ORDO MISSAE

The Importance & Dignity of the

Celebration of the Eucharist

The celebration of the Mass, as the action of Christ

and of the People of God arrayed hierarchically, is
the center of the whole Christian life for the Church
both universal and local, as well as for each of the
faithful individually. For in it is found the high point
both of the action by which God sanctifies the world
in Christ and of the worship that the human race
offers to the Father, adoring Him through Christ, the
Son of God, in the Holy Spirit. (GIRM #16)
´The Holy Eucharist is
always endowed with its
own efficacy and dignity,
since it is the act of Christ
and of the Church, in
which the Priest fulfils his
own principal function
and always acts for the
sake of the people’s
salvation. (GIRM #19)
´ The Church earnestly desires that Christ's faithful, when
present at this mystery of faith, should not be there as
strangers or silent spectators; on the contrary, through a
good understanding of the rites and prayers they should
take part in the sacred action conscious of what they
are doing, with devotion and full collaboration. They
should be instructed by God's word and be nourished at
the table of the Lord's body; they should give thanks to
God; by offering the Immaculate Victim, not only
through the hands of the priest, but also with him, they
should learn also to offer themselves; through Christ the
Mediator, they should be drawn day by day into ever
more perfect union with God and with each other, so
that finally God may be all in all.
 “Without
intelligence,
there is no such
thing
as worship.”
´ “True worship, or worship of
God is an exercise of the virtue
of religion. This virtue consists in
an acknowledgement of God
as our Creator and Father and
of our total dependence on
him in every respect. Worship is
thus always a rendering of due
homage to God by intelligent
beings. There can be no
worship without intelligence,
without the quality of mind or
of consciousness.”
´Virgil Michel, OSB
PARTS OF THE MASS
´The Mass consists in some sense of
two parts, namely the Liturgy of
the Word and the Liturgy of the
Eucharist, these being so closely
interconnected that they form but
one single act of worship. For in
the Mass is spread the table both
of God’s Word and of the Body of
Christ, and from it the faithful are
to be instructed and refreshed.
There are also certain rites that
open and conclude the
celebration. (GIRM #46)
A. Introductory Rite

´The purpose of the rites that precedes

the Liturgy of the Word is to ensure
that the faithful who come together
as one, establish communion and
dispose themselves properly to listen
to the word of God and to celebrate
the Eucharist worthily. (GIRM #46)
A1. The Entrance
´Its purpose is to open the
celebration, foster the unity
of those who have been
gathered, introduce their
thoughts to the mystery of the
liturgical time or festivity, and
accompany the procession
of the Priest and ministers.
(GIRM #47)
A2. Reverence to the Altar and
Greeting of the Assembled People
´Reverence through Kissing the Altar
- signifies Marriage at the Banquet; a
symbol of the bride and groom.
“In the name of the Father, and the Son,
and the Holy Spirit.”
´The sign of the cross signifies that the
gathering is being made in God’s name
and is being attributed to no one but
God alone which also acknowledges the
reality that God always is the initiator and
through his grace, we were called to
gather as one family, one community,
one Church.
The grace and peace of our Lord Jesus
Christ, and the love of God, and the
communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all.

´ Signifies the presence of the Lord to the assembled

community. (GIRM #50)
´ What it is. It is the last section of one of the alternative
greetings at the Introductory Rites: “The grace of our
Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the
communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all”. It is based
on 2 Cor 13:13. “Communion” translates the Greek
koinonía, which is communicatio in Latin. It tells us that
the Holy Spirit, who has been bestowed on us, unites us
with the Holy Trinity. Throughout the Mass the Holy Spirit is
invoked as the one who unites and forms us as a
communion of saints (“in the unity of the Holy Spirit”).
“And with your spirit”

´ “spirit” does NOT refer to:

• the Holy Spirit

• priestly spirit

The word “spirit” in the response does not refer to the

person of the Holy Spirit. The origin of this formula does
not in any way allow us to do so. In fact, both Latin and
English do not use the capital letter. Neither does the
word mean “priestly spirit”, because even the deacon,
who does not yet possess the “priestly spirit”, receives this
reply when he greets the assembly.
“And with your spirit”
´In simple terms it is an ancient Greek and Roman
formula of replying respectfully to a greeting.
Applied to the liturgy, it is the assembly’s answer to
the priest’s (deacon’s) greeting “The Lord be with
you”. Spirit here represents what is noblest in a
person and it is to this that the greeting is returned. It
is similar to our honorific addresses, like Your
Reverence, Your Excellency, Your Honor, and so on.
However, it is not the same as these, because spirit is
not an honorific title but the innermost possession of
a person.
A3. Penitential Act

