extinguendum non erat, in cæna novissima, qua nocte tradebatur, ut dilectæ sponsæ suæ Ecclesiæ visibile, sicut hominum natura exigit, relinqueret sacrificium, quo cruentum illud semel in cruce peragendum repræsentaretur, ejusque memoria in finem usque sæculi permaneret, atque illius salutaris virtus in remissionem eorum, quæ a nobis quotidie committuntur, peccatorum applicaretur, sacerdotem secundum ordinem Melchisedech se in æternum constitutum declarans, corpus et sanguinem suum sub speciebus panis et vini Deo Patri obtulit, ac sub earumdem rerum symbolis apostolis, quos tunc Novi Testamenti sacerdotes constituebat, ut sumerent, tradidit, et eisdem eorumque in sacerdotio successoribus, ut offerrent, præcepit per hæc verba: Hoc facite in meam commemorationem: uti semper Catholica Ecclesia intellexit et docuit. Nam celebrato veteri Pascha, quod in memoriam exitus de Aegypto multitudo filiorum Israel immolabat, novum instituit Pascha se ipsum ab Ecclesia per sacerdotes sub signis visibilibus immolandum in memoriam to be extinguished by his death, in the Last Supper, on the night in which he was betrayed,--that he might leave, to his own beloved Spouse the Church, a visible sacrifice, such as the nature of man requires, whereby that bloody sacrifice, once to be accomplished on the cross, might be represented, and the memory thereof remain even unto the end of the world, and its salutary virtue be applied to the remission of those sins which we daily commit,--declaring himself constituted a priest forever, according to the order of Melchisedech, [243] he offered up to God the Father his own body and blood under the species of bread and wine; and, under the symbols of those same things, he delivered [his own body and blood] to be received by his apostles, whom he then constituted priests of the New Testament; and by those words, Do this in commemoration of me, [244] he commanded them and their successors in the priesthood to offer [them]; even as the Catholic Church has always understood and taught. For, having celebrated the ancient Passover, which the multitude of the children of Israel immolated in memory of their going out of Egypt, he instituted the new Passover [to wit], himself to
transitus sui ex hoc mundo ad Patrem, quando per sui sanguinis effusionem nos redemit eripuitque de potestate tenebrarum, et in regnum suum transtulit. Et hæc quidem illa munda oblatio est, quæ nulla indignitate aut malitia offerentium inquinari potest; quam Dominus per Malachiam nomini suo, quod magnum futurum esset in gentibus, in omni loco mundam offerendam prædixit, et quam non obscure innuit Apostolus Paulus Corinthiis scribens, cum dicit, non posse eos, qui participatione mensæ dæmoniorum polluti sint, mensæ Domini participes fieri, per mensam altare utrobique intelligens. Hæc denique illa est, quæ per varias sacrificiorum, naturæ et legis tempore, similitudines figurabatur; utpote quæ bona omnia, per illa significata, velut illorum omnium consummatio et perfectio complectitur. be immolated, under visible signs, by the Church through [the ministry of] priests, in memory of his own passage from this world unto the Father, when by the effusion of his own blood he redeemed us, and delivered us from the power of darkness, and translated us into his kingdom. [245] And this is indeed that clean oblation, which can not be defiled by any unworthiness, or malice of those that offer [it]; which the Lord foretold by Malachias was to be offered in every place, clean to his name, which was to be great amongst the Gentiles; [246] and which the Apostle Paul, writing to the Corinthians, has not obscurely indicated, when he says, that they who are defiled by the participation of the table of devils, can not be partakers of the table of the Lord; [247] by the table, meaning in both places the altar. This, in fine, is that oblation which was prefigured by various types of sacrifices, during the period of nature, and of the law; inasmuch as it comprises all the good things signified by those sacrifices, as being the consummation and perfection of them all.
Caput II. Chapter II. Sacrificium missæ est propitiatorium, tam pro vivis, quam pro defunctis.
