real participation of the divine victim, unites man to God in an ineffable way by the renovation of his whole being, for it produces an intimate communion between him and the Word Incarnate. But if the Christian who is assisting at the holy sacrifice goes no further than the uniting of his intentions with those of the divine victim, even so, his mere presence at so great an act includes a true participation in the supreme worship offered by this earth of ours to the Majesty of God, in Christ, and by Christ. So, too, he solemnly consecrates to God, by that same holy act, the day he has just begun.
We have devoted the days within the octave of Corpus Christi to giving our readers the fullest instruction regarding the holy sacrifice of the Mass. As to the dispositions wherewith they should assist at it, they are given in the present chapter, in which we explain briefly, and yet, as we believe, completely, the meaning of each ceremony and expression. Whilst thus endeavouring to initiate the faithful into these sublime mysteries, we have not given them a bare and indiscreet translation of the sacred formulæ, but have taken what seemed to us so much better a plan, of suggesting such acts as will enable those who hear Mass to enter into the ceremonies and the spirit of the Church and of the priest. The conclusion to be drawn from this is one of great importance: it is that, in order to derive solid profit from assisting at the holy sacrifice, the faithful must attentivly follow all that is being done at the altar, and not stand aloof, as it were, by reading books which are filled with devotions of a private and unseasonable character.
On the Sundays, if the Mass at which the faithful assist, be the parochial, or, as it is often called, the public Mass, two solemn rites precede it, and they are full of instruction and blessing: the Asperges, or sprinkling of the holy water, and the procession.
During the Asperges, you should unite with the intentions which the Church has in this ceremony, so venerable by its antiquity: you should pray for that purity of heart which is needed for worthily assisting at the mysteries, wherein God Himself becomes present, and unites heaven and earth so closely together.
Antiphon of the Asperges
Asperges me, Domine, hysso po, et mundabor: lavabis me, et super nivem dealbabor.
Ps. Miserere mei, Deus, secundum magnam misericordiam tuam.
℣. Gloria Patri, etc.
Ant. Asperges me, etc.
℣. Ostende nobis, Domine, misericordiam tuam;
℟. Et salutare tuum da nobis.
℣. Domine, exaudi orationem meam;
℟. Et clamor meus ad te veniat.
℣. Dominus vobiscum;
℟. Et cum spiritu tuo.
Oremus.
Exaudi nos, Domine sancte, Pater omnipotens, æterne Deus: et mittere digneris sanctum angelum tuum de cœlis, qui custodiat, foveat, protegat, visitet, atque defendat omnes habitantes in hoc habitaculo. Per Christum Dominum nostrum.
℟. Amen.
Thou shalt sprinkle me with hyssop, O Lord, and I shall be cleansed; thou shalt wash me, and I shall be made whiter than snow.
Ps. Have mercy on me, O God, according to thy great mercy.
℣. Glory, etc.
Ant. Thou shalt sprinkle me, etc.
℣. Show us, O Lord, thy mercy.
℟. And grant us thy salvation.
℣. O Lord, hear my prayer.
℟. And let my cry come unto thee.
℣. The Lord be with you;
℟. And with thy spirit.
Let us Pray.
Graciously hear us, O holy Lord, Father almighty, eternal God: and vouchsafe to send thy holy angel from heaven, who may keep, cherish, protect, visit, and defend all who are assembled in this place. Through Christ our Lord.
℟. Amen.
The procession, which in many churches immediately precedes a solemn Mass, is a prelude to the great act which is about to be accomplished. It originated from the practice used in monasteries, of going through the cloisters, every Sunday, chanting certain appointed responsories; during which time the hebdomadarian went through all the conventual places, blessing each of them. The practice is still in use.
But see, Christians! the sacrifice begins! The priest is at the foot of the altar; God is attentive, the angels are in adoration, the whole Church is united with the priest, whose priesthood and action are those of the great High Priest, Jesus Christ. Let us make the sign of the cross with him.
The Ordinary of the Mass
In nomine Patris, et Filii, et Spiritus Sancti. Amen.
℣. Introibo ad altare Dei:
℟. Ad Deum qui lætificat juventutem meam.
Judica me, Deus, et discerne causam meam de gente non sancta: ab homine iniquo et doloso erue me.
Quia tu es, Deus, fortitudo mea: quare me repulisti? et quare triatis incedo, dum affligit me inimicus?
Emitte lucem tuam et veritatem tuam: ipsa me deduxerunt et adduxerunt in montem sanctum tuum, et in tabernacula tua.
Et introibo ad altare Dei: ad Deum qui lætificat juventutem meam.
Confitebor tibi in cithara, Deus, Deus meus: quare tristis es anima mea? et quare conturbas me?
Spera in Deo, quoniam adhuc confitebor illi: salutare vultus mei, et Deus meus.
Gloria Patri, et Filio, et Spiritui sancto:
Sicut erat in principio, et nunc et semper, et in sæcula sæculorum. Amen.
℣. Introibo ad altare Dei:
℟. Ad Deum qui lætificat juventutem meam.
℣. Adjutorium nostrum in nomine Domini.
℟. Qui fecit cœlum et terram.
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen.
I unite myself, O my God, with thy holy Church, who thrills with joy at the approach of Jesus Christ thy Son, who is the true altar.
Like her, I beseech thee to defend me against the malice of the enemies of my salvation.
It is in thee that I have put my hope, yet do I feel sad and troubled at being in the midst of the snares which are set for me.
Let me, then, see him who is light and truth; it is he who will open the way to thy holy mount, to thy heavenly tabernacle.
He is the mediator, and the living altar; I will draw nigh to him, and be filled with joy.
Having seen him, I will sing in my gladness. Be not sad, O my soul! why wouldst thou be longer troubled?
Hope in him, who will soon show himself unto thee, as thy Saviour, and thy God.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost:
As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.
I am going to the altar of God; there I shall feel the presence of him who desires to give me a new life.
This my hope comes not to me as thinking that I have any merits; but because of the all-powerful help of my Creator.
The thought of being about to appear before his God excites in the soul of the priest a lively sentiment of compunction. He cannot go further in the holy sacrifice without confessing, and publicly, that he is a sinner, and deserves not the grace he is about to receive. Listen with respect to this confession of God’s minister, and earnestly ask our Lord to show mercy to him; for the priest is your father; he is answerable for your salvation, for which he every day risks his own. When he has finished, unite with the servers, or the sacred ministers, in this prayer:
Misereatur tui omnipotens Deus, et dimissis peccatis tuis, perducat te ad vitam æternam.
May almighty God have mercy on thee, and, forgiving thy sins, bring thee to everlasting life.
The priest having answered Amen, make your confession, saying with a contrite spirit:
Confiteor Deo omnipotenti, beatæ Mariæ semper Virgini, beato Michaeli archangelo, beato Joanni Baptistæ, sanctis apostolis Petro et Paulo, omnibus sanctis, et tibi, pater, quia peccavi nimis cogitatione, verbo et opere, mea culpa, mea culpa, mea maxima culpa. Ideo precor beatam Mariam semper Virginem, beatum Michaelem archangelum, beatum Joannem Baptistam, sanctos apostolos Petrum et Paulum, omnes sanctos, et te, pater, orare pro me ad Dominum Deum nostrum.
