Prayer belongs in common to all God's children, the Priest recites it aloud, and begins by inviting us all to join in it; he says:

Let us answer with deep feeling of our misery :

Sed libera nos a malo.

But deliver us from evil.

The Priest falls, once more, into the silence of the holy Mysteries. His first word is an affectionate Amen to your last petition-deliver us from evil—on which he forms his own next prayer: and, could he pray for anything more needed? Evil surrounds us everywhere; and the Lamb on our altar has been sent to expiate it, and deliver us from it.

Libera nos, quæsumus, Domine, ab omnibus malis, præteritis, præsentibus et futuris: et intercedente beata et gloriosa semper Virgi

How many, O Lord, are the evils which beset us! Evils past, which are the wounds left on the soul by her sins, and strengthen her wicked

The Priest is anxious to announce the Peace, which he has asked and obtained; he therefore finishes his prayer aloud, saying:

The Mystery is drawing to a close; God is about to be united with man, and man with God, by means of Communion. But first, an imposing and sublime rite takes place at the altar. So far, the Priest has

announced the Death of Jesus; it is time to proclaim his Resurrection. To this end, he reverently breaks the sacred Host; and having divided it into three parts, he puts one into the Chalice, thus re-uniting the Body and Blood of the immortal Victim. Do you adore, and say:

Hæc commixtio et consecratio Corporis et Sanguinis Domini nostri Jesu Christi, fiat accipientibus nobis in vitam æternam. Amen.

Glory be to thee, O Saviour of the world! who didst, in thy Passion, permit thy precious Blood to be separated from thy sacred Body, afterwards uniting them again together by thy divine power!

Offer now your prayer to the ever-living Lamb, whom St. John saw, on the Altar of Heaven, standing, though slain: say to this your Lord and King, who has taken upon himself all our iniquities, in order to wash them away by his Blood:

Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccata mundi, miserere nobis.

Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccata mundi, miserere nobis.

Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccata mundi, dona nobis

pacem.

Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the world, have mercy on us!

Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the world, have mercy on us!

Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the world, give us Peace!

Peace is the grand object of our Saviour's coming into the world: he is the Prince of Peace. The divine Sacrament of the Eucharist ought therefore to be the mystery of Peace, and the bond of Catholic Unity; for, as the Apostle says, all we who partake of one Bread, are all one Bread and one Body." It is on this account that the Priest, now that he is on the point of receiving, in Communion, the Sacred Host, prays that fraternal Peace may be preserved

1 1 Apoc. v. 6.

2 Is. ix. 6.

31 Cor. x. 17.

in the Church, and more especially in this portion of it, which is assembled around the altar. Pray with him, and for the same blessing:

Lord Jesus Christ, who saidst to thine Apostles, "my peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you:" regard not my sins, but the faith of thy Church, and grant her that peace and unity which is according to thy will. Who livest and reignest God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Domine Jesu Christe, qui dixisti Apostolis tuis: Pacem relinquo vobis: pacem meam do vobis: ne respicias peccata mea, sed fidem Ecclesiæ tuæ: eamque secundum voluntatem tuam pacificare et coadunare digneris. Qui vivis et regnas Deus, per omnia sæcula sæculorum. Amen.

If it be a High Mass, the Priest here gives the kiss of peace to the Deacon, who gives it to the Subdeacon, and he to the Choir. During this ceremony, you should excite within yourself feelings of Christian charity, and pardon your enemies, if you have any. Then continue to pray with the Priest:

Lord Jesus Christ, Son of the living God, who according to the will of the Father, through the co-operation of the Holy Ghost, hast, by thy death, given life to the world; deliver me, by this thy most sacred Body and Blood, from all mine iniquities, and from all evils; and make me always adhere to thy commandments, and never suffer me to be separated from thee, who with the same God the Father and the Holy Ghost, livest and reignest God for ever and ever. Amen.

Domine Jesu Christe, Fili Dei vivi, qui ex voluntate Patris, cooperante Spiritu Sancto, per mortem tuam mundum vivificasti: libera me per hoc sacrosanctum Corpus, et Sanguinem tuum, ab omnibus inquitatibus meis, et universis malis, et fac me tuis semper inhærere mandatis, et a te nunquam separari permittas. Qui cum eodem Deo Patre et Spiritu Sancto vivis et regnas, Deus, in sæcula saculorum. Amen.

If you are going to Communion at this Mass, say the following Prayer; otherwise, prepare yourself for a Spiritual Communion :

Let not the participation of Perceptio Corporis tui,

Domine Jesu Christe, quod ego indignus sumere præsumo, non mihi proveniat in judicium et condemnationem: sed pro tua pietate prosit mihi ad tutamentum mentis et corporis, et ad medelam percipiendam. Qui vivis et regnas cum Deo Patre, in unitate Spiritus Sancti, Deus, per omnia sæcula sæculorum. Amen.

thy Body, O Lord Jesus Christ, which I, though unworthy, presume to receive, turn to my judgment and condemnation; but through thy mercy, may it be a safeguard and remedy both to my soul and body. Who, with God the Father, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, livest and reignest God, for ever and ever. Amen.

When the Priest takes the Host into his hands, in order to his receiving it in Communion, say:

Panem

cœlestem acci

piam, et nomen Domini invocabo.

Come, my dear Jesus, come!

When he strikes his breast, confessing his unworthiness, say thrice, with him, these words, and i the same dispositions as the Centurion of the Gospel, who first used them:

Domine, non sum dignus ut intres sub tectum meum: sed tantum dic verbo, et sanabitur anima mea.

Lord! I am not worthy that thou enter under my roof; say it, only, with one word of thine, and my soul shall be healed.

Whilst the Priest is receiving the sacred Host, if you also are to communicate, profoundly adore your God, who is ready to take up his abode within you; and again say to him with the Bride: Come, Lord Jesus!i

But should you not intend to receive sacramentally, make here a Spiritual Communion. Adore Jesus Christ, who thus visits your soul by his grace, and say to him:

Corpus Domini

nostri

I give thee, O Jesus, this

Apoc. xxii. 20.