´The community makes a general confession which

is concluded with the priest’s absolution, which
however, lacks the efficacy of the Sacrament of
Penance. (GIRM #51)
 “Brethren (brothers and sisters), let us
acknowledge our sins, and so prepare
ourselves to celebrate the sacred mysteries.”
´ The priest invites the assembly to make an examination of
conscience and an act of humility and repentance. This
part of the celebration signifies that all are in the presence
of God and so one should humble himself in his presence by
being conscious of one’s own state of being.
´ This also signifies the tradition of the Church that not all are
called to be invited to celebrate the sacred mysteries. We
remember the catechumens or those who are preparing for
Baptism and the ones enrolled in the Order of Penitents who
were only allowed until the Liturgy of the Word.
I confess to Almighty God,
and to you my brothers and sisters,
that I have greatly sinned
in my thoughts and in my words,
in what I have done,
and in what I have failed to do;
through my fault, through my fault,
through my most grievous fault;
therefore I ask blessed Mary, ever virgin,
all the angels and saints,
and you, my brothers and sisters,
to pray for me to the Lord our God.
Note:

Striking the Breast (Confiteor)

´At the words “through my fault”, which
are repeated three times, the breast is
struck only once according to the Latin
rubrics.
May Almighty God
have mercy on us,
forgive us our sins,
and bring us to everlasting life.
Kyrie eleison, Kyrie eleison
Christe eleison, Christe eleison
Kyrie eleison, Kyrie eleison

´A chant by which the faithful acclaim the Lord

and implore his mercy. (GIRM #52)
´“acclamation” of the Lordship of Christ(not
Trinitarian) and not penitential by nature (not
nostalgic or melancholic)
A4. The GLORIA

´A most ancient and

venerable hymn by
which the Church
gathered in the Holy
Spirit, glorifies and
entreats God the
Father and the
Lamb. (GIRM #53)
A5. The Collect

´The priest calls upon the people to pray

and everybody, together with the priest,
observes a brief silence so that they may
become aware of being in God’s presence
and may call to mind their intentions. Then
the priest pronounces the prayer usually
called the Collect and through which the
character of the celebration finds
expression. (GIRM #54)
B. Liturgy of the Word

´God speaks to his people, opening up to them

the mystery of redemption and salvation, and
offering spiritual nourishment; and Christ himself
is present through his word in the midst of the
faithful. (GIRM #55)
 B1. Silence
´The Liturgy of the Word is to be
celebrated in such a way as to
favour meditation, and so any
kind of haste such as hinders
recollection is clearly to be
avoided. By means of silence,
under the action of the Holy
Spirit, the Word of God may be
grasped by the heart and a
response through prayer may be
prepared. (GIRM #56)
B2. The Biblical Readings

´In the readings, the table of God’s word is

spread before the faithful, and the treasures
of the Bible are opened to them.
(Sacrosanctum Concilium #51; cf. GIRM #57)
´First Reading
´Responsorial Psalm
´Second Reading
´Gospel
B3. Alleluia

´An acclamation of this kind constitutes a

rite or act in itself, by which the gathering
of the faithful welcome and greet the Lord
who is about to speak to them in the
Gospel and profess their faith by means of
the chant. (GIRM #62)
B4. Homily

´The homily is necessary

for the nurturing of the
Christian life. It should
be an explanation of
some aspect of the
readings from Sacred
Scripture(GIRM #65)
 B5. Profession of Faith (Credo)

´The purpose of the Creed is that the whole

gathered people may respond to the word of
God proclaimed in the readings taken from
Sacred Scripture and explained in the Homily
and that they may also honor and confess
the great mysteries of faith by pronouncing
the rule of faith in a formula approved for
liturgical use and before the celebration of
these mysteries in the Eucharist begins.
(GIRM# 67)
 B6. The Universal Prayer
´In the Universal Prayer of
Prayer of the Faithful, the
people respond in some
sense to the word of God
which they have received in
faith and, exercising the
office of their baptismal
priesthood, offer prayers to
God for the salvation of all.
(GIRM#69)
 B6. The Universal Prayer

´The series of intentions is

usually to be:
´For the need of the Church
´For public authorities and the
salvation of the whole world
´For those burdened by any
kind of difficulty
´For the local community

(GIRM# 70)
C. The Liturgy of the Eucharist

At the Last Supper, Christ

instituted the Paschal Sacrifice
and banquet, by which the
sacrifice of the cross is
continuously made present in the
Church whenever the priest,
representing Christ the Lord,
carries out what the Lord himself
did and handed over to his
disciples to be done in his
memory. (GIRM #72)
C1. The Preparation of Gifts

´Bread and wine with

water are brought to
the altar, the same
elements, that is to
say, which Christ
took into his hands.
(GIRM #70)
Blessed are you, Lord, God of all creation.
for through your goodness we have
received the bread we offer you:
fruit of the earth and work of human hands,
it will become for us the bread of life.