I confess to almighty God, to blessed Mary ever Virgin, to blessed Michael the archangel, to blessed John the Baptist, to the holy apostles Peter and Paul, to all the saints, and to thee, father, that I have sinned exceedingly in thought, word, and deed, through my fault, through my fault, through my most grievous fault. Therefore I beseech blessed Mary ever Virgin, blessed Michael the archangel, blessed John the Baptist, the holy apostles Peter and Paul, and all the saints, and thee, father, to pray to the Lord our God for me.
Receive with gratitude the paternal wish of the priest, who says to you:
Misereatur vestri omnipotens Deus, et dimissis peccatis vestris, perducat vos ad vitam æternam.
℟. Amen.
Indulgentiam, absolutionem, et remissionem peccatorum nostrorum, tribuat nobis omnipotens et misericors Dominus.
℟. Amen.
May almighty God be merciful to you, and forgiving your sins, bring you to everlasting life.
℟. Amen.
May the almighty and merciful Lord grant us pardon, absolution, and remission of our sins.
℟. Amen.
Invoke the divine assistance, that you may approach to Jesus Christ:
℣. Deus, tu conversus vivificabis nos.
℟. Et plebs tua lætabitur in te.
℣. Ostende nobis Domine misericordiam tuam,
℟. Et salutare tuum da nobis.
℣. Domine, exaudi orationem meam,
℟. Et clamor meus ad te veniat.
℣. O God, it needs but one look of thine to give us life!
℟. And thy people shall rejoice in thee!
℣. Show us, O Lord, thy mercy,
℟. And give us the Saviour thou art preparing to give us.
℣. O Lord, hear my prayer,
℟. And let my cry come unto thee.
The priest here leaves you and ascends to the altar, but he first salutes you:
℣. Dominus vobiscum.
℣. The Lord be with you.
Answer him with reverence:
℟. Et cum spiritu tuo.
℟. And with thy spirit.
He ascends the steps, and comes to the Holy of holies. Ask, both for him and for yourself, deliverance from sin:
Oremus.
Aufer a nobis, quæsumus, Domine, iniquitates nostras; ut ad Sancta sanctorum puris mereamur mentibus introire. Per Christum Dominum nostrum. Amen.
Let us Pray.
Take from our hearts, O Lord, all those sins, which make us unworthy to appear in thy presence. We ask this of thee, by thy divine Son, our Lord.
When the priest kisses the altar, out of reverence for the relies of the martys which are there, say:
Oramus te, Domine, per merita sanctorum tuorum quorum reliquiæ hic sunt et omnium sanctorum, ut indulgere digneris omnia peccata mea. Amen.
Generous soldiers of Jesus Christ, who have mingled your own blood with his, intercede for us, that our sins may be forgiven; that so we may, like you, approach unto God.
If it be a High Mass at which you are assisting, the priest here blesses the incense, saying:
Ab illo benedicaris, in cujus honore cremaberis. Amen.
Mayst thou be blessed by him, in whose honour thou art to be burned. Amen.
He then censes the altar in a most solemn manner. This white cloud, which you see ascending from every part of the altar, signifies the prayer of the Church, who addresses herself to Jesus Christ; while the divine mediator causes that prayer to ascend, united with His own, to the throne of the majesty of His Father.
The priest then says the Introit. It is a solemn opening anthem, in which the Church, at the very commencement of the holy sacrifice, gives expression to the sentiments which fill her heart.
It is followed by nine exclamations, which are even more earnest still, for they ask for mercy. In addressing them to God, the Church unites herself with the nine choirs of angels, who are standing around the altar of heaven, one and the same with this before which you are kneeling.
To the Father
Kyrie, eleison.
Kyrie, eleison.
Kyrie, eleison.
Lord, have mercy on us!
Lord, have mercy on us!
Lord, have mercy on us!
To the Son
Christe, eleison.
Christe, eleison.
Christe, eleison.
Christ, have mercy on us!
Christ, have mercy on us!
Christ, have mercy on us!
To the Holy Ghost
Kyrie, eleison.
Kyrie, eleison.
Kyrie, eleison.
Lord, have mercy on us!
Lord, have mercy on us!
Lord, have mercy on us!
Then, mingling his voice with that of the heavenly host, the priest intones the sublime canticle of Bethlehem, which announces glory to God, and peace to men. Instructed by the revelations of God, the Church continues, in her own words, the hymn of the angels.
The Angelic Hymn
Gloria in excelsis Deo, et in terra pax hominibus bonæ voluntatis.
Laudamus te: benedici mus te: adoramus te: glorificamus te: gratias agimus tibi propter magnam gloriam tuam.
Domine Deus, Rex cœlestis, Deus Pater omnipotens.
Domine, Fili unigenite, Jesu Christe.
Domine Deus, Agnus Dei, Filius Patris.
Qui tollis peccata mundi, miserere nobis.
Qui tollis peccata mundi, suscipe deprecationem nostram.
Qui sedes ad dexteram Patris, miserere nobis.
Quoniam tu solus sanctus, tu solus Dominus, tu solus altissimus, Jesu Christe, cum sancto Spiritu, in gloria Dei Patris. Amen.
Glory be to God on high, and on earth peace to men of good will.
We praise thee: we bless thee: we adore thee: we glorify thee: we give thee thanks for thy great glory.
O Lord God, heavenly King, God the Father almighty.
O Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son.
O Lord God, Lamb of God, Son of the Father.
Who takest away the sins of the world, have mercy on us.
Who takest away the sins of the world, receive our humble prayer.
Who sittest at the right hand of the Father, have mercy on us.
For thou alone art holy, thou alone art Lord, thou alone, O Jesus Christ, together with the Holy Ghost, art most high, in the glory of God the Father. Amen.
The priest then turns towards the people, and again salutes them, as it were to make sure of their pious attention to the sublime act, for which all this is but the preparation.
Then follows the Collect or Prayer, in which the Church formally expresses to the divine Majesty the special intentions she has in the Mass which is being celebrated. You may unite in this prayer, by reciting with the priest the collects, which you will find in their proper places; but on no account omit to join with the server of the Mass in answering Amen.
After this comes the Epistle, which is generally a portion of one or other of the Epistles of the apostles, or a passage from some Book of the Old Testament. While it is being read, give thanks to that God who, not satisfied with having spoken to us at sundry times by His messengers, deigned at last to speak unto us by His well-beloved Son.[1]
The Gradual is a formula of prayer, intermediate between the Epistle and the Gospel. Most frequently, it again brings before us the sentiments already expressed in the Introit. Read it devoutly, that so you may enter more and more into the spirit of the mystery proposed to you this day by the Church.
The song of praise, the Alleluia, is next heard. Let us, while it is being said, unite with the holy angels, who are for all eternity making heaven resound with that song, which we on earth are permitted to attempt.
The time is now come for the Gospel to be read. The Gospel is the written word; our hearing it will prepare us for the Word, who is our victim and our food.
If it be a High Mass, the deacon prepares, meanwhile, to fulfil his noble office—that of announcing the ‘good tidings’ of salvation. He prays God to cleanse his heart and lips. Then, kneeling before the priest, he asks a blessing; and, having received it, at once goes to the place where he is to sing the Gospel.
As a preparation for worthily hearing it, you may thus pray, together with both priest and deacon:
Munda cor meum, ac labia mea, omnipotens Deus, qui labia Isaiæ prophetæ calculo mundasti ignito: ita me tua grata miseratione dignare mundare, ut sanctum Evangelium tuum digne valeam nuntiare. Per Christum Dominum nostrum. Amen.
