The Irish standard., 1918-12-21

100 eSSee>Ss~
Masses are celebrated, and each Of
these Masses has q special character
of its own. God, the Father, gives His
Son to the world; this miracle is
wrought by the Spirit of Love, and the
whole earth renders to the Most
Glorious Trinity the homage of a
triple sacrifice. He whose Nativity
we commemorate on Christmas Day
is manifested by three births: He is
born of the blessed Virgin; He is born
by His grace in the hearts of the
Shepherds who are the first fruits OF
Christianity; He is also born eternal
" in the bosom of His Father, amid
the splendors of the saints. This
triple birth is honored with a triple
sacrifice The first Mass is celebrated
in memory of the birth of Our Savior
according to the flesh; the second
Mass is offered to honor the birth of
Jesus, Son of God and the Virgin Mary
in our souls by His grace; the third
Mass commentaries the eternal birth
of the Son in the bosom of the Father.
''The Lord said to Me, Thou art My
Son; today l have begotten Thee"
These are the first words of the In
troit of the first Mass. Then comes
the Kyrie Eleison, which serves a
prelude to the hymn of the angelic
choir, GLORY to God in the highest,
and on earth peace to men of good
will" Let us join heart and voice in
this ineffable and rapturous concert
of the heavenly host. Our brethren,
the angels, begin this canticle; they
are round the altar, as they surround
ed the Crib of Bethlehem, and they
are singing the song of our happiness.
Before the Epistle the priest says
the following prayer: 20 God! who
has illumined this sacred night with
the splendor of Him who is the True
Light, grant, we beseech Thee, that,
having known this mysterious Light
here below, we may hereafter enjoy In
heaven all the blessings of which He
is the source" Then follows the
Epistle of St. Paul to Titus: "Be-
loved Son, the grace of God Our
Savior hath appeared to all men, In
structing us that, renouncing impiety
and worldly desires, we should live
soberly, and justly, and piously in this
world"
In the Gospel we assist at the birth
of the Infant Jesus in the Grotto OF
Bethlehem, accompanied by the songs
of the angels. At the Offertory glad
cry of rejoicing goes up from the
heart of the church: LET the
heavens rejoice, and let the earth be
glad before the presence Of the Lord
for He is come" In the Secret the
celebrant asks of God that the offer
ing which is presented to Him may
become like the Infant Jesus in whom
the human substance is united to the
Divinity. In the Preface the priest
thanks the Almighty Father, Eternal
God, because BY the mystery OF the
Incarnation of the Word new ray
of His splendor has been sent to shine
on SOULS" God makes himself known
to all in visible manner, in order thai
by his sight of Him we may conceive
rapturous love for His invisible
beauties. At the Communion the
faithful soul addresses it's Redeemel
in the words which God spoke to His
Son: "In the splendors of the saints
have begotten Three, before the
morning dawn"
The Introit of the second Mass cele
brates the rising of the Divine Son:
Light will shine upon us today, fol
the Lord is born to us; and He shall
be called Wonderful, God, Prince O.
Peace, Father of ages to come; ant
His reign shall have no end. Thu
Lord has entered on His kingdom; HI
is clothed with glory and with power.
In two Collects the church begs AL
mighty God, who has made the new
light of the Word Incarnate to shine
upon us, to grant that the faith IL
this mystery which enlightens ou1
souls may also shine forth in our &C
tons, through the intercession Of thu
Blessed Anastasia, of whom we cele
brate the solemn memory. st. Anas
tasia was the widow at Rome, who OF
the birthday of the Redeemer was
born to the celestial life, by her cross
and sufferings, under the persecution
of Diocletian.
The Epistle teaches that the SUI
which is risen upon us is God tn
Savior, in all His goodness and al
His mercy. The gospel brings befor'
us the Shepherds at Bethlehem
"glorifying and praising God for al
the things that they had heard ant
seen.' At the Offertory the churcl
glorifies the power of Emmanuel
"Good hath confirmed the earth; /