The Rite of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass

69. The Last Preparatory Prayers for Communion¹⁰⁶⁶1066Ante-Tridental Missals have many kinds of private prayers for the priest before and after Communion. (Cfr. Martene, De antiq. Eccles. ritib. l. 1, c. 4, a. 9). — Micrologus (in the eleventh century) and Radulphus de Rivo, Dean of Tongern (in the fourteenth), mention only the prayer: Domine J. Chr., qui ex voluntate Patris .... — Orationem, quam inclinati dicimus, antequam communicemus, non ex Ordine, sed ex religiosorum traditione habemus, scil. hanc: “Domine J. Chr., qui ex voluntate Patris . . . .” Sunt et aliae multae orationes, quas quidem ad pacem et communionem privatim frequentant, sed diligentiores antiquiorum observatores nos in hujusmodi privatis orationibus brevitati studere docuerent potiusque publicis precibus in officio Missae occupari voluerunt (Microlog. c. 18). — Cfr. Radulph. Tungren. De canonum observantia c. 33. — In the 14. Roman Ordo (c. 71) the other Communion prayer (Perceptio corporis . . . .) is also inserted. — Clichtoveus († 1543) mentions the three Communion prayers of our Missal and adds: et alias pro arbitrio et pia devotione aut ritu suae ecclesiae dicere potest qui Missam celebrat.

The two following prayers serve as a proximate preparation for Holy Communion. At hand, quite near, is the moment of the most intimate, blessed union of the priest with the Body and Blood, with the soul and divinity of the Eucharistic Victim. Boundless, indescribable treasures of salvation and grace are concealed in the Eucharist: why then do we not daily become richer in the goods of heaven? Why do we remain so destitute of solid virtue, so full of imperfection, weakness and frailty? No doubt, for the most part, this is due to our preparation and thanksgiving for Communion being so short and careless, so defective and lukewarm. The Lord would pour out upon us the plenitude of blessing, but we check the current of His liberality, because we do not more carefully prepare and guard the soil of our heart; because we are so slothful, distracted and unmortified even during those sacred moments in which the King of Heaven and Earth enters into our dwelling and there abides. On the contrary, the greater our solicitude, the more ardent our fervor, before, during and after Communion, the more bounteous will be the measure of the gifts of grace wherewith the Saviour will enrich our poverty. Holy Communion draws near—; but the work is great, since a dwelling is prepared not for man but for God (1 Par. 29, 1).

1. Hence the priest continues to pray, while his eyes and heart are altogether engrossed in loving meditation on the Victim lying before him:

This prayer, as solid and comprehensive as it is brief and simple, must, indeed, in the first place and principally, be referred to the approaching Communion, but not exclusively so; for the words “by This Thy most sacred Body and Blood,” together with the petition thereto annexed, have so general a meaning that they may, at the same time, be referred to the Sacrifice of the Mass, and likewise be understood of the fruits of the Sacrifice. This is also the case with many prayers after the Communion. The petition for gaining the fruits of the Eucharistic Communion and Sacrifice is highly appropriate here. For we may assume that the priest, who celebrates worthily, obtains at least a portion of the sacrificial fruits which fall to him at the moment in which the Sacrifice is finished and completed, that is, during the act of Communion.¹⁰⁶⁸1068Probabile est, celebrantem bene dispositum tunc sacrificii fructum, saltem aliquem percipere, quando percipit fructum sacramenti, h. e. in communione, quando sacrificium jam perfecte completur (Sylvius III, q. 83, art. 1, quaer. 2, concl. 4 ad 8).