Dominus sit in corde meo, et in labiis meis: ut digne et competenter annuntiem Evangelium suum.
Alas! these ears of mine are but too often defiled with the world’s vain words: cleanse them, O Lord, that so I may hear the words of eternal life, and treasure them in my heart. Through our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.
Grant to thy ministers thy grace, that they may faithfully explain thy law; so that all, both pastors and flock, may be united to thee for ever. Amen.
You will stand during the Gospel, out of respect for the word of God, and as though you were awaiting the orders of your divine master. At the commencement, make the sign of the cross on your forehead, lips,and breast; and then listen to every word of the priest or deacon. Let your heart be ready and obedient. ‘While my beloved was speaking,’ says the bride in the Canticle, ‘my soul melted within me.’[2] If you have not such love as this, have at least the humble submission of Samuel, and say: 'Speak, Lord! thy servant heareth.’[3]
After the Gospel, if the priest says the symbol of faith, the Credo, you will say it with him. Faith is that grand gift of God without which we cannot please Him. It is faith that makes us see ‘the light which shineth in darkness,’ and which the darkness of unbelief ‘did not comprehend.’ Let us, then, say with the Catholic Church, our mother:
The Nicene Creed
Credo in unum Deum, Patrem omnipotentem, factorem cœli et terræ, visibilium omnium et invisibilium. Et in unum Dominum Jesum Christum, Filium Dei unigenitum. Et ex Patre natum ante omnia sæcula. Deum de Deo, lumen de lumine, Deum verum de Deo vero. Genitum, non factum, consubstantialem Patri: per quem omnia facta sunt. Qui propter nos ho mines et propter nostram salutem, descendit de cœlis. Et incarnatus est de Spiritu Sancto ex Maria Virgine: ET HOMO FACTUS EST. Crucifixus etiam pro nobis sub Pontio Pilato, passus et sepultus est. Et resurrexit tertia die, secundum Scripturas, et ascendit in cœlum: sedet ad dexteram Patris. Et iterum venturus est cum gloria judicare vivos et mortuos: cujus regni non erit finis.
Et in Spiritum Sanctum, Dominum et vivificantem: qui ex Patre Filioque procedit. Qui cum Patre et Filio simul adoratur, et conglorificatur: qui locutus est per prophetas. Et unam, sanctam, Catholicam, et apostolicam Ecclesiam. Confiteor unum Baptisma in remissionem peccatorum. Et exspecto resurrectionem mortuorum, et vitam venturi sæculi. Amen.
I believe in one God, the Father almighty, maker of heaven and earth, and of all things visible and invisible. And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God. And born of the Father, before all ages; God of God, light of light; true God of true God. Begotten, not made; consubstantialwith the Father, by whom all things were made. Who, for us men and for our salvation, came down from heaven. And became incarnate by the Holy Ghost of the Virgin Mary; AND WAS MADE MAN. He was crucified also for us, under Pontius Pilate, suffered, and was buried. And the third day he rose again, according to the Scriptures. And ascended into heaven; sitteth at the right hand of the Father. And he is to come again with glory, to judge the living and the dead; of whose kingdom there shall be no end.
And in the Holy Ghost, the Lord and giver of life, who proceedeth from the Father and the Son, who, together with the Father and the Son, is adored and glorified; who spoke by the prophets. And one, holy, Catholic, and apostolic Church. I confess one Baptism for the remission of sins. And I expect the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen.
The priest and the people should now have their hearts ready: it is time to prepare the offering itself. And here we come to the second part of the holy Mass; it is called the Oblation, and immediately follows that which was named the Mass of the catechumens, on account of its being, formerly, the only part at which the candidates for Baptism had permission to be present.
See, then, dear Christians! Bread and wine are about to be offered to God, as being the noblest of inanimate creatures, since they are intended to serve as the nourishment of man; and even that is only a poor material image of what they are destined to become in our Christian sacrifice. Their substance will soon give place to God Himself, and of themselves nothing will remain but the appearances. Happy creatures, thus to yield up their own being, that God may take its place! We, too, are to undergo a like transformation, when, as the apostle expresses it, that which is mortal will be swallowed up by life.[4] Until that happy change shall be realized, let us offer ourselves to God, as often as we see the bread and wine presented to Him in the holy sacrifice; and let us glorify Him, who, by assuming our human nature, has made us partakers of the divine nature.[5]
The priest again turns to the people, greeting them with the usual salutation, as though he would warn them to redouble their attention. Let us read the Offertory with him; and when he offers the Host to God, let us unite with him and say:
Suscipe, sancte Pater, omnipotens, æterne Deus, hanc immaculatam hostiam, quam ego indignus famulus tuus offero tibi, Deo meo vivo et vero, pro innumerabilibus peccatis et offensionibus et negligentiis meis, et pro omnibus circumstantibus, sed et pro omnibus fidelibus Christianis vivis atque defunctis; ut mihi et illis proficiat ad salutem in vitam æternam. Amen.
All that we have, O Lord, comes from thee, and belongs to thee, it is just, therefore, that we return it unto thee. But, how wonderful art thou in the inventions of thy immense love! This bread which we are offering to thee, is to give place, in a few moments, to the sacred Body of Jesus. We beseech thee, receive, together with this oblation, our hearts, which long to live by thee, and to cease to live their own life of self.
When the priest puts the wine into the chalice, and then mingles with it a drop of water, let your thoughts turn to the divine mystery of the Incarnation, which is the source of our hope and our salvation, and say:
Deus, qui humanæ substantiae dignitatem mirabiliter condidisti, et mirabilius reformasti: da nobis per hujus aquæ et vini mysterium, ejus divinitatis esse consortes, qui humanitatis nostræ fieri dignatus est particeps, Jesus Christus, Filius tuus, Dominus noster: qui tecum vivit et regnat in unitate Spiritus sancti Deus, per omnia sæcula sæculorum. Amen.
O Lord Jesus, who art the true vine, and whose Blood, like a generous wine, has been poured forth under the pressure of the cross! thou hast deigned to unite thy divine nature to our weak humanity, which is signified by this drop of water. Oh! come and make us partakers of thy divinity by showing thyself to us in thy sweet and wondrous visit.
The priest then offers the mixture of wine and water, beseeching God graciously to accept this oblation, which is so soon to be changed into the reality, of which it is now but the figure. Meanwhile say, in union with the priest:
Offerimus tibi, Domine, calicem salutaris, tuam deprecantes clementiam: ut in conspectu divinæ Majestatis tuæ, pro nostra et totius mundi salute, cum odore suavitatis ascendat. Amen.
Graciously accept these gifts, O sovereign Creator of all things. Let them be fitted for the divine transformation, which will make them from being mere offerings of created things, the instrument of the world’s salvation.
After having thus held up the sacred gifts towards heaven, the priest bows down; let us also humble ourselves, and say:
In spiritu humilitatis, et in animo contrito, suscipiamur a te, Domine: et sic fiat sacrificium nostrum in conspectu tuo hodie, ut placeat tibi, Domine Deus.
Though daring, as we do, to approach thy altar, O Lord, we cannot forget that we are sinners. Have mercy on us, and delay not to send us thy Son, who is our saving Host.
Let us next invoke the Holy Ghost, whose operation is about to produce on the altar the presence of the Son of God, as it did in the womb of the blessed Virgin Mary, in the divine mystery of the Incarnation:
Veni Sanctificator, omnipotens æterne Deus, et benedic hoc sacrificium tuo sancto nomini præparatum.
