us, apply to us the merits of thy precious blood; O Holy Ghost, the Sanctifier, descend into our hearts, and inflame them with thy love. Lord, have mercy on us. The Gloria in Excelsis. 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. O 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 prayers. Who sittest at the right hand of the Father, have mercy on us. For thou only art holy; thou only art the Lord; thou only, O Jesus Christ, with the Holy Ghost, art most high in the glory of God the Father. Amen. [This being a hymn of joy, is omitted in Masses for the Dead, and in Advent and Lent, except on Saints' days.j The Priest then having turned to the people, and said : Dominus vobiscum, The Lord be with you, to which the clerk answers, Et cum spiritu tuo, And with thy spirit, goes to the book and reads the collects. A Prayer at the Collects. O LORD, vouchsafe favourably to hear the prayers which thy Priest offers to thee for the Church and for me. I earnestly beseech thee to grant me those graces and virtues of which I have need, in order to deserve thy love. Fill my heart with eternal gratitude for all the blessings which thou hast conferred upon me, with a lively horror of sin, and with perfect charity towards my neighbour. Make my whole life worthy of one who is thy child. I deserve not to be heard for my own sake, O my God, but I beseech thy mercy through the infinite merits of thy divine Son, O divine Jesus, inexhaustible fountain of all good things, open to us, we beseech thee, the interior of thy Heart, that having entered, by pious meditation, into this august sanctuary of divine love, we may fix for ever there our hearts, as the place wherein are found the treasure, the repose, and the happiness of holy souls. A Prayer at the Epistle. THOU hast vouchsafed, O Lord, to teach us thy sacred truths by the prophets and apostles, grant that we may so improve by their doctrine and examples in the love of thy holy name, and of thy holy law, that we may show forth by our lives whose disciples we are; that we may no longer follow the corrupt inclinations of flesh and blood, but master all our passions; that we may be ever directed by thy light, and strengthened by thy grace, to walk in the way of thy commandments, and to serve thee with pure hearts. Through our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen. At the Gradual. How wonderful, O Lord, is thy name in the whole earth! I will bless thee, O Lord, at all times; thy praise shall ever be in my mouth. Be thou my God and Protector for ever; I will put my whole trust in thee; O, let me never be confounded. After the Gradual, the Priest bows down before the middle of the altar. Join with him, and pray as follows: CLEANSE my heart and my lips, O almighty God, who didst cleanse the lips of the prophet Isaias with a burning coal; and vouchsafe, through thy gracious mercy, so to purify me, that I may worthily attend to thy holy Gospel. Through Christ our Lord. Amen. May the Lord be in my heart and on my lips, that I may worthily, and in a becoming manner, attend to his holy Gospel. Amen. The book is removed to the other side of the altar for the reading of the Gospel, during which all stand. At the beginning both Priest and people make the sign of the cross; first, upon their foreheads, to signify that they are not ashamed of the cross of Christ and his doctrine; secondly, upon their mouths, to signify that they will ever profess it in their words; and thirdly, upon their breasts, to signify that they will always keep it in their hearts. A Prayer at the Gospel. O LORD Jesus Christ, who camest down from heaven to instruct us in all truth, and continuest daily to teach us by thy holy Gospel, and the preachers of thy word; grant me grace, that I may not be wanting in any care necessary for being instructed in thy saving truths. Let me be as in A Prayer at the Offertory. ACCEPT, O eternal Father, this offering which is here made to thee by thy minister, in the name of us all here present, and of thy whole Church. It is as yet only bread and wine; but by a miracle of thy power and grace, will shortly become the Body and Blood of thy beloved Son. He is our High-Priest and our Victim. With him and through him we desire to approach to thee this day, and by his hands to offer thee this sacrifice, for thine own honour, praise, and glory; in thanksgiving for all thy benefits; in satisfaction for all our sins, and for obtaining conversion for all unbelievers, and mercy, grace, and salvation for all thy faithful. And with this offering of thine only-begotten Son, we offer ourselves to thee, begging, that by virtue of this sacrifice we may be happily united to thee, and that nothing in life or death may ever separate us from thee any more. Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. After the offering of the chalice, the Priest, bowing down, begs that this sacrifice, which he desires to offer with a contrite and humble heart, may find |