St. Peter once addressed to the Lord this solemn profession of faith: “Thou art Christ the Son of the living God” (Matth. 16, 14). He saw only His humanity and confessed His divinity; therefore, he was called “blessed” by the Lord, his faith was praised and rewarded. On the altar Christ’s divinity and humanity are concealed from mortal vision, and yet the priest confesses both with a faith that is as firm as a rock and immovable at the moment of receiving the God-Man: “Lord Jesus Christ, Son of the living God”—Domine Jesu Christe, Fili Dei vivi. — But not only does he confess the divinely human dignity of Jesus Christ, but, moreover, His most sublime, divine and human grand act—namely, the restoring to life of a world dead in sin, by His propitiatory sacrificial death for our redemption (per mortem tuam mundum vivificasti). With special predilection the Church extols the wonderful mystery, that Jesus Christ, who is the life, the source and the author of all life, should suffer death and by His death destroy our death, that is, regain for us the life of grace and glory (Vita mortem pertulit et morte vitam protulit—Hymn. Pass.). “O Almighty God,” thus she prays on Wednesday in Holy Week, “grant to our heart and sense a lively hope, that through the temporal death of Thy Son (per temporalem Filii tui mortem), which (quam) these adorable mysteries represent and announce, Thou hast given us life eternal” (vitam perpetuam). — The work of redemption was accomplished by Christ according to the will of His Father, by the co-operation of the Holy Ghost (ex voluntate Patris, cooperante Spiritu sancto).¹⁰⁶⁹1069Qui sacrosanctam Christi Domini meditatur incarnationem, ejusque miras operationes et amarissimam passionem propter nos homines, et propter nostram salutem ac instructionem, nonne statim gratias aget toti sanctissimae Trinitati mysterium hoc operanti, et singulis specialiter personis? Patri quidem, qui “sic dilexit mundum, ut Filium suum unigenitum daret”, qui ut servum redimeret, tradidit Filium; Filio etiam, qui tam arduum et difficile, propter amorem creaturae, munus redemptoris suscepit: et Spiritui sancto, qui principaliter, tamquam amoris principium, ad hoc mysterium concurrisse dicitur (Philipp. a ss. Trinitate, Summa theol. mystic. I, p. 1. tr. 1, disc. 3, art. 5). The Father did not spare His only-begotten Son, but placed upon Him the sins of the world and presented to Him the bitter chalice of the passion; through love for the Father, Christ became obedient, obedient even unto the death of the cross (Phil. 2,8). The Holy Ghost, who had formed His sacred Body in the womb of the immaculate Virgin, at the same time breathed into Him the most ardent love of sacrifice, in order that He might sacrifice Himself for us unto death; for “by the Holy Ghost (per Spiritum sanctum) has Jesus Christ, therefore, offered Himself unspotted unto God the Father” (Heb. 9, 14).¹⁰⁷⁰1070The Father willed, decreed, ordained the passion and death of His Son; the Son executed this divine plan of salvation in that He assumed human nature and voluntarily suffered death: this mighty sacrifice of His life on the part of Christ was an act of obedience which emanated from His love of the Father and of the salvation of mankind; but this love and this obedience of His human will were infused by the Holy Ghost. — Hoc ipsum quod Christus obedivit, processit ex dilectione quam habuit ad Patrem et ad nos (S. Thom. In Epist. ad Rom. c. 5, lect. 5). — Christus passus est ex caritate et obedientia, quia et praecepta caritatis ex obedientia implevit et obediens fuit ex dilectione ad Patrem praecipientem (S. Thom. 3, q. 47, a. 2 ad 3). — Causa quare Christus sanguinem suum fudit, fuit Spiritus sanctus, cujus motu et instinctu, scil. caritate Dei et proximi, hoc fecit (S. Thom. In Epist. ad Hebr. c. 9, lect. 3).

