Bellarmine · De Controversiis · On the Sacrament of the Eucharist · Book VI: On the Sacrifice of the Mass (Second)
Chapter 17: On the Offertory and the Preface
Our translation, from the Latin of the Opera Omnia (Paris: Vivès, 1870–74), vol. IV, De Sacramento Eucharistiae, Book VI: On the Sacrifice of the Mass (Second Book). The Latin source text is public domain; this English rendering is released with the site. Scripture quotations follow Bellarmine's Vulgate citations, rendered in Douay-Rheims wording where he quotes exactly. Click “Show the Latin” for the original (raw OCR of the scan; scanning errors remain — the scan itself is the authority).
On the Offertory.
The Offertory follows in order, which is always taken from the Scriptures, and thence received its name, because it was sung while the people offered, as Walafrid delivers, chapter 22, and Micrologus, chapter 10. But those five prayers: “Receive, holy Father; We offer to Thee, O Lord; Come, sanctifier; In the spirit of humility; and Receive, holy Trinity” are neither very ancient, nor were read in the Roman Church before five hundred years ago; for Micrologus writes, chapter 11, that those prayers, “Come, sanctifier,” and “Receive, holy Trinity,” are recited according to the Gallican order, but that in the Roman Order no prayers were appointed between the Offertory and the Secrets. Whence also Walafrid, Amalarius, Rupert, Alcuin, nay even Innocent III, and other ancients, made no mention of those prayers, but pass from the Offertory to the Secrets: yet because they contain nothing which offends, they were gradually received by all.
But certain little objections are to be resolved, which George Major vomited out against those prayers. First he objects, why the chalice is called saving (salutaris), in which there is nothing but wine. I answer: We do not call it "the saving chalice," but "the chalice of salvation"; and that chalice of wine is the chalice of salvation, that is, of Christ, because Christ the Saviour instituted that chalice to be offered and consecrated. Moreover we could also rightly call that chalice of wine a saving chalice, both because it is about to bring salvation after the consecration, and because the wine itself too, by signifying and representing salvation, brings salvation, in the way that the words of God are called saving, because they save by signifying and by exciting faith.
Secondly he objects, why the priest prays for the chalice, and not rather for himself? I answer: The priest does not pray for the chalice, but for himself and the whole world, when he asks that that oblation ascend to God with an odor of sweetness. For he immediately adds: “For our salvation and that of the whole world.” And even if this were not expressed, it could be understood of itself: for that the oblation be accepted by God is useful not to the oblation, but to us.
Thirdly he objects, why in that prayer, “In the spirit of humility,” the priest asks that the oblation may please, after he has offered it: for this is a sign that he doubts whether it please, and accordingly has sinned by offering without faith. I answer: The priest does not doubt that the sacrifice of the Mass pleases God of itself, or from the institution of Christ, and therefore with a most certain faith offers a sacrifice most pleasing to God, but he doubts of his own disposition, and therefore asks for himself a spirit of humility and contrition, that he may so perform the begun sacrifice that even on his part it may please God: nor does he sin by offering without a certain faith of his own worthiness, because he is not bound to have that certainty, but only bound not to have the consciousness of sin, Paul saying: Let a man prove himself, etc.
Fourthly he objects, why in that prayer, “Come, sanctifier, etc.,” the sacrifice is said to be prepared, when it was already before offered. I answer: That former oblation was a preparation for the latter oblation, in which the sacrifice properly consists; accordingly the sacrifice is rightly said to be prepared, when the matter to be consecrated to God is dedicated by a certain oblation.
On the Preface.
The Offertory being ended, and the matter of the sacrifice prepared, and the hands washed, and the oblation commended to God by the secret Collects, the Preface is said, which indeed is called by this name because it is a preparation and excitation of the people for that action in which the sacrifice properly consists. And first those words: “Through all ages of ages,” pertain to the preceding prayers recited in silence, but this conclusion is said in a loud voice, that the people can respond “Amen”; and by that word confirm the preceding prayers; so Micrologus writes, chapter 7.
Then the Preface begins by that: “The Lord be with you,” and as far as those words: “It is truly meet and just,” it is had in the most ancient authors, Greek and Latin. For to omit the Liturgies, in none of which is this preface lacking, of these words there make mention Clement, Book 8 of the Constitutions, chapter 16; Cyprian in sermon 6 on the Lord's prayer; Cyril of Jerusalem, catechesis 5, mystagogical; Chrysostom passim, as in the homily on the Eucharist: “What dost thou, O man, didst thou not promise the priest, who said, Lift up your hearts, and thou saidst, We have them to the Lord?” See also homily 4 on the nature of God, and Augustine no less frequently, as in letter 57 to Dardanus, and 120 to Honoratus, and 156 to Proba, in the book on the Spirit and the letter, chapter 11, and Book 2 on the good of perseverance, chapter 13.
