Here is what we have covered so far....


What is the Mass? (May 18th)


The Eucharist is the very sacrifice of the body and blood of the Lord Jesus which he instituted to perpetuate the sacrifice of the cross throughout the ages until his return in glory. Thus he entrusted to his church this memorial of his death and Resurrection. It is a sign of unity, a bound of charity, a paschal banquet, in which Christ is consumed, the mind is filled with grace, and a pledge of future glory is given to us (Catechism 1322,1323,1409). Yes, Eucharist is the source and summit of the Christian life and we are the Eucharistic people. The three chief aspects of the Eucharist are: The Eucharist is a sacrifice, is the real presence, and is a communal meal.

 

  • First, the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross is made present sacramentally so that its saving power may be applied more fully to our lives and we can unite ourselves with Christ’s self-offering to the Father (Catechism 1366-1368)
  • Second, in the Eucharist we encounter the Real Presence of Jesus Christ. The Eucharist is not merely a symbol but is Christ himself. 
  • Third, not only does Our Lord draw near to us by becoming present on the altar at Mass, he even comes to dwell within us when we receive him in holy communion.

 

We discuss over the next few months the four parts of the Holy Mass.

 

The Four Parts of the Mass are;

  • The Introductory Rites
  • The Liturgy of the Word,
  • The Liturgy of the Eucharist
  • The Concluding Rites.


The Introductory Rite (June 29th)

We take serious measures to prepare ourselves for the profound encounter we will have with the Lord in the liturgy. 

 

The Sign of the Cross

To prepare for these sacred mysteries, we first consecrate ourselves to him with the Sign of the Cross. By such ritual we confess and invoke the mighty presence of Trinitarian God, who is with us today.

  • In the Sign of the Cross, we call on God’s name: “In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.” 
  • Calling on God’s name is a powerful biblical practice.
  • Serves as a sign of protection – call God to protect us from all harm and evil – most of all, from all sin.
  • We invoke God’s presence to help us through the fears, challenges, sufferings and temptations we face each day.
  • The Sign of the Cross sets us apart
  • Desire to be loyal to God
  • Especially fitting at the beginning of Mass as we prepare to encounter his presence in the Holy Scripture and the Eucharist.
  • When we enter the church and dip our fingers into Holy Water we are reminded of our Baptism and our communion with God as his adopted children.


The Lord Be with You

This powerful greeting reminds us of God’s presence with us. The Lord be with you, greeting echoes the greetings of God and his angels to people like Moses, Joshua, and Mary when they were called to an important mission. 

  • At Mass, these words remind us of God’s presence with us as we approach the sacred mysteries of the liturgy.
  • It reminds us that we are not alone, the Lord is with us in good times and in bad, in good health and in sickness, and in richness and poverty.

 

This greeting is used three times in the Eucharist and several times throughout the Bible. To the greeting the faithful respond, “And with your Spirit” By saying “and with your spirit,” the people are acknowledging the Holy Spirit’s unique activity through the priest during the sacred liturgy by virtue of his ordination. As Jeremy Driscoll explains, “The people are addressing the ‘spirit’ of the priest; that is, the deepest interior part of his being where he has been ordained precisely to lead the people in this sacred action. They are saying in effect, ‘Be the priest for us now’, aware that there is only one priest, Christ Himself, and that this one who represents him now must be finely tuned to perform his sacred duties well”. As priests share in the ministerial priesthood, all baptized share in the common priesthood of Christ. So we all have a role to play in the life of the church. Let us not just watch what is happening at the Eucharist but participate in it whole heartedly.


I Confess (Confiteor) (July 13th & 27th)

This moment we humbly recognize our unworthiness before God. We confess our sins in the Confiteor and called out for his mercy in the “Lord, Have Mercy”. In this prayer we express sorrow over our sins -something the Bible calls us to do. We are called to love and serve.

 

This prayer also challenges us to consider the four main ways we sin: “in [our] thoughts, in [our] words, in what [we] have done, and in what [we] have failed to do.” Sin is not simply an evil action. We can also sin by failing to do the good we know we should do. These are known as “sins of omission.

  • God is faithful, he will forgive us and cleanse us of our sins if we confess them.
  • Confess your sins to one another.
  • Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.
  • Warns against concealing sins, those who confess receive mercy.
  • Warns against being too ashamed to confess our sins.
  • We also sin by failing to do good; We should not only ask “What sins have I committed” but also consider how we have failed to live like Christ
  • When we do the act of contrition and bring to mind our sins and truly seek forgiveness, we are forgiven of venial sins at this point in the Mass.


