12-10-2023, 06:19 AM
SUPPLICES TE ROGAMUS.
During the following Prayer, the Priest no longer has his hands out-stretched, because he is bowing down, in lowly supplication; placing his joined hands on the Altar, he says: Supplices Te rogamus, Omnipotens Deus: jube haec perferri per manus sancti Angeli tui in sublime Altare tuum, in conspectu divinae Majestatis tuae. Dread words are these, says Innocent III., in his treatise on the Mass! The Priest designates his offering by the simple word haec, these Things; he knows that God sees them, and knows their priceless worth, so he contents himself with merely saying: jube haec perferri, command that these Things be carried.
And whither does he want them to be carried? in sublime altare tuum. This altar of ours here on earth suffices us not; we aspire even so far, as that this our Offering may be placed on that Altar which St. John saw in heaven, and on which he pictures to us a Lamb, as it were, slain: et vidi Agnum stantem tamquam occisum. This Lamb is standing, says St. John; nevertheless, he adds: tamquam occisum, as it were, slain. Truly, Our Lord will ever bear the marks of His Five Wounds, but, now all resplendent as suns; and this Lamb is standing, because He is living, and dieth now no more; thus does St. John show Him unto us. Such is the Altar, on which the Lord standeth, in His Immortal Life, bearing the marks of what He has suffered for us: Agnum tamquam occisum, there is He for ever, before the Throne of Divine Majesty. So now, the Priest begs of God to send His Angel to take up the Victim from this our Altar on earth, and to place It on the Altar of Heaven.
To what Angel does the Priest here refer? There is neither Cherub, nor Seraph, nor Angel, nor Archangel that can possibly execute what the Priest here asks God to command to be done. It is an Act wholly beyond the power of any created being. Now, observe the meaning of the word Angel; it signifies sent, and the Son of God was the One Sent, by the Father; He came down upon earth among men, He is the true Missus, Sent, as He says of Himself: Et qui misit me Pater (S. John, v. 37). Our Lord is not simply in the rank of those spirits whom we term Angels and Archangels, placed near to us by God. No, He is the Angel by excellence, He is, as the Scripture expresses it, the Angel of the Great Counsel, Angelus magni consilii, of that great Counsel of God whereby willing to redeem the world, He gave His own Son. So then, the Priest begs of God that the Angel may bear away haec (What is upon the Altar), and may place It upon the Altar of heaven; he makes this petition in order to show the identity of the Sacrifice of Heaven, with the Sacrifice of earth.
Here we have something similar in idea, to what is found in the Greek Liturgy. After the Consecration, the Orientals beg of the Holy Spirit to come down and operate the Mystery, as we before noticed, in order to show that it is the Holy Ghost who works here, just as he operated in the Blessed Virgin. The Act is accomplished, it is true, and the Greek Priest should refrain from such a Prayer, seeing that, without it, the Holy Ghost has already operated the Mystery. But no; this is but their way of affirming what we have just seen expressed in the Latin Prayer we are now studying, namely, the identity of the Sacrifice of the Lamb, whether on the Altar of Heaven or that of earth. In Heaven, the Lamb is standing, although, as it were, slain; here below, He is in like manner slain. Now Who is it that can make these two Sacrifices, to be both one? It is Jesus Christ, the Sent, the Angel of the Great Counsel.
The Priest then adds: ut quotquot ex hac altaris participatione. The Priest kisses the Altar, whilst pronouncing these words. Holy Church has the profoundest veneration for this Altar which represents Jesus Christ, Who is himself the Living Altar; therefore, in its sanctification and consecration, does she lavish her most beauteous rites. The Priest continues: Sacrosanctum Filii tui Corpus et Sanguinem sumpserimus (here he signs with the cross the Host and Chalice, as also himself), omni benedictione coelesti et gratia repleamur Per eumdem Christum Dominum nostrum.. So we here beg to be filled with all graces and blessings, just as if we were already admitted in Heaven, to the participation of that Living Altar there, Jesus Christ, Who sheds around Him grace and benediction. We crave these graces and blessings, in virtue of our participating at this Altar of earth, which Holy Church treats with such veneration. It is in the name of this Altar that the Priest asks all sorts of blessings for all mankind. Observe how the Priest never speaks for himself alone, so here he says repleamur, that we may be filled, he signs himself with the cross, whilst saying these last words, in order to show that this benediction comes to us by the Cross, and also to signify that we accept it with our whole heart.
