Chapter II
The Rite of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass
58. The Second Prayer of the Canon Before the Consecration
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| Hanc igitur oblationem servitutis nostrae, sed et cunctae familiae tuae, quaesumus Domine, ut placatus accipias:774 diesque nostros in tua pace disponas, atque ab aeterna damnatione nos eripi, et in electorum tuorum jubeas grege numerari. | This oblation, therefore, of our service, and that of Thy whole family, we beseech Thee, O Lord, graciously to accept and to dispose our days in Thy peace, and to command us to be delivered from eternal damnation, and to be numbered in the flock of Thine elect. |
| Per Christum Dominum nostrum. | Through Christ Our Lord. |
| Amen. | Amen. |
1. The Text775—As in the beginning of the Canon, so here also do we meet with the little word igitur (= therefore, consequently, accordingly; hence); it unites the second prayer to the first and designates it as a consequence or continuation of the first.776 The same petitions are again presented, but now with heightened confidence and intensified expression. We no longer stand there alone,—alone in our poverty and wretchedness—; for we have renewed our connection with the communion of saints, and in this communion we are enriched by the merits and prayers of our heavenly brethren; hence, we venture with still greater confidence to turn to the Lord with the petition previously implored, that He would show Himself favorable, propitiated, gracious (placatus), and with kind indulgence “accept” (accipias) these sacrificial gifts from our hands.777 Until now the same oblation is always meant: namely, bread and wine, in so far as they are destined to be changed into the Body and Blood of Christ. The petition for the acceptance of the sacrificial elements, therefore, includes in itself the petition for their transsubstantiation:778 the purpose for which they are to be accepted is the Consecration (accipias—uti accepta habeas et benedicas). — The Eucharistic Oblation is here more minutely characterized by a twofold clause as “the offering of our servitude” and as “the oblation of the whole family of God.” Unquestionably these words express in general the truth, that the Eucharist is the homage-offering of the whole Church,779 that is, that it is offered by all her members and for all her members780; but in particular they admit of different meanings. The expression “oblation of our servitude” may be applied to those who are present, that is, to those who most intimately take part in the celebration of Mass; the addition “as also of Thy whole family” to all the others, who are absent. — Or we may consider the first clause as especially designating the consecrated ministers of the altar, that is, the priests, or all clerics, in which case by the family of God the believing people are to be understood, but in particular those faithful who by actual participation unite in the celebration of the Mass. — However, this does not exhaust the full sense: it says “the oblation of our servitude” (oblatio servitutis nostrae), which would signify more than “the offering which we Thy servants (nos servi) present,” which is the expression used immediately after the Elevation. The holy Mass is called “the oblation of our servitude,” that is, the offering that we and all the members of the Church make, in order to acknowledge the absolute dominion of God over all that is created, and to express our profound submission to it.781 As creatures we stand in a special relation of dependence toward God our Creator; the Mass now has principally for object the giving to God of that veneration, homage and acknowledgement—in brief, that religious worship which is due to Him alone.782 Sacrifice is the chief act of religion, or, what is the same thing, of divine worship.783 All men are bound to serve God; but priests have consecrated themselves in a very special manner to the service of the sanctuary. Yet we are not to serve our Lord with servile fear, but with joy and jubilation of heart; for the service of God is not only a duty incumbent upon man, but, moreover, an honor and a happiness for him. Whosoever thoroughly breaks asunder the bonds of sin, passions and attachment to the world, so as to devote all his thoughts, desires and energies perfectly to God and His holy will, becomes truly free; for he obtains, by this dominion over himself, the liberty of the children of God, who are actuated only by the spirit of the Lord.784
We expect and implore by virtue of the Eucharistic Sacrifice785 mercies and blessings for time and for eternity. Earthly, temporal welfare consists in this, that God orders and directs our days in peace; heavenly, eternal well-being includes preservation from endless reprobation and the being inscribed among the host of the elect.786
“Diesque nostros in tua pace disponas”—thus do we pray;787 for we desire good and peaceful days, that are not clouded by sufferings, combats, assaults and persecutions, but always cheered and blessed with “the peace of God,” “that, being delivered from the hand of our enemies, we may serve Him without fear in justice and holiness” (Luke 1, 74). We pray for temporal prosperity, inasmuch as it may be serviceable to the attainment of “the one thing necessary,” and for possession of that “best part which shall not be taken away from us.”
But in what do this “one thing necessary” and this “best part” consist? In this, that we escape the evil of all evils, the greatest evil—eternal death (ab aeterna damnatione nos eripi); and that we attain to the best of goods, the supreme good—eternal life (in electorum tuorum grege numerari).788 The number of those who are chosen for heavenly glory has been eternally and irrevocably determined by God, so that the number can be neither increased nor diminished; therefore, the above petition can refer only to the execution of this divine decree and signify, that God may be pleased to grant us the grace of final perseverance and admit us to heavenly bliss.789 This meaning is clearly expressed in a petition of almost the same import in the Te Deum: Aeterna fac cum sanctis tuis in gloria numerari—“May (Thy servants) be numbered among Thy saints in eternal glory.” Also in the sorrowful chant Dies irae the Church instructs us to pray for preservation from hell: “Let me not be lost on that day; let me not burn in eternal fire,” and for participation in the happiness of heaven: “Place me at Thy right side; call me with the blessed ones.”
As fruit to be derived from the Sacrifice,790 therefore, we implore in the above prayer the peace of God for the days of our earthly life; but we pray especially for the consummation of our redemption and eternal salvation. Full redemption consists in this, that we be forever snatched from eternal ruin and perdition, to which the godless are doomed, and that we may for all eternity be possessed of that glory and happiness which God has prepared for those who love Him.
Let us call to mind the impenetrable darkness that envelops the mystery of predestination for us poor mortals here below, and we shall be moved spontaneously to direct often and earnestly similar petitions for eternal salvation to God, “to whom alone the number of the elect is known, who shall find a place in the felicity of heaven” (cui soli cognitus est numerus electorum in superna felicitate locandus). Prayers of this nature are useful and necessary; but they alone do not suffice. God receives into heaven only those who “by faith and works” (fide et opere) belong to Him and are entirely His.791 Hence we must faithfully employ the grace of God, work out our salvation in fear and trembling,792 making our calling and election sure by good works (Phil. 2, 12; 2 Peter 1, 10). Be poor in spirit, be meek and humble, live in holy and salutary compunction, hunger and thirst after greater perfection, love and practise works of spiritual and corporal mercy, carefully preserve purity of heart, seek and endeavor, as far as possible, to live in peace with all mankind, be glad and rejoice when, by reason of exercising these virtues and for the name of Jesus, you are obliged to suffer persecutions and insults,—then may you confidently hope to belong to the number of the elect and to obtain a rich reward in heaven. But pray we must without ceasing “the God of all grace, who hath called us unto eternal glory in Christ Jesus, that, after we have suffered a little, He will Himself perfect us in the life to come and confirm and establish us in this world” (1 Peter 5, 9).793
2. The Accompanying Action. — During this prayer, the priest extends his two hands horizontally over the chalice and Host, and in such a manner, that the right thumb is placed over the left one in the form of a cross. This imposing, or extending of hands occurs first toward the close of the fifteenth century794 in some Missals, and it was afterwards universally prescribed by Pius V. This ceremony not only harmonizes with the tenor of the text, “this oblation, therefore,” (hanc oblationem), indicating the sacrificial elements in a just and reverential manner, but also contains in addition a mystical meaning. The ritual laying on of hands frequently occurs in both Testaments, as well as in the liturgy: according to its fundamental signification, it is always a symbol, or a means of transferring something to others, for example, the guilt of sin, a blessing and protection. In the Mosaic worship the laying on of hands was a symbolical representation of the transferring of sin and guilt to the animal that was to be sacrificed, which vicariously had to suffer death instead of man. Here in the Holy Mass the laying on of hands has a similar object; and, therefore, in a visible and energetic way it deeply fixes the sacrificial character of the Eucharist, for it shows that Christ on the altar, in our place, for our sake, and on account of our sins offers Himself;—and, moreover, it indicates that we should unite ourselves with His Sacrifice, offering ourselves in it and along with it.
59. The Third Prayer of the Canon Before the Consecration
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| Quam oblationem tu Deus in omnibus, quaesumus, bene†dictam, adscrip†tam, ra†tam, rationabilem, acceptabilemque facere digneris: ut nobis Cor†pus et San†guis fiat dilectissimi Filii tui Domini nostri Jesu Christi. | Which oblation do Thou, O God, we beseech Thee, vouchsafe to make in all things blessed †, approved †, ratified †, reasonable, and acceptable: that it may become for us the Body † and Blood † of Thy most beloved Son, our Lord Jesus Christ. |
1. The Words of the Prayer. — This prayer is closely connected with the preceding one and forms the immediate transition and introduction to the act of Consecration. In general its meaning is clear, but the several designations therein given to the offering appear obscure and difficult to the understanding. Since the foregoing preparation for the act of Consecration ends with this prayer, it expresses for the last time in a simple, grand way the already oft-repeated petition to God for the blessing, or the changing of the bread and wine into the Body and the Blood of Christ.795 Therefore, we implore of God, that the elements lying on the altar and dedicated to Him, be raised to the highest degree of consummation, that is, be changed into heavenly sacrificial gifts. The Eucharistic Saviour is “the perfectly blessed, approved, ratified, reasonable and acceptable oblation” which, by the power of God, is to replace the substance of bread and wine.796
Christ is the oblatio in omnibus benedicta, that is, the offering in all things blessed (= in every respect thoroughly and perfectly).797 The blessing here meant and to be imparted to the material elements, is the very highest and the most sublime conceivable,—namely, the Consecration, that is, the changing of the elements into the glorious Body and the Precious Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ.798 We, therefore, beg God to bless the oblation of bread and wine, that is, to consecrate it and thereby make it for us an inexhaustible source of grace and blessing.
