The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1913-08-30
THE oFFERToRY.

portance OF the Omertory OF the MASS
over all that precedes and then contin-
ues: In former times, as soon as the
Greed was finished, all who had not
been baptized, or were under a course
of penance, or had not yet been adj
mitted to communion, were ordered
to leave the Church, for the remain
ing part of the Mass was considered
too holy to allow any such person
to be present at it. The Church has
now changed her discipline, and she
allows even the greatest of sinners to
remain during the whole of the
sacred rites She does this out of
compassion, hoping that the sight of
her august mysteries may convert
those hardened sinners who Withstand
every other motive. What is the use,
dear Christians, which you make of
this condescension? Do you consider
it a great privilege to be allowed to
be present at it? Or do you not rather
continue here without thinking at all
about it, or even knowing that it is
a more important part of the Mass
than what is gone before? Oh! how
would the Church in former days
have wept to see her children so ig-
norant, or so regardless, of what
ought to interest them so much! But
let us proceed with our explanation.
After uncovering the chalice, and
removing it from the center of the
altar, the priest takes the unconse-
Grated bread, which we call the Host,
placed upon the patten, and lifting it
up to heaven, with his eyes also
raised thither, offers it to Almighty
God, and says this prayer than which
nothing can certainly be more beau
tiful. Receive, o Holy Father and
eternal God, this unspotted Host,
which l, thy unworthy servant, offer
to Thee, my true and living God, for
my own innumerable sins, offenses,
and negligences, as we'll as for all
here present-as also for all faithful
Christians, both living and dead, that
it may avail both me and them unto
life everlasting. Amen"
l have repeated the whole of this
prayer, that no part of it might be
lost upon you. What an interesting
subject ought this to be to you, to
see the priest, with hands lifted uI
to heaven, offering the victim for you
as well as himself, deploring his sins
in a contrite heart, lest they should
hinder the effect of his sacrifice ther
praying that all the faithful, whether
living or dead, may be benefited by
it! Surely there is no one either sc
ignorant or so inattentive, but seeing
this he must be struck by it, his de
votion must be reused, and he will
offer himself to God, together with
this sacrifice. He will weep over his
offenses, that he may find acceptance
and be admitted to share the fruits
of this spotless victim.
The priest then pours the wine
which is to be consecrated, into the
chalice, and at the same time mikes
a small quantity Of water with thu
wine. This is an ancient ceremony
and is done to represent the BLOOD
and water which flowed from our Sa
viour's side, when he was pierced
with the lance upon the cross. Th'
chalice is then offered up to the true
and living God, in the same manneI
as the bread had been before. Oh
this occasion, being about to bless
these offerings, he bows down hi
head in a spirit of humility, then lift
up his hands to heaven, whence ever!
blessing must come, and makes thu
sign of the cross upon them, ant
says, Come, Thou Sanctifier, ant
bless this sacrifice, which is pre-
pared for Thy holy name" See, dea
Christians, how solemn is thi
entrance upon the sacrifice! How cal
culated to impress you with sent
ments of awe, respect, and venera
ton, if you entered into the spirit o
what is then going forward! l hav
said befoIs. that an offering was al
essential part of sacrifice; but it i
not this offering which forms the. es
sence of the Mass. For you vii
recollect that it is as yet nothing blu
bread and wine, and therefore is onl
of value from what it soon will be
when changed by the words of const
Grafton. Let not, however, this col
sideration lessen your devotion to thi
important part of the Mass. For 20
may and ought, even now, to ente
into the true dispositions of sa'
rifice. You may anticipate what wi
presently take place, and offer to tn
eternal Father His own beloved Sol
Who will soon descend from heave
upon our affairs, and occupy the plac
of the bread and wine, the appea
ances of which will then become EN-
ty symbols and forms without the
substance. You may consider the vi
tim as already present, because tt
figures by which it is represented al
actually there. The offering whic
you make to the Almighty must, Their
fore, be acceptable to Him, because
is His only Son, upon whom He
ways looks down with complacency-
it is the Victim of Infinite value-tl
Host without spot or blemish-ti
Sacrifice which has supplanted eve
other that had been offered to Go
and from which all the others d
rived all the efficacy which they pc
sessed-the true Ransom of sin-tl
Lamb that was slain from the begi
ming of the world-it is the Holocau
which is perpetually burning upon Il
altar of God and is never consume
/ should never have finished were
IN racita all the titles of dignity