| ¶ | Then the Priest shall turn his face to the altar, and shall worship thrice, approaching nearer at each genuflexion. [Here follows a long rubric directing how the genuflexions are to be performed.] Whilst worshipping he shall say the following prayer in a low voice:[1] |
O Lord our God, we give thanks to the overflowing riches of Thy grace towards us, [to be repeated,] inasmuch as that whilst we were yet sinners and imperfect, in the abundance of Thy mercy Thou didst fit us to administer the holy sacraments of the body and blood of Thy Christ. We pray Thee to strengthen our souls with Thy help, that in perfect love, and true faith, we may now administer Thy gift towards us. Look not, Lord, look not upon the multitude of our sins, neither let Thy majesty despise us on account of the burden of our iniquities; but in Thy unutterable grace receive this oblation at our hands, and endue it with virtue and efficacy that thereby our sins may be blotted out, so that when Thou shalt appear at the last day in the humanity which Thou didst take from us, we may find grace and mercy with Thee, and be meet to praise Thee with all the spiritual company above, saying: [Here the priest shall say the prayer of Mar Barsoma, still bending before the altar.] Glory be to Thee Who dost find the lost; glory be to Thee, O Thou, Who dost gather together the dispersed: glory be to Thee, O Thou Who dost bring near those who are afar off; glory be to Thee, O Thou Who dost restore those who err to a knowledge of the truth; glory be to Thee, O Lord, for having called my frail self, by Thy grace, and for having caused me to draw near unto Thee in Thy pity, and made me a very member in the great body of the holy Church, to offer up unto Thee this lively, holy, and acceptable sacrifice, in remembrance of the passion, death, and resurrection, of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, through whom Thou art well pleased to forgive the sins of all mankind;
Canon.
That unto Thee, God the very Father, and to Thy Only-begotten Son, and to Thy Holy and life-giving Spirit, we may
- ↑ The service thus far is taken from the "Liturgy of the Apostles;" what follows is the part attributed to Nestorius.