Christ is the oblatio adscripta.799 This extremely obscure word can only with difficulty or perhaps not at all be explained in a perfectly satisfactory manner, as is evident from the different attempts at interpretation. Frequently adscripta is defined in the sense of acceptable, agreeable; but opposed to this acceptation is the circumstance that then adscripta would have entirely the same signification as the following acceptabilis, which in so concise a prayer is by no means probable. — Others understand adscripta as meaning consecrated or belonging to God. — We translate adscripta by the word approved and thereby give our preference for an explanation according to which this word seems to coincide better with the whole context. Accordingly the oblation becomes adscripta when it responds and answers to the prescription, to the ordinance and institution of Christ, as it took place at the Last Supper.800 In this manner, therefore, the same petition would be presented that frequently occurs elsewhere in liturgies: that the elements of bread and wine may become eucharistia legitima, that is, legitimate Eucharist.801
If the oblation is so constituted as to be conformable to Holy Scripture, to the will and command of Christ (Hoc facite), then necessarily it is also an “oblatio rata”,802 that is, a true or valid sacrifice;803 for with this presupposition all the features and elements are at hand requisite for the existence and essence of the Eucharistic Sacrifice.
The contents of the above three words (benedicta, adscripta, rata) are now stated more correctly and emphatically, in this that the Sacrifice is called a “spiritual”, or “reasonable oblation” (oblatio rationabilis).804 In the liturgies the Eucharist is often designated as “a spiritual sacrifice” (hostia spiritualis) or as “a reasonable and unbloody worship of God” (λογικὴ καὶ ἀναίμακτος λατρεία). This expression is borrowed from Holy Scripture805; in its liturgical use it refers as well to the way and manner of offering, as to the sacrificial gift, and characterizes it as endowed with life, spirit and reason, in contrast with the Old Testament offerings of irrational animals and inanimate things.806 The Eucharist is, therefore, a “reasonable oblation”, because on the altar the living Lamb of God, the God-Man Jesus Christ, is sacrificed, He who is, indeed, the eternal reason, the increated and personal wisdom of God.
If the Eucharistic Sacrifice has these four qualities, it is then infallibly and in the highest degree also “pleasing to God,” dear, precious and acceptable to the Heart of God (oblatio acceptabilis).807
The explanation of the obscure antecedent clause follows or lies in the concluding words, “that it may be made for us the Body and Blood of Christ,” (fiat = transeat in), which denote and implore quite unequivocally the change of substance of the matter of sacrifice.808 The little word nobis (“for us”)809, moreover, adds a new idea; for it proves that the Body and Blood of Christ take the place of the bread and wine, that is, become present under their appearances for us, for our sake, for our salvation and blessing and advantage. For us the Saviour offers Himself on the altar, to us He gives Himself in Holy Communion. Totus mihi datus (Dominus) et totus in meos usus expensus est.810 In like manner the angels announced to the shepherds: “This day is born to you a Saviour” (Luke 2, 11).811
2. The aforesaid prayer is accompanied with five signs of the Cross, three of which are first made over both sacrificial elements at one and the same time (at the words benedictam, adscriptam, ratam)812; then there is one besides made separately over the Host and over the chalice (at the words Corpus et Sanguis). These holy signs strengthen and visibly elucidate the text of the prayer spoken vocally; they symbolically express what the accompanying and corresponding words signify. The signs of the Cross are here symbols and means of blessing; they call down the divine blessing of Consecration upon the bread and wine, that they may be changed, and that—which is likewise made apparent by the sign of the Cross—the bread may be changed into the same sacrificial Body that hung on the Cross, and the wine into the same sacrificial Blood which was shed on the Cross. — If we consider the first three signs of the Cross in themselves, then we must at the same time evidently see in them an indication and symbol of the Adorable Trinity, from whom proceeds the blessing of Consecration prayed for, to sanctify the material elements and change them into the Eucharistic Sacrifice.813
But not only in a general way should the identity, that exists between the bloody and unbloody Sacrifice of Christ, be made clear to us by the sign of the Cross; we can piously and edifyingly consider the five repetitions of the sign of the Cross as they in this prayer occur immediately before, and in another prayer directly after the Elevation, as indicating the five sacred wounds,814 which were particularly prominent on the Body of Christ, and which, consequently, are also in the most intimate relation with the redeeming passion and death of the Lord. Precisely at the moment in which the altar, by the presence of the Divine Victim, becomes a mystical Mount Calvary, the sublime and sacred scene of the passion of the Saviour, crucified and covered with painful wounds, should present itself before the eyes and mind of priest and people in the most striking manner. “Christ, pierced on the Cross, wounded in five different places, come, let us adore!” — thus cries out the Church to her children. The hands and feet of the Lord have men bored through, and His Heart they have pierced. Those hands that were overflowing with benedictions and mercies; those feet that had become weary walking in search of the lost sheep on the thorny field of the earth; that Heart which glowed with love for God and men,—behold, how they are lacerated and wounded with cruel irons! Those bloody signs of martyrdom, those deep, gaping wounds on the sacrificed Body of Jesus are an inexhaustible fountain of propitiation and mercy and grace for regenerated man.
60. The Consecration
Engaged in devout meditation and contemplation have we already wandered through the vestibule or sanctuary of the mystically constructed Mass liturgy,—we have next entered into the Holy of Holies, in the very centre of which we now find ourselves. Breathless silence prevails all around815; the Consecration, to which all that preceded served as a preparation, is approaching. The moment of Consecration816 is the moment the most important and solemn, the most sublime and touching, the most holy and fruitful of the whole sacrificial celebration; for it includes that glorious and unfathomably profound work, namely, the accomplishment of the Eucharistic Sacrifice, in which all the marvels of God’s love are concentrated as in a focus of heat and light. The change of the bread and wine into Christ’s Body and Blood can proceed from Him only who “alone effects what is wonderful”: it is an act of creative omnipotence. But to this act of divine almighty power there is required a human act, human co-operation—and that on the part of an ordained priest. At his ordination the priest received the supernatural power so to pronounce the words: “This is My Body”—“This is My Blood,” wherewith the Lord in the guest-chamber at Jerusalem accomplished the first Eucharistic Consecration,817 that they are effective, that is, that they change the prepared elements of bread and wine into the Body and Blood of Christ.818 At the Last Supper Christ was the sole priest offering sacrifice; at the altar He is the principal sacrificer. Whilst in the Cenaculum He offered Himself without the assistance of others, He now offers Himself on the altar by the hands and mouth of the visible priest. The priest is His organ and minister. “The priest acts as the representative of Christ when he pronounces those words; but it is the power and grace of God. — ‘This is My Body,’ he says. These words transform the gifts placed before him.”819 This truth clearly manifests the way and manner in which the priest performs the act of Consecration; all he does indicates plainly that he takes the place of Christ, speaks and acts in the person of Christ in accomplishing the Eucharistic Sacrifice. That this may be manifest, he is directed by the Church to imitate as faithfully as possible by word and deed Christ’s model act of Consecration—as though dramatically representing it. The Church’s liturgical act of Consecration is nothing else than the repetition and copy of the first celebration of the Lord’s Supper in the Cenaculum at Jerusalem. The priest narrates the first offering and institution of the unbloody Sacrifice by Jesus Christ, and while relating this, he performs the corresponding actions, that is, he imitates, as far as possible, the Lord and does the same as Christ did. He pronounces the effective words of Consecration in the person of Christ (quasi ex persona ipsius Christi loquentis—S. Thom.)820 over the bread and wine with the intention of changing the gifts at present lying on the altar and thereby to offer up in sacrifice the Body and Blood of Christ.821 Plain and simple are the words of the liturgical text, as is best suited for a thing that is both ineffably sublime and divine.
1. The Consecration of the Host.
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| Qui pridie quam pateretur accepit panem in sanctas ac venerabiles manus suas, et elevatis oculis in coelum ad te Deum Patrem suum omnipotentem, tibi gratias agens, benedixit, fregit, deditque discipulis suis, dicens: Accipite, et manducate ex hoc omnes: | Who, the day before He suffered, took bread into His holy and venerable hands, and with eyes lifted up toward heaven, unto Thee, O God, His Almighty Father, giving thanks to Thee, did bless, † break and give unto His disciples, saying: Take, and eat ye all of this: |
| Hoc est enim Corpus meum. | For this is My Body. |
Three Evangelists (Matt. 26, 26–28; Mark 14, 22–24; Luke 22, 19–20) and the Apostle of the Gentiles, Paul (1 Cor. 11, 23—26), have informed us of the act of Consecration. These four holy authors, though not in perfect accord as to the very words, yet agree perfectly as to the matter itself: all relate what the Saviour did at that solemn moment, and what priests were to do in His name and in commemoration of Him unto the end of the world. Not one of them has omitted anything essentially necessary for the accomplishment of the Consecration and of the Sacrifice; but with regard to accessories, the statements of the Evangelists are not equally complete. Let us compare the liturgical formula—at the Consecration of the Host and of the chalice—with the biblical text, and we shall find that the Canon contains several words, namely, (in sanctas ac venerabiles manus suas, et elevatis oculis in coelum ad te Deum Patrem suum omnipotentem—aeterni testamenti—mysterium fidei), that are wanting in Holy Scripture. These additions of the liturgy have emanated from a divine and apostolic tradition and are, therefore, as incontestably true and certain as are the words of the inspired authors.822
Qui pridie quam pateretur.823 How touching and solemnly impressive is that scene which these words call up to mind! The Lord chose the eve of His bitter passion and death,—the night on which He was betrayed ( 1 Cor. 11, 23), to give us by the institution of the Eucharist the most wonderful proof of His love.824 With desire He had longed for this hour. Before shedding His blood in torrents on the painful way of the Cross, He would pour out for us ungrateful creatures the abundance of His grace, all the treasures of His love in the Sacrament of the Altar, that we might never forget what He has done and suffered for us.825
Accepit panem in sanctas ac venerabiles manus suas—“Jesus took bread into His holy and venerable hands”: saying these words, the priest also takes the Host into his hands. Holy and sanctifying, venerable and adorable beyond all expression are the hands of Christ. How often has He raised them in prayer to His Father, and extended them over men to bless them! How these hands were transpierced on the Cross with the most intolerable heat of pain! How are thy hands constituted, O priest of the Lord? They are indeed holy and venerable by the consecration thou hast received; but are they also holy and venerable by the abundance of virtuous actions, by the odor of a devout life, and by exemplary conduct? With holy oil826 were thy hands anointed and consecrated to the service of God and the salvation of souls; day and night shouldst thou elevate them to Heaven, to praise the Lord, to call down upon men His mercies and blessings. Are thy hands innocent, clean and pure? Are they worthy to touch, to offer and to distribute to others the immaculate Lamb of God?
