Explanation
“The Canon, which is the most sacred and most solemn part of the Mass, is read in a low voice, to denote the mourning and affliction of the faithful at the time of our Saviour’s passion, which amazed and silenced all nature. The priest raises his hands, in imitation of Moses, who, as we read, ( Exodus xvii.) prayed with his hands lifted up, whilst Josue was combating with the Amalekites. After the Memento for the living he spreads his hands over the bread and wine that are to be consecrated, in imitation of the priests of the old law, who were ordered, ( Lev . 1.) when they offered sacrifice, to lay their hands upon the victim before it was immolated. These ceremonies represent Christ led away to be crucified, carrying his cross on his shoulders to Mount Calvary, admonishing the devout women on the way, who wept over him, to mourn for themselves and for their children; and when he arrived at the end of his painful journey, stripped again of his garments, and laid on the painful bed, without any other pillow to support his head but the thorns with which he was crowned. The signing of the oblation with the sign of the cross, denotes how his hands and feet were stretched and nailed on the cross. The separated consecration of the bread and wine, represents his body slain, and his blood shed, for the remission of our sins. The elevation of the consecrated Host, represents him exalted on the cross in the sight of the whole multitude. The elevation of the Chalice represents the sacred blood flowing from his wounds. The ringing of the bell denotes the earthquakes and other signs which happened at his death. The five crosses formed over the oblation, signify the five principal wounds in his body. The time from the elevation to the communion corresponds to the three hours he hung alive on the cross. The Memento for the dead denotes that whilst he was thus elevated between heaven and earth, he prayed as a powerful mediator for the whole world, even for his enemies and crucifiers. The conversion of the thief on the cross, on one side of him, is represented by the priest striking his breast, and saying, nobis quoque peccatoribus . The seven petitions of the Pater Noster remind us of Christ’s last words on the cross. The breaking of the Host is used in imitation of his having broken it before he gave it to his disciples at his last supper. The breaking of it in three parts represents his mystical body, or the church in three states: the blessed in heaven, the souls in purgatory, and the faithful on earth; this great sacrifice being offered for the whole church, triumphant, suffering, and militant; in honour of the first, that is, in thanksgiving to God for all the graces bestowed upon them, and for all the happiness they enjoy; for the relief of the second, to obtain a speedy admittance for them into eternal glory; and for the benefit of the last, according to the four great ends of sacrifice. The breaking of the Host also represents the death of Christ on the cross, and is a figure of his soul being separated from his body after he bowed down his sacred head. The mixing a particle of the Host with the sacramental species in the chalice, represents the descent of his soul into Limbo , or the prison of the Fathers of the old testament.”