The song of praise, the Alleluia, is next heard. Let us, whilst it is being said, unite with the holy Angels, who are, for all eternity, making heaven resound with that song, which we on earth are permitted to attempt.

The time is now come for the Gospel to be read. The Gospel is the written word; our hearing it will prepare us for the Word, who is our Victim and our Food.

If it be a High Mass, the Deacon prepares, meanwhile, to fulfil his noble office,-that of announcing the Good Tidings of salvation. He prays God to cleanse his heart and lips. Then, kneeling before the Priest, he asks a blessing; and, having received it, at once goes to the place where he is to sing the Gospel.

As a preparation for worthily hearing it, you may thus pray, together with both Priest and Deacon :

Alas! these ears of mine are but too often defiled with the world's vain words: cleanse them, O Lord, that so I may hear the words of eternal life, and treasure them in my heart. Through our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.

Grant to thy ministers thy grace, that they may faithfully explain thy law; that so all, both pastors and flock, may be united to thee for ever. Amen.

Munda cor meum, ac labia mea, omnipotens Deus, qui labia Isaiæ Prophetæ calculo mundasti ignito: ita me tua grata miseratione dignare mundare, ut sanctum Evangelium tuum digne valeam nuntiare. Per Christum Dominum nostrum. Amen.

Dominus sit in corde meo, et in labiis meis: ut digne et competenter annuntiem Evangelium suum :

You will stand during the Gospel, out of respect for the divine Word, and as though you were awaiting the orders of your divine Master. At the commencement, make the sign of the Cross on your forehead, lips, and breast; and then listen to every word of the

Priest or Deacon. Let your heart be ready and obedient. Whilst my beloved was speaking, says the Bride in the Canticle, my soul melted within me.1 If you have not such love as this, have, at least, the humble submission of Samuel, and say: Speak, Lord! thy servant heareth."

After the Gospel, if the Priest says the Symbol of Faith, the Credo, you will say it with him. Faith is that grand gift of God, without which we cannot please him. It is Faith that makes us see the Light which shineth in darkness, and which the darkness of unbelief did not comprehend. Let us, then, say with the Catholic Church, our Mother:

THE NICENE CREED.

Credo in unum Deum Patrem omnipotentem, factorem cœli et terræ, visibilium omnium et invisibilium.

Et in unum Dominum Jesum Christum, Filium Dei unigenitum. Ét ex Patre natum ante omnia sæcula. Deum de Deo, lumen de lumine, Deum verum de Deo vero. Genitum, non factum, consubstantialem Patri: Per quem omnia facta sunt. Qui propter nos homines et propter nostram salutem, descendit de cœlis. Et incarnatus est de Spiritu Sancto ex Maria Virgine: ET HOMO FACTUS EST. Crucifixus etiam pro nobis sub Pontio Pilato, passus et sepultus est. Et resurrexit tertia die, secundum Scripturas, et ascendit in cœlum: sedet ad dexte

1 Cantic. v. 6.

I believe in one God, the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, and of all things visible and invisible.

And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God. And born of the Father, before all ages; God of God, light of light; true God of true God. Begotten, not made; consubstantial to the Father, by whom all things were made. Who, for us men and for our salvation, came down from heaven. And became incarnate by the Holy Ghost of the Virgin Mary; AND WAS MADE MAN. He was crucified also for us, under Pontius Pilate, suffered, and was buried. And the third day he rose again, according to the Scriptures. And ascended into heaven; sitteth at the right hand of the

21 Kings, iii. 10.

Father. And he is to come again with glory, to judge the living and the dead; of whose kingdom there shall be no end.

And in the Holy Ghost, the Lord and Giver of life, who proceedeth from the Father and the Son. Who, together with the Father and the Son, is adored and glorified; who spoke by the Prophets. And Óne, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church. I confess one Baptism for the remission of sins. And I expect the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen.

ram Patris. Et iterum venturus est judicare vivos et mortuos: cujus regni non erit finis.

Et in Spiritum Sanctum, Dominum et vivificantem: qui ex Patre Filioque procedit. Qui cum Patre et Filio simuladoratur, et conglorificatur: qui locutus est per Prophetas. Et unam, Sanctam, Catholicam et Apostolicam Ecclesiam.

Confiteor unum Baptisma in remissionem peccatorum. Et exspecto resurrectionem mortuorum, et vitam venturi sæculi. Amen.