Et elevatis oculis in coelum ad te Deum Patrem suum omnipotentem, tibi gratias agens bene†dixit—“and with His eyes lifted up toward heaven, unto Thee, O God, His Almighty Father, giving thanks to Thee, did bless the bread.” While the priest pronounces these words, he performs the corresponding ceremonies, so as to imitate and do, as far as possible, what the Saviour did at the institution of the Eucharist: for a moment the priest looks up at the Crucifix on the altar, and then bows His head, thereby to signify and to express Christ’s thanksgiving, and he makes over the Host the sign of the Cross, thus appropriately to represent the blessing of the Saviour, since we do not know after what manner it was imparted.827
Christ’s looking up to His Almighty Father, as also the giving of thanks and the blessing of the bread connected therewith, indicates not only the greatness and sublimity of the mystery which He was about to accomplish, but served at the same time as a preparation for the Consecration, and as the making ready of the matter to be consecrated. Not Holy Scripture, but tradition informs us, that the Saviour in this instance “looked up to heaven”: who could doubt it? Did He not do the same in the desert, when He so marvellously multiplied a few loaves, that thousands were thereby filled: should He not also now at this banquet of love, in which that multiplication of bread in the desert found its higher fulfilment, in which He first offered to God this wonderful bread of His Body and then distributed it to His disciples,—should He not also at this solemn hour have raised His eyes “to His Almighty Father,” who can do all things, and who always hears Him? — Thanksgiving and blessing828 are here to be distinguished from the Consecration, as well as from each other, even though they may have been performed by Christ with the same prayer. For thanksgiving refers to God, the Author of all good; but the blessing, to the gifts to be changed. This thanksgiving and this blessing were not the customary ones at the Paschal Supper, but were far more significant. “Christ did indeed adhere to the Old Testament Paschal rite, as to the selection of time for the institution and the matter of the Eucharist, as also to its breaking and distribution, and as to the thanksgiving and blessing, but He gave to this thanksgiving a more sublime meaning and to the blessing a more exalted end, inasmuch as He thanked His Heavenly Father for the benefits bestowed on His holy humanity and on the entire human race in general, as well as in particular for the great grace of the Most Holy Sacrament, decreed and prepared from eternity and now about to be instituted by Him,—and inasmuch as by blessing bread and wine, He prepared both for the sacramental Consecration at hand, and that, indeed, in this wise, that as Man and Highpriest He prayed for this wonderful Consecration, which He as God, together with the Father and the Holy Ghost, was about to perform.”829
Fregit deditque discipulis suis, dicens: Accipite et manducate ex hoc omnes—“Brake and gave to His disciples, saying: Take and eat ye all of this:” The Church in the celebration of the Sacrifice follows her divine Lord and Master step by step: the breaking of the sacramental species (fregit) and the distribution of the Eucharistic bread (dedit) can not take place until after the Consecration, while the majestic thanksgiving prayer of the Preface (gratias agens), and the manifold blessing of the sacrificial matter (benedixit) have already an appropriate place before the Consecration. — The priest, in the midst of a solemn silence that shuts out from him all the noise of the world, humbly bowing down at the altar, pronounces “in the person of Christ,” with the deepest attention, devotion and reverence the mighty words:830
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| Hoc est enim Corpus meum. | For this is My Body. |
It is with a holy amazement and a reverential awe at the power given him, that the priest pronounces these divine words, which bear along with them the power of changing the substance of the bread. And now there is no longer bread on the altar, but under the appearances that remain of bread, Christ’s Body is truly present. In a moment the power of God has wrought a series of miracles, more magnificent and glorious than all the wonders of creation. The tiny Host now contains in itself infinitely more treasures, riches and glory than are to be found on the vast expanse of the globe.831 By virtue of the words of Consecration, Christ’s Body becomes present, veiled under the appearance of bread, and, indeed, His glorified Body, which shines in the glory of heaven; but this Body is immortal, impassible, with the Precious Blood flowing through it, vivified by the most holy soul, united to the Eternal Godhead—therefore, in the Host Christ is present, whole and entire, the hidden Saviour, with His divinity and humanity. The same God-Man who lives and reigns in heaven in inconceivable majesty and beauty, is now mysteriously and under foreign, sacramental appearances present near us also, in our very midst. The gates of heaven open and in the company of invisible choirs of angels the King of Heaven descends upon the altar, and the earth becomes a paradise;—the priest holds his Creator, Redeemer and Judge in his hands: what then is more natural than that we should fall down on our knees before Him in holy fear and rapturous joy?832
The bread has been changed into the sacrificial Body of Christ; the wine has now still to become the sacrificial Blood of Christ.
2. The Consecration of the Chalice.
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| Simili modo postquam coenatum est, accipiens et hunc praeclarum Calicem in sanctas ac venerabiles manus suas: item tibi gratias agens benedixit, deditque discipulis suis dicens: Accipite et bibite ex eo omnes: | In like manner, after supper, taking also this excellent chalice into His holy and venerable hands: and giving thanks to Thee, He blessed, † and gave to His disciples, saying: Take, and drink ye all of it: |
| Hic est enim Calix Sanguinis Mei, novi et aeterni testamenti: mysterium fidei: qui pro vobis et pro multis effundetur in remissionem peccatorum. | For this is the Chalice of My Blood, of the new and eternal testament: the mystery of faith: which shall be shed for you, and for many, unto the remission of sins. |
| Haec quotiescumque feceritis, in mei memoriam facietis. | As often as you do these things, ye shall do them in remembrance of Me. |
Simili modo postquam coenatum est, accipiens et hunc praeclarum Calicem in... manus suas—“In like manner, after supper, taking also this excellent chalice into His... hands.” At these words the priest takes up the chalice in his hands and slightly elevates it. After the Old Testament Paschal Supper was over, the Lord consecrated the bread, and immediately afterward followed the Consecration of the chalice. Post agnum typicum, expletis epulis—after they had eaten the symbolical paschal lamb, the Lord prepared for His disciples an exceedingly wonderful and altogether unexampled repast, a new and divine sacrificial repast.833
The Saviour took “this excellent chalice” (hunc praeclarum Calicem),834 that is, evidently not the very chalice of the celebrant, but a chalice of like contents and of similar destination as the chalice which is before the eyes of the priest and which he holds in his hands. The identity existing between the chalice used at the Last Supper and the chalice on the altar, therefore, principally refers to the sacrificial matter therein contained, which is and must be everywhere specifically, that is, essentially the same. This identity is perfect, that is, numerically so, only after the Consecration; then there is here as there altogether the same Blood in both chalices: “This is the chalice of My Blood” (hic est calix sanguinis mei), said the Redeemer in the supper-room, and says the priest at the altar. The Lord, therefore, took “this” (hunc), that is, the Eucharistic chalice, which according to the expression of the Psalmist is called grand, glorious, magnificent,835—and that with the fullest right. Is it not the chalice that will soon be filled with the Precious Blood of Christ, with wine from the branches of the true vine that was pressed in the wine-press of Golgotha? — The Saviour blessed the chalice likewise with thanksgiving, as He had previously done with the bread. He then pronounced over the blessed wine those holy words which the priest now in His stead pronounces over the chalice, to change the material element into the divine Blood of Christ: Hic est enim Calix Sanguinis mei—“For this is the chalice of My Blood,” that is, this is My Blood which is contained in the chalice. The expression “chalice of blood” should indicate that Christ’s Blood becomes present on the altar, inasmuch as it was shed in His painful passion and is now the heavenly drink of the soul. — According to the common opinion these words alone constitute the essential formula for the Consecration of the chalice; for they signify and effect the presence of the Blood of Christ under the appearances of wine.836 The remaining words: “the Blood of the new and eternal testament—the mystery of faith—, which (Blood) shall be shed for you and for many unto the remission of sins,” are appropriately added. It is generally accepted that they were once spoken by the Lord Himself; they, moreover, manifest and explain the dignity and effects of this Sacrifice.837
In the chalice is the Blood of the “new and eternal testament.” At the foot of Sinai the old covenant, whose promises were only earthly, and which was to continue but for a time, was concluded with the blood of animals. But by Christ’s sacrificial Blood which is in the chalice, the “new” covenant of grace was established and sealed and is called under a twofold aspect “the eternal” covenant: first, because the gifts and blessings appertaining to it are heavenly and imperishable; again, because the new covenant will ever remain in force and its validity endure to the end of days, to the consummation of the world’s history. The Eucharistic Blood of the Lord is at the same time the most noble portion and the most precious treasure of this “new and eternal covenant of grace.” — The concluding words: “which shall be shed for you and for many unto the remission of sins,”838 characterize the sacrificial Blood of Christ as the very source of atonement, pouring forth its floods of grace for the cleansing and remission of sin for all mankind. The exclamatory phrase in the middle: mysterium fidei—“the mystery of faith,” indicates the unsearchable depth and obscurity of the Eucharistic Sacrifice. That the God-Man did shed His Blood for us on the Cross, and that He again sheds it for us in a mystical manner on the altar—is an adorable divine achievement which includes in itself the sum of the most unheard-of wonders, all of which can be acknowledged and believed as true only in the light and the power of faith. Christ’s sacrificial Blood in the chalice is a mystery of faith in the fullest sense of the term.839
After the priest has pronounced the words of Consecration, he again genuflects, to venerate the infinitely precious and adorable Blood of Christ in the chalice. At the same time840 he pronounces the words: “As often as ye do these things, ye shall do them in remembrance of Me,” with which the Saviour instituted the Christian priesthood and the perpetual Sacrifice of the New Law as a commemorative celebration of His redeeming passion and death.841
By the separate Consecration of the Host and of the chalice, Christ’s Body and Blood are rendered present under the twofold appearances of bread and wine, that is, as sacrificed. The twofold Consecration is a mystical shedding of blood, and places before our eyes in a most lively manner the bloody death of Christ sacrificed on the Cross.842 The Sacrifice on the altar is, indeed, painless; for the Saviour is no longer passible and can no longer suffer death. But His divinely human Heart is here inflamed with the same love of sacrifice, and is moved by the same obedience of His Father to sacrifice Himself as when He was on the Cross. This love and this obedience urged Him to sacrifice Himself mystically on the altar also under the twofold sacramental appearances. It is at the moment of Consecration that the Sacrifice is accomplished, is offered to God and placed in the hands of us, poor mortals. This entire act of Consecration is performed so quietly and so mysteriously, that no one perceives anything of the wonderful transformation wrought by the priest’s words in the Host and in the chalice. Some words softly pronounced by the mouth of the priest—and the essence of the bread and wine has disappeared: their place is taken by Christ’s Body and Blood, the whole Christ, the Victim of Golgotha. For the senses alone nothing has happened, nothing is changed; for the appearances of bread and wine, upheld by the power of God, have remained to serve as veil and covering for the bright majesty of the King of Glory, who with us and for us is present as Victim on the altar.843 To fathom the height and the depth of the Eucharistic Consecration, is beyond even the wisdom of the cherubim; worthily to praise the miracles of mercy contained in this same Eucharistic Consecration, even the love of the seraphim of heaven is wholly insufficient. Truly, no moment commands greater reverence, no moment is more holy or more beneficial than that in which the Eucharistic Sacrifice is accomplished and the altar becomes a mystical Mount Calvary!
