At one of the most important parts of the Mass in the traditional Roman Rite, the offering of the bread that will become the Body of Christ (hence this part of the Mass is known as the Offertory), the priest takes the unleavened bread — on the paten — and raises it up to his eye level as he holds the paten with both hands. He then lifts his eyes up to the Crucifix above the Altar and then lowering his eyes to the level of the bread on the paten begins silently, in Latin, the first words of the Offertory prayer:

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Accept, O holy Father,

almighty and eternal God,

this Immaculate Host,

which I, Thy unworthy servant,

offer unto Thee,

my living and true God...

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The Offertory prayer that accompanies the offering of the bread continues till the very end, and is followed by the Offertory of the wine that will become the Precious Blood of Jesus. Note that neither the bread nor the wine are, at this moment, the Body or Blood of Christ: they are still mere bread and wine, for they have not yet been consecrated. And yet, the priest treats them with the utmost reverence, since they are destined to become the Body and Blood of Christ. Already, they are referred to in an elevated language, foreshadowing what they are to become at the moment of Consecration. The priest does not say,  Accept...this bread  but  Accept...this Immaculate Host, already anticipating the upcoming Consecration.

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What is an Immaculate Host? The word Immaculate means unspotted or without stain, and the word Host literally means victim. Thus an Immaculate Host is a Victim without stain or spot: a Perfect Victim with no blemish or imperfection whatsoever. Our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ is indeed the Perfect, Spotless Victim since He was devoid of all sin, both Original Sin and Actual Sin. If the Church refers to the Blessed Virgin Mary as The Immaculate Conception, it is only in reference to Christ who is the ultimate Immaculate One. The Virgin Mary is immaculate as a creature without sin; Our Blessed Lord is sinless and immaculate because He is God Himself in human flesh. 

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I have entitled this blog Hostiam Immaculatam ([This] Immaculate Host) because the ultimate goal of this blog is to exalt the Most Blessed Sacrament, which contains the Perfect Victim of Sacrifice, Our Lord Jesus Christ, offered up in a bloody manner on Calvary for our sins and in an unbloody, sacramental manner whenever the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass is celebrated. 

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I am a diocesan priest involved in active parish ministry in a Canadian archdiocese. As a priest, the Most Blessed Sacrament is my entire life. A good priest always places Holy Mass at the heart of his very existence and identity as a priest of God. But he also doesn't just keep this secret of holiness all to himself; he shares it with those confided to his pastoral care, and sometimes even — through the use of the Internet — to the whole world. The Holy Eucharist is indeed a secret of holiness, and if there is one overarching theme that runs throughout this blog, it is that holiness is found primarily in God; and since God's presence in the Blessed Sacrament is His greatest form of presence here on earth, it follows that holiness is to be found first and foremost in the Eucharistic Presence of Jesus.​

 

I have chosen to remain anonymous on this blog so that the blog not be about me but about Our Lord and the beautiful Catholic Faith that He left us as a precious treasure and gift. I pray that some souls may be led to Christ, the Immaculate Host, through reading this blog, and that others who already know Christ in the Blessed Sacrament may be led to a deeper knowledge of, and love for, the One whom the Church calls "this Immaculate Host/Victim."

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If you obtain any fruit or spiritual benefit from what you read on this blog, please do pause for a moment and say a short prayer for me. May God reward you immensely for your charity!

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Happy and holy reading!