Ode on the Mass From the Confiteor to the Creed

Then confessing to God his sins by thought, word and deed
He beseeches Mary and the saints on his behalf to plead
The deacons respond praying God give mercy and eternal life
Confess their sins as the priest which hopefully are not rife
The priest prays God's forgiveness and gives all absolution
So he will turn and give life to those now free from pollution
Rising up the priest invokes the prayers of the saint entombed
Then gives his blessing over the grains, which will be consumed
With the deacons either side of him, the altar is now incensed
Thus the preliminaries of the mass have now all been dispensed
Opening the missal he says the introit, from the proper of the day
After giving praise, recalls his misery, asks mercy with the Kyrie
On feasts that are not purple or black, he sings with angels glory
Collects the prayers of the Church, listens to our salvation history
Then being instructed by prophets, apostles, the choir now chant
While the deacon kneels asking for the grace of pure lips to grant
Arising he prays Lord a blessing, processes with incense n light
Facing northward, he opens the Evangelium, signs it on the right
Likewise the congregation their minds, lips and hearts are sealed
As they stand in expectation, for the Word of God to be revealed
In a moment Jesus is before them, to the poor and sick he reaches
To those who sorrow he gives comfort, the ignorant he teaches
There follows the priests sermon, to witness in word and deed
Which all present thus assent to, by taking up the Nicene Creed

© Lactantius 2006