“When thou beholdest the Lord lying as a Victim on the altar, and how the priest stands and prays in the presence of the Divine Victim, dost thou then believe thyself still on earth among men? Or rather art thou not at once ravished to heaven, and dost thou not banish from thy mind all worldly thoughts, and behold in all candor of soul and purity of mind these wonders of heaven? O sublime spectacle! O the goodness of the divine benevolence! Wouldst thou comprehend somewhat the sublimity of this holy action by the aid of another miracle? Represent to thyself the Prophet Elias and the immense multitude around him, and the sacrifice lying on the stones, and all in deep silence, whilst the Prophet alone prays, and, on a sudden, fire from heaven falling upon the sacrifice. How wonderful and astounding! Now turn from this to the present sacrificial celebration, and thou wilt behold not only what is wonderful, but what exceeds all bounds of wonderment. For here stands the priest, not calling down fire, but the Holy Ghost from heaven; and he prays with the more fervor, not that a heavenly flame may dart down and consume what lies upon the altar, but that grace may descend on the Sacrifice and through the latter may inflame the hearts of all and make them more brilliant than silver purified in the fire.844 What an awe-inspiring celebration this is! And who will depreciate it without being insane or beside himself?”845
3. The Eucharistic Consecration, especially in the touching and more or less solemn rite of the elevation and adoration of the most holy Body and Blood of Jesus Christ, appears as the sublime and prominent centre and pinnacle of the organism of the Mass.846—Immediately after pronouncing the words of Consecration, the priest in all reverence elevates first the Host and afterward the chalice in like manner, in order to hold up to view to the congregation present the Divine Sacrificial Victim for their adoration, whilst he himself keeps his eyes riveted on the Holy of Holies. The principal object of their elevation is adoration; as the celebrant genuflects before and after the Elevation, adoring with faith and humility (genuflexus adorat—genuflexus veneratur—genuflexus reverenter adorat. — Rubr.), thus also all who assist at the Mass should be moved and impelled at the sight of the Blessed Sacrament, to render to the God and Saviour therein concealed due adoration through their humble and reverent deportment, as well as by the interior oblation of themselves to Him. After the birth of Christ, heaven and earth sent adorers to the crib at Bethlehem: the same happens at the appearance of the Eucharistic Saviour on the altar. Then, as St. Gregory says (Dial. IV, 58), “Heaven opens at the words of the priest, and the choirs of angels surround the altar,” to admire and to adore the Divine Mysteries: what then is more proper than that man also should, in unison with the celestial spirits, render to the Victim present their most profound testimonies of homage and worship?
This elevation of the Body and Blood of Christ is truly “the commemoration of the death of the Lord” (1 Cor. 11, 26): it places before our eyes the raising up of Christ on the Cross upon Golgotha. As once on Mount Calvary, so Christ here on the altar, as the great Mediator, as the true Victim and as the Eternal Highpriest, is elevated betwixt heaven and earth, to reconcile God and Man, inasmuch as He moves the Heavenly Father to mercy and forgiveness, and rouses sinful man to love and compunction. “This is the wisdom of God in a mystery, a wisdom which is hidden, which God ordained before the world, unto our glory” (1 Cor. 2, 7). “When I shall be lifted up from the earth,” says the Lord, “then will I draw all things to Myself” (John 12, 32). O sweetest Jesus, take us from this world and draw us to Thee, that we also may be where Thou art! “As the rising sun chases the shadows of night away, pouring its floods of light into the most hidden vales, thus at the Consecration of every Mass there likewise appears upon the altar a Sun of infinite brightness. ‘God, our God, comes visibly.’ From the holy city, from the new ‘Sion, shines forth His majesty.’ Veiled to the eye of sense, but ‘recognizable’ to the eye of faith, from out the Host’s snow-white veiling and from the gleaming chalice dart forth lightning flashes, lighting up everything and penetrating into the inmost recesses of the heart. As the Lord, when all nations shall be gathered together for the great judgment, will appear with dread majesty and power seated on the clouds as on a bright throne, thus also does He here appear encompassed with angels on flaming clouds of glory. ‘Fire flares up before Him,’ flows around His sceptre and sword, wreathes Him a crown of kingly glory,—inscribing on His majestic forehead: ‘I judge all flesh with eternal justice.’ The house of God becomes a judgment-hall and thy trembling hand, O priest, a judgment-seat, from which the Eternal Monarch of Nations, with dazzling countenance, acts and exercises rigorous judgment over thee and the congregation. Heaven and earth draw nigh when ‘ the Lord judges His people,’ just as at each moment He decides the destiny of the dying all over the earth. Though apparently the silvery tone of the little bell alone interrupts the reigning silence of adoration, the Lord, however, ‘is not silent’! From out the elevated Host His eye penetrates hearts, and His lips pronounce a sentence which the angels, the ‘heavens surrounding the altar, make known,’ and the sentence tremblingly re-echoes in the consciences of priest and people! ‘Attend to this,’ O anointed of the Lord! When thou dost bow down, dost sink upon thy knees in adoration, and rising dost elevate aloft the Holy of Holies, veiled in its mystical covering, does not thy Judge look therefrom at thee and examine thy heart and reins: Is thy pastoral charge ‘a sacrifice of praise’ unto Me? Dost thou, as the altar and temple, watch over the living temple also, the souls confided to thee by Me, the Good Shepherd, and purchased with My Blood? In short, if thy priesthood is holy and apostolic and the fulfilment of My commission: ‘gather together My saints, that amid sacrifice they may confirm the covenant with Me’? Salvation then to thee, good servant! I will not enter into judgment with thee; from thy hand I bless and embrace thee with loving kindness and console thee interiorly in thy labors.” (Wolter.)
Notes
Altaribus tuis, Domine, munera nostrae servitutis inferimus, quae placatus accipias (Sacram. Leon.) — Accipio = to take, to receive; to receive something presented, to accept.
↩This prayer has at present in four Mass formulas an addition by which the Sacrifice is offered for a special intention: On Holy Thursday in commemoration of the Institution of the Eucharistic Mysteries, in Easter and Whitsuntide Weeks for the newly baptized, and at the consecration of a bishop for the newly consecrated. Before the time of St. Gregory the Great, the Hanc igitur was a variable oblation and intercessory prayer, according to the character of the Mass formula (for example, for those ordained, for pilgrims, for the departed). Hence in the Gelasianum there are 38 special formulas of Hanc igitur, which do not, like the additions to the Communicantes, set off the thought of the feast, but contain petitions for the application of the fruits of the Sacrifice in various concerns and events of this life.
↩The recommendation of the sacrificial gifts and of those offering, or of those for whom the Sacrifice is offered, which was interrupted by the Communicantes, is here resumed, and is connected by the igitur with the petitions contained in this second prayer.
↩Quia hoc sacrificium tibi offerimus in corpore Ecclesiae communicando et memoriam Sanctorum venerando, hanc igitur oblationem, precamur, ut placatus accipias: ut scil. si peccatis nostris praepedimur, communione saltem sanctae Ecclesiae et Sanctorum tuorum veneratione placeris ad accipiendum, quod tibi offerimus, sacrificium (B. Odo Camerac. Expos. in Canon. Missae dist. 2).
↩Sacerdos orat Deum, ut ipsam oblationem panis et vini accipiat ut materiam sacrificii futuri et eam videlicet benedicat et sanctificet (Bellarm. De Missa, l. 2, c. 22).
