E SACRIFICE OF THE MASS

26 THE ORDINARY OF THE MASS.
Father, from whom all power springs, and of the Son
who became Man and died for us on Calvary, and of the
Holy Ghost proceeding from the Father and the Son,
the Teacher of truth and the Sanctifier of the world, the
priest begins the great Sacrifice. The sign of the Cross
reminds us by its form of our Lord s Death on Calvary.
The sign of the Cross as made on forehead, breast, and
shoulders is said to be of Apostolic origin. Some have
thought that our Lord on Ascension Day blessed His
disciples, before He was hidden by a cloud, with the
sign of His Cross. Tertullian, writing at the end of the
second century, says,
" At every moving from place to
place, at every coming in and going out, in dressing,
at the baths, at table, on going to rest, sitting down,
we sign ourselves on the forehead with the Cross." The
sign of the Cross is used in all the Church s Services,
in the administration of the sacraments, in all her
blessings except in the blessing of the Paschal candle.
Amen is a Hebrew word meaning "so be it;" it
expresses the desire that our prayers be heard, and it
fortifies the good resolutions taken.
The three languages used in the inscription on the
Cross, "Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews," namely,
Hebrew, Greek, and Latin, are found in the Mass.
Sabaoth, Cherubim and Seraphim, Hosanna, and
Amen, are Hebrew; Kyrie Eleison is Greek, and the
Liturgy of the Mass is Latin, at least in the Roman
Church.
The priest joining his hands begins the antiphon of
the 42nd Psalm.
Ant. Introibo ad altare Dei. Ant. I will go unto the altar
of God.
R. Ad Deum qui laetificat ju- R. To God, who giveth joy to
ventutem meam. my youth.