Chapter XV: Part V: The Public Thanksgiving After Communion (1)

Dominus vobiscum:

The Lord be with you:

R. Et cum spiritu tuo.

R. And with thy spirit.

P. Oremus.

P. Let us pray.

The Post Communion being also different every day, what follows
may be said:

We give thee thanks O God, for thy mercy in admitting us to have a part in offering this sacrifice to thy holy name: accept it now to thy glory, and be ever mindful of our weakness; pardon all our defects, and grant our request; through, &c. Amen.

P. Dominus vobiscum:

P. May the Lord be with you:

B. Et cum spiritu tuo.

R. And with thy spirit.

P. Ite, Missa est.

P. Depart, the Mass is finished.

Or, if "Gloria in excelsis" has not been said,

P. Benidicamus Domino.

P. Let us bless the Lord.

R. Deo gratias.

R. Thanks be to God.

In Masses for the Dead.

P. Requiescant in pace.

P. May they rest in peace.

R. Amen.

R. Amen.

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May the performance of this my homage be pleasing to thee, O Holy Trinity; and grant that the sacrifice which I, though unworthy, have offered up, in the sight of the Divine Majesty, may be acceptable to thee, and, through thy mercy, become a propitiation for me, and all those for whom it hath been offered: through Christ our Lord. Amen.

The Priest turning himself towards the people, says, (except in
Masses for the Dead.)

May almighty God, the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, bless you. Amen.

P. Dominus vobiscum:

P. May the Lord be with you:

R. Et cum spiritu tuo.

R. And with thy spirit.

P. Initium sancti Evangelii secundum Joannem.

P. The beginning of the Gospel according to St. John.

R. Gloria tibi, Domine.

R. Glory be to thee, O Lord.

The Gospel According To St. John.

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and God was the Word; the same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was made nothing that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men: and the light shineth in darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.

There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. This man came for a witness to give testimony of the light, that all men might believe through him. He was not the light, but was to give testimony of the light. It was the true light which enlighteneth every man that cometh into this world.

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He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not. He came unto his own, and his own received him not. But as many as received him to them he gave power to be made the sons of God, to those that believe in his name; who are born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. And _the Word was made flesh_, and dwelt amongst us. And we saw his glory, the glory as it were of the only begotten Son of the Father, full of grace and truth.

R. Deo gratias.

R. Thanks be to God.

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Another Devout Method

Of Assisting At The

Holy Sacrifice Of The Mass,

By turning the attention and affections of the soul towards the
mysteries of our blessed Saviour's passion and death, which are
thereby represented and shown forth according to these words,
THIS DO IN REMEMBRANCE OF ME; that is, for a perpetual and
grateful commemoration of my sufferings and death, as the
apostle explains it.
1 _Corinthians_ xi. 26.

The Mass is called by St. Francis of Sales, _Introd_.
_p_. 2, _c_. 14, the sun of spiritual exercises, the
centre of religion, the heart of devotion, and the soul of
piety. It is offered to none but God alone; as the nature of a
sacrifice, in the common judgment of all mankind, is to
acknowledge the supreme dominion of God over us, and our total
subjection and dependence on him. It is a standing memorial and
a commemorative sacrifice, that represents the sacrifice of the
cross, and was prefigured by the sacrifice of Melchisedech, and
foretold by the prophet Malichi.--c. i. v. 10. The faithful
should go to it as if they were going to Mount Calvary, to be
present at the crucifixion and death of Jesus Christ, and
assist at it with a grateful remembrance and a feeling sense of
his sufferings.
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The altar on which this great sacrifice is offered, with a
crucifix erected thereon, is a figure of Mount Calvary, and of
Christ crucified. The corporal and linen cloth that covered the
altar, signify the linen cloth that wrapped the sacred body of
Christ when he was buried. The chalice denotes the holy
sepulchre of our Lord. The paten denotes the great stone that
was rolled against the door of the sepulchre. The two candles
signify the two testaments, and the light of faith revealed to
the Jews and Gentiles. The priest who officiates represents the
person of Christ, who is the High Priest of the New Law; his
tonsure represents the crown of thorns which Christ wore; and
the robes with which he is vested, represents the robes of
derision with which Christ was ignominiously clothed. The amice
represents the veil with which his eyes were muffled, when he
was desired to prophesy who it was that struck him. The alb
represents the white robe with which he was covered by Herod
out of contempt. The cincture, maniple, and stole represent the
cords and bandages with which he was bound like a malefactor.
The chasuble, or outward vestment, represents the purple
garment with which he was clothed like a mock king. The figure
of a pillar on the front of the chasuble, represents the stone
pillar at which he was scourged; and the figure of a cross on
the back, represents the wooden cross which he carried on his
shoulders from Jerusalem to Mount Calvary. The three languages,
Hebrew, Greek, and Latin, which are used in the Mass, remind us
of the title of the cross, which was written in Hebrew, Greek,
and Latin letters. The different parts and ceremonies of the
Mass correspond to the different stations of his passion, and
represent all that happened from his entering into the Garden
of Olives, until the day of his ascension into heaven, and the
descent of the Holy Ghost upon the apostles; _as will appear
to the devout reader of the explanations premised to each
prayer_.