↩In his verbis unitas Ecclesiae ostenditur, quando in illa oblatione communis servitus exhibetur Deo tam a sacerdotibus quam a cuncta familia domus Dei. Oratur itaque Deus, ut hanc oblationem, quam illi soli debita servitute defert Ecclesia, placatus accipiat et sic dies nostros, quibus inter diversa pericula vivimus, in sua pace disponat, finitoque hujus mortalitatis cursu, ab aeterna damnatione ereptos in electorum suorum grege annumerare dignetur (Pseudo-Alcuin. c. 40).
↩Hanc igitur oblationem servitutis nostrae, i. e. quam offerimus nos sacerdotes qui speciatim servi tui sumus, tuo cultui et obsequiis mancipati et hoc offerimus sacrificium, ut servitutis nostrae et subjectionis aliquod testimonium demus; nec tantum est oblatio nostra, qui tamquam ministri eam offerimus, sed et cunctae familiae tuae, i. e. totius Ecclesiae catholicae omniumque fidelium, qui per manus nostras et ministerium hanc offerunt, et quorum nomine eandem tibi offerimus (Antonius de Molina, Instructio sacerdotum tract. 3, c. 3).
↩This more profound meaning of the expression oblatio servitutis nostrae is evident also from other almost similar designations of the Eucharistic Sacrifice, as they are found especially in the Secretae; for example, nostrae servitutis munus; debitum nostrae servitutis; nostrae humilitatis oblatio.
↩Deo nos servitutem, quae λατρεία graece dicitur, sive in quibusque sacramentis sive in nobis ipsis debemus (S. Aug. De civit. Dei l. 10, c. 3, al. 4). — Ipsa servitus graece λατρεία dicitur, quae soli vero Deo jure ac legitime non a perfidis, sed a catholicis fidelibus exhibetur... illa cultura quae λατρεία dicitur, maxime in sacrificiis invenitur (S. Fulgent. Contra Fabian. frag. 12).
↩Cultus ac servitus Dei reipsa non sunt actus religionis distincti: siquidem eodem actu religionis homo servit Deo et colit ipsum. Nam cultus respicit Dei excellentiam, cui reverentia debetur; servitus autem subjectionem hominis, qui ex sua conditione obligatur ad exhibendam reverentiam Deo, cum interim in omni actu religionis et excellentiam Dei et nostram erga Deum subjectionem protestemur, adeo ut ad haec duo pertineant omnes actus religionis, quia per omnes homo protestatur divinam excellentiam et subjectionem sui ad Deum (Tanner disp. 5 de relig. q. 1, dub. 2).
↩Servitus illa, quae fit homini ex necessitate, aliquo modo derogat hominis libertati, et ideo non habet in se excellentiam virtutis. — Servitus, quae ex mera voluntate fit Deo, ponit hominem in statu altiori et tanto magis facit hominem liberum, quanto magis elongat hominem a peccato. Et talis est servitus latriae (S. Bonav. III, dist. 9, a. 2, q. 1).
↩Vera sacrificalis oblatio non intellegitur esse, donec materia illa, quae ad divinum cultum dicata jam est, benedicitur et sanctificatur; nulla ergo petitio fit per hanc oblationem, sistendo in pane et vino, sed in ordine ad eorum consecrationem, per quam Christus vere sacrificatur et offertur; quod est petere per incruentam Christi sacrificationem ex pane et vino sub eorumque speciebus faciendam (Suarez disp. 83, sect. 2, n. 8).
↩The three petitions pro pace temporum et ereptione ab aeternis suppliciis et consortio Sanctorum obtinendo were added by St. Gregory the Great (cfr. Walafrid. Strab. c. 23). Since already previously, v. g., in the Leonianum, similar thoughts and expressions occur in this place, St. Gregory probably only made permanent the wording which until then had been changeable.
↩Propter triplicem pacem ter oramus in Missa: “dies nostros in tua pace disponas”—“da propitius pacem in diebus nostris”—“dona nobis pacem”, ut de pace temporis per pacem pectoris transeamus ad pacem aeternitatis (Innocent. III. l. 3, c. 11).
↩Numerari = numero aggregari, received into the number. Cfr. the following prayer for a departed soul: Omnipotens sempiterne Deus... propitiare animae famuli tui, ut qui de hac vita in tui nominis confessione decessit, Sanctorum tuorum numero facias adgregari (Sacrament. Gelasian.).
↩Breviter dicitur, peti a Deo consecutionem electionis, quod est petere aeternam beatitudinem, in qua numerus electorum congregandus est (Suarez l. c.).
↩Tria bona postulantur a Deo. Primum temporale; secundum perpetui mali devitatio; tertium perpetui boni adeptio. In horum trium bonorum postulatione profitetur Ecclesia, Deum esse universorum dominum et in triplicem mundi machinam extendi supremum ejus principatum. Per primum enim profitetur, ipsum esse dominum in terris; per secundum in inferis; per tertium in coelis—et ubique omnia ipsius nutu disponi (Clichtov. Elucid. eccl. l. 3, n. 23,).
↩Nos hic petimus a Deo consecutionem electionis et aeternam beatitudinem, in qua numerus electorum congregandus est. Haec autem consecutio ex nostra libera cooperatione dependet, videlicet ab executione bonorum operum, quae sunt media a Deo praeordinata in eum finem. Dum ergo oramus et petimus numerari in grege electorum, gratiam a Deo postulamus, quae necessaria est ad ea media exequenda et finem consequendum (Quarti p. 2, tit. 9, sect. 2, dub. 4).
↩Uncertainty with regard to eternal salvation is here below necessary and beneficial, quia humiliat et sollicitat. Econtra certitudo de electione elevat in tumorem et deprimit in torporem; ideo secundum ordinatissimam dispensationem hoc factum est, ut nulli reveletur, an sit praedestinatus, nisi sit a Deo confirmatus in bono, ut non possit elevari per superbiam vel torpore per neglegentiam (S. Bonavent. dist. 40, art. 2, q. 2. — Cfr. Amalar. l. 3, c. 23). — Optimum affirmare possumus esse praedestinationis indicium, sese ad ejusmodi sanctarum precum spiritum et arcana sensa conformare, i. e. nihil quidquam aliud quam Dei pacem cupere, nihil praeter mortem aeternam metuere et perseverantiae donum enixe petere, ut in eorum adscribamur numero, qui aeterna gloria perfruentur (Benedict. XIV. l. 2, c. 14, n. 4).
↩Cum Deus disponit vel vult aliquid facere, non disponit in omnem eventum, sed praesuppositis congruentibus antecedentibus, sicut disponit nos salvare, si tamen velimus per bona merita salutem acquirere (S. Bonav. III, dist. 17, a. 2, q. 1).
↩Formerly it was often the custom, as it is now with the Dominicans and Carmelites, to bow profoundly at the recitation of this prayer. Hic inclinat se usque ad altare dicens: “Hanc igitur....” (Amalar. Eclog. n. 29). — Presbyter humiliationem Domini usque ad crucem nos indicat, cum se usque ad altare inclinat dicendo (Microl. c. 16). — Hanc igitur oblationem dicendo sacerdos in quibusdam ecclesiis profunde se inclinat (Durand l. 6, c. 39, n. 2). Christian antiquity and the Middle Age make no mention of the stretching out of the hands in the aforesaid place. Already for this reason it is of no consequence to see preserved “here the former imposition of hands of the priests celebrating with the bishop,” that is, the invocation of the Holy Ghost for the miracle of the consecration.
↩Haec tertia periodus, quam ingredimur, maxime occupatur circa sacrificium, ut fiat perfectum et in aliam mutetur substantiam immortalem et incorruptam... Transit ad partes a toto, ut universalis benedictionis partes imprecetur hostiae, cui universam benedictionem fuerat imprecatus, ut cum prius posuerit in omnibus benedictam, particulariter subjungat adscriptam, et ratam, et rationabilem, et acceptabilem, quae sunt partes omnimodae benedictionis (B. Odo Camerac. Expos. in Can. Missae dist. 3).
↩Praeinducta sacratissima verba exponuntur de eo, quod est res et sacramentum, videlicet de corpore Christi vel de ipso Christo, qui est hostia benedicta, adscripta, rata, rationabilis et acceptabilis (Dion. Carthus. Exposit. Missae art. 23). — Solum Christi corpus et sanguis est hostia in omnibus benedicta, adscripta, rata, rationabilis acceptabilisque (B. Odo Camerac. l. c.).
↩“The chalice awakening fear and reverence” (St. Chrysost.) of the Eucharist is called by St. Paul calix benedictionis cui benedicimus (1 Cor. 10, 16) = calix benedictus, i. e. consecratus.
↩Oratio haec potest exponi, ut tota petitio referatur ad ipsius materiae consecrationem, nihilque aliud in summa petatur, quam ut ex pane corpus et ex vino fiat sanguis Christi, ut hoc modo ac per talem transmutationem oblatio ipsa panis et vini fiat benedicta; illa enim est summa benedictio et sanctificatio, quae in illam materiam supervenire potest, unde ipsamet consecratio benedictio solet a Patribus appellari (Suarez disp. 83, sect. 2, n. 10). — Digneris hanc oblationem facere benedictam, i. e. convertere in carnem et sanguinem Christi, quae sunt hostia benedicta, h. e. omni carens macula culpae atque omni gratia adornata (Dion. Carthus. l. c.).
↩Adscribere = to ascribe or to attribute; to institute, to determine, to establish.
↩Potest referri hoc verbum (adscripta) ad ea, quae de hac consecratione scripta sunt, ita ut postuletur, ut haec oblatio talis fiat, qualis scripta est et promissa illis verbis Christi: “Hoc facite”; adscriptum enim dici potest, quod est scripto conforme (Suarez l. c.).