Blessed be God forever.

By the mystery of this water and wine
may we come to share
in the divinity of Christ,
who humbled himself
to share in our humanity.
"The Blood of the Lord, indeed, is twofold. There is His corporeal
Blood, by which we are redeemed from corruption; and His
spiritual Blood, that with which we are anointed. That is to say,
to drink the Blood of Jesus is to share in His immortality. The
strength of the Word is the Spirit just as the blood is the strength
of the body. Similarly, as wine is blended with water, so is the
Spirit with man. The one, the Watered Wine, nourishes in faith,
while the other, the Spirit, leads us on to immortality. The union
of both, however, - of the drink and of the Word, - is called the
Eucharist, a praiseworthy and excellent gift. Those who partake
of it in faith are sanctified in body and in soul. By the will of the
Father, the divine mixture, man, is mystically united to the Spirit
and to the Word.",
- Clement of Alexandria, Paidagogus
Blessed are you, Lord, God of all creation.
for through your goodness we have
received the wine we offer you:
fruit of the vine and work of human hands,
it will become our spiritual drink.

Blessed be God forever.

With humble spirit and contrite heart
may we be accepted by you, O Lord,
and may our sacrifice in your sight this day
be pleasing to you, Lord God.

Wash me, O Lord, from my iniquity and

cleanse me from my sin.
Pray, brethren (brothers and sisters),
that my sacrifice and yours
may be acceptable to God, the almighty
Father.

May the Lord accept the sacrifice

at your hands
for the praise and glory of his name,
for our good, and the good of all
his holy Church.
 Pray, brethren (brothers and sisters),
that my sacrifice and yours
may be acceptable to God, the almighty
Father.
´ The Latin text says meum ac vestrum sacrificium. The
conjunctive ac (or atque) in Latin joins together nouns,
pronouns, and adjectives in order to say that they are one
and the same: mea ac vestra domus means “my house,
which is also your house” or in short “our house”. On the
other hand, the conjunctive et enumerates: mea et vestra
domus means “I have my house, and you have your
house”. The Latin text affirms that there is only one
sacrifice, the sacrifice of Christ, which is sacramentally
offered by the faithful through the hands of the priest.
Pray, brethren (brothers and sisters),
that my sacrifice and yours
may be acceptable to God, the almighty
Father.
´“my sacrifice and yours”, though
ambiguous, should not be interpreted
as if there were two sacrifices, one
offered by the priest (Christ’s own), and
the other by the faithful (the spiritual
offering of themselves), which they unite
with that of Christ.
C2. Prayer over the Gifts

´Once the offering have been placed on the

altar and the accompanying rites completed,
by means of the invitation to pray with the
priest and by means of the Prayer over the
Gifts, the Preparation of the Gifts is concluded
and preparation made for the Eucharistic
Prayer.
´The people joining in this petition makes the
prayer its own by means of the acclamation
AMEN.
C3. The Eucharistic Prayer
´ Now the centre and high point of the entire celebration
begins, namely, the Eucharistic Prayer itself, that is, the
prayer of thanksgiving and sanctification. The Priest calls
upon the people to lift up their hearts towards the Lord in
prayer and thanksgiving; he associates the people with
himself in the Prayer that he addresses in the name of the
entire community to God the Father through Jesus Christ
in the Holy Spirit. Furthermore, the meaning of this Prayer
is that the whole congregation of the faithful joins with
Christ in confessing the great deeds of God and in the
offering of Sacrifice. The Eucharistic Prayer requires that
everybody listens to it with reverence and in silence.
(GIRM #78)
PARTS OF THE EUCHARISTIC PRAYER
a. Thanksgiving

´The thanksgiving (expressed especially in

the Preface), in which the Priest, in the
name of the whole of the holy people,
glorifies God the Father and gives thanks
to him for the whole work of salvation or
for some particular aspect of it, according
to the varying day, festivity, or time of
year. (GIRM #79)
PREFACE (ADVENT I)

´The Lord be with you.