Come, O divine Spirit, make fruitful the offering which is upon the altar, and produce in our hearts him whom they desire.
If it be a High Mass, the priest, before proceeding further with the sacrifice, takes the thurible a second time, after blessing the incense in these words:
Per intercessionem beati Michaelis archangeli, stantis a dextris altaris incensi, et omnium electorum suorum, incensum istud dignetur Dominus benedicere, et in odorem suavitatis accipere. Per Christum Dominum nostrum. Amen.
Through the intercession of blessed Michael the archangel, standing at the right hand of the altar of incense, and of all his elect, may our Lord deign to bless this incense, and to receive it for an odour of sweetness. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.
He then censes first the bread and wine, which have just been offered, and then the altar itself; hereby inviting the faithful to make their prayer, which is signified by the fragrant incense, more and more fervent, the nearer the solemn moment approaches. St. John tells us that the incense he beheld burning on the altar in heaven is made up of the ‘prayers of the saints’; let us take a share in those prayers, and with all the ardour of holy desires, let us say with the priest:
Incensum istud, a te benedictum, ascendat ad te, Domine, et descendat super nos misericordia tua.
Dirigatur, Domine, oratio mea sicut incensum in conspectu tuo: elevatio manuum mearum sacrificium vespertinum. Pone, Domine, custodiam ori meo, et ostium circumstantiæ labiis meis; ut non declinet cor meum in verba malitiæ, ad excusandas excusationes in peccatis.
May this incense, blessed by thee, ascend to thee, O Lord, and may thy mercy descend upon us.
Let my prayer, O Lord, be directed like incense in thy sight: the lifting up of my hands as an evening sacrifice. Set a watch, O Lord, before my mouth, and a door round about my lips; that my heart may not incline to evil words, to make excuses in sins.
Giving back the thurible to the deacon, the priest says:
Accendat in nobis Dominus ignem sui amoris, et flammam æternæ caritatis. Amen.
May the Lord enkindle in us the fire of his love and the flame of eternal charity. Amen.
But the thought of his own unworthiness becomes more intense than ever in his heart. The public confession made by him at the foot of the altar does not satisfy the earnestness of his compunction. He would now at the altar itself express before the people, in the language of a solemn rite, how far he knows himself to be from that spotless sanctity, wherewith he should approach to God. He washes his hands. Our hands signify our works; and the priest, though by his priesthood he bear the office of Jesus Christ, is by his works but man. Seeing your father thus humble himself, do you also make an act of humility, and say with him these verses of the psalm:
Psalm 25
Lavabo inter innocentes manus meas; et circumdabo altare tuum, Domine.
Ut audiam vocem laudis; et enarrem universa mirabilia tua.
Domine, dilexi decorem domus tuæ, et locum habitationis gloriæ tuæ.
Ne perdas cum impiis, Deus, animam meam, et cum viris sanguinum vitam meam.
In quorum manibus iniquitates sunt: dextera eorum repleta est muneribus.
Ego autem in innocentia mea ingressus sum: redime me, et miserere mei.
Pes meus stetit in directo: in ecclesiis benedicam te, Domine.
Gloria Patri, et Filio, et Spiritui sancto.
Sicut erat in principio, et nunc, et semper, et in sæcula sæculorum. Amen.
I, too, would wash my hands, O Lord, and become like unto those who are innocent, that so I may be worthy to approach thy altar, and hear thy sacred canticles, and then go and proclaim to the world the wonders of thy goodness. I love the beauty of thy house, which thou art about to make the dwelling-place of thy glory. Leave me not, O God, in the midst of them that are enemies both to thee and me. Thy mercy having separated me from them, I entered on the path of innocence and was restored to thy grace; but have pity on my weakness still; redeem me yet more, thou who hast so mercifully brought me back to the right path. In the midst of these thy faithful people, I give thee thanks. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost; as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.
The priest, taking encouragement from the act of humility he has just made, returns to the middle of the altar, and, full of respectful awe, bows down, begging of God to receive graciously the sacrifice which is about to be offered to Him, and expressesthe intentions for which it is offered. Let us do the same.
Suscipe, sancta Trinitas, hanc oblationem, quam tibi offerimus ob memoriam Passionis, Resurrectionis et Ascensionis Jesu Christi Domini nostri: et in honorem beatæ Mariæ semper Virginia, et beati Joannis Baptistæ et sanctorum apostolorum Petri et Pauli, et istorum, et omnium sanctorum: ut illis proficiat ad honorem, nobis autem ad salutem: et illi pro nobis intercedere dignentur in cœlis, quorum memoriam agimus in terris. Per eumdem Christum Dominum nostrum. Amen.
O holy Trinity, graciously accept the sacrifice we have begun. We offer it in remembrance of the Passion, Resurrection, and Ascension of our Lord Jesus Christ. Permit thy Church to join with this intention that of honouring the ever glorious Virgin Mary, the blessed Baptist John, the holy apostles Peter and Paul, the martyrs whose relics lie here under our altar awaiting their resurrection, and the saints whose memory we this day celebrate. Increase the glory they are enjoying, and receive the prayers they address to thee for us.
The priest again turns to the people; it is for the last time before the sacred mysteries are accomplished. He feels anxious to excite the fervour of the people. Neither does the thought of his own unworthiness leave him; and before entering the cloud with the Lord, he seeks support in the prayers of his brethren who are present. He says to them:
Orate, fratres: ut meum ac vestrum sacrificium acceptabile fiat apud Deum Patrem omnipotentem.
Brethren, pray that my sacrifice, which is yours also, may be acceptable to God our almighty Father.
Scarcely has he uttered the first words than he turns again to the altar and you will see his face no more, until our Lord Himself shall have come down from heaven upon that same altar. Assure the priest that he has your prayers, and say to him:
Suscipiat Dominus sacrificium de manibus tuis, ad laudem et gloriam nominis sui, ad utilitatem quoque nostram totiusque Ecclesiæ suæ sanctæ.
May our Lord accept this sacrifice at thy hands, to the praise and glory of his name, and for our benefit and that of his holy Church throughout the world.
Here the priest recites the prayers called the Secrets, in which he presents the petition of the whole Church for God’s acceptance of the sacrifice, and then immediately begins to fulfil that great duty of religion, thanksgiving. So far he has adored God, and has sued for mercy; he has still to give thanks for the blessings bestowed on us by the bounty of our heavenly Father, the chief of which is His having sent us His own Son. The blessing of a new visit from this divine Word is just upon us; and in expectation of it, and in the name of the whole Church, the priest is about to give expression to the gratitude of all mankind. In order to excite the faithful to that intensity of gratitude which is due to God for all His gifts, he interrupts his own and their silent prayer by terminating it aloud, saying:
Per omnia sæcula sæculorum.
For ever and ever.
In the same feeling, answer your Amen! Then he continues:
℣. Dominus vobiscum.
℟. Et cum spiritu tuo.
℣. Sursum corda!
℣. The Lord be with you.
℟. And with thy spirit.
℣. Lift up your hearts!
Let your response be sincere:
℟. Habemus ad Dominum.
℟. We have them fixed on God.
And when he adds:
℣. Gratias agamus Domino Deo nostro.
℣. Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
Answer him with all the earnestness of your soul:
℟. Dignum et justum est.
℟. It is meet and just.