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A Prayer Before Mass.

O Divine Spirit, descend into my soul, purify it from the dross of its imperfections, and replenish it with the flames of thy sacred affections, that it may breathe nothing but thy love, and desire nothing but the accomplishment of thy will. O ye angels, saints, and all creatures, come help me to honour, praise, bless, and love our Lord Jesus Christ, who once offered himself a bloody sacrifice on the cross for my salvation, and now offers himself an unbloody sacrifice on the altar for the same end.

Give me grace, O sweet Jesus, to assist at this holy sacrifice with the fervour and devotion of the pious shepherds in the stable of Bethlehem; and with a lively faith, profound respect, and humility of the three wise men of the East, who came to adore thee in the manger, and to offer thee the three mystical presents of frankincense, gold, and myrrh, in testimony of thy divinity, royalty and humanity. And now, since I, who am but dust and ashes, have presumed to speak, permit me to follow thee in spirit through the different stages of thy passion, and accompany thee to Mount Calvary.--Make me partaker of that charity which conducted thee to it, that I may return love for love, life for life, death for death. Give me such a feeling sense of thy sufferings, as the daughters of Sion had, when they met thee with thy cross on thy shoulders, and a thorny crown on thy head. Grant me resignation of my will to thine, like that of thy Virgin Mother at the foot of the cross. Prostrate before the throne of thy divine Majesty, I humbly implore thy pardon for all my offences, and thy grace to avoid relapse into sin. {370} I offer up this divine sacrifice, by the hands of thy priest, to the glory of thy name; in acknowledgment of thy infinite greatness, and of my own nothingness; in thanksgiving for all thy benefits; in satisfaction for all my sins; in memory of thy dolorous passion; and to obtain of thy bounty, for myself and for thy whole church, for my superiors, spiritual and temporal, for my parents, benefactors, friends, and enemies, and all mankind, those precious graces and favours which thou knowest us to stand in most need of.

Explanation.

"The priest going from the sacristy to the altar, and retiring
to the foot of it, in order to recite the 42nd psalm, _Judica
me Deus_, &c. represents Jesus Christ retiring from his last
supper, and praying to his heavenly Father in the garden of
Gethsemani, situate at the foot of Mount Olivet. The beginning
of the Mass, with the sign of the cross, and the invocation of
the three persons of the most Holy Trinity, signifies that it
is in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy
Ghost, that the faithful assembled, in order to celebrate the
memory of Christ's passion and death. The psalm which is then
repeated, expresses the deep concern of a soul kept at a
distance from the temple of God, like David when he was
persecuted by Saul, and the ardent desires with which we are to
approach the altar, and partake of the divine mysteries. The
_Introit_, or entrance of the Mass, and the
_Confiteor_, or general confession made to the whole court
of heaven, represent the fall of Adam, which was the source of
all our miseries, and remind us that we ought to dispose
ourselves for this great sacrifice by a sincere repentance for
our sins."

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Prayer At The Beginning Of Mass.

O Lord, in the multitude of thy mercies I will enter thy house, and adore thee in thy holy temple and confess to thy name. Though my sins are without number, I have still thy goodness to appeal to, I have still a confidence in the sufferings of my Redeemer, and hope, through his infinite merits, to find mercy, grace, and salvation. Thou, O dear Jesus, hast washed me once in baptism; wash me yet more from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sins. Sprinkle me with the hyssop of thy blood, and I shall be cleansed; wash me, and I shall be made whiter than snow.

Explanation.

"The priest bowing down before the altar, and saying the
_Confiteor_, represents our Saviour loaded with the sins
of mankind, prostrate at his prayers in the garden, and falling
into a bloody sweat and most painful agony. The priest going up
to the altar and kissing it, represents our Saviour going to
meet his enemies, and receiving the treacherous kiss from
Judas. When he goes to the book at the corner of the Epistle,
forms the sign of the cross, and reads the _Introit_, he
represents our Saviour seized, bound, and led captive to the
courts of Annas and Caiphas, where he was struck across the
face, blindfolded, buffeted, spit upon, and treated with the
greatest indignity, by the servants of the high priest, as if
he were a mock prophet."

Prayer At The Introit And Kyrie.

Blessed be thou, O Jesus, for all thou hast suffered for our redemption. It is but just that my sins should draw tears from my eyes, since they have drawn streams of blood from thy veins. I desire to join the most humble contrition of my soul with thy agony in the garden, and resolve to be sorry for my sins, even unto the hour of my death. {372} My heart is pierced with grief to think that I have repaid thy goodness with such ingratitude; but until I cease to live, I will never cease to cry, with the humble publican: _O God be propitious to me a sinner_. May those bonds that tied thy innocent hands, loosen the chains of my sins, break the fetters of my iniquities, deliver me from the captivity of Satan, and restore me to the sweet liberty of thy children, that I may be enabled to cry out with thy prophet: _Thou hast broken my chains: I will sacrifice to thee an host of praise_. I cast myself at thy feet, and beseech thee by thy infinite charity, to strengthen me with thy all-powerful grace under all trials and afflictions. Never suffer me to betray thy sacred truths, or to take part with the world against thee. Grant that when any tribulation or anguish shall assault me, I may receive it with humility like unto thine, and with a true submission and resignation to thy heavenly Father's will. Grant that under the severest scourges I may call upon thee as a father, confide in thee as a father, and seek no comfort out of thee. Remember me at my last hour, when the terrors of death shall begin to seize me; then let thy angels comfort me; then let the memory of thy sufferings support me against all apprehensions, that no fear of death or judgment may ever lessen the hope I ought to repose in thee.

