The faith of our fathers - Carmel Apologetics

"ETC. 373with thanksgiving, for it is sanctified by the word1of God and by prayer."Before Mass begins, the priest sprinkles theassembled congregation with holy water, recitingat the same time these words of the fiftieth Psalm :Thou shalt sprinkle me with hyssop, and I shallbe cleansed; Thou shalt wash me, and I shall bemade whiter than snow."The practice of using blessed water dates back toa very remote antiquity, and is alluded to by severalFathers of the primitive Church.As we advance down the aisle, you observe lyingopen on the altar a large book, which is calleda Missal, or Mass-book, because it contains theprayers which are said at Mass. The office of theMass consists of selections from the Old and the NewTestament, the Canon, and other appropriate prayers.The Canon of the Mass never varies throughout theyear, and descends to us from the first ages of theChurch withscarcely the addition of a word.Nearly all the collects are also very old, many ofthem dating back to a period prior to the seventhcentury. I am acquainted with no prayers whichcan compare with the collects of the Missal inearnestness and vigor of language, in concisenessof style, and unction of piety. It is evident thattheir authors were men who felt what they said,and were filled with the spirit of God, despising"thepersuasive words of human wisdom," unlika321 1 Tim. iv. 4.