The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1915-07-17

mother and shall cleave to his wife,
and they shall be two in one flesh.
This is a great sacrament, but speak
in Christ and in the Church. Let
each of you in particular love his
wife as himself; and let the wife fear
her husband"
The following words of Scripture
are then read: "Thy wife shall be as
fruitful vine on the walls of thy
house. Thy children as olive branch
es around thy table. May the Lord
send you help from the holy place
and defend you from Sion.''
The gospel is that in which our
Blessed Saviour declared the indis
soluble character of matrimony:
What God hath joined together, let
no man put asunder." The offertory
is composed of these beautiful words:
"In Thee, o God, have | put my trust.
said, Thou art my God, my lot is
in Thy hands,
After the Pater Noster of the Mass,
the priest turns and faces the married
couple and imparts to them the sol
emn nuptial blessing. This is directed
rather to the woman than to the man,
and is only given to her once; SO that
if it has been received it is omitted
at subsequent one. 1t consists of
the invoking of Gods grace upon the
union which has just been made; and
then comes a long and beautiful
prayer, in which the Almighty, Who
has created all things out of nothing,
Who has ordained the inseparable as
to look with mercy, on His handmade,
who desires His protection. The
prayer goes on May her wedlock be
to her yoke of love and peace.
May she marry in Christ, faithful and
chaste, and be an imitator of holy
women. May she be amiable to her
husband, like Rachel, wise, like Re-
becca, long-liVed and faithful, like
Sarah. May the author of sin have no
share in any action of hers. May she
remain constant to the faith and the
commandments. May she be fruit
full in offspring, approved and inno-
cent May she attain to the repose
of the blessed in Heaven, and may
they both see their children's chill
dren, even to the third and fourth
generation, and arrive at their de-
sired old age. Through Jesus Christ,
Thy Son, our Lord. Amen"
Well are the nobility and sanctity
of Christian marriage expressed by
this exquisite prayer which our holy
Church uses in the Nuptial Mass.
Later in the Mass there are other
appropriate texts from the Sacred
Scriptures. At the Communion the
prayer is Behold, thus shall every
man be blessed that feareth the
Lord; and mayest thou see thy chill
dren's children. Peace upon Israel"
At the Post.Communion: eve be-
seech Thee, o Almighty God, to ac-
company with Thy gracious favor
what Thy providence has ordained,
and preserve in continual peace those
whom Thou hast joined in lawful
union
Even after all these expressions of
the Churchs goodwill towards the
newly married couple, there is still
another solemn blessing which she
imparts to them. Just before the
usual blessing in the Mass the priest
turns to them and again prays that
they may enjoy fruitfulness, peace
and everlasting happiness: May the
i Of ha, he n6 0f
and the God of Jacob be with you;
and may He fulfill His blessings upon
you that you may see your children's
children unto the third and fourth
generation, and afterwards have ever
lasting life, by the help of our Lord
Jesus Christ, Who liyeth and reign
eth God with the Father and the Holy
Ghost, world without end. Amen"
Holy water is then sprinkled upon
them, and the Mass concludes as
usual.
Such is the Nuptial Mass and
blessing given by the Church to her
children who are entering into the
married state, and who consequently
need many graces from God that
they may be strong in resisting
Temptation and patient in bearing
trials. Every Catholic who contem-
plates marriage should be imbued
with spirit of piety which will urge
him or her to neglect no means by
(which these most useful graces may
be obtained 1t is not necessary to
have an ostentatious celebration when