Then the priest:
For Sundays:
Vere dignum et justum est, æquum et salutare, nos tibi semper et ubique gratias agere: Domine sancte, Pater omnipotens, æterne Deus; qui cum unigenito Filio tuo et Spiritu sancto, unus es Deus, unus es Dominus. Non in unius singularitate Personæ, sed in unius Trinitate substantiæ. Quod enim de tua gloria, revelante te credimus, hoc de Filio tuo, hoc de Spiritu sancto, sine differentia discretionis sentimus, ut in confessione veræ sempiternæque Deitatis, et in Personis proprietas, et in essentia unitas, et in majestate adoretur æqualitas. Quam laudant angeli atque archangeli, cherubim quoque ac seraphim, qui non cessant clamare quotidie, una voce dicentes:
It is truly meet and just, right and available to salvation, that we should always and in all places give thanks to thee, O holy Lord, Father almighty, eternal God, who, with thy only-begotten Son and the Holy Ghost, art one God, one Lord, not in the singleness of one Person, but in the Trinity of one substance. For that which, by thy revelation, we believe of thy glory, the same do we believe of thy Son, the same also of the Holy Ghost, without any difference or distinction, that in the confession of the true and eternal Godhead, distinction in Persons, unity in essence, and equality in majesty, may be adored. Which the angels and archangels praise, the cherubim also and the seraphim, who cease not to cry out daily, saying with one voice:
For Week-days:
Vere dignum et justum est, æquum et salutare, nos tibi semper et ubique gratias agere: Domine sancte, Pater omnipotens, æterne Deus; per Christum Dominum nostrum. Per quem majestatem tuam laudant Angeli, adorant Dominationes, tremunt Potestates; Cœli cœlorumque Virtutes, ac beata Seraphim, socia exsultatione concelebrant. Cum quibus et nostras voces, ut admitti jubeas deprecamur, supplici confessione dicentes:
It is truly meet and just, right and available to salvation, that we should always, and in all places, give thanks to thee, O holy Lord, Father almighty, eternal God; through Christ our Lord; by whom the Angels praise thy majesty, the Dominations adore it, the Powers tremble before it; the heavens and the heavenly Virtues, and the blessed Seraphim, with common jubilee, glorify it. Together with whom, we beseech thee that we may be admitted to join our humble voices, saying:
Here unite with the priest, who, on his part, unites himself with the blessed spirits, in giving thanks to God for the unspeakable gift; bow down and say:
Sanctus, sanctus, sanctus, Dominus Deus sabaoth!
Pleni sunt cœli et terra gloria tua.
Hosanna in excelsis!
Benedictus qui venit in nomine Domini.
Hosanna in excelsis!
Holy, holy, holy, Lord God of hosts!
Heaven and earth are full of thy glory.
Hosanna in the highest!
Blessed be the Saviour who is coming to us in the name of the Lord who sends him.
Hosanna be to him in the highest!
After these words commences the Canon, that mysterious prayer, in the midst of which heaven bows down to earth, and God descends unto us. The voice of the priest is no longer heard; yea, even at the altar all is silence. It was thus, says the Book of Wisdom, ‘in the quiet of silence, and while the night was in the midst of her course, that the almighty Word came down from His royal throne.’[6] Let a profound respect stay all distractions, and keep our senses in submission to the soul. Let us respectfully fix our eyes on what the priest does in the holy place.
The Canon of the Mass
In this mysterious colloquy with the great God of heaven and earth, the first prayer of the sacrificing priest is for the Catholic Church, his and our mother.
Te igitur, clementissime Pater, per Jesum Christum Filium tuum Dominum nostrum, supplices rogamus ac petimus, uti accepta habeas, et benedicas hæc dona, hæc munera, hæc sancta sacrificia illibata; in primis quae tibi offerimus pro Ecclesia tua sancta Catholica; quam pacificare, custodire, adunare, et regere digneris toto orbe terrarum, una cum famulo tuo Papa nostro N. et antistite nostro N. et omnibus orthodoxis, atque catholicæ et apostolicæ fidei cultoribus.
O God, who manifestest thyself unto us by means of the mysteries which thou hast entrusted to the holy Church our mother; we beseech thee by the merits of this sacrifice, that thou wouldst remove all those hindrances which oppose her during her pilgrimage in this world. Give her peace and unity. Do thou thyself guide our holy father the Pope, thy vicar on earth. Direct thou our Bishop, who is our sacred link of unity; and watch over all the orthodox children of the Catholic apostolic Roman Church.
Here pray, together with the priest, for those whose interests should be dearest to you.
Memento, Domine, famulorum famularumque tuarum N. et N., et omnium circumstantium, quorum tibi fides cognita est, et nota devotio: pro quibus tibi offerimus, vel qui tibi offerunt hoc sacrificium laudis pro se suisque omnibus, pro redemptione animarum suarum, pro spe salutis et incolumitatis suæ; tibique reddunt vota sua æterno Deo vivo et vero.
Permit me O God, to intercede with thee for special blessings upon those for whom thou knowest that I have a special obligation to pray: *** Apply to them the fruits of this divine sacrifice, which is offered unto thee in the name of all mankind. Visit them by thy grace, pardon them their sins, grant them the blessings of this present life and of that which is eternal.
Here let us commemorate the saints: they are that portion of the Body of our Lord Jesus Christ which is called the Church triumphant.
Communicantes, et memoriam venerantes, in primis gloriosæ semper Virginis Mariæ, Genitricis Dei et Domini nostri Jesu Christi: sed et beatorum apostolorum ac martyrum tuorum, Petri et Pauli, Andreæ, Jacobi, Joannis, Thomæ, Jacobi, Philippi, Bartholomæi, Matthæi, Simonis et Thaddæi: Lini, Cleti, dementis, Xysti, Cornelii, Cypriani, Laurentii, Chrysogoni, Joannis et Pauli, Cosmæ et Damiani, et omnium sanctorum tuorum quorum meritis precibusque concedas, ut in omnibus protectionis tuæ muniamur auxilio. Per eumdem Christum Dominum nostrum. Amen.
But the offering of this sacrifice, O my God, does not unite us with those only of our brethren who are still in this transient life of trial: it brings us closer to those also who are already in possession of heaven. Therefore it is that we wish to honour by it the memory of the glorious and ever Virgin Mary, of whom Jesus was born to us; of the apostles, confessors, virgins, and of all the saints; that they may assist us, by their powerful intercession, to be worthy of this thy visit, and of contemplating thee, as they themselves now do, in the mansion of thy glory.
The priest, who up to this time has been praying with his hands extended, now joins them, and holds them over the bread and wine, as the high priest of the old Law was wont to do over the figurative victim; he thus expresses his intention of bringing these gifts more closely under the notice of the divine Majesty, and of marking them as the material offering whereby we profess our dependence, and which, in a few instants, is to yield its place to the living Host, upon whom are laid all our iniquities.
Hanc igitur oblationem servitutis nostræ, sed et cunctæ familiæ tuæ, quæsumus, Domine, ut placatus accipias: diesque nostros in tua pace disponas, atque ab æterna damnatione nos eripi, et in electorum tuorum jnbeas grege numerari. Per Christum Dominum nostrum. Amen.
Quam oblationem tu Deus in omnibus, quæsumus, benedictam, adscriptam, ratam,rationabilem, acceptabilemque facere digneris; ut nobis Corpus et Sanguis fiat dilectissimi Filii tui Domini nostri Jesu Christi.