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Explanation.

"The repetition of the _Kyrie Eleison, Christe Eleison_,
&c. (that is, Lord have mercy on us, Christ have mercy on us,)
three times, in honour of each of the three Divine Persons,
reminds us that Christ was denied three times by St. Peter. The
_Dominus vobiscum_, or, Our Lord be with you, which is the
usual salutation in the scriptures, and which the priest says
after the _Gloria in Excelsis_, it being the greatest of
all blessings for the Lord to be with us, and we with him,
reminds us how Peter was touched with repentance, when Christ
cast a glance of his merciful eyes upon him. The aforesaid
hymn, which a choir of angels sung in the air at our Saviour's
birth, denotes the joy that is in heaven among the angels upon
the conversion of a sinner, The _Kyries_ also remind us of
the longing desires of the holy fathers for the coming of the
Messiah. The _Gloria_ represents Christ's nativity. The
Collects, Epistle, and Gospel, his prayers, miracles, and
preaching.--The priest returning to the epistle side of the
altar, and reading the Collects and the Lesson, represents
Christ sent by Caiphas to Pilate, after being falsely accused
and unjustly condemned by the Sanhedrin of the Jews. Then the
priest goes to the middle of the altar, and humbly bowing
himself down, prays in silence. This represents Christ
conducted to Herod, and interrogated and scoffed at by him,
without returning the least answer, or saying a word to justify
himself. The priest going to the gospel side of the altar, and
returning to the middle to make a profession of faith, by
repeating the Nicene Creed, represents Christ sent back to
Pilate in a fool's dress, and professing that he came to bear
witness to the truth, and that his kingdom is not of this
world. The removal of the Mass-book from the right to the left
side of the altar, signifies that the new law of the gospel
being rejected by the Jews, who were the first called, was
preached to the Gentiles, who embraced it with joy, and were
converted to the Christian religion in great multitudes. The
lighted candles are emblems of their spiritual joy and of God's
glory, and denote the light of faith which Christ brought to
the world by his gospel.--At the beginning of the gospel, the
priest and the people make the sign of the cross, first upon
their foreheads, to signify that they are not ashamed of the
cross of Christ, nor of his doctrine; secondly, upon their
mouths, to denote that they are ready to profess it openly by
word of mouth; and thirdly, upon their breasts, to signify that
they will always preserve it carefully in their hearts. The
people rise up and stand during the gospel, to show by this
posture their readiness to go and practise whatever they shall
be commanded by the word of God."

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Prayer At The Gloria, Epistle, And Gospel.

Let heaven and earth join together, and the choirs of angels he united with the voices of men, to sing eternal praises to God, in trinity and unity, for the mercies we have received in the admirable work of our redemption. O my amiable Jesus, how am I bound to love thee! How black must my ingratitude be, if, after such demonstrations of love, I can continue to offend thee! I am the offender, I am the malefactor, and thou hast taken upon thee the punishment due to my sins! It is I who deserve to be accused, arraigned, dispised, and condemned, and not thou: O innocent and spotless Lamb of God, eternal praise be to thy name. Whilst the Jews proclaim thee a blasphemer, I own thee for my Lord; and beseech thee, that under all reproaches and calumnies I may remember what thou hast suffered for me, and that I may endeavour, by an humble and patient silence, to show myself on all occasions to be thy true disciple. Grant that whenever I am persecuted by lies or false accusations, thy example may be my comfort, my model, and my rule. Give me courage, constancy, and patience, under all the injuries, crosses, and contradictions, which thy providence shall permit to befall me during my pilgrimage here on earth. {375} Do not suffer me to despair of thy mercy, or die in my sins, like unhappy Judas: but soften my stony heart, and melt it into tears of compunction. Leave me not to myself, but teach me to confide wholly in thee. Look on me with an eye of pity, and awaken me from the sleep of death, that I may bewail my past sins in the bitterness of my soul, and persevere in serving thee and promoting thy glory. May the fall of Peter be a lesson to me all the days of my life, to shun all evil company, to fly all the dangerous occasions of sin, and never to deny thee, my Lord and my God, either by word or deed; but openly to profess my faith without fear or shame. I thank thee for revealing thy heavenly truths, and for instructing us by thy holy apostles in the only true saving faith. Give me grace to attend to thy doctrine, to live up to the maxims of thy gospel, to profess thy faith by the practice of good works, and never to swerve from thy sacred law. Have mercy on all those that are involved in the dismal state of mortal sin, and grant them the grace of sincere repentance. Let the light of thy countenance shine upon those who are sitting in the darkness of infidelity, and in the gloomy shade of death.-- Bring back the strayed sheep to thy fold, and unite them to the communion of thy church, that we may all become one sheepfold under one shepherd.

