ople" (Heb. 5:1). Some of these, however, he says
aloud, namely, such as are common to priest and people alike, such as
the "common prayers"; other words, however, belong to the priest
alone, such as the oblation and the consecration; consequently, the
prayers that are said in connection with these have to be said by the
priest in secret. Nevertheless, in both he calls the people to
attention by saying: "The Lord be with you," and he waits for them to
assent by saying "Amen." And therefore before the secret prayers he
says aloud, "The Lord be with you," and he concludes, "For ever and
ever." Or the priest secretly pronounces some of the words as a token
that regarding Christ's Passion the disciples acknowledged Him only
in secret.

Reply Obj. 7: The efficacy of the sacramental words can be hindered
by the priest's intention. Nor is there anything unbecoming in our
asking of God for what we know He will do, just as Christ (John 17:1,
5) asked for His glorification.

But the priest does not seem to pray there for the consecration to be
fulfilled, but that it may be fruitful in our regard, hence he says
expressively: "That it may become _to us_ the body and the blood."
Again, the words preceding these have that meaning, when he says:
"Vouchsafe to make this oblation blessed," i.e. according to
Augustine (Paschasius, De Corp. et Sang. Dom. xii), "that we may
receive a blessing," namely, through grace; "'enrolled,' i.e. that we
may be enrolled in heaven; 'ratified,' i.e. that we may be
incorporated in Christ; 'reasonable,' i.e. that we may be stripped of
our animal sense; 'acceptable,' i.e. that we who in ourselves are
displeasing, may, by its means, be made acceptable to His only Son."

Reply Obj. 8: Although this sacrament is of itself preferable to all
ancient sacrifices, yet the sacrifices of the men of old were most
acceptable to God on account of their devotion. Consequently the
priest asks that this sacrifice may be accepted by God through the
devotion of the offerers, just as the former sacrifices were accepted
by Him.

Reply Obj. 9: The priest does not pray that the sacramental species
may be borne up to heaven; nor that Christ's true body may be borne
thither, for it does not cease to be there; but he offers this prayer
for Christ's mystical body, which is signified in this sacrament,
that the angel standing by at the Divine mysteries may present to God
the prayers of both priest and people, according to Apoc.