Here ends the second part of the Canon, that which is consecrated to the Offering. These three Prayers wrap the Act of Consecration, just as the preceding ones prepared for it. Now, Holy Church would bring us back to Intercession.
MEMENTO OF THE DEAD.
Besides the Church Triumphant and the Church Militant, there exists a third part of this Great Body. Yes, God has given us the power to intercede for the Church Suffering, to come to her aid and to do her good; therefore the Holy Sacrifice can be offered in behalf of her suffering members, and Holy Church in her maternal love, wishes that in every Mass that is said, mention should be made of them, because thereby fresh succour is procured for those of her children who are still detained in this place of expiation. It is a point of Faith that the Holy Sacrifice brings relief to the souls in Purgatory. This Doctrine has been handed down to us by Tradition. As early as the Second Century, we find Tertullian speaking of Prayer for the Dead. There used, formerly, to be a separate Diptych set aside exclusively for the names of the Departed, whose memory was particularly to be preserved - Benefactors, for example.
The Priest now addresses himself to God, in behalf of these suffering members: Memento etiam, Domine, famulorum famularumque tuarum N. et N. qui nos praecesserunt cum signo fidei et dormiunt in somno pacis. We say that we are interceding for those who have gone before us, with the sign of faith. What does the Church understand by this sign of faith? It is the sign of Baptism, and that of Confirmation, which latter makes the perfect Christian. Baptism alone already gives us the sign of faith, because in it we are marked with the Cross, so truly so that when the body of a deceased person is brought to the Church, the Priest pronounces this Prayer over it: Non intres in judicium cum servo tuo, Domine ... qui, dum viveret, insignitus est signaculo sanctae Trinitatis. Yes, it was signed with the sign of faith, signum fidei, the sign of the Trinity; it is therefore entitled, O Lord, to be taken into consideration by Thee, and not to be judged too severely. This expression of Holy Church, signum fidei, gives a proof, once more, that we may not here pray for infidels, as we have already noticed above, speaking of the Memento of the living, since they are not in communion with Holy Church.
Et dormiunt in somno pacis. Holy Church puts here strongly before us, in what light she regards death in the case of a Christian. It is a sleep, she tells us, for those of whom we speak, dormiunt; for the same reason she gives the name of Cemetery to places reserved for burial, because this word means a dormitory, or sleeping place. Yes, they sleep and it is the sleep of peace, in somno pacis. Holy Church uses this expression, because those for whom she is praying, died in peace with her, and in true filial submission to her; they died in Jesus Christ, in the kiss of the Lord; even were they still in Purgatory, it can yet be said of them, that they sleep in peace, because they are saved in Jesus Christ, Who bringeth Peace along with Him. In the Catacombs these words in pace are frequently found graven on tombstones; this was the Early Christians’ way of speaking of death; so too, in the Office of Martyrs we sing: Corpora sanctorum in pace sepulta sunt. This very ancient Office recalls the language of the Catacombs: in pace. Holy Church preserves a vestige of the same, when praying for her dead, she bids the Priest say: dormiunt in somno pacis.