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Explanation.

"When the priest unveils the chalice for the Offertory, he
represents Christ stripped of his garments and bound to the
pillar. The offering of the bread on the paten, denotes Christ
offering up his body to be scourged. The mingling of the water
with the wine, denotes the water and blood that flowed from his
side on the cross. The offering the chalice with the wine,
represents Christ scourged, and the streams of his blood
flowing down upon the ground. The covering the chalice with the
paten, represents him crowned with thorns, and treated as a
mock king. The washing of the fingers at the _Lavabo_,
reminds us how Pilate washed his hands before the multitude,
and pronounced Christ innocent and just. The _Orate
Fratres_ reminds us that Christ was shown to the people with
ensigns of mock royalty, Pilate crying out at the same time:
_Ecce Homo_, Behold the man. The priest saying the Secret
Prayers in silence, represents Christ condemned to be
crucified, and submitting to the unjust sentence without any
defence or reply. The Preface, (so called because it serves as
an introduction to the Canon of the Mass,) and the Canticle of
the Hebrew children, which are repeated with a loud voice,
remind us that Christ was loaded with the cross; the pious
Hosanna being changed into the clamorous and cruel
_Crucifige_, or crucify him."

Prayer At The Offertory, Lavabo, And Preface.

O my soul! run to thy suffering Lord, and at his feet pour out thyself in thanksgiving, and in all the ecstasies of love and praise. It is thy God that suffers, that he may redeem a slave, a poor sinful worm of the earth. When I behold thee, O dear Jesus, stripped naked, fastened to the pillar, cruelly scourged, torn, and mangled, I see the immensity of thy love for us, and the greatness of our sins against thee. I see in thy wounds, the slavery into which we are degraded, and the punishment due to our crimes. Our sins bound thy hands, and every stroke thou didst receive was the effect of our iniquities. {377} I offer thee my heart and soul, to be eternally consecrated to thy divine service, and to be washed and purified in the purple streams that gushed forth from every pore of thy sacred body. I throw myself into the arms of thy infinite mercy, with a firm resolution to die rather than renew thy passion, by relapsing into any mortal sin. No, dear Redeemer, I never will prefer Barabbas to thee; I never will set thee in competition with the world, or its delusive charms, sinful pleasures, or sordid interests. O amiable Jesus, thou shalt be my choice for ever. I will strike no more nails into thy hands by my evil deeds. I will add no more thorns to thy painful crown by my sinful thoughts. I will no more pierce thy sacred side by any unlawful desires. I will not scourge thy holy flesh by curses or blasphemies, nor crucify thee over again by any fresh crime. I am determined, with thy assistance, to put off the old man with all his acts, by a candid and naked confession of all my past sins. O grant that I may never appear naked of virtue in thy sight; but may be clad with the white robe of innocence when I shall be presented before thy awful tribunal. Pierce my heart with the thorns of penance and compunction here, that I may, through thy merits, be crowned with glory hereafter. Grant that whenever I am under any affliction, meet with any adversity, disgrace or contempt, or feel any part of the thorny crown on my head, I may rejoice in bearing such a resemblance of thy sufferings, and show by my patience and humility whose disciple I am. {378} Give me grace to submit with cheerfulness to the rod of thy paternal correction; and support my natural weakness, that I may not sink under the weight of any cross with which it shall please thy Divine Providence to visit me. Disengage my heart from all earthly affections. Raise and elevate my soul to thee, that I may always live and converse in heaven, where thou, my only treasure, art. I now presume to join my unworthy voice with the heavenly choirs of all thy angels and saints, who are incessantly singing eternal praises to thee:

_Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God of Sabaoth;
Heaven and Earth are full of thy glory:
Blessed is he who cometh in the name of the Lord:
Hosannah in the highest, &c._

Explanation.

