Thus, for example, at the offering of the bread the priest says these words: "Receive, O Holy Father, Almighty and Everlasting God, _this spotless Host,_" etc. When he offers the chalice with the wine and water in it he says: "We offer up to Thee, O Lord, the chalice of Salvation, beseeching Thee of Thy mercy that our _sacrifice_ may ascend with an odour of sweetness in the sight of Thy Divine Majesty," etc.; and he adds: "May the _Sacrifice_ we this day offer up be well-pleasing to Thee." Finally, bowing down before the altar, the priest says: "Receive, O Holy Trinity, this _oblation_ offered up by us to Thee," etc., and, turning to those who are assisting, he says: "Brethren, pray that this _sacrifice_, which is both mine and yours, may be well-pleasing to God the Father Almighty." To this the people through the server reply: "May the Lord receive this _sacrifice_ at your hands," etc. Everyone who will carefully examine these prayers must see that the main idea contained in all is that of _sacrifice_ and _oblation_. In the same way the prayer called the Secret, which follows upon the offering of the bread and wine for the Sacrifice, though it varies with the feast celebrated, practically always contains some mention of the oblation or victim to be offered. Thus on this, the second Sunday of Advent, the Secret prayer contains these words: "Be appeased, we beseech Thee, O Lord, by our prayers and by the _sacred Victim_ we humbly offer," etc. In the second part of the Holy Mass we shall find, if we use our Missals, or Mass books, that there is one unchanging ritual _formula_ called the "Canon," during which the words of Consecration are pronounced by the priest over the bread and wine. By the efficacy of these words, as we Catholics believe, the substance of the bread and wine are changed by God's power into the Body and Blood of Christ; and in this Sacred Canon the Christian sacrifice is perfected. Naturally we should expect to find in this solemn part of the Mass the same idea of sacrifice and oblation clearly expressed. And so it is. The priest begs Almighty God "to receive and to bless these gifts, these _oblations_, these holy and _spotless hosts_, which we offer up to Thee;" and "to be appeased by this _oblation_ which we offer." Again he prays: "Vouchsafe to bless this same _oblation,_ to take it for Thy very own . . . so that on our behalf it may _be made into_ the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ," etc. To this he adds: "Wherefore we offer up to thine excellent Majesty . . . a _Victim_ which is pure, a Victim which is holy, a Victim which is stainless, the holy Bread of life everlasting and the Cup of eternal salvation." Then after the words of Consecration, bowing down before the sacred species on the altar, the celebrant says: "Humbly we beseech Thee, Almighty God, to command that by the hands of Thy holy Angel, this our _Sacrifice_ be uplifted to thine altar on high."