The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1913-12-20

They are preparing themselves for the
solemn action at which they are about
to assist, by confessing aloud that they
have sinned grievously before God
asking pardon for their sins, and i'm
ploring each other and the angels anG
saints to pray for them. This done
they go up together to the altar! and
after some more prayers a silver cen
ser is brought to them in which sweet
smelling incense is burnt and with
this they incense the altar, beseech-
ing God as they do SO that, as this in
cense rises up in clouds to heaven, SO
their prayer may mount up to His
throne and be favorably received by
Him.
After this, standing before the mid
die of the altar, the priest chants
aloud the first words of hymn be-
ginning Gloria in excelsis Dec, the
very words which the angels sang
when they announced the birth of our
Savior to the shepherds at Bethlehem:
GLORY be to God on high, and on
earth peace to men of good will y
You cannot do better than think over
these beautiful words whilst the priest
and his attendants, sitting down on
one side, wait until the choir has fin
ished them. When they once more
approach the altar it is to read the
Collects-that is, certain prayers ap-
pointed for the day, calling down Gods
blessing on the world, on His Church,
on the Pope, etc., and after that a
passage from one of the Epistles.
This, as we'll as the Gospel which fol
lows, and indeed the whole Mass, is
read in Latin, because it is the Ian
guage which the Church has used ever
years ago; and as the Catholic Church
is not intended to belong to any par
ticular nation, but to all the nations
of the world, she prefers to use a
language which may be familiar to
all. Before the Gospel is read you
will observe a good deal of prepare
ton. The book is carried in process
sion escorted by lighted candles, and
solemnly incensed by the Deacon,
who then reads the appointed passage
for the day. This is to do honor to
the word of God, and to remind us of
Jesus Christ sending His Church with
glad tidings to men.
The Greed, or profession of faith,
follows, the priest again giving out
the first words from the altar, 81 be-
lieve in one Cod" the people standing
up to give evidence of their faith, and
then sitting down while the choir
takes up the words and sings them
in solemn chant. At the passage "and
was made man" every one kneels in
reverence for our Lord, who came
down from heaven and became man
for u.s.
So far the Mass has been only a
service of prayer and praise, mere
preparation for what is to follow. The
priest goes up to the altar again; and
if you are near enough you will be
able to see how a round wafer of un.
leavened bread is placed upon little
gold plate, and wine and water poured
into gold cup or chalice, after which
the priest washes his hands to signify
the purity of heart with which it is
necessary to approach these awful
mysteries. Presently a little bell
rings, to warn all the people that the
solemn portion of the service is about
to begin. Every one kneels down and
the choir sings "Holy, Holy, Holy
Lord God of Sabaoth." The priest
takes into his hands first the bread
then the chalice with the wine, and
pronounces over each the sacred
words which our Lord Himself made
use of at the last Supper: "This is
My Body. This is My Blood which
shall be shed for many to the remis
sion of SINS" Even as he says the
words, by the wonderful power Of Goo
and in a mysterious way which no hui
man reason can ever hope to explain
what was bread becomes verify anG
indeed the Body of Christ, and what
was wine is changed into His most
precious Blood. No wonder the PEG
pie kneel with bowed heads and hush
| SO NOASOos SAO OOAOIu1 OAACACO1 D1OhCL
only by the tinkle of the bell, which
warns all those who cannot see of the
precise moment when the Sacred Host
and the Chalice, one after the other
are lifted up on high by the pries
for the alteration of the faithful.
You need not be ashamed of kneel
ing down too. Surely you would have
knelt if you had been on Calvary
Forget that there is any one else il
the church besides you and your Sa
vior; speak to Him as you would have
done had you met Him on the road Oh
on the hillside when He was on earth
tell Him of your sins, your sorrows
you difficulties; speak to Him of your
life, your friends, your family, you
hopes and joys. He is interested il
all, He can hear all, He will help you
if you will only let Him. And ther
unite yourself with the great offering
He is making to His Father; beg tha
it may, in the words of the Church, b.
carried by the holy angel of God t.