"The Canon, which is the most sacred and most solemn part of
the Mass, is read in a low voice, to denote the mourning and
affliction of the faithful at the time of our Saviour's
passion, which amazed and silenced all nature. The priest
raises his hands, in imitation of Moses, who, as we read,
(_Exodus_ xvii.) prayed with his hands lifted up, whilst
Josue was combating with the Amalekites. After the
_Memento_ for the living he spreads his hands over the
bread and wine that are to be consecrated, in imitation of the
priests of the old law, who were ordered, (_Lev_. 1.) when
they offered sacrifice, to lay their hands upon the victim
before it was immolated. These ceremonies represent Christ led
away to be crucified, carrying his cross on his shoulders to
Mount Calvary, admonishing the devout women on the way, who
wept over him, to mourn for themselves and for their children;
and when he arrived at the end of his painful journey, stripped
again of his garments, and laid on the painful bed, without any
other pillow to support his head but the thorns with which he
was crowned.
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The signing of the oblation with the sign of the cross, denotes
how his hands and feet were stretched and nailed on the cross.
The separated consecration of the bread and wine, represents
his body slain, and his blood shed, for the remission of our
sins. The elevation of the consecrated Host, represents him
exalted on the cross in the sight of the whole multitude. The
elevation of the Chalice represents the sacred blood flowing
from his wounds. The ringing of the bell denotes the
earthquakes and other signs which happened at his death. The
five crosses formed over the oblation, signify the five
principal wounds in his body. The time from the elevation to
the communion corresponds to the three hours he hung alive on
the cross. The _Memento_ for the dead denotes that whilst
he was thus elevated between heaven and earth, he prayed as a
powerful mediator for the whole world, even for his enemies and
crucifiers. The conversion of the thief on the cross, on one
side of him, is represented by the priest striking his breast,
and saying, _nobis quoque peccatoribus_. The seven
petitions of the _Pater Noster_ remind us of Christ's last
words on the cross. The breaking of the Host is used in
imitation of his having broken it before he gave it to his
disciples at his last supper. The breaking of it in three parts
represents his mystical body, or the church in three states:
the blessed in heaven, the souls in purgatory, and the faithful
on earth; this great sacrifice being offered for the whole
church, triumphant, suffering, and militant; in honour of the
first, that is, in thanksgiving to God for all the graces
bestowed upon them, and for all the happiness they enjoy; for
the relief of the second, to obtain a speedy admittance for
them into eternal glory; and for the benefit of the last,
according to the four great ends of sacrifice. The breaking of
the Host also represents the death of Christ on the cross, and
is a figure of his soul being separated from his body after he
bowed down his sacred head. The mixing a particle of the Host
with the sacramental species in the chalice, represents the
descent of his soul into _Limbo_, or the prison of the
Fathers of the old testament."

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Prayer At The Canon Of The Mass.

O King of glory! when shall I leave this earthly prison, this miserable Babylon, and be admitted into thy lovely tabernacles? O ocean of sweetness, and fountain of divine love, when shall I contemplate thee face to face in thy happy kingdom? My sins are a terror to my soul, but having so plentiful a redemption, I never will despair. Thy wounds cry out for mercy. Mercy, then, O God of goodness! have mercy on me. O Jesus, be a Jesus to my soul, and save me. I am thy purchase, snatched from the jaws of hell by the merits of thy sacred passion; accept me, therefore, an unworthy sinner. Purify me in those sacred streams that flowed from thy bleeding wounds, and present me to thy eternal Father, that through thee I may obtain his blessing and favour, which of myself I do not deserve. Extinguish in me all ambition, pride, and vanity, the love of the world, and every degree of vicious self-love. Grant me true humility, perfect patience, unfeigned charity, and sincere devotion. Give me only grace to practise what thou commandest, and command what thou pleasest. Increase true religion; plant thy faith in our hearts; give peace and unity to thy church; repentance and pardon to all sinners. Grant comfort to the sick and afflicted; relief to the distressed; mercy, grace, and salvation to all those for whom thou hast shed thy blood, and whom I am bound to pray for, particularly _N_. {381} We render thee thanks for admitting us to have a part in this great sacrifice, which thy Catholic Church offers to thy holy name, by the hands of the priest, for thy people. Accept it now, we beseech thee, O Lord, to thy glory, in satisfaction for all our offences and ingratitude, and in union with that divine intention with which our blessed Saviour offered it up, when he instituted it at his last supper, and consummated it upon the altar of the cross.

Prayer At The Elevation Of The
Consecrated Host And Chalice.

Hail, O King of glory, Prince of peace, and Saviour of the world! Hail, O immaculate Host! offered for me and all mankind on the cross! I adore, bless, and glorify thee, O loving Jesus, with all the faculties of my soul and body. May all thy creatures sound forth thy praises. O sacrament of piety! O sign of unity! O bond of charity! O the goodness of my God! O how wonderful are the ways of divine love! How incomprehensible are the riches of the divine bounty!

O my bleeding Jesus, I bow down to the ground to adore thee! Hail! most precious blood, shed for me and the sins of the whole world! Hear, O eternal Father, the voice of thy Son's blood, that cries out loudly to heaven, not for vengeance, but for mercy: let it now speak in my behalf, and plead my pardon; let it blot out my iniquities, and cleanse my soul from all the foul stains of sin. I beg it most humbly for the sake of Jesus, who died upon the cross for my redemption.

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Prayer After The Elevation.

Behold, O almighty and all-gracious God, thy Son, Jesus, in whom thou art well pleased. Look upon the face of thy Christ and my Saviour, here present. Look upon this spotless lamb, this adorable victim, this pure holocaust of obedience, humbled to the very death of the cross. Behold in him what may move thee to look down upon us with an eye of mercy, and to forgive us our sins. He is our High Priest, sprinkled with his own blood. Receive the sacrifice he has offered for us, in consideration of all the honours and homages that are due to thy sovereign goodness from me and all creatures. Extend, O compassionate Creator, the virtue of it unto the souls in the church suffering, and grant to the faithful departed rest and life everlasting, particularly to _N_.; mitigate their punishment, and translate them to that state of glory for which thou hast designed them. Thou hast formerly promised, that looking on thy rainbow thou wouldst remember the covenant made between thee and the patriarch Noah, (_Genes_, ix.); canst thou then look down on the blood of thy beloved Son Jesus, offered here to thee in sacrifice, and not remember the great covenant of the new law, sealed and confirmed with the effusion of his sacred blood?