The rest of the words, as far as that verse: “Holy, Holy, etc.,” are not the same in the Greek and Latin Liturgies: yet those which are had in our, that is, the Roman Church's Liturgy, it is certain are most ancient. For more than 1000 years ago Pope Pelagius II, being asked by the bishops of Germany and Gaul what and how many were the authentic Prefaces, answered that there were nine. The first, of the Nativity of the Lord. The second, of the Epiphany. The third, of Lent. The fourth, of the Cross. The fifth, of Easter. The sixth, of the Ascension. The seventh, of Pentecost. The eighth, of the Trinity. The ninth, of the Apostles. See the letter of Pelagius, and Gratian, canon Invenimus, on consecration, distinction 1. The tenth Preface, which is of Saint Mary, Urban II added in the Council of Piacenza, about the year of the Lord 1080 (1095), as Gratian testifies, canon Sanctorum, distinction 70.
Holy, Holy, etc.
The Preface being ended, the Canticle is said: “Holy, Holy, etc.,” which indeed is partly taken from the hymn of the Angels, which Isaiah, chapter 6, narrates that he heard; partly from the canticle of the Hebrews, which they sang to Christ when on Palm Sunday He entered Jerusalem, Matthew 21; and it is had in the ancient Liturgies of James, Basil, and Chrysostom: and of it there is a special Canon in the Council of Vaison, canon 4, otherwise canon 6.
Show the Latin (Vives edition, OCR)
CAPUT XVII. Do Offet ■(orto, et Prxfatioae. DE OFFEBTGUiO. Offertorium ordine sequitur quod ex Scri¬ pturis perpetuo sumitur, et inde nomen ac¬ cepit, quodcaneretur dumpopulus offerebat, ut Walfridus tradit cap. 22. et Micrologus cap. 10. Quinque autem illa: orationes : <t Suscipe sancte Pater : Offerimus tibi Do¬ mine : Veni sanctificator : In spiritu humili¬ tatis, et : Suscipe sancta Trinitas; » Neque antiqua: admodum sunt, neque in Romana Ecclesia ante quingentos annos legebantur, 41 a scribit enim Micrologus cap. 11 illas preces : « Veni sanctificator », et : « Suscipe sancta Trinitas, » juxta ordinem Gallicanum recita¬ ri, sed in Ordine Romano nullas orationes esse institutas inter Offertorium, et Secretas. Unde etiam Walfridus, Amalarius, Rupertus, Alcuinus, imo etiam Innocentius III. et alii veteres, non meminerunt illarum orationum, sed transeunt ab Offertorio ad Secretas : Quia tamen nihil continent, quod offendat, paulatim ab omnibus recepta: sunt. Sed objectiuncuhe qu aulam solvenda: sunt, quas Georgius Major in preces illas evomuit. Primo objicit, cur dicatur calix salutaris, in quo nihil est nisi vinum. Respondeo: non vocamus calicem salutarem, sed calicem sa¬ lutaris ; est autem calix ille vini, calix salu¬ taris, id est, Christi, quia Christus Salvator eum calicem offerendum et consecrandum instituit. Praeterea possemus etiam recte vo¬ care calicem salutarem, calicem illuni vini, tum quia salutem est allaturus post conse¬ crationem, tum quia ipsum etiam vinum si¬ gnificando, et repraesentando salutem affert, quomodo verba Dei dicuntur salutaria, quia salvant significando et fidem excitando. Secundo objicit, cur Sacerdos oret pro calice, et non potius pro se? Respondeo : Non orat Sacerdos pro calice, sed pro se et universo mundo, cum petit, ut oblatio illa ascendat ad Deum cum odore suavitatis. Nam statim addit : « Pro nostra, et totius mundi salute. » Et etiamsi hoc non exprime¬ retur, per se posset intelligi : nam oblatio¬ nem acceptari a Deo, non est utile oblationi, sed nobis. Tertio objicit, cur in illa oratione : « In spiritu humilitatis » , petat Sacerdos, ut obla¬ tio placeat, postquam illam obtulit : id enim signum est, eum