And with your spirit.
´Lift up your hearts.
We lift them up to the Lord.
´Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
It is right and just.
It is truly right and just, our duty and our salvation,
always and everywhere to give you thanks,
Lord, holy Father, almighty and eternal God.

For he assumed at his first coming the lowliness of human flesh,

and so fulfilled the design you formed long ago,
and opened for us the way to eternal salvation,
that, when he comes again in glory and majesty
and all is at last made manifest,
we who watch for that day may inherit the great promise
in which we now dare to hope.

And so, with Angels and Archangels, with Thrones and Dominions,
and with all the hosts and Powers of heaven,
we sing the hymn of your glory, as without end we acclaim:
b. Acclamation

The acclamation, by which the whole

congregation, joining with the
heavenly powers, sings the Sanctus
(Holy, Holy, Holy). This acclamation,
which constitutes part of the
Eucharistic Prayer itself, is pronounced
by all the people with the Priest.
(GIRM #79)
Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of hosts.
heaven and earth are full
of your glory.
Hosanna in the highest.
Blessed is he who comes
in the name of the Lord.
Hosanna in the highest.
Sabaoth = “Lord of armies”
Hosts = armies
´The new English version translates the Hebrew
Sabaoth or “Lord of armies” (Is 6:13), which the
Latin liturgy retains in the Sanctus: Dominus Deus
Sabaoth. The English “hosts”, meaning “armies”,
is archaic but literary. Be it as it may, the phrase
should be seen in the broader picture of Holy
Mass in which the earthly liturgy is joined to the
heavenly in the presence of an array of angels
and saints.
c. Epiclesis

´The epiclesis, in which, by means of

particular invocations, the Church
implores the power of the Holy Spirit
that the gifts offered by human hands
be consecrated, that is, become
Christ’s Body and Blood, and that the
unblemished sacrificial Victim to be
consumed in Communion may be for
the salvation of those who will partake
of it. (GIRM #79)
c. Epiclesis

You are indeed Holy, O Lord,

the fount of all holiness.
Make holy, therefore, these gifts we pray,
by sending down your spirit upon them
like the dewfall,
so that they may become for us
the body + and blood our Lord Jesus Christ.
“Spiritus tui rore” (“dew of your Spirit”)
´This phrase is found in the epiclesis
(invocation of the Holy Spirit) of Eucharistic
Prayer II. It translates the Latin Spiritus tui
rore (dew of your Spirit). Dove and tongues
of fire are popular symbols of the Holy
Spirit. Less known, though rich in meaning,
is dew or dewfall. Some ancient Christian
writers, like Saint Peter Chrysologus (Sermon
60: “Let the Spirit come like dew”), use this
symbol to signify the revivifying work of the
Holy Spirit in our lives.
“by sending down your Spirit upon them
like the dewfall”
´ In this Eucharistic Prayer the symbolism of
dewfall conveys the life-giving and
transforming power of the Holy Spirit whom
God sends down on the bread and the wine
so that they may become the body and
blood of Jesus Christ. Catechesis is needed
in order to familiarize the faithful with this
sanctifying and transforming role of the Holy
Spirit who is symbolized as a dewfall.
d. Institution Narrative and Consecration

´The Institution narrative and Consecration,

by which, by means of the words and
actions of Christ, that Sacrifice is effected
which Christ himself instituted during the Last
Supper, when he offered his Body and Blood
under the species of bread and wine, gave
them to the Apostles to eat and drink, and
leaving with the latter the command to
perpetuate this same mystery. (GIRM #79)
At the time he was betrayed,
and entered willingly into his Passion,
he took bread, and giving thanks,
broke it and gave it to his disciples, saying:
TAKE THIS, ALL OF YOU, AND EAT OF IT:
FOR THIS IS MY BODY
WHICH WILL BE GIVEN UP FOR YOU.
In a similar way, when supper was ended,
he took the chalice,
and, once more giving you thanks,
he gave it to his disciples, saying:
TAKE THIS, ALL OF YOU, AND DRINK FROM IT:
THIS IS THE CHALICE OF MY BLOOD,
THE BLOOD OF THE NEW AND ETERNAL COVENANT,
WHICH WILL BE POURED OUT FOR YOU
AND FOR MANY
FOR THE FORGIVENESS OF SINS.
DO THIS IN MEMORY OF ME.
e. Anamnesis

´The anamnesis, by which the Church,

fulfilling the command that she received
from Christ the Lord through the Apostles,
celebrates the memorial of Christ,
recalling especially his blessed Passion,
glorious Resurrection and Ascension into
heaven. (GIRM #79)
e. Anamnesis

