Per Quem Hæc Omnia
July 19, 2026 - Feast of Saints Mary, Martha, and Lazarus
Today we complete our examination of the Roman Canon. The final section is known as the Per quem hæc omnia. It is a single sentence. However, it is the final punctuation for the totality of the prayer. It is a recognition, a hope, a plea, and a definitive exclamation. It might be good to reproduce the whole section to consider.
In the current English translation we hear: “Through whom you continue to make all these good things, O Lord; you sanctify them, fill them with life, bless them, and bestow them upon us.” The Latin reads: <<per quem hæc omnia, Domine, semper bona creas, sanctificas, vivificas, benedicis, et præsta nobis.>>
Our mind is immediately grasped by the words “through whom.” This causes us to remember that our prayer is directed to the Father. The ‘whom’ here is in reference to the closing of the previous section, specifically, the final words “through Christ our Lord.” This is because it is specifically through Christ that all of our prayers are made effective. But also, as we discussed earlier, Christ can be likened to an angel with reference to the Father, as he is sent by the Father and returns fulfilling the will of the Father.
What, then, are “all these good things?” The primary good thing is the Blessed Sacrament, the true Oblation made by the Son to the Father in which we participate at the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. Additionally, there are other good things: the saints, the martyrs, the faithful, the Church, her leaders, effectively everything referenced in the Canon are those good things that are given to us by the Father through the Son.
Additionally, all of these good things are sanctified. What does it mean for something to be sanctified? Sanctification is simply to make something holy. But what is holiness? At root, holiness is a particular relationship to the indwelling of grace in the thing or person. It is a mode of the Divine Presence. Throughout the Canon we recall many different modes of the Divine Presence all culminating in the so-called True Presence uniquely found in the Sacrament of the Most Holy Eucharist.
It is because of this sanctification that all of these gifts have life. This is not the natural life we all receive at creation. Rather, it is the supernatural life that is given to us through the Resurrection, that is the very life of God dwelling within us. This is also the blessing that is imparted to them, that is the “good words” pronounced over all all of these things. They are made eminently good by what Christ has done by the Father’s will.
Lastly, these good things are bestowed upon us. This is an unprecedented thing. In the Byzantine liturgy it is said, “holy things for the holy” Indeed we are made holy by God, we are given what is holy by God, we are invited to his eternal high banquet. There is nothing that can compare to this gift save the unveiled face of God itself.
In Our Holy Father Dominic,
Fr. Gabriel, OP
Pastor