↩Cfr. also the prayer in the Pontifical for the Consecration of a portable altar: Quaesumus omnipotens Deus,... qui inter ceteras creaturarum formas lapideum metallum ad obsequium tui sacrificii condidisti, ut legitimae libationi praeparetur altare, annue dignanter.
↩Ratus (from reor) = intended; transferred to = determined, valid, true, legal. — Quod nostro geritur ministerio, ratum habeas, ac si sine nobis manibus tuis idem ageretur (Robert. Paulul. De offic. eccles. l. 2, c. 31).
↩Praeterea postulatur, ut per consecrationem fiat rata, i. e. vera; non enim est haec vera sacrificalis oblatio, nisi consecratio valida sit et efficax; quomodo dicere solemus, sacramentum esse ratum, quando vere factum (Suarez l. c.).
↩Rationabilis (λογικός) = endowed with reason, reasonable; according to reason. The word has reference to the Divine Logos, who in and with His human nature is in the highest degree a spiritual and reasonable Sacrificial Gift (προσφορά πνευματικὴ καὶ λογική): Christ’s sacrificial Body and Blood are on the altar not merely animated with a spiritual and reasonable soul, but, moreover, hypostatically united to the Divine Word (Logos). — Munus populi tui, Domine, placatus intende, quo non altaribus tuis ignis alienus nec irrationabilium cruor effunditur animantium, sed sancti Spiritus operante virtute sacrificium jam nostrum corpus et sanguis est ipsius sacerdotis (Sacram. Leonian.).
↩Rationabile obsequium; in Greek λογικὴ λατρεία (Rom. 12, 1).
↩Petitur etiam, ut fiat rationabilis, i. e. rationalis hostia, quia per illam consecrationem fit, ut jam non simplex panis et vinum, nec sanguis hircorum aut vitulorum, sed Christus ipse, qui non solum rationalis est, sed aeterna sapientia et ratio, offeratur (Suarez l. c.).
↩Denique per eandem mutationem fit maxime acceptabilis haec oblatio, quia jam, non ex dignitate offerentium, sed ex re ipsa oblata, gratissima Deo est et accepta: nam per illam mutationem panis fit corpus illud, quod Deus adaptavit, ut veteribus repudiatis sacrificiis, eo placari posset (ad Hebr. 2). Suarez l. c.
↩Posuerat in omnibus benedictam, subjungit quattuor species: adscriptam, ratam, rationabilem, acceptabilem. Sed haec omnia clausa erant, minus intellegebantur, minus patebant; aperuit ostium, patefecit totum, scil. ut nobis fiat corpus et sanguis Christi. Hic totum completur, hic totum perficitur, ut fiat corpus et sanguis Christi (B. Odo Camerac. dist. 3). — Munera, Domine, oblata sanctifica, ut tui nobis Unigeniti corpus et sanguis fiant (Sacram. Gregor.).
↩Fiat nobis, i. e., ad nostram salutem, ad nostrum cotidianum profectum, atque ad vitiorum nostrorum expurgationem omniumque spiritualium donorum multiplicationem (Dion. Carth. Expos. Missae art. 23).
↩S. Bernard. in circumcis. Dom. serm. 3, n. 4.
↩Sub hac oblatione non solum panis et vinum, sed Ecclesia ipsa in his significata intellegitur. Hinc 1. sacerdos nomine Ecclesiae orat, ut panis et vinum convertantur in corpus et sanguinem Christi; qua transsubstantiatione oblatio fit benedicta, quia Christus est victima a Patre sanctificata et benedicta, adscripta, quia Christus est victima divinae majestati penitus devota et addicta, rata, quia ipse est victima a Patre tamquam perfecta adprobata, rationabilis et acceptabilis, quia ipse est aeterna ratio et Deo Patri infinite placens, ad differentiam victimarum irrationalium, per se Deo non placentium, quae in antiqua lege offerebantur.—2. Sacerdos orat, ut nos ipsi in omnibus simus benedicti gratiis divinis, adscripti numero electorum in libro vitae (Apoc. 13, 8; 17, 8), rati, firmi et stabiles in Dei servitio, rationabiles, corpus et passiones rationi, rationem Deo subdendo (Rom. 12, 1), et acceptabiles, digni, ut in vitam aeternam acceptemur; ut nobis corpus et sanguis fiat D. N. J. Ch., scil. ut consecratio et oblatio nobis fiat fructuosa (Müller, Theol. moral. l. 3, tit. 1, § 16).
↩Haec tria verba dicendo, super duo oblata simul ter signum crucis facimus, quod in omnibus consecrationibus familiare est et domesticum. Per virtutem enim crucis Domini multa credimus operari. Ideo ter, quia per virtutem crucis pariter Trinitas operatur (Robert. Paulul. De offic. eccles. l. 2, c. 31).
↩Fiunt tres cruces super oblatam materiam, dum dicit “benedictam, adscriptam, ratam” ad honorem supersanctae et adorandae Trinitatis et ad insinuandum, quod effectus orationis istius a tota beatissima Trinitate nobis donetur. Nam ipsa hanc ineffabilem conversionem panis in corpus et vini in sanguinem Christi facit (Dion. Carthus. Expos. Missae art. 23).
↩Nonnulli quinque signa referunt ad quinque Christi vulnera (Robert. Paulul. l. c.).
↩Only grave and soft playing on the organ is permitted. Ad elevationem ss. Sacramenti pulsatur organum graviori et dulciori sono (Cer. episc. l. 1, c. 28, n. 9).
↩Acutius intuere, o homo, qui sacerdotio fungeris: qua utique reverentia et devotione, qua humilitate ac dilectione te Dominum tuum in ipsa sacra hostia suscipere et amplecti, tractare contemplarique oporteat. Ipse equidem est, ante cujus te tribunal mox necesse est adstare, qui judicaturus est vivos et mortuos et saeculum per ignem. In manu illius universa tua salus sita est, eum Cherubim Seraphimque adorant, Throni ei sedes sunt. Sed jam, o metuende Dei Fili, o adorande Christe, o virtus et sapientia Patris, fac me in te sapientem et fortem, stabiliterque conversum: praesertim autem tunc me, o beate Salvator, tunc cor meum munias mentemque in te afficias, erigas atque convertas, dum ipsa tua divina sacerrimaque mysteria celebro, sacramenta contingo ac dilectionis tuae pignus passionisque memoriale accipio: tunc, o omnipotens Dominator, prae majestatis tuae contemplatione reverentiali timore concutiar, caritatis tuae contuitu inexstinguibiliter accendar totusque in te resolvar et configar: tunc te, Deus meus, splendida fide contempler, tunc te sapiam affectuosissimeque complectar; anima mea tua ex praesentia excitetur ac liquefiat. Utinam te, Deus meus, amator auctorque salutis meae, qui te mihi tam multipliciter praestitisti: qui ex ipso tuae benignissimae mentis ardore sic nobis ubilibet conjungi dignaris, anima mea semper coram se et item se coram te constituat; utinam tibi grata, utinam in te sic custodita consistat, ut ad tui participationem celebrationemque tuorum mysteriorum magis incessanter idonea, purior ardentiorque reddatur (Dion. Carthus. De munificentia et beneficiis Dei art. 25).
↩When we impartially read the Biblical accounts regarding the first Celebration and the Institution of the Eucharist, we cannot but marvel that already formerly, and again quite recently, it could be asserted that our Divine Saviour had at that time not changed the bread and wine by the words of the Institution (this is My Body—this is My Blood), but that He had by the preceding benediction (benedixit), or merely by an interior act of the will, changed them into His Body and Blood. The only well-grounded and tenable thesis in the Bible and in tradition is, that the Lord performed the first Eucharistic Consecration ritu sacramentali by the words of the Institution, and thus by His example left the norm for all succeeding Consecrations.
↩Sacerdotes apostolico gradui succedentes, Christi corpus sacro ore conficiunt (S. Hieron. Epist. ad Heliodor. n. 8).
↩S. Chrysost. De prodit. Judae hom. 1, n. 6.
↩Verba consecrationis dicuntur et recitative et formaliter seu significative. Sacerdos enim et commemorat, quae verba Christus in ultima coena dixerit et, intendens ea applicare materiae praesenti, ac facere, quod significant, simul exercet actum suae potestatis. Atque hinc est, quod propriissime dicatur conficere in persona Christi, quia non tantum utitur potestate a Christo accepta, sed eam exercet ejus personam repraesentans, et loquens ejus verbis, quasi esset ipsemet Christus (Sylvius III, q. 78, art. 1, quaer. 3).
↩Hoc sacramentum directe repraesentativum est dominicae passionis, qua Christus ut sacerdos et hostia Deo se obtulit in ara crucis. Hostia autem quam sacerdos offert, est una cum illa quam Christus obtulit secundum rem, quia Christum realiter continet; minister autem offerens non est idem realiter, unde oportet, quod sit idem repraesentatione, et ideo sacerdos consecrans prout gerit personam Christi, profert verba consecrationis recitative ex persona Christi, ne hostia alia videatur. Et quia per ea quae gerit respectu exterioris materiae, Christi personam repraesentat, ideo verba illa simul et recitative et significative tenentur respectu praesentis materiae, quae est figura illius, quam Christus praesentem habuit, et propter hoc dicitur convenientius: “hoc est corpus meum,” quam: “hoc est corpus Christi” (S. Thom. IV, dist. 8, q. 2, a. 1, sol. 4 ad 4).
↩Quod additur “aeterni” et iterum “mysterium fidei”, ex traditione Domini habetur (S. Thom. 3, q. 78, a. 3 ad 9).
↩On Holy Thursday the insertion is here made: Qui pridie, quam pro nostra omniumque salute pateretur, hoc est, hodie.