´The mystery of faith

´We proclaim your Death, O Lord,
and profess your Resurrection
until you come again
f. Oblation (Offertory)
´The oblation, by which, in this very memorial,
the Church, in particular that gathered here
and now, offers the unblemished sacrificial
Victim in the Holy Spirit to the Father. The
Church’s intention, indeed, is that the faithful
not only offer this unblemished sacrificial Victim
but also learn to offer their very selves,71 and
so day by day to be brought, through the
mediation of Christ, into unity with God and
with each other, so that God may at last be all
in all. (GIRM #79)
Therefore, O Lord, as we celebrate the memorial
of his death and resurrection, we offer you Lord,
the Bread of Life and the Chalice of Salvation,
giving thanks that you have held us worthy
to be in your presence and minister to you.

Humbly we pray, that partaking of the

Body and Blood of Christ,
we may be gathered into one by the Holy Spirit.
1973 2010
In memory of his death and Therefore, as we celebrate the
Eucharistic
resurrection, we offer you in Prayer II
memorial of his Death and
thanksgiving, this life-giving Resurrection, we offer you, Lord,
bread, this saving cup. We thank the Bread of life and the Chalice
you for counting us worthy to of salvation, giving thanks that
stand in your presence and serve you have held us worthy to be in
you. your presence and minister to
you.

May all of us who share in the Humbly we pray that, partaking

body and blood of Christ of the Body and Blood of Christ,
be brought together in unity by we may be gathered into one by
the Holy Spirit. the Holy Spirit.
g. Intercessions

´The intercessions, by which expression is

given to the fact that the Eucharist is
celebrated in communion with the whole
Church, of both heaven and of earth, and
that the oblation is made for her and for
all her members, living and dead, who are
called to participate in the redemption
and salvation purchased by the Body and
Blood of Christ. (GIRM #79)
1. For the Church

Remember, Lord, your Church,

spread throughout the world,
and bring her to the fullness of charity,
together with N., our Pope,
N., our bishop,
and all the clergy.
2. For the Dead

Remember, also, our brothers

and sisters who have fallen asleep
in the hope of the resurrection
and all who have died in your mercy:
welcome them into the light of your
face.
3. For the Living
Have mercy on us all, we pray,
that with the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God,
with blessed Joseph, her spouse,
with the blessed Apostles,
and all the saints who have pleased you
throughout the ages,
we may merit to be coheirs to eternal life,
and may praise and glorify you
through your Son, Jesus Christ.
h. Concluding Doxology

´The concluding doxology, by which

the glorification of God is expressed
and which is affirmed and concluded
by the people’s acclamation Amen.
(GIRM #79)
C4. The Communion Rite

´Since the celebration of the Eucharist is the

Paschal Banquet, it is desirable that in
accordance with the Lord’s command his Body
and Blood should be received as spiritual food by
those of the faithful who are properly disposed.
This is the sense of the fraction and the other
preparatory rites by which the faithful are led
more immediately to Communion. (GIRM #79)
C4.a. The Lord’s Prayer
´ In the Lord’s Prayer a petition is made for daily bread,
which for Christians means principally the Eucharistic Bread,
and entreating also purification from sin, so that what is holy
may in truth be given to the holy. The Priest pronounces the
invitation to the prayer, and all the faithful say the prayer
with him; then the Priest alone adds the embolism, which
the people conclude by means of the doxology. The
embolism, developing the last petition of the Lord’s Prayer
itself, asks for deliverance from the power of evil for the
whole community of the faithful.
´ The invitation, the Prayer itself, the embolism, and the
doxology by which the people conclude these things are
sung or are said aloud. (GIRM #81)
C4.a. The Lord’s Prayer
The celebrant sets down the chalice and paten and
with hands joined sings or says:
At the Savior’s command and formed by divine
teaching, we dare to say:
He extends his hands and he continues, with the people:
Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy
name; thy kingdom come, thy will be done on
earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily
bread, and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive
those who trespass against us; and lead us not into
temptation, but deliver us from evil.
C4.b – c. Embolism & Doxology
With hands extended, the celebrant continues alone:
Deliver us, Lord, we pray, from every evil, graciously
grant peace in our days, that, by the help of your
mercy, we may be always free from sin and safe
from all distress, as we await the blessed hope
and the coming of our Savior, Jesus Christ.

