The Ordinary of the Mass

The Postcommunion

The priest at the Epistle side recites the Postcommunion for the Mass being celebrated. Then he returns to the middle, kisses the altar, and turning toward the people says

P: The Lord be with you.
R: And with thy spirit.
P: Go, the mass is ended.
R: Thanks be to God.

Bowing down over the altar, the priest says

P: May the lowly homage of my service be pleasing to Thee, O most holy Trinity: and do Thou grant that the sacrifice which I, all unworthy, have offered up in the sight of Thy majesty, may be acceptable to Thee, and, because of Thy loving kindness, may avail to atone to Thee for myself and for all those for whom I have offered it up. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

P: Dominus vobiscum.
R: Et cum spiritu tuo.
P: Ite, missa est. R: Deo gratias.

P: Placeat tibi sancta Trinitas, obsequium servitutis meae; et praesta, ut sacrificium, quod oculis tuae majestatis indignus obtuli, tibi sit acceptabile, mihique et omnibus, pro quibus illud obtuli, sit, te miserante, propitiabile. Per Christum Dominum nostrum. Amen.

The Blessing

The priest kisses the altar, and at the word “Pater,” turns toward the people, blesses them, saying

The Last Gospel

The priest now goes to the Gospel side of the altar; he makes the sign of the cross, first upon the altar, and then upon his forehead, lips, and heart, and reads the Last Gospel

P: The Lord be with you.
R: And with thy spirit.
P: The beginning of the holy Gospel, according to St. John.
R: Glory be to Thee, O Lord.

P: In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by Him, and without Him was made nothing that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men: and the light shineth in darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it. There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. This man came for a witness to give testimony of the light, that all men might believe through him. He was not the light, but was to give testimony of the light. That was the true light which enlighteneth every man that cometh into this world. He was in the world, and the world was made by Him, and the world knew Him not. He came unto His own, and His own received Him not. But as many as received Him, to them He gave great power to become the sons of God: to them that believe in His name: who are born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.

R: Thanks be to God.

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P: Dominus vobiscum.
R: Et cum spiritu tuo.
P: Initium sancti Evangelii secundum Joannem.
R: Gloria tibi Domine.

P: In prinicipio erat Verbum, et Verbum erat apud Deum, et Deus erat Verbum. Hoc erat in principio apud Deum. Omnia per ipsum facta sunt, et sine ipso factum est nihil quod factum est. In ipso vita erat, et vita erat lux hominum: et lux in tenebris lucet, et tenebrae eam non comprehenderunt. Fuit homo missus a Deo, cui nomen erat Joannes. Hic venit in testimonium, ut testimonium perhiberet de lumine, ut omnes crederent per illum. Non erat ille lux, sed ut testimonium perhiberet de lumine. Erat lux vera quae illuminat omnem hominem venientem in hunc mundum. In mundo erat, et mundus per ipsum factus est, et mundus eum non cognovit. In propria venit, et sui eum non receperunt. Quotquot autem receperunt eum, dedit eis potestatem filios Dei fieri, his qui credunt in nomine ejus. Qui non ex sanguinibus, neque ex voluntate carnis, neque ex voluntate viri, sed ex Deo nati sunt. (Here all genuflect) ET VERBUM CARO FACTUM EST, et habitavit in nobis et vidimus gloriam ejus, gloriam quasi unigeniti a Patre, plenum gratiae et veritatis.

R: Deo gratias.

Next: Prayers after Low Mass