Vouchsafe, O God, to accept the offering which this thine assembled family presents to thee as the homage of its most happy servitude. In return, give us peace, save us from thy wrath, and number us among thine elect, through Him who is coming to us—thy Son, our Saviour!
Yea, Lord, this is the moment when this bread is to become his sacred Body, which is our food; and this wine is to be changed into his Blood, which is our drink. Ah! delay no longer, but bring us into the presence of this divine Son, our Saviour.
And here the priest ceases to act as man; he now becomes more than a mere minister of the Church. His word becomes that of Jesus Christ, with its power and efficacy. Prostrate yourself in profound adoration, for the Emmanuel, that is, ‘God with us,’ is coming upon our altar.
Qui pridie quam pateretur, accepit panem in sanctas ac venerabiles manus suas; et elevatis oculis in cœlum, ad te Deum Patrem suum omnipotentem, tibi gratias agens, benedixit, fregit, deditque discipulis suis,dicens: Accipite, et manducate ex hoc omnes. Hoc est Enim Corpus meum.
What, O God of heaven and earth, my Jesus, the long-expected Messias! what else can I do, at this solemn moment, but adore thee in silence, as my sovereign master, and open to thee my whole heart, as to its dearest king? Come, then, O Lord Jesus, come!
The divine Lamb is now lying on our altar! Glory and love be to Him for ever! But He has come that He may be immolated. Hence the priest, who is the minister of the designs of the Most High, immediately pronounces over the chalice the sacred words which follow, which will produce the great mystical immolation, by the separation of the Victim’s Body and Blood. After those words, the substances of both bread and wine have ceased to exist; the species alone are left, veiling, as it were, the Body and Blood of our Redeemer, lest fear should keep us from a mystery, which God gives us for the very purpose of infusing confidence into our hearts. While the priest is pronouncing those words, let us associate ourselves to the angels, who tremblingly gaze upon this deepest wonder.
Simili modo postquam cœnatum est, accipiens et hunc præclarum calicem in sanctas ac venerabiles manus suas: item tibi gratias agens, benedixit, deditque discipulis suis dicens: Accipite et bibite ex eo omnes. HIC EST ENIM CALIX SANGUINIS MEI, NOVI ET ÆTERNI TESTAMENTI: MYSTERIUM FIDEI: QUI PRO VOBIS ET PRO MULTIS EFFUNDETUR IN REMISSIONEM PECCATORUM. Hæc quotiescumque feceritis, in mei memoriam facietis.
O precious Blood! thou price of my salvation! I adore thee! Wash away my sins, and make me whiter than snow. O Lamb ever slain, yet ever living, thou comest to take away the sins of the world! Come, also, and reign in me by thy power, and by thy love.
The priest is now face to face with God. He again raises his hands towards heaven, and tells our heavenly Father that the oblation now on the altar is no longer an earthly material offering, but the Body and Blood, the whole Person, of His divine Son.
Unde et memores, Domine, nos servi tui, sed et plebs tua sancta, ejusdem Christi Filii tui Domini nostri tam beatæ Passionis, nec non et ab inferis Resurrectionis, sed et in cœlos gloriosæ Ascensionis: offerimus præclaræ Majestati tuæ de tuis donis ac datis, Hostiam puram, Hostiam sanctam, Hostiam immaculatam: Panem sanctum vitæ æternæ et Calicem salutis perpetuæ.
Supra quæ propitio ac sereno vultu respicere digneris: et accepta habere, sicuti accepta habere dignatus es munera pueri tui justi Abel, et sacrificium patriarchæ nostri Abrahæ, et quod tibi obtulit summus sacerdos tuus Melchisedech, sanctum sacrificium, immaculatam Hostiam.
Father of infinite holiness! the Host so long expected is here before thee. Behold this thine eternal Son, who suffered a bitter Passion, rose again with glory from the grave, and ascended triumphantly into heaven. He is thy Son; but He is also our Host, Host pure and spotless, our meat and drink of everlasting life.
Heretofore thou acceptedst the sacrifice of the innocent lambs offered unto thee by Abel, and the sacrifice which Abraham made to thee of his son Isaac, who, though immolated, yet lived; and, lastly, the sacrifice which Melchisedech presented to thee of bread and wine. Receive our sacrifice, which surpasses all those others: it is the Lamb, of whom all others could be but figures; it is the undying victim; it is the Body of thy Son who is the bread of life, and his Blood, which, whilst a drink of immortality for us, is a tribute adequate to thy glory.
The priest bows down to the altar, and kisses it as the throne of love, on which is seated the Saviour of men.
Supplices te rogamus, omnipotens Deus, jube hæc perferri per manus sancti Angeli tui in sublime altare tuum, in conspectu divinæ Majestatis tuæ: ut quotquot ex hac altaris participatione, sacrosanctum Filii tui Corpus et Sanguinem sumpserimus, omni benedictione cœlesti et gratia repleamur. Per eumdem Christum Dominum nostrum. Amen.
But, O God of infinite power! these sacred gifts are not only on this altar here below; they are also on that sublime altar in heaven, which is before the throne of thy divine Majesty. These two altars are one and the same, on which is accomplished the great mystery of thy glory and our salvation. Vouchsafe to make us partakers of the Body and Blood of the august victim, from whom flow every grace and blessing.
Nor is the moment less favourable for our making supplication for the Church suffering. Let us, therefore, ask the divine liberator who has come down among us that He mercifully visit, by a ray of His consoling light, the dark abode of purgatory; and permit His Blood to flow, as a stream of mercy’s dew, from this our altar, and refresh the panting captives there. Let us pray expressly for those among them who have a claim upon our suffrages.
Memento etiam, Domine, famulorura famularumque tuarum N. et N., qui nos præcesserunt cum signo fidei, et dormiunt in somno pacis. Ipsis, Domine, et omnibus in Christo quiescentibus, locum refrigerii, lucis, et pacis, ut indulgeas, deprecamur. Per eumdem Christum Dominum nostrum. Amen.
Dear Jesus! let the happiness of this thy visit extend to every portion of thy Church. Thy face gladdens the elect in the holy city; even our mortal eyes can see thee beneath the veil of our delighted faith; ah! hide not thyself from those brethren of ours who are imprisoned in the abode of expiation. Be thou refreshment to them in their flames, light in their darkness, and peace in their agonies of torment.
This duty of charity fulfilled, let us pray for ourselves, sinners, alas I who profit so little by the visit which our Saviour pays us. Let us, together with the priest, strike our breast, saying:
Nobis quoque peccatoribus famulis tuis, de multitudine miserationum tuarum sperantibus, partem aliquam et societatem donare digneris cum tuis sanctis apostolis et martyribus; cum Joanne, Stephano, Mathia, Barnaba, Ignatio, Alexandro, Marcellino, Petro, Felicitate, Perpetua, Agatha, Lucia, Agnete, Cæcilia, Anastasia, et omnibus sanctis tuis; intra quorum nos consortium, non æstimator meriti, sed veniæ, quæsumus, largitor admitte: per Christum Dominum nostrum. Per quem hæc omnia, Domine, semper bona creas, sanctificas, vivificas, benedicis, et præstas nobis; per ipsum, et cum ipso, et in ipso, est tibi Deo Patri omnipotenti, in unitate Spiritus Sancti, omnis honor et gloria.