Christ’s redeeming death, or work of redemption, is mystically renewed and perpetuated on the altar; for as often as we eat the Eucharistic Bread and drink of the Eucharistic Chalice, we show the death of the Lord, until He come (1 Cor. 11, 26). What graces do we here implore in virtue of the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ, sacrificed for us and about to be received by us? On the one hand, deliverance from all that oppresses us; on the other, the granting of all that may conduce to our happiness. — The first petition refers more to the Sacrifice than to the Sacrament of the Eucharist; for as a sacrifice of propitiation and petition does the Eucharist chiefly effect for us deliverance from all our sins and from all evils (ab omnibus iniquitatibus meis et universis malis). The second petition, on the contrary, refers rather to the Sacrament than to the Sacrifice of the Eucharist; for as a Sacrament it is mainly a powerful means of keeping the divine commandments and of being indissolubly united to Christ (fac me tuis semper inhaerere mandatis et a te numquam separari permittas). Among the effects of the Eucharist, final perseverance in good is also reckoned. Frequent, devout Communion is, according to the Fathers and Doctors, to be regarded as a mark of predestination. For he that often and worthily communicates will avoid sin, increase in the love of God, become enriched with good works, and advance in the way of divine commandments unto the end, that is, he will make his calling and election sure (2 Peter 1, 10), and thus he will be preserved from the loss of eternal salvation. The Eucharistic food is the bread of the strong; it refreshes and strengthens the earthly pilgrim on his painful journey to the eternal home in heaven. “Suffer me never to be separated from Thee, O Jesus!” How touching is this petition at the moment in which the soul celebrates the most intimate espousals with her Divine Bridegroom! “What can the world without Jesus impart to thee? To be without Jesus is a bitter hell; to be with Jesus, a sweet paradise.” We could in no wise do without Jesus: we need Him at every step and at each moment. Always to feel this great need of Jesus, is the wisdom and the joy of life. There is something delightful in this feeling of utter dependence on Jesus. No loss can be comparable to the loss of Jesus; no sorrow, to the sorrow of being separated from Jesus by grievous sin. Worthy Communion delivers us from this misfortune.

2. The other prayer, as simple as it is efficacious and solid, refers directly and exclusively to Holy Communion.

Here in the first place the priest humbly confesses his own unworthiness; then with fervor he represents the petition to the Saviour, that He would at all times avert from him the misfortune of an unworthy Communion and apply to him the plentiful blessings of a worthy Communion.

“The Bread of Angels becomes the food of man. O miracle! wonderful thing! the poor, the servant, the lowly, receives his Lord” (Hymn. Eccl.). On this the priest reflects; hence it animates him to an humble acknowledgment that he is not worthy to receive the Most Holy Body of our Lord (quod ego indignus sumere praesumo).¹⁰⁷¹1071Praesumptio interdum accipitur pro abundanti fiducia (Dion. Carthus. Expos. prol. Sent.) — Praesumere = to presume, to venture. Well does he know the admonition of the Apostle: “But let a man prove himself, and so let him eat of that bread and drink of the chalice” (1 Cor. 11, 28); therefore, he guards against approaching the table of the Lord laden with grievous sin, that is, with that unworthiness of which it is said: “Whosoever shall eat this bread or drink the chalice of the Lord unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and of the blood of the Lord—; for he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh judgment to himself” (1 Cor. 11, 27, 29). Such an unworthiness as would make the Communion sacrilegious, is self-evidently not intended by the acknowledgment of the priest. Here the unworthiness in question presupposes rather freedom from mortal sin, that is, that the soul is in a state of grace. It consists only in the want of perfect worthiness, that is, in the partly inculpable, partly culpable absence of that great purity, reverence, love and devotion which is a becoming requisite for the reception of the ineffably worthy, sublime and holy Sacrament of the Altar. The frailty of human nature and the weakness of the human will are so great that our disposition almost invariably remains defective, that is, it is less perfect than it could and should be. If a man has done all in his power, if he has prepared himself as carefully as possible, then indeed we say, and justly, that he is worthy to receive Holy Communion. But this does not prevent his regarding and confessing himself as unworthy of so great a grace; it is precisely this humble avowal of our own unworthiness that is required to make us in some degree worthy of Holy Communion. Therefore, although the sentiment of holy fear and reverence keeps us from the table of the Lord, still it is better, especially for the priest, to celebrate and to receive the holy mysteries through love and with confidence. However, in sentiments of holy and salutary fear he should at all times prepare himself, and that so much the more carefully, the oftener he has the grace and happiness to approach the Eucharistic Banquet.¹⁰⁷²1072Dico, quod ceteris paribus multo melius sit ex caritate et zelo boni communis accedere, quam ex humilitate et timore cessare, praesertim cum sacramentum istud sit sacramentum totius caritatis, liberalitatis ac gratiae, medicinaque animae. Et dato, quod quis tam meritorie quoad se abstineret, sicut accederet: tamen multo fructuosius est accedere per comparationem ad alios: quia devote accedens multipliciter succurrit non sibi dumtaxat, sed et toti ecclesiae, et vivis ac mortuis, specialiter quoque adstantibus et eis, pro quibus sacrificat ac deposcit. Quamvis autem nullus sit absolute dignus celebrare aut communicare per considerationem ad infinitam dignitatem Christi, et quoad suae deitatis majestatem nec non etiam per respectum ad suae assumptae humanitatis sanctitatem et honorabilitatem, tamen secundum quandam proportionabilitatem dignus est homo, si cum debita diligentia, custodia, humilitate, munditia et fervore se praeparet atque accedat. Verumtamen, qui accedunt quotidie, studeant tanto ferventius quanto frequentius tanta mysteria pertractare et coram Altissimo jugiter mundi ac fructuosi consistere (Dion. Carthus. IV, dist. 12, q. 5).

