THE OFFERING OF THE BREAD

The Priest takes the required number of portions of bread, called Hosts. If there are many to receive Holy Communion, the Hosts for the people are in the ciborium, a vessel similar to the Chalice, with a lid. The Mass is offered not only for those present, but for the whole Church, for all the faithful in Christ, both living and departed.

THE PREPARATION OF THE CHALICE

The Priest takes wine for the Chalice from the cruet brought to him by the server. He then blesses water in a second cruet and adds a little water to the wine in the Chalice.  The mingling of water and wine goes back to the Jewish custom, which was no doubt followed by Our Lord.
It is a symbol to us of the union of the divine and human natures in Our Lord and of our own inseparable union with him as "partakers of his divine nature" (II Peter 1:4). In the ancient Church, the bread and wine were made at home and provided by the people as their own offerings; at Rome at an early date, orphans, who could make no other offering, brought the water.

THE OFFERING OF THE WINE

Bringing the Chalice to the middle of the altar, the Priest raises it before him to offer the wine to God. As the bread, made out of many grains of wheat, so the wine, made out of many grapes, teaches us that there is one mystical Body of Christ, of which we are members. We are "one Bread, one Body," for we all partake of one bread, in the words of St Paul (I Cor 10:17). The Priest next prays that we may offer the Holy Sacrifice in contrition and humility; and then asks for the blessing of the Holy Spirit on our offering.