The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1921-07-16
Sermons on Catholic Worship.

MAKE me Wn1Le, ~ LOrQ, ana Cleanse
my heart, that I, being whitened in the
blood of the Lamb, may enjoy eternal
gladness." The alb is figure of the
garment of sanctifying grace. which
we receive in Baptism, and which we
are enabled to keep pure and spotless
through worthy reception of the Sacra-
ments. 1t reminds us of the glory of
heaven, where the elect who have wash
ed their garments in the blood of the
Lamb are gathered around the great
white throne of God. It teaches the
need of spotless innocence of soul and
body.
The cincture is girdle that gathers
up the long and flowing alb that it
may fit closely around the body. I'll
symbolizes the virtue of purity, as is
shown by the prayer: "Gird me, OIL
Lord. with the girdle of purity, and
quench in my loins the humor of con-
cupiscence, that there may remain in
me the virtue of continency and chas-
tity."
The maniple was originally al
handkerchief carried on the left arm.
On account of the extreme heat due
either to the location of the countries
in which the Gospel was first preached,
or to the presence of large numbers of
the faithful in underground places, the
maniple must have proven very useful
to wipe away the perspiration during
divine service. 1t symbolizes the tears
and sorrows and labors of this present
life, which, If accepted in a Christian
spirit, will win for us crown of ever
lasting joy. The prayer of the priest
when putting on the maniple expresses
this: Let me merit, o Lord, to bear
the maniple of weeping and sorrow,
that I may receive the recompense of
my labor with exultation."
Stole and chasubIe.
The stole, as you see, is a long mar
row band that is placed about the neck.
1t signifies priestly power, and accord
ing to the manner in which it is worn,
manifests the participation of power
that the minister shares. Thus the
deacon, who has not yet received the
power to consecrate or to forgive sins,
wears it over his left shoulder and
crosses the two extremities under the
right arm; the priest, who has that
twofold power crosses the stole on his
breast; the bishop who has the fulness
of the priesthood does not cross the
ends of the stole but allows them to
hang down; and the Pope has the right
to wear the stole always and every
where, because he is the Vicar of
Him, to Whom "all power is given on
heaven and on earth" The stole
signifies the Immortality of the BODY,
lost for us by the sins of our first
parents, but recovered for us by the
Death and Resurrection of Our Lord.
Hence the prayer which the priest
recites when putting on the stole:
Render unto me, o Lord, the stole of
immortality, which 1 lost through the
prevarication of our first parents, and,
although approach unworthily to Thy
holy mystery, may nevertheless
deserve to attain everlasting joy and
felicity"
The principal vestment of the
celebrant at Mass is the chasuble or
outer garment. When it was given to
him in ordination, the Bishop remind
ed him that it symbolizes charity, the
greatest of all priestly virtues. And as
charity is divided into love of God and
love of neighbor, so is the chasuble
divided into two parts, the part that
falls in front of the priest signifying
love of God, and the part that falls
behind him love of neighbor. It also
symbolizes the yoke of Christ, by which
the priest is enabled to carry the
heavy burdens of his ministry. Hence
the prayer which he recites: 20 Lord
Who hast said, My yoke is sweet and
My burden is light grant that I may
carry this yoke and burden in such a
manner as to obtain Thy grace"
Reflection at Mass.
Recall these thoughts, my dear
brethren, when you assist at Mass. AS
the priest emerges from the sacristy,
let your faith behold in him the great
High-priest, Jesus Christ, Our Lord,
the Lamb of God, who is being lied
again to slaughter" that by His suffer
| ings and death He may take away the
| sins of the world. Beg of Him during
the Holy Mass, which represents and
| perpetuates His passion and death,
that His Blood may not be shed in vain
Beg of Him also to give you the virtues
that the vestments symbolic. Ask
Him to clothe you with the amice, the
helmet of salvation, that you may be
recollected during the Holy Sacrifice,
and that distracting thoughts like the
fiery darts of the Evil One may not
penetrate your minds and hearts. BY
an act of sincere contrition clothe your
souls with the alb, the white robe of
innocence. Ask that the Holy Mass
may be to you a spiritual girdle to
strengthen you in the combat against
the flesh and it's impure suggestions
Beg that the Holy Mass may be to you
a maniple, a spiritual handkerchief to
/ wipe away the tears and sorrows of
| your daily lives, so that having sown
the seed of good works in sorrow you
may reap harvest of eternal joy.
Pray also that Jesus Christ, your
Redeemer, who mystica1ly dies and
rises again in the Mass, may give you
the grace of happy death, and on the
dav of the general resurrection cJothe