To receive the Blessed Sacrament with impure mouth and heart, that is, to make an unworthy Communion, is one of the most grievous and greatest of sacrileges and, consequently, it draws down on the guilty person a severe chastisement from God. Full of humble distrust in himself, on account of his oft-experienced weakness and infidelity, the priest implores the Lord to keep far away and avert from him the outrage and curse of a sacrilegious Communion, that he may not be judged and condemned (non mihi proveniat in judicium et condemnationem).¹⁰⁷³1073Judicium (κρίσις, κρῖμα) is often = condemnatio (κατάκρισις), for example, 1 Cor. 11, 29 judicium sibi manducat et bibit, but here it can be taken in the sense of a legal proceeding, a process, and be distinguished from condemnatio = final condemnatory judgment. Cfr. the petition in the Office of the Dead: dum veneris judicare, noli me condemnare. Or also: judicium = judicial condemnation; condemnatio (from damnum, damage, loss, injury) = the sentence of the judge, punishment, chastisement. — Da quaesumus Domine, ut tanti mysterii munus indultum non condemnatio, sed sit medicina sumentibus (Sacr. Gelas.). Similar petitions are found in liturgical formulas. Such a request on the part of the priest is so much the better founded and appropriate, the more weighty the responsibility of being permitted to partake daily of this precious Heavenly Food, and the greater the danger that frequent reception of the Blessed Sacrament may incur, if through routine, carelessness and tepidity, he easily pave the way to an unworthy Communion.

Confiding in the paternal goodness of the Saviour, the priest continues to pray that the Holy Communion may become rather a source of blessing to him (sed pro tua pietate prosit mihi). The word pietas designates the divine condescension, goodness, mildness, mercy toward man.¹⁰⁷⁴1074The expressions pius and pietas are, after the example of Holy Scripture (cfr. 2 Paralip. 30, 9; Judith 7, 20; Eccli. 2, 13) in the liturgy (especially in the prayers), by a particular preference applied to God. Cfr., for instance, in festo S. Matthiae: “Deus .... tribue . . . . ut tuae circa nos pietatis semper viscera sentiamus. — Quos tuos efficis, Domine, tua pietate circumtege (Sacrament. Leonian.). — Haec (sc. pietas) perfecta virtus in hominibus, haec plena in Deo laus est. (S. Ambros. In Ps. 118 Serm. 18, n. 46). How unutterably great does this condescending goodness and mercy of the Saviour appear in the crib, on the Cross, on the altar! Everywhere He conceals His majesty and shows Himself only as the Good Shepherd and Heavenly Physician who has come to seek and to heal us, as well as to inflame our hearts in return with childlike, grateful love. — Now by this merciful goodness, thus prays the priest, may the Lord be pleased to grant that His holy Body may be profitable to those who receive it, “to the protection and health both of soul and body” (ad tutamentum mentis et corporis—et ad medelam percipiendam).¹⁰⁷⁵1075Similar petitions often occur—especially in the Post-Communions—for example, per coelestia alimenta contra omnia adversa muniamur—perceptione sacramenti ab hostium liberemur insidiis—hoc sacramentum sit fortitudo fragilium, sit contra omnia mundi pericula firmamentum—sacri dona mysterii in nostrae proficiat infirmitatis auxilium—per haec sacramenta, quidquid in nostra mente vitiosum est, ipsorum medicationis dono curetur. Protection and health of soul and body—these words include the whole wealth of the sacramental grace of the Eucharistic Banquet.¹⁰⁷⁶1076Sentiamus, quaesumus Domine, tui perceptione sacramenti, subsidium mentis et corporis: ut in utroque salvati, coelestis remedii plenitudine gloriemur (Postcomm. Dom. XI. post Pent.). — Medicina sacramenti et corporibus nostris prosit et mentibus (Postcomm. in fest. SS. Mart. Viti ... 15. Jun.). — Sit nobis, Domine, reparatio mentis et corporis coeleste mysterium (Dom. VIII. post Pent.). The life of a true Christian is a continual combat between grace and nature, between spirit and flesh, between virtue and vice. Without intermission we must struggle against the interior and the exterior, the visible and the invisible enemies of our soul; for we are surrounded by the weaknesses and temptations of sensual nature, by the attacks and allurements of this sinful world, by the snares and deceits of the devil. Now the Holy Eucharist, in this warfare of salvation, is, on the one hand, a strong and powerful weapon of defence by which we are enabled to victoriously overcome all assaults; and on the other, it is an aromatic and sanitary medicine, to heal anew the injuries suffered and the wounds received.¹⁰⁷⁷1077Sacramentum hoc est vigorosissima medicina contra reliquias vitiorum, contra concupiscentiam saevientem, contra venialia quotidianasque culpas, et contra mortalia peccata oblita, et singulari modo valet contra universa animae vulnera (Dion. Carthus. De sacram. altar. art. 7).