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O dear Jesus! that I could love thee as thy goodness deserves. The more thou hast humbled thyself for my sake, the more I am bound to love thee. Remember thou hast bought me at a dear rate. O let not thy blood be lost or spilt in vain for me; but receive me into the number of the elect. I detest my sins, which were the cause of thy sufferings, and thy most cruel executioners. My crimes, alas! were the nails that bored thy hands and feet, and fastened thee to an ignominious cross. O who will give sorrow to my heart, and a fountain of tears to my eyes, that I may bewail them in the bitterness of my soul all the days of my life, and that at the hour of my departure I may, by means of a true conversion, be entitled to hear those comfortable words which thou saidst to the penitent thief on the cross: _This day shalt thou be with me in paradise._ I acknowledge my unworthiness, I do not deserve to be ranked among the number of thy children, yet I will presume to say that heavenly prayer which thou hast taught me: "Our Father, who art in heaven," &c.

Explanation

"When the priest strikes his breast, and says the _Agnus
Dei_, (that is, O Lamb of God, &c.) he reminds us of the
Centurion and many others striking their breasts with sorrow,
and bewailing their offences, when they beheld Christ expiring
on the cross, and were eye-witnesses of the prodigies which
happened at his death.
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The Prayer for Peace, before the communion of the priest,
signifies, that to communicate worthily, we must be in peace
with God and our neighbour, and approach with a clean heart and
pure conscience. The priest's communion is a sign of the burial
of Christ's body, which was taken down from the cross, wrapped
up in clean linen, and laid in a new monument, cut out of a
rock, near Mount Calvary. The purifying and covering of the
chalice represents Christ's sepulchre, shut and covered with a
stone. The resurrection of Christ from the dead is represented
by the priest going to the corner of the Epistle, and reading
the Post Communion, the mass-book being brought back to the
right side of the altar, to signify that the Jews are to be
converted to the Christian faith at the end of the world.
_Dominus vobiscum_ represents Christ appearing to his
disciples, and giving them his peace. The last Collect
represents Christ conversing forty days with his disciples, and
speaking to them of the kingdom of God. The last _Dominus
vobiscum_, represents Christ's last apparition to his
disciples; and the blessing given by the priest to the people,
denotes that Christ lifted up both his hands, and blessed his
apostles and other disciples before he left them, and in their
sight ascended into heaven. The _Ite Missa est_, and the
reading of the Gospel at the left corner of the altar, denote
that Christ came not to call the just, but sinners, to
repentance: and sent his apostles to teach all nations; and
that they preached the gospel with amazing success in all parts
of the known world, after the descent of the Holy Ghost."

Prayer At The Agnus Dei.

O Innocent Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the world, have mercy on me; for nothing is more pleasing to thee than to have compassion on those that are miserable. Give me tears of repentance, that I may mourn for the evil I have committed. In thee I place all my hope, because thou alone art my salvation, my strength, my refuge, and the fountain of all my good. {385} I most humbly beseech thee, by the anguish of thy passion, and by thy sufferings on the cross, especially at that hour when thy blessed soul left thy body, to spare me in that dreadful moment, and have mercy on my soul. Let me experience the multitude of thy tender mercies, when I shall be in conflict with the pangs of death. Let thy passion and death stand then between my soul and thy justice. I accept the sentence of my death, in whatever manner I am to suffer it, in union with thy death on the cross. I humbly submit to it, and now offer it to thy divine majesty as a sacrifice and a just punishment due to my sins. I commend my soul into thy hands, and most earnestly entreat thee to give me thy blessing this day, and to grant me perseverance in thy service, that on the day of judgment I may be ranked in the happy number of those blessed souls, who are to be invited by thee to take possession of the kingdom of thy glory. During the time of my sojourn here on earth, preserve me from thirsting after the false goods of this world.--May I always remember thy vinegar and gall, and rest contented with what is sufficient to support nature. May I every day increase in thy love, and may all created objects be of little account with me, that thou mayest be the only delight of my soul and my everlasting joy.

Prayer At The Communion.

I Adore, O dear Jesus, thy sacred body and blood, soul and divinity, here present on the altar under the sacramental forms. {386} Praised be this most holy sacrament with as many praises as there are stars in the heavens, atoms in the air, drops of water in the ocean, sands in the sea, sparks in the fire, motes of dust upon the earth, flowers in the spring, grains of corn in the summer, leaves in the autumn, flakes of snow and hailstones in the winter, or creatures in the universe. O that I had the necessary dispositions of a worthy communicant! how willingly would I unite myself to my divine Redeemer in this sacrament of love! O may I receive it worthily at the hour of my death, that it may serve me as a viatic to a happy eternity. Though I am unworthy to receive it now sacramentally, yet I wish to receive it spiritually into my soul by faith, love, and devotion. Enter then, O divine bridegroom, into this poor lodging: you vouchsafed to lodge in a stable, you did not refuse to enter into the house of Zachæus, the publican; enter into my house as into the house of another Zachæus, and give a blessing to my soul, as thou didst to the house of Zachæus: say unto me, as thou saidst unto him: _Salvation is this day come to this house_.--Luke, xix.

