The Priest here leaves you to ascend to the altar; but first he salutes you:

V. The Lord be with you. V. Dominus vobiscum.

Answer him with reverence:

B. And with thy spirit. R. Et cum spiritu tuo.

He ascends the steps, and comes to the Holy of Holies. Ask, both for him and yourself, the deliverance from sin :

LET US PRAY.

Take from our hearts, O Lord, all those sins, which make us unworthy to appear in thy presence, we ask this of thee by thy divine Son, our

Lord.

OREMUS.

Aufer a nobis quæsumus, Domine, iniquitates nostras; ut ad Sancta sanctorum puris mereamur mentibus introire. Per Christum Dominum nostrum. Amen.

When the Priest kisses the altar, out of reverence for the relics of the Martyrs which are there, say:

Generous soldiers of Jesus Christ, who have mingled your own blood with his, intercede for us that our sins may be forgiven: that so we may, like you, approach unto God.

Oramus te, Domine, per merita sanctorum tuorum, quorum reliquiæ hic sunt, et omnium sanctorum: ut indulgere digneris omnia peccata mea. Amen.

If it be a High Mass at which you are assisting, the Priest incenses the Altar in a most solemn manner; and this white cloud, which you see ascending from every part of the Altar, signifies the prayer of the Church, who addresses herself to Jesus Christ; and which this Divine Mediator then causes to

ascend, united with his own, to the throne of the majesty of his Father.

The Priest then says the Introit. It is a solemn opening-anthem, in which the Church, at the very commencement of the Holy Sacrifice, gives expression to the sentiments which fill her heart.

It is followed by nine exclamations, which are even more earnest, for they ask for mercy. In addressing them to God, the Church unites herself with the nine choirs of Angels, who are standing round the altar of Heaven, one and the same as this before which you are kneeling.

Then, mingling his voice with that of the heavenly host, the Priest intones the sublime Canticle of Bethlehem, which announces glory to God, and peace to men. Instructed by the revelations of God, the Church continues, in her own words, the Hymn of the Angels. She celebrates, with rapture, the Lamb of God, who taketh away the sins of the world; and, as it were, in return for the humiliations he suffered, in his Passion, she proclaims that He alone is Holy,

He alone is Lord, He alone Most-High.

Enter,

Christians, into these sentiments of profound adoration, confidence, and tender love, towards the Paschal Lamb.

THE ANGELIC HYMN.

Glory be to God on high, and on earth peace to men of good will.

We praise thee: we bless thee : we adore thee we glorify thee: we give thee thanks for thy great glory.

O Lord God, Heavenly King, God the Father Almighty.

Ŏ Lord Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son.

O Lord God, Lamb of God, Son of the Father.

Who takest away the sins of the world, have mercy on us.

Who takest away the sins of the world, receive our humble prayer.

Who sittest at the right hand of the Father, have mercy on us.

For thou alone art holy, thou alone art Lord, thou alone, O Jesus Christ, together with the Holy Ghost, art most high, in the glory of God the Father. Amen.

Gloria in excelsis Deo, et in terra pax hominibus bone voluntatis.

Laudamus te: benedicimus te adoramus te: glorificamus te: gratias agimus tibi propter magnam gloriam

tuam.

Domine Deus Rex cœlestis, Deus Pater omnipotens.

Domine, Fili unigenite, Jesu Christe.

Domine Deus, Agnus Dei, Filius Patris.

Qui tollis peccata mundi, miserere nobis.

Qui tollis peccata mundi, suscipe deprecationem nostram.

Qui sedes ad dexteram Patris, miserere nobis.

Quoniam tu solus sanctus, tu solus Dominus, tu solus Altissimus, Jesu Christe, cum Sancto Spiritu, in gloria Dei Patris. Amen.

The Priest then turns towards the people, and again salutes them, as it were to make sure of their pious attention to the sublime act, for which all this is but the preparation.

Then follows the Collect or Prayer, in which the Church formally expresses to the divine Majesty the special intentions she has in the Mass which is being

celebrated. You may unite in this prayer, by reciting with the Priest the Collects which you will find in their proper places: but on no account omit to join with the server of the Mass in answering Amen.

After this, comes the Epistle, which is, generally, a portion of one or other of the Epistles of the Apostles, or a passage from some Book of the Old Testament. Whilst it is being read, ask of God that you may profit of the instructions it conveys.

The Gradual is an intermediate formula of prayer between the Epistle and Gospel. It again brings to us the sentiments already expressed in the Introit. Read it with devotion, that so you may enter more and more into the spirit of the mystery proposed to you by the Church.

During Paschal Time, the Gradual is not said, except for the first six days: we have elsewhere explained the reason of this exception. On all other days of the Season, the interval between Epistle and Gospel is filled up by two Verses, to each of which is added Alleluia, the word that is now ceaselessly on the Church's lips. After the fifty days of Paschal joy, the Gradual will be resumed in the Liturgy.

Next follows the Gospel. It was the Holy Ghost who guided the four Evangelists; their Gospel, which is our light and life, is one of the fruits of the glorious Pentecost. Let us prepare for hearing the words of our Risen Lamb: it is he himself that is about to speak to us, as he did to his Disciples, when he appeared to them during the days between hist Resurrection and Ascension.

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

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

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

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

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

Per

nos

Dominus sit in corde meo, et in labiis meis: ut digne et competenter annuntiem Evangelium suum: In nomine Patris, et Filii, et Spiritus Sancti. Amen.

You will stand during the Gospel, as though you were waiting the orders of your Lord; and at the commencement, make the sign of the Cross on your forehead, lips, and breast; and then listen to every word of the Priest or Deacon. Let your heart be ready and obedient. Whilst my beloved was speaking, says the Spouse in the Canticle, my soul melted within me. If you have not such love as this, have at least the humble submission of Samuel, and say: Speak, Lord! thy servant heareth.2

After the Gospel, if the Priest says the Symbol of Faith, the Credo, you will say it with him. Faith is that gift of God, without which we cannot please him. It is Faith that initiates us into the sublime Easter Mysteries, which divinise our whole life, and put us in possession of the good things of eternity. Like the holy women at the Sepulchre, let us believe with a lively and simple faith. Let us not wait for experience, as Thomas did; for our Lord has said: 2 I. Kings, iii. 10.

1 Cant. v. 6.