Alas! we are poor sinners, O God of all sanctity! yet do we hope that thine infinite mercy will grant us to share thy kingdom; not, indeed, by reason of our works, which deserve little else than punishment, but because of the merits of this sacrifice, which we are offering unto thee. Remember, too, the merits of thy holy apostles, of thy holy martyrs, of thy holy virgins, and of all thy saints. Grant us, by their intercession, grace in this world, and glory eternal in the next: which we ask of thee, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ thy Son. It is by him thou bestowest upon us thy blessings of life and sanctification; and by him also, with him, and in him, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, may honour and glory be to thee!
While saying the last of these words, the priest has taken up the sacred Host, which was upon the altar; he has held it over the chalice, thus reuniting the Body and Blood of the divine victim, in order to show that He is now immortal. Then, raising up both chalice and Host, he offers to God the noblest and most perfect homage which the divine Majesty could receive.
This sublime and mysterious rite ends the Canon. The silence of the mysteries is interrupted. The priest concludes his long prayers by saying aloud, and so giving the faithful the opportunity of expressing their desire that his supplications he granted:
Per omnia sæcula sæculorum.
For ever and ever!
Answer him with faith, and in a sentiment of union with your holy mother the Church;
Amen.
Amen! I believe the mystery which has just been accomplished. I unite myself to the offering which has been made, and to the petitions of the Church.
It is time now to recite the prayer taught us by our Saviour Himself. Let it ascend to heaven together with the sacrifice of the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ. How could it be otherwise than heard, when He Himself who drew it up for us is in our very hands now while we say it. As this prayer belongs in common to all God’s children, the priest recites it aloud, and begins by inviting us all to join in it; he says:
Oremus.
Præceptis salutaribus moniti, et divina institutione formati, audemus dicere:
Let us Pray.
Having been taught by a saving precept, and following the form given us by divine instruction, we thus presume to speak:
The Lord’s Prayer
Pater noster, qui es in cœlis: sanctificetur nomen tuum: adveniat regnum tuum: fiat voluntas tua, sicut in cœlo et in terra. Panem nostrum quotidianum da nobis hodie: et dimittenobis debita nostra, sicut et nos dimittimus debitoribus nostris: et ne nos inducas in tentationem;
Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name; thy kingdom come; thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive them that trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation;
Let us answer with a deep feeling of our misery:
Sed libera nos a malo.
But deliver us from evil.
The priest falls once more into the silence of the holy mysteries. His first word is an affectionate Amen to your last petition—deliver us from evil—on which he forms his own next prayer; and could he pray for anything more needed? Evil surrounds us everywhere; and the Lamb on our altar has been sent to expiate it, and deliver us from it.
Libera nos, quæsumus, Domine, ab omnibus malis, præteritis, præsentibus et futuris: et intercedente beata et gloriosa semper Virgine Dei Genitrice Maria, cum beatis apostolis tuis Petro et Paulo, atque Andrea, et omnibus sanctis, da propitius pacem in diebus nostris: ut ope misericordiæ tuæ adjuti, et a peccato simus semper liberi, et ab omni perturbatione securi. Per eumdem Dominum nostrum Jesum Christum Filium tuum, qui tecum vivit et regnat in unitate Spiritus sancti Deus.
How many, O Lord, are the evils which beset us! Evils past, which are the wounds left on the soul by her sins, and which strengthen her wicked propensities. Evils present—that is, the sins now, at this very time, upon our soul; the weakness of this poor soul, and the temptations which molest her. There are, also, future evils—that is, the chastisement which our sins deserve from the hands of thy justice. In presence of this Host of our salvation, we beseech thee, O Lord, to deliver us from all these evils, and to accept in our favour the intercession of Mary the Mother of Jesus, of thy holy apostles Peter and Paul and Andrew: liberate us, break our chains, give us peace, through Jesus Christ, thy Son, who with thee, liveth and reigneth God.
The priest is anxious to announce the peace, which he has asked and obtained; he therefore finishes his prayer aloud, saying:
Per omnia sæcula sæculorum.
℟. Amen.
World without end.
℟. Amen.
Then he says:
Pax Domini sit semper vobiscum.
May the peace of our Lord be ever with you.
To this paternal wish reply:
℟. Et cum spiritu tuo.
℟. And with thy spirit.
The mystery is drawing to a close; God is about to be united with man, and man with God, by means of Communion. But first an imposing and sublime rite takes place at the altar. So far, the priest has announced the death of Jesus; it is time to proclaim His resurrection. To this end, he reverently breaks the sacred Host; and having divided it into three parts, he puts one into the chalice, thus reuniting the Body and Blood of the immortal victim. Do you adore, and say:
Hæc commixtio et consecratio Corporis et Sanguinis Domini nostri Jesu Christi, fiat accipientibus nobis in vitam æternam. Amen.
Glory be to thee, O Saviour of the world! who didst in thy Passion permit thy precious Blood to be separated from thy sacred Body, afterwards uniting them again together by thy divine power!
Offer now your prayer to the ever-living Lamb, whom St. John saw on the altar of heaven, ‘standing though slain’;[7] say to your Lord and King, who has taken upon Himself all our iniquities, in order to wash them away by His Blood:
Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccata mundi, miserere nobis.
Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccata mundi, miserere nobis.
Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccata mundi, dona nobis pacem.
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!
Peace is the grand object of our Saviour’s coming into the world: He is the ‘Prince of peace.’[8] The divine sacrament of the Eucharist ought therefore to be the mystery of peace, and the bond of Catholic unity; for, as the apostle says, ‘all we who partake of one bread, are all one bread and one body.’[9] It is on this account that the priest, now that he is on the point of receiving in Communion the sacred Host, prays that eternal peace may be preserved in the Church, and more especially in this portion of it which is assembled around the altar. Pray with him, and for the same blessing.
Domine Jesu Christe, qui dixisti apostolis tuis: Pacem relinquo vobis: pacem meam do vobis: ne respicias peccata mea, sed fidem Ecclesiæ tuæ: eamque secundum voluntatem tuampacificare et coadunare digneris. Qui vivis et regnas Deus, per omnia sæcula sæculorum.Amen.
Lord Jesus Christ, who saidst to thine apostles, ‘My peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you’: regard not my sins, but the faith of thy Church, and grant her that peace and unity which is according to thy will. Who livest and reignest God, for ever and ever. Amen.
If it be a High Mass, the priest here gives the kiss of peace to the deacon, who gives it to the subdeacon, and he to the choir. During this ceremony, you should excite within yourself feelings of Christian charity, and pardon your enemies, if you have any. Then continue to pray with the priest:
Domine, Jesu Christe, Fili Dei vivi, qui ex voluntate Patris, cooperante Spiritu sancto, per mortem tuam mundum vivificasti: libera me per hoc sacrosanctum Corpus et Sanguinem tuum, ab omnibus iniquitatibus meis, et universis malis, et fac me tuis semper inhærere mandatis, et a te nunquam separan permittas. Qui cum eodem Deo Patre et Spiritu sancto vivis et regnas, Deus, in sæcula sæculorum. Amen.
Lord Jesus Christ, Son of the living God, who according to the will of the Father, through 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 evils; and make me always adhere to thy commandments, and never suffer me to be separated from thee, who, with the same God the Father and the Holy Ghost, livest and reignest God for ever and ever. Amen.