Holy Communion preserves and protects the life of grace in the children of God, that it may not die in the death of sin; for one of its effects is preservation from mortal sin. The Lord Himself declared that whosoever would eat of the Eucharistic Bread, should not die (John 6, 50)—that is, he should not die the death of the soul by sin. The world drinks in sin like water, the enemy lies in ambush and everywhere dangers threaten, so that we must work out our salvation in fear and trembling. How consoling and tranquillizing, therefore, is the thought that in the Bread of the Strong we have so powerful a means of protection against the facility and danger of sinning, of being separated from God and of forfeiting His grace! — Thus the Eucharist protects the life of grace principally in this, that, as a supernatural food, it imparts perfect health of soul and refreshment of heart. It strengthens the spiritual life; for it increases sanctifying grace, awakens and fortifies the supernatural virtues—above all, charity, but also faith and hope, purity and devotion, humility and meekness, patience and perseverance. Thus it impels to good works, bestows upon us earnestness and fervor to consecrate and devote ourselves with generosity to the service of God. — Holy Communion at the same time leads a stream of heavenly joy, pleasure and bliss into the well disposed and susceptible heart of the recipient. The Eucharistic Banquet, already here below, replenishes and refreshes the soul with a foretaste of the happiness of heaven—with sweetness and bliss, with peace and serenity, with vigor and animation, whereby we overcome all the dangers and obstacles to salvation. — The Holy Eucharist, therefore, possesses in the highest degree power to conduct us to eternal glory. It is the pledge of future glory and an unfailing guarantee of celestial bliss. It is the fountain of living waters that issue forth from life eternal. Hence the Church teaches us to pray: “Grant, O Lord, we beseech Thee, that we may be satiated with the eternal enjoyment of Thy divine glory, prefigured by the temporal reception of Thy precious Body and Blood. ”

To the protection of the supernatural life of the soul, the Eucharist contributes not only directly, inasmuch as it imparts stability and perseverance in good; but also indirectly, in so far as it heals spiritual infirmities and frailties and restores to perfect health. The soul that is still weak and tepid, may be wholly cured, may become strong and healthy by means of the heavenly medicine of the Holy Sacrament of the Altar, which cleanses from venial sins, destroys rebellious sensuality, weakens inclinations and aversions, diminishes the perverse love of the world and of self.

