E SACRIFICE OF THE MASS

THE OFFERTORY. 177
II. THE OFFERTORY.
The Offertory in the Requiem Mass deserves special
mention, for there is much difference of opinion amongst
learned writers as to its meaning. This Offertory is
the only one which still retains its primitive form. It
is composed of an antiphon, a versicle, and of the
concluding words of the antiphon repeated.
Domine, Jesu Christe, Rex
gloriae, libera animas omnium
fidelium defunctorum de
poenis inferni, et de profundo
lacu : libera eas de ore leonis,
ne
ne
absorbeat eas tartarus,
cadant in obscurum sed
;
signifer sanctus Michael repraesentet
eas in lucem sanctam
: Quam olim Abrahae promisisti
et semini ejus.
Hostias et preces tibi, Dom
ine, laudis offerimus : tu suscipe
pro animabus illis quarum
hodie memoriam facimus
: fac eas, Domine, de
morte transire ad vitam :
Quam olim Abrahae promisisti
et semini ejus.
Lord Jesus Christ, King of
glory, deliver the souls of all
the faithful departed from the
of Hell and the deep
Eains
ike ; deliver them from the
mouth of the lion : let not
Hell swallow them up, nor let
them fall into darkness but
;
let the Standard-bearer St.
Michael guide them into the
holy light which of old Thou
didst promise to Abraham
and his seed.
We oifer Thee victims, O
Lord, and prayers of praise :
mercifully
receive them for
the souls whose memory we
are keeping to-day : grant
them to pass, O Lord, from
death to life : which of old
Thou didst promise to
Abraham and his seed.
It might seem at first sight from certain expressions
in this Offertory that the Church means to pray for
the salvation even of lost souls. Deliver the souls of
all the faithful departed from the pains
of Hell
and the deep lake ; and the mouth of the lion. Let