If you are going to Communion at this Mass, say the following prayer; otherwise, prepare yourself for a spiritual Communion:
Perceptio Corporis tui, Domine Jesu Christo, quod ego indignus sumere præsumo, non mihi proveniat in judicium et condemnationem: sed pro tua pietate prosit mihi ad tutamentum mentis et corporis, et ad medelam percipiendam. Qui vivis et regnas cum Deo Patre, in unitate Spiritus sancti Deus, per omnia sæcula sæculorum. 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 through thy mercy, may it be a safeguard and remedy both to my soul and body. Who, with God the Father, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, livest and reignest God for ever and ever. Amen.
When the priest takes the Host into his hands, in order to receive it in Communion, say:
Panem cœlestem accipiam, et nomen Domini invocabo.
Come, my dear Jesus, come!
When he strikes his breast, confessing his unworthiness, say thrice with him these words, and in the same dispositions as the centurion of the Gospel, who first used them:
Domine, non sum dignus ut intres sub tectum meum: sed tantum dic verbo, et sanabitur anima mea.
Lord! I am not worthy that thou enter under my roof; say it only with one word of thine, and my soul shall be healed.
While the priest is receiving the sacred Host, if you also are to communicate, profoundly adore your God, who is ready to take up His abode within you; and again say to Him with the bride: ‘Come, Lord Jesus!’[10]
But should you not intend to receive sacramentally, make here a spiritual Communion. Adore Jesus Christ, who thus visits your soul by His grace, and say to Him:
Corpus Domini nostri Jesu Christi custodiat animam meam in vitam æternam. Amen.
I give thee, O Jesus, this heart of mine, that thou mayst dwell in it, and do with me what thou wilt.
Then the priest takes the chalice in thanksgiving, and says:
Quid retribuam Domino pro omnibus quae retribuit mihi? Calicem salutaris accipiam, et nomen Domini invocabo. Laudans invoeabo Dominum et ab inimicis meis salvus ero.
What return shall I make to the Lord for all he hath given to me? I will take the chalice of salvation, and will call upon the name of the Lord. Praising I will call upon the Lord, and I shall be saved from mine enemies.
But if you are to make a sacramental Communion you should, at this moment of the priest’s receiving the precious Blood, again adore the God who is coming to you, and keep to your prayer: ‘Come, Lord Jesus, come!’
If you are going to communicate only spiritually, again adore your divine master, and say to Him:
Sanguis Domini nostri Jesu Christi custodiat animam meam in vitam æternam. Amen.
I unite myself to thee, my beloved Jesus! do thou unite thyself to me; and never let us be separated!
It is here that you must approach to the altar, if you are going to Communion. The dispositions suitable for holy Communion, during the Time after Pentecost, are given in the next chapter.
The Communion being finished, and while the priest is purifying the chalice the first time, say:
Quod ore sumpsimus, Domine, pura mente capiamus; et de munere temporali fiat nobis remedium sempiternum.
Thou hast visited me, O God, in these days of my pilgrimage; give me grace to treasure up the fruits of this visit, and to make it tell upon my eternity.
While the priest is purifying the chalice the second time, say:
Corpus tuum, Domine, quod eumpsi, et Sanguis, quem potavi, adhæreat visceribus meis: et præsta ut in me non remaneat scelerum macula quem pura et sancta refecerunt Sacramenta. Qui vivis et regnas in sæcula sæculorum. Amen.
Be thou for ever blessed, O my Saviour, for having admitted me to the sacred mystery of thy Body and Blood. May my heart and senses preserve, by thy grace, the purity thou hast imparted to them, and may I be thus rendered less unworthy of thy divine visit.
The priest, having read the anthem, called the Communion, which is the first part of his thanksgiving for the favour just received from God, whereby He has renewed His divine presence among us, turns to the people, greeting them with the usual salutation; and then recites the prayers, called the Postcommunion, which are a continuation of the thanksgiving. You will join him here also, and thank God for the unspeakable gift He has just lavished upon you, of admitting you to the participation of mysteries so divine.
As soon as these prayers have been recited, the priest turns again to the people; and, full of joy at the immense favour he and they have been receiving, he says:
℣. Dominus vobiscum.
℣. The Lord be with you.
Answer him:
℟. Et cum spiritu tuo.
℟. And with thy spirit.
The deacon, or (if it be not a High Mass) the priest himself, then says:
Ite missa est.
℟. Deo gratias.
Go, the Mass is finished.
℟. Thanks be to God.
The priest makes a last prayer before giving you his blessing; pray with him:
Placeat tibi, sancta Trinitas, obsequium servitutis meæ, et præsta ut sacrificium, quod oculis tuæ Majestatis indignus obtuli, tibi sit acceptabile, mihique, et omnibus pro quibus illud obtuli, sit, te miserante, propitiabile. Per Christum Dominum nostrum. Amen.
Eternal thanks be to thee, O adorable Trinity, for the mercy thou hast shown to me in permitting me to assist at this divine sacrifice. Pardon me the negligence and coldness wherewith I have received so great a favour; and deign to confirm the blessing which thy minister is about to give me in thy name.
The priest raises his hand and blesses you thus:
Benedicat vos omnipotens Deus, Pater, et Filius, et Spiritus Sanctus.
℟. Amen.
May the almighty God, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, bless you!
℟. Amen.
He then concludes the Mass, by reading the first fourteen verses of the Gospel according to St. John, which tell us of the eternity of the Word, and of the mercy which led Him to take upon Himself our fleshy and to dwell among us. Pray that you may be of the number of those who received Him, when He came unto his own people, and who, thereby, were made sons of God.
℣. Dominus vobiscum.
℟. Et cum spiritu tuo.
℣. The Lord be with you.
℟. And with thy spirit.
The Last Gospel
Initium sancti Evangelii secundum Joannem.
Cap. i.
In principio erat Verbum, et Verbum erat apud Deum et Deus erat Verbum. Hoc erat in principio apud Deum. Omnia per ipsum facta sunt; et sine ipso factum est nihil. Quod factum est, in ipso vita erat, et vita erat lux hominum, et lux in tenebris lucet, et tenebræ eam non comprehenderunt. Fuit homo missus a Deo, cui nomen erat Joannes. Hic venit in testimonium, ut testimonium perhiberet de lumine, ut omnes crederent per ilium. Non erat ille lux, sed ut testimonium perhiberet de lumine. Erat lux vera, quæ illuminat omnem hominem venientem in hunc mundum. In mundo erat, et mundus per ipsum factus est, et mundus eum non cognovit. In propria venit, et sui eum non receperunt. Quotquot autem receperunt eum, dedit eis potestatem filios Dei fieri, his qui credunt in nomine ejus: qui non ex sanguinibus, neque ex voluntate carnis, neque ex voluntate viri, sed ex Deo nati sunt. Et Verbum caro factum est, et habitavit in nobis: et vidimus gloriam ejus, gloriam quasi Unigeniti a Patre, plenum gratiæ et veritatis.
℟. Deo gratias.
The beginning of the holy Gospel according to John.
Chap. i.
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 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 the 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. That 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 them 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 among us; and we saw his glory, as it were the glory of the Only-begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.
℟. Thanks be to God.
[1] Heb. i. 2.
[2] Cantic. v. 6.
[3] 1 Kings iii. 10.
[4] 2 Cor. v. 4.
[5] 2 St. Peter i. 4.
[6] Wisd. xviii. 14, 15.
[7] Apoc. v. 6.
[8] Isa. ix. 6.
[9] 1 Cor. x. 17.
[10] Apoc. xxii. 20.