The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1921-08-06
PREPARATION FOR MASS.

sacred vessels and vestments, we be-
gin today our study of the Mass itself
The principal parts of the Mass are
those of the Last Supper, namely: l
The offertory, in which the bread and
wine are prepared for the sacrifice. 2
The conservation, at which the bread
and wine are changed into the body
and blood of Christ and offered to
God in sacrifice. g. The communion
at which the body and blood of Christ
are received by priest and people as
the fruits of the sacrifice.
What precedes the offertory is call
ed the preparation for the Mass
What follows the communion is
thanksgiving for the graces gained
through the Mass.
The preparation, or what precedes
the offertory, was called, in the early
church, the Mass of catechumens, be
cause the catechumens were permitted
to be present only at this portion OF
the Mass. The sign for them to &C
was lite missa est''-which at tina!
time was said Immediately before the
This preparatory portion of the
Mass consists in the confession at the
foot Of the altar, the IntrOit, the Kyrie
the Gloria, the Collect. the Epistle
the Gospel, and the Greed.
st. Thomas says that the proper
preparation for Mass consists in two
things, devotion and instruction.
Devotional Praise.
l. Devotion. We stir up devotion
(a) by praising God, and this is dons
in the Introit, which is generally taken
from the Psalms, of which st. Dionys
JUS says that they re-echo in the form
of praise whatever is contained else
where in the holy scriptures. H@(bl,- By
acknowledging our misery. This we
do in the Kyrie, crying out to God fo1
mercy. Co BY contemplating the
glory to come. This we do by the
Gloria in excelsis." (d) Finally, by
praying that, Notwithstanding our un
worthiness, we may be fit to celebrate
or to assist at the divine mysteries
This we do in the Collects.
The preparation consists also il
instruction for the Mass is the "mys
terry of faith" This instruction is giver
by the prophets and apostles, whose
doctrine is contained in the epistle
and by Christ Himself in the gospel
Then follows the Creed, the priest an6
the people protesting their faith in the
doctrines of the church taught in the
Epistle and Gospel
This morning we are to explain tina
portion of the preparation of the Mass
which consists in the prayers at the
foot of the altar.
First Of all, the priest makes thu
sign of the Cross to signify that the
Mass which he is going to say is {
renewal of the sign of the Cross: ''Ir
the name of the Father and of the So1
and of the Holy Ghost" He invoke,
the name of the Father, because it wa:
the Father who sent His Son into the
world to die for us upon the cross. HI
invokes the name ofrthe Son, who of
fered up for us upon the cross the
sacrifice of His life He invokes thu
name of the Holy Ghost because i
Paul, that Christ offered Himself un
spotten unto Cod
"Judca me Deus" Psalm.
The priest then recites the psalm
"Judica me Deus-Judge me, o God
This is the Psalm which David com
posed when fleeing from the wrath o
Absalom. In it he consoles himsel
with the thought that one day he will
with Gods help, again ascend the hoE
hill of Zion and offer the sacrifice o
praise. So the priest, in the midst Q
the trials and sorrows of his ministry
rejoices in the thought that he will
day after day, ascend the holy altar
there to renew the spiritual youth an,
strength that will enable him to carr
his burdens. AS this is psalm of JOY
it, and the .'Gloria Patri'' which follow
it, are naturally omitted in all requier
Masses and in the Lenten Masses froI
Passion Sunday to Holy Saturday.
The central and chief part of tn
prayers said at the foot of the altar
the Confteor. 1t is the general confe:
sion of sin. At the foot of the alta
the priest is melted to humble, col
trite self-accusation and to earnes
supplication for the forgiveness of hi
sins. Only he who is innocent {
hands and clean of heart may al
proach the altar. In order worthil
to represent the high priest, Jesu
Christ, who is "holy, innocent, undef
ed, separated from sinners and mad
higher than the heavens" (Hebrew
vii, 26), the priest should be adorne
with purity and sanctity of lif
Therefore before ascending the alta
he makes public confession of gui
and implores heavenly and earthl
intercession. Those present beg #
the priest by the mouth of the serve
mercy and forgiveness by repeatin
the "Misereatur.' The server the
in the name of the faithful, repeal
the Confiteor, that the people also b
the intercession of the saints and I
the priest may obtain pardon an
have a fruitful part in the holy sacl
fee
Before the priest ascends, the stel
of the altar he expresses the desil
that all his petitions, supplicatiol
and cries for help may be heard al
answered by God. He then say.
.'The Lord be with YOU" The serv
answers, ''And with thy spirit" Whe
the priest says 'sthe Lord be Wi