That the Sacrifice of the Mass is propitiatory, both for the living and the dead. Et quoniam in divino hoc sacrificio, quod in missa peragitur, idem ille Christus continetur et incruente immolatur, qui in ara crucis semel se ipsum cruente obtulit, docet sancta synodus, sacrificium istud vere propitiatorium esse, per ipsumque fieri, ut, si cum vero corde et recta fide, cum metu et reverentia, contriti ac poenitentes ad Deum accedamus, misericordiam consequamur et gratiam inveniamus in auxilio opportuno. Hujus quippe oblatione placatus Dominus gratiam et donum poenitentiæ concedens, crimina et peccata etiam ingentia dimittit. Una enim eademque est hostia, idem nunc offerens sacerdotum ministerio, qui se ipsum tunc in cruce obtulit, sola offerendi ratione diversa. Cujus quidem oblationis cruentæ, inquam, fructus per hanc incruentam uberrime percipiuntur, tantum abest, ut illi per hanc quovis modo derogetur. Quare non solum pro fidelium vivorum peccatis, poenis, satisfactionibus et aliis necessitatibus, sed pro defunctis And forasmuch as, in this divine sacrifice which is celebrated in the mass, that same Christ is contained and immolated in an unbloody manner who once offered himself in a bloody manner on the altar of the cross; the holy Synod teaches, that this sacrifice is truly propitiatory, and that by means thereof this is effected, that we obtain mercy, and find grace in seasonable aid, [248] if we draw nigh unto God, contrite and penitent, with a sincere heart and upright faith, with fear and reverence. For the Lord, appeased by the oblation thereof, and granting the grace and gift of penitence, forgives even heinous crimes and sins. For the victim is one and the same, the same now offering by the ministry of priests, who then offered himself on the cross, the manner alone of offering being different. The fruits indeed of which oblation, of that bloody one to wit, are received most plentifully through this unbloody one; so far is this [latter] from derogating in any way from, that [former oblation]. Wherefore, not only for the sins, punishments, satisfactions, and other necessities of the faithful who are living, but
in Christo nondum ad plenum purgatis rite juxta apostolorum traditionem offertur. also for those who are departed in Christ, and who are not as yet fully purified, is it rightly offered, agreeably to a tradition of the apostles. Caput III. Chapter III. De missa in honorem sanctorum. On Masses in honor of the Saints. Et quamvis in honorem et memoriam sanctorum nonnullus interdum missas Ecclesia celebrare consueverit, non tamen illis sacrificium offerri docet, sed Deo soli, qui illos coronavit; unde nec sacerdos dicere solet: Offero tibi sacrificium, Petre vel Paule; sed, Deo de illorum victoriis gratias agens, eorum patrocinia implorat, ut ipsi pro nobis intercedere dignentur in coelis, quorum memoriam facimus in terris. And although the Church has been accustomed at times to celebrate certain masses in honor and memory of the saints; not therefore, however, doth she teach that sacrifice is offered unto them, but unto God alone, who crowned them; whence neither is the priest wont to say, 'I offer sacrifice to thee, Peter or Paul;' but, giving thanks to God for their victories, he implores their patronage, that they may vouchsafe to intercede for us in heaven, whose memory we celebrate upon earth. Caput IV. Chapter IV. De canone missæ. On the Canon of the Mass. Et cum sancta sancta administrari conveniat, sitque hoc omnium sanctissimum sacrificium, Ecclesia Catholica, ut digne reverenterque offerretur ac perciperetur, sacrum canonem multis ante sæculis instituit, ita ab omni errore purum, ut nihil in eo contineatur, quod non maxime sanctitatem ac pietatem quamdam redoleat, mentesque oferentium in Deum erigat. And whereas it beseemeth that holy things be administered in a holy manner, and of all holy things this sacrifice is the most holy; to the end that it might be worthily and reverently offered and received, the Catholic Church instituted, many years ago, the sacred Canon, so pure from every error, that nothing is contained therein which does not in the highest degree savor of a certain holiness and piety, and raise
