The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1922-01-21
The "Aenus Del" is the subject OF the
twenty-eighth sermon. 1t was pre-
pared by Rev. Timothy Moroney or
Augusta, Mont.

the Lamb of God"-and the prayer
for peace, which follows. Pope Sergius
|, who lived at the close of the sew
enth century, is said to have been the
first to order the recitation or singing
of the Agnus Del by priest and people.
Already twice before in this part
of the Mass has the priest asked the
Lord for peace. He will pray fol- it
twice more before holy communion:
Nor should We wonder at this. since
peace is the best and necessary dis:
position for holy communion, the
sacrament of peace, the sign of per-
feet reconciliation between God and
man. Moreover, because peace can
not be obtained without the remission
of sins, which breed enmity between
God and man, the priest thrice be.
seeches Christ, the Lamb of God, who
takes away the sins of the world. to
have mercy and grant peace, saying:
Lamb of God, who takest away the
sins OF the world have mercy on US.
Lamb of God, who takest away the
sins of the world, grant us peace
According to Prophecy
In this prayer, Christ is designated
as "The Lamb" Indeed, He was prom.
ised as lamb by the prophet: Send
forth, o Lord, the lamb the ruler of
the earth, from Petra of the desert,
to the mount of the daughter Of Sion. ,
(Isaias xvi, ID He was foreshadow-
cd BY the lambs offered in sacrifice
under the law OF Moses. All these sac.
rificial lambs were types of Jesus
Christ, the one true lamb to be inimo-
lated for the sins of man. The word
Lamb" expresses Christ's sacrificial
character; at the same time, it de-
notes His purity and freedom from
guilt, but especially does it refer to
the gentle patience and voluntary res
ignation with which He subjected
Himself to the most painful sufferings
and bitter death.
Sienificance Of the Term.
In this prayer, Christ is addressed
as The Lamb Of God, who takest away
the sins of the world He was point
ed out as such by st. John the Rap-
fist, saying Behold the Lamb of God,
behold Him who taketh away the sins
of the world John i, 29.) He was
eXtolled as such by the apostles, and
seen by St. John the Evangelist, "as
the lamb that was slain and that pur-
chased souls for God out of all tribes
and nations, and that washed them
clean in His blood, as the lamb worthy
to receive. power and divinity and wis
dom and strength and honor and glory
and benediction" He is called the
Lamb. of God, not merely to signify
that Christ. by the will and for the
honor of God was slain as a victim
for the world, but also to include the
deeper meaning that He is the we'll
beloved Son of God, in Whom dwells
the fullness of the divinity. In real
ity, Christ is the sacrifieial lamb that
takes away the sins of the world only
because He is the beloved Son of God,
true God of true God.
AS Suppiiant.
At tile Agnus Del Uamb of God
the priest joins his hands, bows his
head TO express tie state. of q sup
plant, not by words only, but by his
actions as we'll. He recites it aloud,
striking his breast, to excite the at
tention of the people and to stimulate
them to implore the mercy of God by
similar prayer and by humble striking
of the breast.
In Masses for the dead the priest,
forgetting self, and people, omits say.
ing Have mercy ON u.s. and implores
God to grant rest-eternal rest, to the
souls of the faithful departed. AS the
priest is not referred to in this form
Of prayer, he omits striking his breast
whilst saying it.
Asks Peace for All.
After having implorcd peace for
himself and the people present, the
priest now beseeches the Lord Jesus
Christ to bestow peace upon the en-
tire Holy Church, whose representa-
tive he is. To rest his trust on solid
foundation, the priest in the name OF
the Church, opens his prayer by re
calling the promise of Christ Himself
who, when about to leave this world
said to His apostles, the representa-
tives of the Church, peace / leave
you, my peace give unto you" (Johr
xiv, 27.) Then, in spirit Of humility
he asks the Lord to regard not his
sins, but rather the faith of the
Church, whom, according, to the
prophet, He "espoused to Himself ii
faith" (Osee ii, 20); Whom, accord
ing. to the apostle, He sanctified
cleansing her by the laver of water in
the word of life,," (Eph. V, 26), "ant
whom therefore He loves most tender
~" The priest asks Christ to grant
the Church peace, by preserving hel
from hostile incursions, and unity, by
causing all her members to be one
John xvii, III, to form zone fold un
der one shepherd" (John x, 49,, in
accordance with His will. AS peace
is here implored for the Church Mil
liant; ON earth, this prayer is omitted
at Masses for the dead
ut solemn High Mass, while the
celebrant recites the prayer for peace
the deacon kneeIs at his right HAND
after the prayer is ended, the deacon
rises, both kiss the altar and The
celebrant gives the deacon the kiss
of peace; the deacon gives it to the
subdeacon, and the snbdeacon in TURF
To tie other members Of the clergy
&bo conCttary This kiss