A Prayer At The Last Collects, &c.

Praise, honour, and glory be to thee, O blessed Redeemer, who coming forth out of the grave, didst rise triumphantly from the dead, and having conversed with thy disciples for forty days, didst ascend into heaven, where thou sittest at the right hand of thy eternal Father. Inflame my heart and soul with thee, that I may seek nothing but to be united to thee for ever in heaven.

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Hear, O eternal Father, whatever the holy Catholic Church asks of thee in the name of thy beloved son. We beseech thee, that this our sacrifice may be acceptable in thy sight, and become profitable to us and to thy whole church. Receive my unworthy prayers, supply all my defects, pardon all my indevotions, distractions, and irreverences. Engrave in my heart the rules and maxims of thy gospel, and give me grace to live according to them. Teach me to follow thy example, that rising with thee to a new life of piety and holiness, and walking in thy footsteps, I may live to thee alone, and advance every day towards everlasting happiness. Amen.

_I did not judge to know anything among you, but Jesus Christ, and him crucified_. St. Paul, 1 Cor. ii. 2.

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The Epistles And Gospels For The Sundays
And Principal Festivals Throughout The Year.

First Sunday Of Advent.

Epistle. _Romans_ xiii. 11, 14. _Brethren_: Know, that it is now the hour for us to rise from sleep. For now our salvation is nearer than when we believed. The night is past, and the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and put on the armour of light. Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and impurities, not in contention and envy: but put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ.

Gospel. _Luke_ xxi. 25, 33. _At that time:_ Jesus said to his disciples: There shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, by reason of the confusion of the roaring of the sea and of the waves, men withering away for fear, and expectation of what shall come upon the whole world. For the powers of the heavens shall be moved; and then they shall see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with great power and majesty. But when these things begin to come to pass, look up, and lift up your heads; because your redemption is at hand. And he spoke to them a similitude: See the fig-tree and all the trees: when they now shoot forth their fruit, you know that summer is nigh: so you also, when you shall see these things come to pass, know that the kingdom of God is at hand. Amen, I say to you, this generation shall not pass away till all things be fulfilled. Heaven and earth shall pass away; but my words shall not pass away. Credo.

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Second Sunday Of Advent

Epistle. _Romans_ xv. 4, 13. _Brethren:_ What things soever were written, were written for our learning, that through patience and the comfort of the scriptures we might have hope. Now the God of patience and of comfort grant you to be of one mind one towards another, according to Jesus Christ; that with one mind, and with one mouth, you may glorify God and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Wherefore receive one another, as Christ also hath received you unto the honour of God. For I say that Christ Jesus was minister of the circumcision for the truth of God, to confirm the promises made unto the fathers. But that the Gentiles are to glorify God for his mercy, as it is written: "Therefore, will I confess to thee, O Lord, among the Gentiles, and will sing to thy name." And again, he saith: "Rejoice, ye Gentiles, with his people." And again: "Praise the Lord all ye Gentiles, and magnify him all ye people." And again Isaiah saith: "There shall be a root of Jesse, and he that shall rise up to rule the Gentiles, in him the Gentiles shall hope." Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope, and in the power of the Holy Ghost.

Gospel. _Matt_. xi. 2, 10. _At that time_: When John had heard in prison the works of Christ, sending two of his disciples he said to him: Art thou he that art to come, or look we for another? And Jesus making answer, said to them: Go and relate to John what you have heard and seen. The blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead rise again, the poor have the gospel preached to them; and blessed is he that shall not be scandalized in me. {390} And when they went their way, Jesus began to say to the multitude, concerning John: What went ye out into the desert to see? A reed shaken with the wind? But what went ye out to see? A man clothed in soft garments? Behold, they that are clothed in soft garments are in the houses of kings. But what went ye out to see? A prophet? Yea, I tell you, and more than a prophet. For this is he of whom it is written: "Behold, I send my angel before thy face, who shall prepare thy way before thee." Credo.

Third Sunday Of Advent.

Epistle. _Philip_ iv. 4, 7. _Brethren_: Rejoice in the Lord always; again, I say, rejoice. Let your modesty be known to all men. The Lord is nigh. Be nothing solicitous: but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your petitions be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasseth all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.

Gospel. _John_ i. 19, 28. _At that time:_ The Jews sent from Jerusalem Priests and Levites to John, to ask him: Who art thou? And he confessed, and did not deny; and he confessed: I am not the Christ. And they asked him: What then? Art thou Elias? And he said: I am not. Art thou a prophet? And he answered: No. They said therefore unto him: Who art thou, that we may give an answer to them that sent us? What sayest thou of thyself? He said: "I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, _Make straight the way of the Lord_," as said the prophet Isaias. And they that were sent were of the Pharisees. And they asked him and said to him: Why then dost thou baptize, if thou be not Christ, nor Elias, nor the prophet? John answered them, saying: I baptize with water; but there hath stood one in the midst of you, whom you know not. The same is he that shall come after me, who is preferred before me; the latchet of whose shoe I am not worthy to loose. These things were done in Bethania beyond the Jordan, where John was baptizing.--Credo.