The people end the prayer with the acclamation:

For the kingdom, the power and the glory are yours,
now and forever.
C4.d. The Sign of Peace

´ There follows the Rite of Peace, by which the Church

entreats peace and unity for herself and for the whole
human family, and the faithful express to each other
their ecclesial communion and mutual charity before
communicating in the Sacrament.
´ As for the actual sign of peace to be given, the manner
is to be established by the Conferences of Bishops in
accordance with the culture and customs of the
peoples. However, it is appropriate that each person, in
a sober manner, offer the sign of peace only to those
who are nearest. (GIRM #82)
Note:

Invitation to the Lord’s Prayer

´The Latin has only one introduction, which the

2010 translates: “At the Savior’s command and
formed by divine teaching, we dare to say”.
´The 1973 version, on the other hand, has three
additional formularies.
C4.d. The Sign of Peace
Lord Jesus Christ, who said to your Apostles: Peace I
leave you, my peace I give you; look not on our sins,
but on the faith of your Church, and graciously grant
her peace and unity in accordance with your will.
Who live and reign for ever and ever.
Amen.

The peace of the Lord be with you always.

And with your spirit.

Let us offer each other the sign of peace.

 C4.e. The Fraction of the Bread
´ The gesture of breaking bread done by Christ at the Last Supper, which in
apostolic times gave the entire Eucharistic Action its name, signifies that
the many faithful are made one body (1 Cor 10: 17) by receiving
Communion from the one Bread of Life, which is Christ, who for the
salvation of the world died and rose again. The fraction or breaking of
bread is begun after the sign of peace and is carried out with proper
reverence, and should not be unnecessarily prolonged or accorded
exaggerated importance. This rite is reserved to the Priest and the Deacon.
´ The Priest breaks the Bread and puts a piece of the host into the chalice to
signify the unity of the Body and Blood of the Lord in the work of salvation,
namely, of the Body of Jesus Christ, living and glorious. The supplication
Agnus Dei (Lamb of God) is usually sung by the choir or cantor with the
congregation replying; or at least recited aloud. This invocation
accompanies the fraction of the bread and, for this reason, may be
repeated as many times as necessary until the rite has been completed.
The final time it concludes with the words grant us peace. (GIRM #83)
C4.f. Communion
It is most desirable that the faithful, just as the Priest himself is
bound to do, receive the Lord’s Body from hosts consecrated at
the same Mass and that, in the cases where this is foreseen, they
partake of the chalice, so that even by means of the signs
Communion may stand out more clearly as a participation in the
sacrifice actually being celebrated. (GIRM #85)
While the Priest is receiving the Sacrament, the Communion
Chant is begun, its purpose being to express the spiritual union of
the communicants by means of the unity of their voices, to show
gladness of heart, and to bring out more clearly the
‘communitarian’ character of the procession to receive the
Eucharist. The singing is prolonged for as long as the Sacrament is
being administered to the faithful. (GIRM #86)
C4.f. Communion
Behold the Lamb of God, behold him who takes away the sins of the
world. Blessed are those called to the supper of the Lamb.
Lord, I am not worthy that you should enter under my roof, but only
say the word and my soul shall be healed.

The Latin text adapts the words of the Roman Centurion to Jesus (Luke
7:6-7) by changing “servant” to “soul” and applying the sentence to
Holy Communion. In the gospel story Jesus did not in fact enter “under
the roof” of the Centurion. The new English version translates the Latin
text literally. The sentence expresses the sentiment of unworthiness.
Like the Centurion, we are not worthy to welcome Jesus into the
home of our hearts. The 1973 translation simplified the Latin by
removing any reference to the biblical origin of the text.
C4.f. Communion

When the distribution of Communion is over, if

appropriate, the Priest and faithful pray quietly for
some time. If desired, a Psalm or other canticle of
praise or a hymn may also be sung by the whole
congregation. (GIRM #88)
To bring to completion the prayer of the People of
God, and also to conclude the whole
Communion Rite, the Priest pronounces the Prayer
after Communion, in which he prays for the fruits
of the mystery just celebrated. (GIRM #89)
D. The Concluding Rites
To the Concluding Rites belong the following:

´ brief announcements, should they be necessary;

´ the Priest’s Greeting and Blessing, which on certain days
and occasions is expanded and expressed by the
Prayer over the People or another more solemn formula;
´ the Dismissal of the people by the Deacon or the Priest,
so that each may go back to doing good works,
praising and blessing God;
´ the kissing of the altar by the Priest and the Deacon,
followed by a profound bow to the altar by the Priest,
the Deacon, and the other ministers.