Consequently, the Eucharist affords to the supernatural life of the soul protection and healing; but to the body also do its effects of grace extend directly as well as indirectly. The soul is the recipient of grace and salvation, through the soul and for the sake of the soul supernatural gifts are also imparted to the body¹⁰⁷⁸1078Quia sacramenta operantur salutem quam significant, ideo secundum quandam assimilationem dicitur quod in hoc Sacramento corpus offertur pro salute corporis et sanguis pro salute animae, quamvis utrumque ad salutem utriusque operetur, cum sub utroque totus sit Christus. Et licet corpus non sit immediatum subjectum gratiae, ex anima tamen redundat effectus gratiae ad corpus, dum in praesenti membra nostra exhibemus arma justitiae Deo (Rom. c. 6; et in future corpus nostrum sortietur incorruptionem et gloriam animae (S. Thom. 3, q. 79, a. 1 ad 3). (in its way). — If, therefore, in Holy Communion sanctifying grace, together with the infused virtues and the gifts of the Holy Ghost, is increased, and if in addition sacramental graces of light and strength are imparted, that we may remain in Christ and Christ in us, that is, that in time we may persevere in the life of grace and in eternity attain to the life of glory, then the body too is benefited thereby, at least indirectly, because the superabundance of grace in a certain degree flows from the soul into the body. Holy Communion, by inflaming the heart with ardent love and heavenly aspirations, by averting dangers of salvation and giving protection against temptations, by imparting more abundant grace for energetic resistance against the attacks of the enemy, diminishes at least indirectly the empire of sensuality. But we may go still further and assume that the most holy and most pure Body of Christ suppresses and curbs also directly in the body of the worthy communicant the temptations and inclinations to concupiscence. — Inasmuch as the miraculous Eucharistic Food thus preserves the body chaste and unsullied, it disposes and preserves it for the glorious resurrection. To this must be added another aspect. In Holy Communion we receive Christ’s Body and Blood into our heart, that is, we are not merely by faith, charity and grace united spiritually, but also corporally with Christ and, in consequence thereof, in a more perfect sense we become members of the Body of Christ, bone of His bone and flesh of His flesh, as it were, one body and one blood with Christ (concorporei and consanguinei).¹⁰⁷⁹1079Cfr. S. Cyrill. Hierosol. Catech. myst. 4, c. 1. Since by Christ’s Body and Blood the personality of the devout communicant is elevated and ennobled, consecrated and sanctified, Christ cherishes, loves and esteems it, thus to speak, as His own, for it is in a special manner espoused to and possessed by Him. This aspect gives a new claim to the glorification of the body at the general resurrection; for also in the worthy reception of the glorified Body there lies a reason for the Lord to “ reform the body of our lowness and make it like to the body of His glory” (Phil. 3, 21). The eternal glorification of the body is, consequently, already here below prepared and established through the cure and sanctification imparted to mortal flesh by the heavenly Eucharistic Food.

By Holy Communion, therefore, the soul and body of man are healed of every weakness and frailty, and are preserved and safeguarded for life eternal.¹⁰⁸⁰1080Actualis consecutio gloriae peculiari quadam ratione est et dicitur effectus hujus sacramenti. Id quod non solum ad animae, sed etiam corporis beatitudinem referendum est, ut eo scil. novo titulo unionis cujusdam corporis nostri cum corpore Christi, dignius praeparentur corpora communicantium ad dotes corporales in resurrectione futuras, idque veluti participatione quadam et incohatione quasi in semine, qua justis etiam in hac vita communicatur agilitas quaedam et vigor ad studiosa opera simulque mundities ex assistentia divini auxilii et aliud quid simile dotibus, per quod caro, imminuto in dies fomite, promptius obediat spiritui et quasi spiritualis reddatur, eo fere sensu, quo 1 Cor. c. 15 post resurrectionem corpus dicitur fore spirituale quoad effectum, quia perfecte obediet spiritui. Eodemque sensu in Catech. Rom. p. 2, c. 4, q. 41 dicitur sacrae Eucharistiae summam vim esse ad aeternam gloriam comparandam hujusque sacramenti gratia fideles, dum hanc vitam degunt, summa conscientiae pace et tranquillitate perfrui, ejusque virtute recreatos non secus atque Elias, qui subcinericii panis fortitudine ambulavit usque ad montem Dei Horeb, cum ex hac vita migrandi tempus advenit, ad aeternam gloriam et beatitudinem ascendere (Tanner disp. 5, q. 7, dub. 1, n. 8).