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Fourth Sunday Of Advent.

Epistle. 1 _Corinthians_ iv. 1, 6. _Brethren:_ Let a man so account of us as of the ministers of Christ, and the dispensers of the mysteries of God. Here now it is required amongst the dispensers that a man be found faithful. But to me it is a very small thing to be judged by you, or by man's day: but neither do I judge my own self. For I am not conscious to myself of any thing: yet I am not hereby justified; but he that judgeth me is the Lord. Therefore judge not before the time till the Lord come; who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsel of hearts: and then shall every man have praise from God.

Gospel. _Luke_ iii. 1, 6. Now in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Cæsar (Pontius Pilate being governor of Judea, and Herod Tetrarch of Galilee, and Philip his brother Tetrarch of Iturea and the country of Trachonitis, and Lysanias Tetrarch of Abilana, under the high priests Annas and Caiphas) the word of the Lord came to John, the son of Zachary, in the desert. And he came into all the country about the Jordan, preaching the baptism of penance for the remission of sins, as it was written in the book of the words of Isaias the prophet: "A voice of one crying in the wilderness: prepare ye the way of the Lord: make straight his paths: every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be brought low: and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough ways plain:" and all flesh shall see the salvation of God. Credo.

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Christmas Day.
First Mass. At Midnight.

Epistle. _Titus_ ii. 11, 15. _Dearly beloved:_ The grace of God our Saviour hath appeared to all men. Instructing us, that denying ungodliness, and worldly desires, we should live soberly, and justly, and godly, in this world, looking for the blessed hope, and coming of the glory of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ: who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and might cleanse to himself a people acceptable, a pursuer of good works. These things speak, and exhort, and rebuke with all authority. Let no man despise thee.

Gospel. _Luke_ ii. 1, 14. And it came to pass that in those days there went out a decree from Cæsar Augustus, that the whole world should be enrolled. This enrolling was first made by Cyrinus the governor of Syria. And all went to be enrolled, every one into his own city. And Joseph also went up from Galilee out of the city of Nazareth into Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem: because he was of the house and family of David, to be enrolled with Mary his espoused wife, who was with child. And it came to pass, that when they were there, her days were accomplished, that she should be delivered. And she brought forth her first-born son, and wrapped him up in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn. And there were in the same country shepherds watching and keeping the night watches over their flock. And behold an angel of the Lord stood by them, and the brightness of God shone round about them, and they feared with a great fear. And the angel said to them: Fear not: for behold I bring you good tidings of great joy, that shall be to all the people: for this day is born to you a Saviour, who is Christ the Lord, in the city of David. And this shall be a sign unto you: you shall find the infant wrapped in swaddling clothes, and laid in a manger. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly army, praising God, and saying: Glory to God in the highest; and on earth peace to men of good-will. Credo.

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Second Mass. At Break Of Day.

Epistle. _Titus_ iii. 4, 7. _Most dearly beloved:_ The goodness and kindness of God our Saviour appeared: not by the works of justice, which we have done, but according to his mercy, he saved us, by the laver of regeneration, and renovation of the Holy Ghost, whom he hath poured forth upon us abundantly, through Jesus Christ our Saviour: that being justified by his grace, we may be heirs according to hope of life everlasting, through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Gospel. _Luke_ ii. 15, 20. _At that time:_ The shepherds said one to another: Let us go over to Bethlehem, and let us see this word that has come to pass which the Lord hath showed to us. And they came with haste: and they found Mary and Joseph, and the infant lying in a manger. And seeing, they understood of the word that had been spoken to them concerning this child. And all that heard wondered: and at those things that were told them by the shepherds. But Mary kept all these words, pondering _them_ in her heart. And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God, for all the things they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them. Credo.

Third Mass. In The Day Time.

Epistle. _Hebrews_ i. 1, 12. God, who at sundry times, and in divers manners spoke in times past to the fathers by the prophets, last of all, in these days, hath spoken to us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the world: who being the brightness of his glory, and the figure of his substance, and upholding all things by the word of his power, making purgation of sins, sitteth on the right hand of the majesty on high: being made so much better than the angels, as he hath inherited a more excellent name than they. {394} For to which of the angels hath he said at any time, "Thou art my Son, to-day have I begotten thee?" And again: "I will be to him a father, and he shall be to me a Son?" And again, when he bringeth in the first-begotten into the world, he saith: "And let all the angels of God adore him." And to the angels indeed he saith: "He that maketh his angels spirits: and his ministers a flame of fire." But to the Son: "Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: a sceptre of justice is the sceptre of thy kingdom. Thou hast loved justice and hated iniquity: therefore God, thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows." And: "Thou, in the beginning, O Lord, didst found the earth: and the works of thy hands are the heavens. They shall perish, but thou shalt continue: and they shall all grow old as a garment. And as a vesture shalt thou change them, and they shall be changed: but thou art the self-same and thy years shall not fail."