The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-09-12
ON THE HOLY MASS
FATHER EATON SPOKE AT ST
 PETERS YESTERDAY.
Nature and Sacrifice of the Mass, its his- tesical aaA Mystical Significance
 Discussed.

| DAoC8osc0s
 General instructions on the Holy Mass were given in an interesting discourse yes terday morning at St. Peters Cathohc Church by Father Thomas J. Eaton.
 Father Eaton spoke from the verse Ike toicA and praise, o thou inhabitant or son: for great is He that Is in the midst Of thee' the Holy One of Israel" 1saias xii 5.
 Some Sundays ago. he said. we devoted our attention to the consideration or the l immediate preparations of the priest for the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass We understand the dispositions necessary for due partici- patton in the numberiess blessings attacneo to the witnessing of this sublime mystery and we resolved to be actuated with no oth- CT desires than those of purity of heart and purpose while assisting at the solemn rituai Of the altar. That we may to some extent realise and properly appreciate, the nature of the sacrifice itself shall briefly re- view today a part of the Mass in Its his- torical and mystical significance.
 We have already learned the meaning Of the word 'mass": we have seen that It Is the English version or modification of the Latin word "Messa," meaning sending or "dismissaL" either from the fact that Jesus Christ. who is God and the Second Person Of the Most Holy Trinity. Is sent. so to speak, on our altars and is really pres ent there from the awful moment of conse- cration. or from the fact that the priest dis missed and sent away the congregation. when at the close of the sacrifice he turned towards them and repeated the words. lite. missa est" "Go. the Mass Is over." On sundays as you notice. the Mass is pre- ceded by what we cali the 'asperges." The ceremony is so caller from the first word intoned by the priest, which means ito sprinkle. Thou shalt sprinkle me. o Lord, and I shall be cleansed; Thou shalt wash me and shall be made whiter than snow" (Ps. b0.) The congregation is sprinkled with Holy Water to impress upon them the necessity of cleansing their souls from sin
 The natural property of water Is to purify from stain whatever 1t comes in contact with. and the Church accordingly teaches her erring children that they must be cleansed in the purifying waters of penance, the second baptism. if they are to have any share in her favors. The celebrant con- cludes the ''asperges' with a prayer to this end. and then. being suitably attired, ap- breaches the altar steps where he recites the Psalm. 'Judica me Deus. Judge me- o Lord." the canticle of the exiled David who composed it when forced to fly from the treaehery of his son Absalom and his kinsman. Saul.
 The touching simplicity of this sublime hymn furnishes . remarkable. introduction to the touching simplicity of the sublime re- nunctation7 of the Cross. The Holy King laments his exile. he recounts its sorrows its tribulations. and longs for the tents of his people, supported in his anguish by his confidence in God. We, too, are exiles Our exile has its bitterness, and we long for the tents of Paradise. Our trust also ia in God. We are bidden to raise our hearts In fear and trembling. 1t Is true, but yet we hope. for Calvary is about to be brought before us: the great drama of pro- pitiation which destroyed the power of sin and Satan is to be re-enacted. The priest is the mediator between the crimes of men and offended majesty. and as he bows down before the altar and then ascends in silence he prays for himself and for his people that the Lord may blot out our iniquities and enable us to be worthy of the graces of the present life and of the joy amending in the only life, the life to come. Reaching the table of the altar in prayer full silence he bows and kisses 1t towards
 ahe centre, out of respect for the place where the body and blood of the Saviour are soon to be- and where the relics of Holy Martyrs have been tremendously entombed. Proceeding with hands joined to the left, or Epistle side of the altar, he reads what Is known as the inbroit, or opening Psalm. 1nbroit means literally the entering," be- cause 1t was originally sang while the priest was entering the Church. The inbroit, Epistle and Gospel mark three distinct epochs in the story of Gods dealings with men. namely. the Expectation by the nations Of the Divine Redeemer as foretold in the versicles of which the Inbroit is composed, the verification of His coming and His wis dom as announced in the Epistle, and final ly the manner of availing of salvation and eternal happiness as pointed out by the un- erring wisdom of the Gospel narratives The cycle of the ages is thus completed; {; doubt and uncertainty have been suppianted by true philosophy of Heaven. The inbroit was introduced by Pope Celestine in the fifth century. At ita termination the priest In aIra tn ha hn reeites Kyrie elesion three times, followed by three-fold recital of Christe elesion, and repetition of the Kyrie. The words are of Greek origin and mean respectively Lord have mercy on us." Christ have mercy on us" Their introduction Is ac- credited to the pontificate of Gregory the Great at the close of the Sixth century, but they probably have an earlier claim upon our attention. Mercy is invoked on threa occasions with a triple solemn empha- sis to honor the Holy Trinity in whose name the sacrifice of the Mass is immolated An other reason assigned is the beautiful tradi- tion that our Divine Saviour on the day of His ascension tarried for a while with each of the nine celestial choirs and that the re- quest for mercy repeated nine times com memorates this event. However this may be. the Kyrie elesion" and the "Gloria in Exoelsis" which immediately follows take us back to the cradle of Christianity The
 
 proper. the penitents and the cabachumens who were under instruction preparatory to being admitted Into the true fold. The lat ter were allowed to remain at the solemn services to the time of the offertory only They were then dismissed with solemn warnings to render themselves worthy of assisting at the entire oblation. During their stay prayers were chanted by the priest with all the pageantry of devotion TOT tnelr repentance: the congregation re- sponded with the sublime "Kyrie elesion" "Christe elesion." Succeeding ages wit messed the abrogation of this ceremony, but the "Kyrie' is retained to teach us that the quality of mercy is not strained" that 1t flows now. as then. like the gentle rain from heaven" The intercession for mercy Is followed by that glorious outburst of con fidence and praise. the magnificent can ticle "Gloria in Exceisis Deo," Glory to God on high and on earth peace to men of good will" Penance begets confidence Ac- cordingly. after the "Kyrie" the penitents of early days renewed their hopes and gave expression to their praises: once again the same words that announced amid the silence of the Judean hills. with heavenly. harmony. the birth of the Redeemer. conveyed to their aching souls the sweet message of Re demption. The Gloria in Excesis' con veys to us the same sweet message. evi- denced more clearly when the priest at It's close turns toward the congregation and exclaims with extended arms, "Dominus vobiscum." The Lord be with you" The reading of prayers. of the Epistle, of the Gradual. and of the Gospel follows in suc- cession the "iloria in Excelss" The prayers adapted to all our needs, and through them divine assistance is impIored from the Father. in the name of the Son All grace and salvation Is through Jesus