Explanation of the Prayers and Ceremonies of Holy Mass, Dom Prosper Guéranger - Unde et memores

UNDE ET MEMORES.

The Priest having adored the Precious Blood, has shown It to the Faithful, and then again adored.  He now, once more, extends his hands, and continues his Prayer: Unde et memores, Domine, quaesumus, nos servi tui, sed et plebs tua sancta, ejusdem Christi Filii tui tam beatae Passionis, necnon et ab inferis Resurrectionis sed et in coelis Gloriosae Ascensionis.  Offerimus praeclarae majestati tuae ... So do we call to mind.  The Priest says we, for there is question not of himself alone, but of all the people.  He reminds God the Father of this; and we all, united with him, call to mind the Blessed Passion, the Resurrection, and the Ascension of Our Divine Redeemer.  During the Oblation, these three great Mysteries were brought prominently forward; but Holy Church is not satisfied with that; she wants to insist on the same thought again, and with still more delight in this place.  She well knows that God has done all for man, and she wishes that not one of His Benefits should escape her.

Yea, verily, we are indeed offering a something very great, for we have here before us the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ.  We call to mind His Passion which has been so blessed a Boon for us; here too the Victim is immolated but more than that, the Victim which we here possess as ours, is also He who rose again.  Nor is this even all: we call to mind, likewise, His Glorious Ascension into Heaven.  Yes indeed, He who is here present, is the Risen One; He it is, who scaling the Heavens, was seated at the Right Hand of the Father, whilst the angels re-echoed the glad shout: Attolite portas, principes, vestras et elevamini portae aeternales, et introibit Rex gloriae (Ps. xxiii. 7).  So then we have really here, upon our Altar, Him Who suffered, Who rose again, and Who is now reigning in Triumphant Glory in heaven.  Oh! yes, indeed, we do indeed recall these things, and this it is that gives us such full confidence, that we dare to say with holy boldness: Offerimus praeclarae majestati tuae de tuis donis ac datis.  We talk of offering!  We who have nothing! absolutely nothing!  Yea, it is true, we have naught of our own, but we offer to Thee Thine Own Gifts, that is all we can say.  This Bread and Wine were given to us by Thee; then they became the Body and Blood of Thy Son, Whom, likewise, Thou didst give unto us, whole and entire; we are then drawing out from Thine own exhaustless riches, and we are offering unto Thee what Thou Thyself hast given us.

And what qualities does this our offering possess?  It is pure, holy, and spotless.  But, upon earth, all is impure, nothing is holy, everything is tainted and defiled; how then can the Priest dare to speak thus?  We must recollect what our Offering is.  It is the very Son of God Himself in Whom have been accomplished the Great Mysteries of the Passion, the Resurrection, and the Ascension.  Behold here what gives Holy Church such boldness of speech.  Bride, as she is, she steps forth in face of the Glorious Trinity, and says I am endowed with Thine Own riches, I possess him as mine own, Who hath performed all this that I am now calling to mind, He is mine, for Thou hast given him to me.  Behold now, I offer Him unto Thee, and this my Offering is worthy of Thee for It is indeed pure, and holy, and spotless.

This Sacrifice is so powerful, that God is enforced to look upon our Offering; He cannot refuse It; and the whole Strength of the Sacrifice rests on this, namely, that the Son hath been given unto us, as our own.  By Him alone, we realise the four ends of the Christian Sacrifice; we thus lay hold on the part of God Himself, Who is obliged to accept this Offering, and to own Himself fully satisfied therewith.  In the Old Law, it was not so; for how could sacrifices of bullocks and lambs have any such effect upon the Great God; what did He want with them?  But here, on our Altar, under the frail appearances of Bread and Wine, there is a Something which forces the attention of God Himself, and obliges Him to prove unto us that What is offered is indeed acceptable to Him.  Well may the devil be enraged at such a sight, well may he make every effort to do away with faith in the Real Presence, striving to overturn our Altars, and to diminish the number of Priests, so that, at least, fewer Masses be offered unto God.

Oh! what a thought is it, that it is a mere sinful man that operates such stupendous Things, that stands thus powerful before the very God Almighty!  If only this ministry had been reserved unto Angels, those pure spirits, untouched by the breath of sin, one could better comprehend it.  But no; it is man, sinful man, whom God chooses and whom alone He honours with such a privilege.  This man must needs tremble, it is true; but he feels himself all-powerful, holding, as he does, in his very hands, the Son of God Himself.

This host, pure, holy, spotless, which the Priest is offering unto God, is moreover: Panem sanctae vitae aeternae, ac Calicem salutis perpetuae.  Here we have the Eucharist brought before us as the Sacrament.  If it is a Sacrifice offered unto God, it is just as truly a Sacrament destined to feed our souls, to give them Eternal Life and Salvation.

In this magnificent Prayer, the Priest, whilst pronouncing these words: Hostiam puram, hostiam sanctam, hostiam immaculatam, makes the Sign of the Cross, thrice, over the host and the Chalice at the same time; then, whilst saying: panem sanctae vitae aeternae, he makes it again over the Host; and, when saying: Calicem salutis perpetuae, he makes it over the Chalice.  Can this possibly imply that he here ventures to give his blessing to Our Lord?  No, assuredly not.  Up to the moment of Consecration, he has really blessed the Bread, because he has the right to do so, having received sacerdotal powers of giving blessings.  But now he holds no longer Bread in his hands: it is the Divine Author himself of all Benediction Who is now upon our Altar.  If, then, the Priest thus makes the Sign of the Cross, it is merely in order to show that this Sacrifice, is the Sacrifice of the Cross Itself, a Sacrifice truly pure, holy, and spotless.  He signs the Host separately, in order to express that this is indeed the Lord’s very Body, which was crucified; and then the Chalice, to signify that it contains the very Blood which was Poured out upon the Cross.  So we must observe that from the moment of the Consecration, all Signs of the Cross made by the Priest are prescribed by Holy Church to indicate and recall the Sacrifice of the Cross; and are in no way meant as signs of Benediction made over Our Lord.