The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1921-11-05

This Sermon Was Prepared by the
Rev. S. j. Sullivan, o. D., Pastor at
Townsend, Mont.
FIRST PRAYER OF THE CANON.
We now come to the Canon, the
most sacred part of the Mass-sacred
because of it's great antiquity and in
comparably sacred because it contains
the words of conservation. The canon
of the Mass begins after the Sanctus
and ends before the Pater Noster (Our
Father). 1t is called the Canon, or
rule, because it is the invariable rule
according to which the sacrifice OF
the New Testament is celebrated. Ex-
cepting very few words, it is said
silently, in accordance with the law of
the Church and the tradition of many
centuries, thereby to show greater
reverence for the divine mysteries ana
to increase the veneration of the faith
ful towards a sacrifice whose unfath-
enable depth they should learn to adj
mire in sacred silence.
Antiquity of the Canon.
The Canon is one of the very oldest
forms of prayer in the Church, coming
down the centuries laden with the
fragrant memories of saints and mar
tyrs. Speaking of the Canon, the coun-
Gil of Trent says: THE Catholic
Church, in order that it (the sacrifice
of the Mass) might be worthily and
reverently offered and received, many
centuries ago established the sacred
Canon so free from all error, that
nothing is contained therein which
does not diffuse to the highest degree
certain odor of holiness and piety and
raise to God the minds of those who
offer it. For it consists partly of the
very words of the Lord, and partly of
the traditions of the Apostles and also
of the pious ordinances of holy
popes."
We lack sufficient historical data
to determine infinitely what parts of
the Canon are of apostolic tradition
and what are the later additions of
early popes. From the first epistle
of Clement to the Corinthians, written
about A. D. 96-9S, we know that al
ready in the first century the Chris
tians followed regulated order in the
divine worship The earliest detailed
description of the Mass that we pos
sess is found in the first apology OF
st. Justin, who suffered martyrdom
A. 1877. It is certain that the Canon,
as we know it, has come down to us
unchanged from the days of~St. Greg
DRY, who reigned as pope more than
1890 years ago. go.
The First Prayer.
The present instruction treats only
the first part of the Canon which COM
poses three prayers, or rather three
parts forming one complete prayer.
The priest lifts up his eyes, raises his
hands heavenward, joins them, and
bowing profoundly his hands resting
on the altar, begins the Canon: I'VE
therefore humbly pray and beseech
thee, most merciful Father, through
Jesus Christ thy Son, our Lord, that
thou wouldst accept and bless these
gifts, these presents, these holy I'M
spotted sacrifices, which, in the first
Mace, we offer thee for thy holy Cath
Ole Church, which vouchsafe to pacify,
guard, unite and govern throughout
the whole world, together with thy
servant, (N.) our pope (NO, our bishop
as also all orthodox believers and pro-
fessors of the Catholic and Apostolic
faith s.ts
Having rendered praise to God in
the Preface and Sanctus, the priest be-
gins the Canon by invoking the Father
of Mercies, through Jesus Christ, His
Son, to accept and bless the sacrificial
elements of bread and wine. The
prayer is addressed to God the Father,
to whom the sacrifice is offered, and
mindful of His rejection of the gifts
and offerings of the ancient rite FPS.
419, 8; Malachias 1, 10), the priest begs
God the Father to accept the elements
of bread and wine prepared for the
sacrifice, and to bless them, that is, to
sanctify them beforehand for their ex-
allied destiny. In blessing the ele-
ments he crosses them three times. He
blesses them first as these gifts" in
acknowledgment that we receive them
from God: then as "these presents
sfgnifying that we give them back to
God; and, thirdly, as these holy and
unspotted sacrifices" in anticipation OF
the words of conservation whereby
they are soon to become the body and
blood of Christ, the Lamb of God.
The oblation.
After blessing the offerings, the
priest continues with hands extended
and offers the oblation for the holy
Catholic Church" He prays God to
grant peace to His Church, that she
may pursue her mission, unhindered by
persecution and war; to guard hel
against all her enemies, visible and in
visible, lest the gates of hell prevail
against her Matt. 16, 49,; to give her
unity, by bringing back her erring
and prodigal children so that there
shall be one fold and one shepherd
est. John X. 16) and so that the faith
full may be of one mind and free from
all dissension, according to the admo
milton of the Apostle q, Cor. 1O); te
govern her, so that her pastors may be
''an example of the faithful, in word
in conversation, in charity, in faith
in chastity CT Tim. Nv, 12), and ieae
them in the ways of salvation unto
the eternal. After praying for the
Church at large, the priest in the mrs
Mace makes special remembrance O
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