Mass of the Holy Ghost (Spirit) - III - Blessings of Altar Implements

The Heptameron, the Key of Solomon, the Lemegeton, the Arbatel of Magic, the Book of Abramelin, etc.
User avatar

Topic author
Serapion
Neophyte
Posts: 17

Mass of the Holy Ghost (Spirit) - III - Blessings of Altar Implements

Post#1 » Wed Apr 13, 2016 4:11 pm

Here follows a list of the traditional blessings of various items before they are used in the celebration of the Mass. Note that the paten and chalice - the disc upon which rests the bread/Body of Christ and the cup which holds the wine/Blood of Christ - are said to be "consecrated" versus "blessed." Without digressing too much into theology, the difference is slight but significant: after blessing, an item is "charged with positive energy" if you will to fulfill a specific purpose, but it remains ontologically ("actually", "in reality") the same in terms of what the item "is" - its "substance" remains the same. After an item is consecrated, however, it is believed to be ontologically different; its "character" is metaphysically altered or "marked" permanently by the qualities with which it has been consecrated: it is forever changed. It is for this reason that to eat an ordinary meal upon a consecrated paten, for example, or imbibe an ordinary drink with a consecrated chalice would be considered grave sacrilege. The ancient separation of the sacred from the profane, in other words, with the added injunction of "sin".

Holy Water is used for all blessings listed herein; Holy Chrism (oil and fragrance mixture) is used to consecrate the paten and the chalice. See my other posts for the creation of these items.

And now (in no particular order), the blessings proper. Where you see +, make the sign of the cross over the object or item; (+) means make the sign of the cross upon yourself (using your right hand, touch your forehead, navel, left shoulder, right shoulder for those unfamiliar). "V." and "R." signify "versicle" and "response", respectively. As always, any who are assisting you during the rite make the "responses"; if working alone, the response is made by oneself. Note that the wording ("we", "our") of prayers (and this continues to be the case for the Mass proper, with very few exceptions) does not change from plural to singular when working alone. This is for two reasons: the dogma of the Communion of Saints (previously referenced in my other posts, but exponentially simplified states that others [angels, saints, et alia] are assumed to be ethereally present) and that you are praying in the name of/for the sake of/by the authority of the entire Christian ("catholic" = Latin, "catholicam" = English, "universal") Church. Ergo, you're not operating alone (in an actual, indicative sense, not a sentimental/emotional one.)

Blessing of Candles
V. (+) Our help is in the name of the Lord.
R. Who made heaven and earth.

Lord Jesus Christ, Son of the living God, bless + these candles at our lowly request. Endow them, Lord, by the power of the holy + cross, with a blessing from on high, you who gave them to mankind in order to dispel darkness. Let the blessing that they receive from the sign of the holy + cross be so effectual that, wherever they are lighted or placed, the princes of darkness may depart in trembling from all these places, and flee in fear, along with all their legions, and never more dare to disturb or molest those who serve you, the almighty God, who live and reign forever and ever.

R. Amen.

(Sprinkle the candles with holy water.)

Blessing of Altar-Linen
V. (+) Our help is in the name of the Lord.
R. Who made heaven and earth.

Lord God almighty, who for forty days instructed Moses, your servant, how to make linens and sacred appointments, which even Mary wove and made for the service of the Old Covenant; be pleased to bless + this linen made to cover and envelop the altar of your glorious Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with you forever and ever.
R. Amen.

(Sprinkle the altar-linen with holy water.)

Blessing of a Corporal
V. (+) Our help is in the name of the Lord.
R. Who made heaven and earth.

Most gracious Lord, whose power is indescribable, and whose mysteries are celebrated with wondrous ceremonies; grant, we pray, that by your kindness this linen may be hallowed by your blessing, + and serve for the consecration of the body and blood of your Son, our Lord and God Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with you forever and ever.
R. Amen.

(Sprinkle the corporal with holy water.)

Consecration of a Paten and a Chalice
Prepare Holy Chrism and any necessary materials for cleansing and wiping the paten and chalice as well as the hands. This is traditionally bread (as it readily absorbs oil); any material may be used, so long as it is disposed of reverently (traditionally by burning and/or being placed directly into the earth; down the toilet would be considered sacrilege).

V. (+) Our help is in the name of the Lord.
R. Who made heaven and earth.

Consecration of the Paten
Almighty everlasting God, who instituted the laws of sacrifice, and ordered among other things that the sprinkled wheaten flour should be carried to the altar on plates of gold and silver; be pleased to bless, hallow, + and consecrate this paten, destined for the administration of the Eucharist of Jesus Christ, your Son, who for our salvation and that of all mankind chose to immolate Himself on the gibbet of the cross to you, God the Father, with whom He lives and reigns, forever and ever.

R. Amen.

Lord God, may you deign to consecrate and to hallow this paten by this anointing and our blessing [dipping your right thumb into the Holy Chrism, anoint the paten from rim to rim in the form of a cross:] + [then spread the Holy Chrism to completely cover the surface of the paten while finishing:] in Christ Jesus our Lord, who lives and reigns with you forever and ever.

R. Amen.

Consecration of the Chalice
O Lord our God, be pleased to bless + this chalice, made by your devout people for your holy service. Bestow that same blessing which you bestowed on the hallowed chalice of your servant, Melchisedech. And what we cannot make worthy of your altars by our craft and metals, do you nonetheless make worthy by your blessing; through Christ our Lord.

R. Amen.

Lord God, may it please you to consecrate and to hallow this chalice by this anointing and our blessing, [again dipping your right thumb into the Holy Chrism, anoint the chalice on the inside from rim to rim in the form of a cross:] + in Christ Jesus our Lord, who lives and reigns with you forever and ever.

R. Amen.

Almighty everlasting God, we beg you to impart to our hands the virtue of your blessing so that by our blessing + this vessel and paten may be hallowed and become, by the grace of the Holy Spirit, a new sepulcher for the body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ; through Christ our Lord.

R. Amen.

(Thoroughly cleanse the paten and the chalice by whatever method you have chosen [bread, paper towel, et cetera], disposing of said materials appropriately.)

Even if the concepts of sin/sacrilege have zero objective value and/or meaning to you, reinforce the distinction between the sacred and profane as this is a powerful psychological and emotional tool that will serve you well in all types of operations (evocation as well as others).

Also, you may be asking, isn't this level of work rather extreme for a rite (The Mass of the Holy Ghost) that you're only going to use once (to consecrate your miscellanea for use with Heptameron or another grimoire)? That's your decision to make. If you find value in it, use it. I merely submit to you a framework. Few things in life are "easy" (especially this work) and who's to say that arduous Mass preparation is more-or-less objectively necessary than lionskin belts or gilded seals? Certainly not I. You must find a methodology that works for you. Personally, I have come to practice evocation within the rite of Mass itself, as the consecrated Body and Blood of Christ stand resting on my altar inside of my circle. What entity would dare show its full bravado and malevolence as Christ stands physically, literally and actually present in the room (the dogma of transubstantiation/the "Real Presence" of Christ in the Eucharist)? This work must be personal: it must have meaning and value to you to be effective in any real sense.

But enough. My next post shall hopefully be a combination of altar setup and preliminary prayers as one sets about the crowning jewel: the Mass of the Holy Ghost!

Pax vobis,
+Serapion
V. Omnes Sancti et Sanctae Dei
R. Intercédite pro nobis.

"Woo! I feel real." ~ [American Disco Singer] Sylvester [James] (1947-1988).

This topic has 1 reply

You must be a registered member and logged in to view the replies in this topic.


Register Login
 

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 17 guests