The Rubric here directs the Priest to join his hands when ending this first part of the Prayer. Then it is that he prays for such of the deceased as he more particularly wishes to recommend. Having done so, again stretching out his hands, he continues thus Ipsis, Domine, et omnibus in Christo quiescentibus; here we see that every Mass is of profit to all the souls in Purgatory. Locum refrigerii, lucis et pacis, ut indulgeas, deprecamur. Notice here these three things asked for by Holy Church refreshment, light, and peace. Now, what is Purgatory? It is a place in which souls stand in need of refreshment, for those piercing flames are keenly felt. Moreover, it is a place where there is no light, since Holy Church craves for these poor souls, locum lucis; so there is nothing ever in this place of expiation, to distract them from their fearful sufferings. Furthermore, it is a place where sweet peace reigns not; there, is ceaseless agitation, the soul striving towards God whom it may not reach; there, in direst trouble and anguish, the misery of the poor soul in having thus put herself into such straits of wailing sorrow and frightful pain. Yes, Purgatory is indeed a place the very opposite of that abode where reign endless refrigerium, lux, et pax. These three expressions are of the highest importance, because they reveal to us, that whenever we pray for the Dead, the succour that reaches them by our means, is always in the form of refreshment, light, and peace.
The Priest terminates the Prayer, in the usual manner: Per eumdem Christum Dominum nostrum. Amen. Besides this, there is a special rubric which bids him bow his head whilst saying these concluding words, which is not prescribed in the case of closing other prayers. It is meant as one more earnest pleading; for at this moment, light shines in Purgatory, as prayer offered for these poor souls can never be ineffectual. As it were, the dismal prison is uncovered now, to allow the sweet dew of refreshment, light and peace to distil gently on those burning sufferers; and this triple aid is given to the different souls, in the proportion assigned to each by the Justice of God; for Holy Church can only pray for the dead, by way of suffrage; she has no longer those rights she had over them when they were her members on earth. But, on the other hand, we also know that her prayer has always a salutary effect on the souls suffer in Purgatory, and that God never allows any prayer said in their behalf to be of no avail.
To be continued...
During the following Prayer, the Priest no longer has his hands out-stretched, because he is bowing down, in lowly supplication; placing his joined hands on the Altar, he says: Supplices Te rogamus, Omnipotens Deus: jube haec perferri per manus sancti Angeli tui in sublime Altare tuum, in conspectu divinae Majestatis tuae. Dread words are these, says Innocent III., in his treatise on the Mass! The Priest designates his offering by the simple word haec, these Things; he knows that God sees them, and knows their priceless worth, so he contents himself with merely saying: jube haec perferri, command that these Things be carried.
And whither does he want them to be carried? in sublime altare tuum. This altar of ours here on earth suffices us not; we aspire even so far, as that this our Offering may be placed on that Altar which St. John saw in heaven, and on which he pictures to us a Lamb, as it were, slain: et vidi Agnum stantem tamquam occisum. This Lamb is standing, says St. John; nevertheless, he adds: tamquam occisum, as it were, slain. Truly, Our Lord will ever bear the marks of His Five Wounds, but, now all resplendent as suns; and this Lamb is standing, because He is living, and dieth now no more; thus does St. John show Him unto us. Such is the Altar, on which the Lord standeth, in His Immortal Life, bearing the marks of what He has suffered for us: Agnum tamquam occisum, there is He for ever, before the Throne of Divine Majesty. So now, the Priest begs of God to send His Angel to take up the Victim from this our Altar on earth, and to place It on the Altar of Heaven.
To what Angel does the Priest here refer? There is neither Cherub, nor Seraph, nor Angel, nor Archangel that can possibly execute what the Priest here asks God to command to be done. It is an Act wholly beyond the power of any created being. Now, observe the meaning of the word Angel; it signifies sent, and the Son of God was the One Sent, by the Father; He came down upon earth among men, He is the true Missus, Sent, as He says of Himself: Et qui misit me Pater (S. John, v. 37). Our Lord is not simply in the rank of those spirits whom we term Angels and Archangels, placed near to us by God. No, He is the Angel by excellence, He is, as the Scripture expresses it, the Angel of the Great Counsel, Angelus magni consilii, of that great Counsel of God whereby willing to redeem the world, He gave His own Son. So then, the Priest begs of God that the Angel may bear away haec (What is upon the Altar), and may place It upon the Altar of heaven; he makes this petition in order to show the identity of the Sacrifice of Heaven, with the Sacrifice of earth.