The Priest and the people should now have their hearts ready: it is time to prepare the offering itself. And here we come to the second part of the Holy Mass; it is called the Oblation, and immediately follows that which was named the Mass of the Catechumens, on account of its being, formerly, the only part at which the candidates for Baptism had permission to be present.

See then, dear Christians! Bread and Wine are about to be offered unto God, as being the noblest of inanimate creatures, since they are intended to serve as the nourishment of man; and yet that is but a poor material image of what they are destined to become in our Christian Sacrifice. Their substances will soon be changed into the very flesh and blood of Christ our Lord and our God; and of themselves nothing will remain but the appearances. Happy creatures! thus to yield up their own being, that God may take its place. We, too, are to undergo a like transformation, when, as the Apostle expresses it, that which is mortal, will be swallowed up by life. Until

1 2 Cor. v. 4.

that happy change shall be realised, let us offer ourselves to God, as often as we see the Bread and Wine presented to him in the Holy Sacrifice; and let us glorify Him, who, by assuming our human nature, has made us partakers of the divine nature.1

The Priest again turns to the people, greeting them with the usual salutation, as though he would warn them to redouble their attention. Let us read the Offertory with him; and when he offers the Host to God, let us unite with him, and say:

Suscipe, sancte Pater omnipotens, æterne Deus, hanc immaculatam hostiam, quam ego indignus famulus tuus offero tibi Deo meo vivo et vero, pro innumerabilibus peccatis et offensionibus et negligentiis meis, et pro omnibus circumstantibus, sed et pro omnibus fidelibus christianis vivis atque defunctis: ut mihi et illis proficiat ad salutem in vitam æternam. Amen.

All that we have, O Lord, comes from thee, and belongs to thee; it is just, therefore, that we return it unto thee. But, how wonderful art thou in the inventions of thy immense love! This Bread which we are offering to thee, is to give place, in a few moments, to the sacred Body of Jesus. We beseech thee, receive, together with this oblation, our hearts, which long to live by thee, and to cease to live their own life of self.

When the Priest puts the Wine into the Chalice, and then mingles with it a drop of water, let your thoughts turn to the divine mystery of the Incarnation, which is the source of our hope and salvation; and say:

Deus, qui humanæ substantiæ dignitatem mirabiliter condidisti, et mirabilius reformasti: da nobis per hujus aquæ et vini mysterium, ejus divinitatis esse consortes, qui humanitatis nostræ fieri dignatus est

O Lord Jesus, who art the true Vine, and whose Blood, like a generous wine, has been poured forth under the pressure of the Cross! thou hast deigned to unite thy divine nature to our weak humanity, which is signified by this drop 1 2 St. Pet. i. 4.

of water. O come, and make us partakers of thy divinity, by showing thyself to us in thy sweet and wondrous visit.

particeps, Jesus Christus; Filius tuus Dominus noster; Qui tecum vivit et regnat in unitate Spiritus Sancti Deus, per omnia sæcula sæculorum. Amen.

The Priest then offers the mixture of Wine and Water, beseeching God to graciously accept this oblation, which is so soon to be changed into the reality, of which it is now but the figure. Meanwhile, say, in union with the Priest:

these

Graciously accept gifts, O Sovereign Creator of all things. Let them be fitted for the divine transformation, which will make them, from being mere offerings of created things, the instrument of the world's salvation.

Offerimus, tibi, Domine, calicem salutaris, tuam deprecantes clementiam: ut in conspectu divinæ Majestatis tuæ, pro nostra et totius mundi salute, cum odore suavitatis ascendat. Amen.

After having thus held up the sacred gifts towards heaven, the Priest bows down: let us, also, humble ourselves, and say:

Though daring, as we do, to approach thy altar, O Lord, we cannot forget that we are sinners. Have mercy on us: and delay not to send us thy Son, who is our saving Host.

In spiritu humilitatis, et in animo contrito suscipiamur a te, Domine: et sic fiat sacrificium nostrum in conspectu tuo hodie, ut placeat tibi, Domine Deus.

Let us next invoke the Holy Ghost, whose operation is about to produce on the altar the presence of the Son of God, as it did in the womb of the Blessed Virgin Mary, in the divine mystery of the Incarnation:

Come, O Divine Spirit, make fruitful the offering which is upon the altar, and produce in our hearts Him whom they desire.

Veni, Sanctificator omnipotens, æterne Deus, et benedic hoc sacrificium tuo sancto nomini præparatum.