↩Venit Jesus ministrare Apostolis et praecipue hodie dilexit. Sciens enim quia transiret de mundo ad Patrem et quod ituri essent post eum... recedens ab eis et iter sequendi (sc. humilitatem in ablutione pedum) ostendit eis et cibum quo vescerentur in itinere, reliquit, i. e. viam dedit et viaticum. Sub forma enim panis et vini corpus suum et sanguinem ad edendum dedit et conficiendum reliquit.... Christus in cruce fuit pretium, in deserto est viaticum, in coelo erit praemium. Hic est cibus grandium, qui munit contra adversa et confert bona, servat collata (Hildeb. Turon. Sermo 39).
↩Christo non suffecit semel pro nobis immolari in cruce per mortis perpessionem, sed hanc quotidianam et perennem sui immolationem in mysterio (sc. in Missae officio) ejus infinita sapientia adinvenit, ejus immensa clementia ordinavit, ejus caritas summa praefixit, qua et Dei Patris honorem generisque humani procuravit opem, gratiam ac salutem, quod totum sic fieri decentissimum exstitisse ratio dictat desuper illustrata: quae quanto plus illustratur, tanto limpidius intuetur, quam rationabile seu potius superrationabile, misericordissimum, sapientissimum, amorosissimum fuerit istud, ut et quotidie dominicae passionis quasi recenter memores simus, caritatisque Dei ac pietatis suae et liberalitatis ad nos assidue recordemur recordandoque inflammemur et meritum Christi abundantius participemus, consequendo effectus sacramenti istius (Dion. Carthus. De sacram. altar. serm. 2).
↩Unctio sancta in manibus sacerdotum infunditur, ut S. Spiritus, qui per oleum designatur, in operibus consecrationis eorum descendat (Hildeb. Turon. Serm. 132). — Manus sacratae et sacrantes tremenda mysteria (S. Bern. Tract. de mor. et offic. episcop. c. 2, n. 4).
↩When it is said of the Saviour, that He blessed the little ones or the bread and the chalice, it is permitted us to represent to ourselves that the Lord Himself preceded His Church in the formation of the Sign of the Cross for liturgical purposes (Oswald, Eschatologie [4. Aufl.] S. 238).
↩Haec benedictio fuit bona super panem precatio, et divinae beneficentiae super illum invocatio, qua Christus elevatis oculis in coelum petebat ejus sanctificationem et transmutationem mox futuram; unde, quamvis Evangelistae nunc benedictionem, nunc gratiarum actionem nominent, quia Christus eas conjunxit, diversae tamen sunt, et inter se et a consecratione. Benedictio enim ad symbola refertur, gratiarum actio autem ad Deum (Sylvius III, q. 78, art. 1, quaer. 2).
↩Franz, Die Eucharistische Wandlung I, 37.
↩Haec verba cum summa attentione, reverentia et veneratione integre distincteque sunt proferenda, quoniam illa sacerdos quasi ore Christi (ut ita dixerim) eloquitur et illa loquens Christi fungitur officio. Quocirca in illis recte et decenter enuntiandis summa adhibenda est cura et animadversio (Clichtov. l. 3, n. 29). — The enim (= for, namely), elucidating and consolidating the preceding invitation (accipite et manducate), is found only in St. Matthew in the formula of the Consecration of the chalice, but it was appropriately placed also in the formula of the Consecration of the bread. — Ipse summus ac generalis vicarius Christi, beatissimus Petrus, ex familiari et secreto Spiritus sancti instinctu addidit verbum “enim” et hoc ex rationabili causa ad designandam continuationem et ordinem ad praecedentia verba et gesta (Dion. Carthus. De sacram. altar. art. 32).
↩Credere firmiter debes et nullatenus dubitare, secundum quod docet et praedicat catholica fides, quod in hora expressionis verborum Christi panis materialis atque visibilis advenienti vivifico et coelesti pani, velut vero Creatori honorem deferens, locum suum, scil. visibilem speciem accidentium, pro ministerio et sacramentali servitio relinquit, quo desinente esse, miro et ineffabili modo in eodem instanti ista sub illis accidentibus veraciter exsistunt: primo, illa purissima Christi caro et sacrum corpus, quod fabricante Spiritu Sancto, tractum fuit de utero gloriosae Virginis Mariae, appensum in cruce, positum in sepulcro, glorificatum in coelo. — Secundo, quia caro non vivit sine sanguine, ideo necessario est ibi sanguis ille pretiosus, qui feliciter manavit pro mundi salute in cruce. — Tertio, cum non sit verus homo absque anima rationali, propterea est ibi illa anima gloriosa Christi, excedens in gratia et gloria omnem virtutem et gloriam et potestatem, in qua repositi sunt omnes thesauri divinae sapientiae (Col. 2, 3). — Quarto, quia Christus est verus homo et verus Deus, ibi consequenter est Deus in sua majestate gloriosus. — Haec omnia quattuor simul et singula, tota simul sub speciebus panis et vini perfecte continentur, non minus in calice quam in hostia nec minus in hostia quam in calice, nec in uno suppletur defectus alterius, sed in ambobus invenitur integrum propter mysterium, de quo est grandis sermo (Hebr. 5, 11). Sufficit credere, Deum verum et hominem sub utraque contineri specie, cui assistunt Angelorum frequentia et Sanctorum praesentia (S. Bonav. tr. de praepar. ad Miss. c. 1, § 3, n. 1).
↩Quando sacerdos sacram Hostiam manu tenens genua flectit, Dominum hunc adorare debet adeo profunda reverentia, ut cor suum usque ad ipsam abyssum humiliet, quasi desiderans in terrae profundum descendere ob tantae majestatis reverentiam. Et memor, quod Angeli descendant e coelo, et huic Domino in sacrificio adsint, cogitare debet, in eo momento se circumdari Angelorum exercitu, et simul cum illis adorare et laudare communem omnium Dominum et Creatorem. — Et quando ipsam Hostiam sacram sursum elevat, id faciet, nunc cum sensu doloris et lacrymis, memor, Dominum eundem propter ipsius peccata fuisse in cruce elevatum et ab omnibus contemptum; nunc idem faciet affectu quodam gaudii et gratitudinis, quod ipsam Hostiam elevet, ut honos ipsi Domino deferatur, et ab omnibus adoretur, quasi in compensationem praeteritorum contemptuum. Alias potest etiam in memoriam revocare, quod idem Dominus dixit: “Ego si exaltatus fuero a terra, omnia traham ad meipsum” (Joan. 12, 32), et eundem Dominum orabit, ut dignetur ipsius cor ad coelum elevare, ubi ipse ad dextram Patris sedet (De Ponte, De christ. hom. perfect. IV, tr. 2, c. 12, § 3).
↩Ille quippe agnus (paschalis, Exod. 12) figura erat alterius agni spiritualis et ovis ovem praenotabat. Atque illud quidem umbra, hoc veritas erat. Cum apparuisset sol justitiae, umbra cessavit: oriente quippe sole solvitur umbra. Ideo in eadem ipsa mensa utrumque pascha perficitur et typi et veritatis. Quemadmodum enim pictores in eadem ipsa tabula et lineas circumducunt et umbram depingunt tuncque colorum veritatem apponunt, sic et Christus fecit: in eadem ipsa mensa typicum pascha descripsit et verum addidit... Erat olim pascha judaicum, sed nunc solutum est advenitque spirituale pascha, quod nunc tradidit Christus (S. Chrysost. Hom. 1 de prodit. Jud. n. 4).
↩Hunc autem calicem dicens sacerdos, qui celebrat, non eum demonstrat calicem secundum numerum, quem manibus tenet,... sed ad intellectum demonstrat similem secundum speciem, non quidem secundum speciem substantiae aut figurae,... sed similem quantum ad usum et liquoris continentiam. Sicut enim in hoc calice, quo sacerdos consecrationem vini perficit, continetur vinum aqua mixtum, ita et in eo calice, quem Christus accepit, continebatur vinum aquae permixtum, ut uno animo sentiunt omnes. Quare nomine calicis non intellegendum est hic solum vas potorium, sed id ipsum cum vino contento in eo (Clichtov. Elucid. eccl. l. 3, n. 30). — Idem calix est in mysterio, quem Christus in manibus tenuit, quamvis in materia metalli alius sit (Honor. Augustod. Gemm. anim. l. 1, c. 106).
↩Cfr. Ps. 22, 5. Calix meus inebrians—i. e. sanguis Christi contentus in calice benedictionis mentem divino amore inflammans et velut ebrians, quoniam facit eam inferiorum immemorem ac divinorum sitibundam—quam praeclarus est—h. e. multum clarus, sanctus et nobilis est, imo plus quam dici possit vel credi (Dion. Carthus.).
↩Haec forma: “Hic est calix sanguinis mei,” est forma certa, forma congrua; sed utrum sit tota, an quod sequitur sit de integritate (essential), dubium est; creditur tamen, quod est tota. Tamen quod sequitur non est frustra additum, nec debet aliquid resecari. — Quod autem ista sit forma certa, patet per hoc, quod ipsam tenet Romana Ecclesia, quae fuit ab Apostolorum principibus edocta... Est etiam congrua, quia in hoc sacramento significatur sanguis Christi ut effusus in pretium et ut administratus in potum; sanguis autem neutrum dicit de se expresse, sed per conjunctionem cum calice, quia sanguis in calice ut effusus et potandus proponitur. Ideo calix in Scriptura significat aliquando passionem (Matth. 20, 22); significat et potus refectionem (Ps. 22, 5). Propter hunc duplicem tropum melius dicitur calix sanguinis quam sanguis per se... Est etiam tota et perfecta; sufficiens enim est ad significandum transsubstantiationem vini in sanguinem Christi. Unde quod additur est de bene esse, quia in sequentibus describuntur effectus sanguinis in hoc sacramento significati et in passione effusi (S. Bonav. IV, dist. 8, p. 2, a. 1, q. 2).