dubitare an placeat, et proinde peccasse, offerendo sine fide. Re¬ spondeo : Non dubitat Sacerdos, quin placeat Deo sacrificium Missa: ex se, sive ex Christi instituto, et ideo certissima fide offert sacri¬ ficium Deo gratissimum, sed dubitat de pro- pria dispositione, et idcirco petit sibi spiritum humilitatis, et contritionis, ut sacrificium inchoatum ita peragat, ut etiam ex parte sua Deo placeat : neque peccat offerendo sine certa fide propria: dignitatis, quia non tene¬ tur habere istam certitudinem, sed solum tenetur non habere conscientiam peccati, dicente Paulo : Probet seipsurn homo etc. (1). (1)1 Corinth, XI, 18. 414 LIBER VI. Quarto objicit, cur dicatur in illa oratione : « Veni sanctificator etc. » sacrificium prae¬ parari cum jam ante sit oblatum. Respondeo : Illa prior oblatio, praeparatio fuit ad poste¬ riorem oblationem, in qua proprie sacrifi¬ cium consistit, proinde recte dicitur praepa¬ ratum sacrificium, quando materia sacranda Deo, per quamdam oblationem est dedicata. I>E PRAEFATIONE. Offertorio finito, et materia sacrificii prae¬ parata, lotisque manibus, et oblatione Deo commendata per secretas Collectas, dicitur Praefatio, quae quidem hoc nomine appella¬ tur, quia est praeparatio, et excitatio populi ad illam actionem, in qua proprie sacrificium consistit. Ac primum illa verba : « Per om¬ nia saecula saeculorum, » pertinent ad supe¬ riores orationes silentio recitatas, sed dicitur alta voce ista conclusio, ut populus respon¬ dere possit, « Arnen » ; et ea voce confirmet superiores orationes, ita scribit Micrologus, cap. 7. Deinde incipit Praefatio per illud : « Domi¬ nus vobiscum, » et usque ad ea verba : a Vere dignum, et justum est, » habetur in antiquissimis auctoribus Graecis, et Latinis. Nam ut omittam Liturgias, in quarum nulla deest haec praefatio, meminerunt horum ver¬ borum Clemens lib. vm. constit. cap. 16. Cyprianus in serm. G. de orat. Dominica. Cyrillus Ilicrosolymitamus Catechesi 5. my- stagogica. Chrysostomus passirn, ut hom. de Eucharistia: «Quid facis, o homo, non pro¬ misisti Sacerdoti, qui dixit, Sursum corda, et dixisti, Habemus ad Dominum ? » Vide etiam homil. 4. de natura Dei, et Augusti¬ nus non minus frequenter, ut in epistola 57. ad Dardanum, et 120. ad Honoratum, et 156. ad Probam, lib. de spiritu, et littera, cap. 11. lib. ii. de bono perseverantiae cap. 13. Reliqua verba, usque ad illum versum : « Sanctus, Sanctus etc. » non sunt eadem in Graecis, et Latinis Liturgiis : tamen quae in nostra, id est, Romanae Ecclesiae Liturgia habentur, certum est antiquissima esse. Nam ante annos 1000. Pelagius II. Papa interro¬ gatus ab Episcopis Germaniae, et Galliae, quaenam essent, et quot authenticae Praefa¬ tiones, respondit esse novem. Primam, de Natali Domini. Secundam, de Epiphania. Tertiam, de Quadragesima. Quartam, de Cruce. Quintam, de Pascha. Sextam, de As¬ censione. Septimam, de Pentecoste. Octa¬ vam, de Trinitate. Nonam, de Apostolis. Vide epistolam Pelagii, et Gratianum can. Invenimus, de consecrat, dist. 1. Decimam Praefationem, quae est de S. Maria, addidit Urbanus II. in Concilio Placentino circa an¬ num Domini 1080. teste Gratiano, can. Sanctorum, dist. 70. SANCTUS, SANCTUS, ETC. Finita Praefatione dicitur Canticum : « Sanctus, Sanctus etc. » quod quidem par- tim desumptum est ex hymno Angelorum, quem Isaias cap. vi. audivisse se narrat; partim ex cantico Hebraeorum, quod Christo cecinerunt, cum in die Palmarum intraret in Hierusalem, Matth. 21. et habetur in an¬ tiquis Liturgiis, Jacobi, Basilii, et Chryso- stomi : et de eo exstat peculiaris Canon in Concilio Vasensi, can. 4 alias can. 6.