Is enim constat cum ex ipsis Domini verbis, tum ex apostolorum, traditionibus ac sanctorum quoque pontificum piis institutionibus. up unto God the minds of those that offer. For it is composed out of the very words of the Lord, the traditions of the Apostles, and the pious institutions also of holy Pontiffs. Caput V. Chapter V. De missæ ceremoniis et ritibus. On the solemn ceremonies of the Sacrifice of the Mass. Cumque natura hominum ea sit, ut non facile queat sine adminiculis exterioribus ad rerum divinarum meditationem sustolli, propterea pia mater Ecclesia ritus quosdam, ut scilicet quædam summissa voce, alia vero elatiore, in missa pronunciarentur, instituit. Cerimonias item, adhibuit, ut mysticas benedictiones, lumina, thymiamata, vestes, aliaque id genus multa ex apostolica disciplina et traditione, quo et majestas tanti sacrificii commendaretur, et mentes fidelium per hæc visibilia religionis et pietatis signa ad rerum altissimarum, quæ in hoc sacrificio latent, contemplationem excitarentur. And whereas such is the nature of man, that, without external helps, he can not easily be raised to the meditation of divine things; therefore has holy Mother Church instituted certain rites, to wit, that certain things be pronounced in the mass in a low, and others in a louder, tone. She has likewise employed ceremonies, such as mystic benedictions, lights, incense, vestments, and many other things of this kind, derived from an apostolical discipline and tradition, whereby both the majesty of so great a sacrifice might be recommended, and the minds of the faithful be excited, by those visible signs of religion and piety, to the contemplation of those most sublime things which are hidden in this sacrifice. Caput VI. Chapter VI. De missa, in qua solus sacerdos communicat. On Mass wherein the priest alone communicates. Optaret quidem sacrosancta synodus, ut in singulis missis The sacred and holy Synod would fain indeed that, at each mass, the
fideles adstantes non solum spirituali affectu, sed sacramentali etiam Eucharistiæ perceptione communicarent, quod ad eos sanctissimi hujus sacrificii fructus uberior proveniret; nec tamen, si id non semper fiat, propterea missas illas, in quibus solus sacerdos sacramentaliter communicat, ut privatas et illicitas damnat, sed probat atque adeo commendat, siquidem illæ quoque missæ vere communes censeri debent, partim, quod in eis populus spiritualiter communicet, partim vero, quod a publico Ecclesiæ ministro non pro se tantum, sed pro omnibus fidelibus, qui ad corpus Christi pertinent, celebrentur. faithful who are present should communicate, not only in spiritual desire, but also by the sacramental participation of the Eucharist, that thereby a more abundant fruit might be derived to them from this most holy sacrifice: but not therefore, if this be not always done, does it condemn, as private and unlawful, but approves of and therefore commends, those masses in which the priest alone communicates sacramentally; since those masses also ought to be considered as truly common; partly because the people communicate spiritually thereat; partly also because they are celebrated by a public minister of the Church, not for himself only, but for all the faithful, who belong to the body of Christ. Caput VII. Chapter VII. De aqua miscenda vino in calice offerendo. On the water that is to be mixed with the wine to be offered in the chalice. Monet deinde sancta synodus, præceptum esse ab Ecclesia sacerdotibus, ut aquam vino in calice offerendo miscerent, tum quod Christum Dominum ita fecisse credatur, tum etiam quia e latere ejus aqua simul cum sanguine exierit, quod sacramentum hac mixtione recolitur, et, The holy Synod notices, in the next place, that it has been enjoined by the Church on priests, to mix water with the wine that is to be offered in the chalice; as well because it is believed that Christ the Lord did this, as also because from his side there came out blood and water; [249] the memory of which mystery is
cum aquæ in apocalypsi beati Ioannis populi dicantur, ipsius populi fidelis cum capite Christo unio repræsentatur. renewed by this commixture; and, whereas in the apocalypse of blessed John the peoples are called waters, [250] the union of that faithful people with Christ their head is thereby represented. Caput VIII. Chapter VIII. Missa vulgari lingua non celebretur. Ejus mysteria populo explicentur.