↩Dicendum est, omnia illa verba esse prolata a Christo. Haec est communis sententia et mihi certa (Suarez disp. 60, sect. 3, n. 2). Licet haec verba non spectent ad essentiam formae, tamen pertinent ad ejus integritatem, estque hic sensus communis totius Ecclesiae Latinae, quae in Missa et forma consecrationis calicis ea quasi a Christo dicta et ab Apostolis praecepta, eodem tenore ac modo quo cetera, scribit et pronuntiat (Cornel. a Lap. in Matth. 26, 28).
↩Qui pro vobis, sumentibus scilicet, et pro multis = aliis. Illi multi vel intelleguntur omnes electi vel omnes omnino; nam pro omnibus sufficienter effusus est sanguis Christi, pro electis vero etiam efficaciter (Sylvius III, q. 78, art. 3).
↩Per prima verba cum dicitur: “Hic est calix sanguinis mei,” significatur ipsa conversio vini in sanguinem; per verba autem sequentia designatur virtus sanguinis effusi in passione, quae operatur in hoc Sacramento, quae quidem ad tria ordinatur: Primo quidem et principaliter ad adipiscendam aeternam hereditatem (Hebr. 10, 19), et ad hoc designandum dicitur: “novi et aeterni testamenti.” — Secundo ad justitiam gratiae quae est per fidem (Rom. 3, 23), et quantum ad hoc subditur: “mysterium fidei”. — Tertio autem ad removendum impedimenta utriusque praedictorum, sc. peccatum (Hebr. 9, 14), et quantum ad hoc subditur: “qui pro vobis et pro multis effundetur in remissionem peccatorum” (S. Thom. 3, q. 78, a. 3).
↩In the Middle Age frequently they were said only post elevationem calicis. Deponendo calicem dicat haec verba: Haec quotiescumque etc. (Ordo Rom. XIV, c. 53).
↩Verba praetacta, videlicet “Haec quotiescumque...”, ut ait Bernardus, omni affectu plenissima sunt, et fidelem ac vere christianum animum vehementer inflammant, suntque a sacerdote celebrante cum ingenti devotione ac mentis sapore promenda, et proh dolor! miserabilem sacerdotem, qui haec verba sine memoria ineffabilis atque eximiae dilectionis atque acerbissimae mortis Christi pronuntiat atque sine cordiali affectu effundit: imo veraciter haec verba non solum tempore celebrationis, sed frequentissime nobis sunt cogitanda, revolvenda et amplectenda. His quippe verbis jubemur a Christo, non sine actuali devotione celebrare, sed cum diligenti divinorum beneficiorum recordatione (Dion. Carth. Expos. Missae art. 29).
↩Sanguis seorsum consecratus a corpore expressius repraesentat passionem Christi, et ideo potius in consecratione sanguinis fit mentio de passione Christi et fructu ipsius, quam in consecratione corporis (S. Thom. l. c. ad 7).
↩There He is, indeed; He is present; the word has had its effect; there Jesus is as truly present as He was when on the Cross, where He appeared for us by the sacrifice of Himself (Hebr. 9,26); as truly present as He is in heaven, where He again appears for us before the face of God (Hebr. 9, 24). This consecration, this holy ceremony, this worship full of blood, and yet unbloody, where death is everywhere, and where, nevertheless, the Victim is alive, is the true worship of Christians; falling under the senses and spiritual, simple and august, humble and magnificent at the same time (Bossuet, Médit. sur l’Évang. I. P., 63e jour).
↩Angelo Mai published a beautiful Missa picta Graecorum from the Greek Codex of the Vatican Library. The seventh picture contains a representation of the moment of Consecration. The consecrating priest is entirely enveloped in fire and flames: at one side of him stands a deacon with a book and on the other a venerable old man with a staff—the spectator of this mysterious vision. Above the priest appears the Consecrated Host, that is, Christ in the form of a child, with uplifted hands, encompassed with fire, surrounded by Cherubim and Seraphim, as well as other adoring angels. (Cfr. Nova PP. biblioth. tom. VI, p. 2, imag. 7, p. 590). — Saint Hildegarde, that great seer of the twelfth century, writes (Scivias II, 6): “I saw also, when the priest, robed in the sacred vestments, advanced to the altar to celebrate the Divine Mysteries, that suddenly a great radiance and a retinue of angels came down from heaven, encircling the entire altar, and remaining there until the mystery was accomplished, and the priest had retired from the altar. But when the Gospel of peace had been read, and the Sacrificial Gifts, which were to be consecrated, had been placed on the altar, and the priest sang the praise of Almighty God, which is as follows: ‘Holy, holy, holy is the Lord, God of Sabaoth,’ and thus began the unspeakable mysteries: then descended suddenly a fiery lightning of indescribable brilliancy from the open heavens down upon the Sacrificial Gift, flooding it entirely with its brightness, as the light of the sun lights up every thing, which it penetrates with its rays (repente ignea coruscatio inaestimabilis claritatis aperto coelo super eandem oblationem descendit et eam totam sua claritate ita perfundit, ut solaris lux rem illam illustrat, quam radiis suis transfigit). And while the fiery lightning illumined in this manner the oblations, it carried them in an invisible way upward into the privacy of heaven, and brought them down again upon the altar; as a man draws his breath inwardly and then exhales it outwardly,—thus did that Sacrificial Gift, after it had become the true Body and the true Blood of Christ, although to the eyes of men they appeared as bread and wine. And as I saw that, there appeared at the same time the signs of the birth, the passion and burial, as well as the Resurrection and Ascension of our Saviour, the Incarnate God, as in a mirror, as they took place in the Son of God when upon earth,” that is, Christ becomes present on the earthly altar as Highpriest, together with the whole work of redemption. (Cfr. Schmelzeis, Das Leben und Wirken der hl. Hildegardis S. 371 etc.)
↩St. Chrysostom, On the Priesthood, III. volume, chap. 4.
↩The adoration of the Eucharistic Body and Blood of Christ during the sacrificial celebration was always customary in the Church. Cfr. Muratori, Dissertat. de reb. liturg. c. 19.) — Carnem Christi in mysteriis adoramus (S. Ambr. De Spir. sancto l. 3, c. 11, n. 79. Cfr. S. Aug. Enarr. in Ps. 98, n. 9). This adoration in the course of time differed ritually. According to the Roman Ordines and the Middle Age writers, up to the twelfth century mainly the bowing (inclinatio) of the head, or of the body, was prescribed as the sign and expression of adoration. Inclinato capite pontifex vel diaconus salutat Sancta (the holy Body of Christ) (Ordo Rom. I, n. 8). Pontifex inclinato capite ad altare primo adorat Sancta (Ordo Rom. II, n. 4). During the entire Canon the clerics maintained an adoring posture—permanent inclinati (Ordo Rom. I, n. 16; II, n. 10; III, n. 15). Acclines manent orationi intenti (Consuet. Cluniac. l. 2, c. 30). — Post finitum hymnum: Sanctus... inclinant se circumstantes, venerando divinam majestatem cum angelis et Domini incarnationem cum turba et inclinati perseverant, usque dum finiatur omnis praesens Oratio (the Canon) (Hildeb. Turon. De expos. Missae). Not until the end of the Canon were the Host and chalice elevated by the priest, respectively also by the deacon, and shown to the people for adoration. Cum dicimus: “Per omnia saecula saeculorum,” corpus cum calice levamus et statim in altari deposita cooperimus (Microl. c. 17). The heresy of Berengarius († 1088) may have been the external occasion for the introduction of the rite of the Elevation immediately after the Consecration. It first came into use after the twelfth century (first in France), and then in the thirteenth century it was generally spread, because it was well calculated publicly and solemnly to confess the faith in transsubstantiation and in the real presence of Christ in the Blessed Sacrament. In many churches for a long time the Host alone was raised; in others the chalice also (in some places veiled with the pall, in others uncovered). — The Ceremoniale Roman. (Ordo Rom. XIII) published under Gregory X († 1276) has (n. 19) the rubric: In elevatione corporis Christi... prosternant se ad terram et adorent reverenter in facies cadendo et sic prostrati stent usque ad “per omnia...” ante “Agnus Dei”. The Fourteenth Roman Ordo describes (c. 53) the rite more accurately. After the priest has said the words of Consecration over the bread, ipse primo adoret inclinato capite sacrum divinum corpus; deinde reverenter et attente ipsum elevet in altum adorandum a populo... inclinato paululum capite adoret sacrum Domini sanguinem et elevet adorandum a populo... nec oportet, quod vel corpus vel sanguinem diu teneat elevatum, sed post brevem moram deponat, ita tamen quod elevationes et depositiones faciat cum debita reverentia et maturitate. Accordingly, in the fourteenth century the celebrant did not genuflect at, or after the consecration. — At the same time with this Elevation the practice was also introduced of summoning those present by a small bell and those absent by the ringing of the large bell to the adoration at the Elevation. In elevatione utriusque (sc. hostiae et calicis) squilla pulsatur (Durand. l. 4, c. 41, n. 53). Ivo of Chartres says, that we ring the bell quando illa singularis hostia pro nobis redimendis in ara crucis oblata per novi sacerdotii ministros in Domini mensa quotidie consecratur (Epist. 142). — The Elevation rite is rendered more impressive in Missa solemni by the use of lights and incense. Several acolytes appear with torches (intortitia), and the thurifer incenses the Host and chalice while they are being elevated. The burning of the light as well as the consuming of the incense is a token and expression of devout adoration and worship rising heavenward. The incensing at this place occurs already at the close of the fourteenth century. — The faithful recite at the Elevation, in most humble deportment, various aspirations, usually making the sign of the Cross and, in token of interior compunction, striking their breast. (Cfr. Berthold v. Chiemsee, Keligpuchel Kap. 20, No. 7. 8.) — Campanula in Missis pulsanda est etiam in Oratoriis privatis (S. R. C. 18. Jul. 1885).
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