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give our assistance. 17. PATER NOSTER.
2O
Preface.
to that of the celebrant, while saying with him : Plane igitur,
etc.
15. CONSECRATION.
This is the great moment : the miracle of love is
wrought;
the minister of God receives and adores Jesus Christ in his
hands. The elevation of the Host and of the Chalice represents
the crucifixion, and the separation of the holy species represents
the death of our Lord. Let us reanimate our faith ;
let us
prostrate ourselves, and adore.
16. MEMENTO OF THE DEAD.
When our Lord drew his last breath on the cross, being en
tirely consumed for our salvation, his holy soul descended in
triumph to Limbo and Purgatory in order to console and de
liver the just that were expecting his coming. Let us ask him
to visit again at this moment the souls of the faithful departed,
and let us think of those to whom we should more particularly
Let us visit in spirit the tomb of
our Saviour, and while con
fiding in the merits of his life and death, recite with confidence
the admirable prayer that he has taught us.
1 8. PAX DOMINI.
While pronouncing these words the priest drops a part of the
Host into the Chalice ;
the two species thus reunited represent
the Resurrection of Jesus Christ, and peace is announced to
the world as it was announced at his birth.
19. AGNUS DEI.
Preparation for Communion. If we have not the happiness
of communicating sacramentally with the priest, let us not fail to
make a spiritual Communion by uniting ourselves interiorly to
Jesus Christ, by a sincere desire to receive him and by an act of
fervent love : we should therefore always say the prayers before
and after Communion, whether sacramental or spiritual. What
hinders our union with God is sin : let us then, before all, beg
the Victim, who is without stain, to free us from sin, while say
ing Agnus Dei, etc., three times with the priest, and striking
our breasts as if
acknowledging ourselves guilty.