Here we have something similar in idea, to what is found in the Greek Liturgy. After the Consecration, the Orientals beg of the Holy Spirit to come down and operate the Mystery, as we before noticed, in order to show that it is the Holy Ghost who works here, just as he operated in the Blessed Virgin. The Act is accomplished, it is true, and the Greek Priest should refrain from such a Prayer, seeing that, without it, the Holy Ghost has already operated the Mystery. But no; this is but their way of affirming what we have just seen expressed in the Latin Prayer we are now studying, namely, the identity of the Sacrifice of the Lamb, whether on the Altar of Heaven or that of earth. In Heaven, the Lamb is standing, although, as it were, slain; here below, He is in like manner slain. Now Who is it that can make these two Sacrifices, to be both one? It is Jesus Christ, the Sent, the Angel of the Great Counsel.
The Priest then adds: ut quotquot ex hac altaris participatione. The Priest kisses the Altar, whilst pronouncing these words. Holy Church has the profoundest veneration for this Altar which represents Jesus Christ, Who is himself the Living Altar; therefore, in its sanctification and consecration, does she lavish her most beauteous rites. The Priest continues: Sacrosanctum Filii tui Corpus et Sanguinem sumpserimus (here he signs with the cross the Host and Chalice, as also himself), omni benedictione coelesti et gratia repleamur Per eumdem Christum Dominum nostrum.. So we here beg to be filled with all graces and blessings, just as if we were already admitted in Heaven, to the participation of that Living Altar there, Jesus Christ, Who sheds around Him grace and benediction. We crave these graces and blessings, in virtue of our participating at this Altar of earth, which Holy Church treats with such veneration. It is in the name of this Altar that the Priest asks all sorts of blessings for all mankind. Observe how the Priest never speaks for himself alone, so here he says repleamur, that we may be filled, he signs himself with the cross, whilst saying these last words, in order to show that this benediction comes to us by the Cross, and also to signify that we accept it with our whole heart.
Here ends the second part of the Canon, that which is consecrated to the Offering. These three Prayers wrap the Act of Consecration, just as the preceding ones prepared for it. Now, Holy Church would bring us back to Intercession.
MEMENTO OF THE DEAD.
Besides the Church Triumphant and the Church Militant, there exists a third part of this Great Body. Yes, God has given us the power to intercede for the Church Suffering, to come to her aid and to do her good; therefore the Holy Sacrifice can be offered in behalf of her suffering members, and Holy Church in her maternal love, wishes that in every Mass that is said, mention should be made of them, because thereby fresh succour is procured for those of her children who are still detained in this place of expiation. It is a point of Faith that the Holy Sacrifice brings relief to the souls in Purgatory. This Doctrine has been handed down to us by Tradition. As early as the Second Century, we find Tertullian speaking of Prayer for the Dead. There used, formerly, to be a separate Diptych set aside exclusively for the names of the Departed, whose memory was particularly to be preserved - Benefactors, for example.
The Priest now addresses himself to God, in behalf of these suffering members: Memento etiam, Domine, famulorum famularumque tuarum N. et N. qui nos praecesserunt cum signo fidei et dormiunt in somno pacis. We say that we are interceding for those who have gone before us, with the sign of faith. What does the Church understand by this sign of faith? It is the sign of Baptism, and that of Confirmation, which latter makes the perfect Christian. Baptism alone already gives us the sign of faith, because in it we are marked with the Cross, so truly so that when the body of a deceased person is brought to the Church, the Priest pronounces this Prayer over it: Non intres in judicium cum servo tuo, Domine ... qui, dum viveret, insignitus est signaculo sanctae Trinitatis. Yes, it was signed with the sign of faith, signum fidei, the sign of the Trinity; it is therefore entitled, O Lord, to be taken into consideration by Thee, and not to be judged too severely. This expression of Holy Church, signum fidei, gives a proof, once more, that we may not here pray for infidels, as we have already noticed above, speaking of the Memento of the living, since they are not in communion with Holy Church.
Et dormiunt in somno pacis. Holy Church puts here strongly before us, in what light she regards death in the case of a Christian. It is a sleep, she tells us, for those of whom we speak, dormiunt; for the same reason she gives the name of Cemetery to places reserved for burial, because this word means a dormitory, or sleeping place. Yes, they sleep and it is the sleep of peace, in somno pacis. Holy Church uses this expression, because those for whom she is praying, died in peace with her, and in true filial submission to her; they died in Jesus Christ, in the kiss of the Lord; even were they still in Purgatory, it can yet be said of them, that they sleep in peace, because they are saved in Jesus Christ, Who bringeth Peace along with Him. In the Catacombs these words in pace are frequently found graven on tombstones; this was the Early Christians’ way of speaking of death; so too, in the Office of Martyrs we sing: Corpora sanctorum in pace sepulta sunt. This very ancient Office recalls the language of the Catacombs: in pace. Holy Church preserves a vestige of the same, when praying for her dead, she bids the Priest say: dormiunt in somno pacis.
The Rubric here directs the Priest to join his hands when ending this first part of the Prayer. Then it is that he prays for such of the deceased as he more particularly wishes to recommend. Having done so, again stretching out his hands, he continues thus Ipsis, Domine, et omnibus in Christo quiescentibus; here we see that every Mass is of profit to all the souls in Purgatory. Locum refrigerii, lucis et pacis, ut indulgeas, deprecamur. Notice here these three things asked for by Holy Church refreshment, light, and peace. Now, what is Purgatory? It is a place in which souls stand in need of refreshment, for those piercing flames are keenly felt. Moreover, it is a place where there is no light, since Holy Church craves for these poor souls, locum lucis; so there is nothing ever in this place of expiation, to distract them from their fearful sufferings. Furthermore, it is a place where sweet peace reigns not; there, is ceaseless agitation, the soul striving towards God whom it may not reach; there, in direst trouble and anguish, the misery of the poor soul in having thus put herself into such straits of wailing sorrow and frightful pain. Yes, Purgatory is indeed a place the very opposite of that abode where reign endless refrigerium, lux, et pax. These three expressions are of the highest importance, because they reveal to us, that whenever we pray for the Dead, the succour that reaches them by our means, is always in the form of refreshment, light, and peace.
The Priest terminates the Prayer, in the usual manner: Per eumdem Christum Dominum nostrum. Amen. Besides this, there is a special rubric which bids him bow his head whilst saying these concluding words, which is not prescribed in the case of closing other prayers. It is meant as one more earnest pleading; for at this moment, light shines in Purgatory, as prayer offered for these poor souls can never be ineffectual. As it were, the dismal prison is uncovered now, to allow the sweet dew of refreshment, light and peace to distil gently on those burning sufferers; and this triple aid is given to the different souls, in the proportion assigned to each by the Justice of God; for Holy Church can only pray for the dead, by way of suffrage; she has no longer those rights she had over them when they were her members on earth. But, on the other hand, we also know that her prayer has always a salutary effect on the souls suffer in Purgatory, and that God never allows any prayer said in their behalf to be of no avail.
To be continued...
"So let us be confident, let us not be unprepared, let us not be outflanked, let us be wise, vigilant, fighting against those who are trying to tear the faith out of our souls and morality out of our hearts, so that we may remain Catholics, remain united to the Blessed Virgin Mary, remain united to the Roman Catholic Church, remain faithful children of the Church."- Abp. Lefebvre