Lord Have Mercy (August 10th)

After confessing our sins in the Confiteor, we confidently ask for God’s mercy. God the Father loves us, and wants us to be holy by keeping sins away from our lives. God’s mercy is an expression of his love for us sinners.

The Hebrew word often translated in our Bible as “mercy” is hesed, which describes steadfast, covenant love – a love that is unconditional and totally committed. 

  • Mercy as an expression of God’s steadfast love in that God loves us and is willing to forgive us even though we have sinned.
  • He is faithful even when we have been unfaithful to Him
  • Though we are sinners, Jesus died for us.

 

One of the greatest examples in the Bible of how to ask for God’s mercy is found in Psalm 51. Why Psalm 51 is a model for repentance…

  • Humility – David begs God to show him mercy.
  • Honesty – David takes an honest look at his life and admits the truth about his sin and offense against God.
  • Trust/Confidence – David is confident in the Lord’s love for him
  • Sorrow/Contrition – David recognizes that the sacrifice most pleasing to God is not something we can give to the him but a heart that is truly sorrowful.


"The Gloria is the whole salvation history in song."


The Gloria (September 7th)

Finally, we conclude the Introductory Rites of the Mass, by praising God in the Gloria – a prayer that sums of Christ’s work of salvation. The heart of the prayer called the Gloria tells the story of Jesus Christ, summing up his saving mission, from his birth to his glorious ascension into heaven.

The Gloria tells a story

  • Trinitarian structure
  • “I believe in God …”
  • Central part: The story of Jesus Christ
  • Angel’s praise God at Jesus’ birth – “Glory to God in the highest…”
  • Incarnation – “Only begotten Son of the Father…”
  • Redemption – “Lamb of God”
  • Ascension – “You are seated at the right hand of the Father”

 

One main focus in this first part of the Mass is the purification of one’s soul to encounter God in the Liturgy of the Word and in the Liturgy of the Eucharist. We do this by confessing our sins and asking for God’s mercy. For this very reason the faithful need to present in the church from the beginning of the Holy Mass.

 

To help you prepare for this rite at your next Mass, take some time to examine your life. Let us adopt the humble and honest attitude of David in Psalm 51. As you do so, consider the following questions: What areas of my life need to change? Do I live more for success, praise, pleasure, or money than for God? Is there someone from whom I need to ask forgiveness (a spouse, child, relative or friend)? Is there someone I need to forgive? Do I worry too much about what others think of me? Am I selfish? Do I struggle with greed, anger, impatience, or lust?


Such examining your conscience, helps us to be ready to ask for God’s mercy during the Eucharistic celebration.

 

The Collect: – The Collect is the opening prayer at the Mass. This prayer is called Collect because it collects or “gathers together” intentions of the community and make them into a single prayer. The presider begins this prayer with invitation of, let us pray and the end this prayer the congregation respond, Amen. 


The Liturgy of the Word (September 21st)


Now we turn our attention to the Liturgy of the Word, in which we encounter God speaking to us through the proclamation of the Sacred Scriptures. We hear his inspired Word spoken to us through the Scriptures and then receive Jesus himself in holy communion.

 

In the Liturgy of the Word, we encounter God’s word spoken personally to each of us through the reading from Scripture. As Vatican II taught, in Scripture, “the Father who is in heaven comes livingly to meet his children, and talks with them.” After hearing the word of God proclaimed and explained in the homily, we respond by professing our faith in the Creed and by praying for the needs of everyone, in the prayer of the faithful.


Lector is lending their voice to God.


  • First Reading
  • Responsorial Psalm
  • Second Reading
  • Gospel
  • Homily
  • Profession of Faith
  • Prayer of the Faithful

 

The First Reading

Is generally from the Old Testament, with texts typically chosen for their connection with the Gospel reading. Following ancient custom, the first reading during Easter Season is taken from the Acts of the Apostles, which highlights how the Church bore witness to the death and resurrection of Christ.


Different types of scripture knowledge: chapter/verse & story


  • Old Testament
  • still important today as it bears witness to God’s love and offers much wisdom on human life as well as a treasury of prayers
  • It shows how God prepares Israel for the first coming of Jesus.
  • God’s plan gradually unfolding in the Old Testament – a story that reaches its culmination in the New. (Catechism No. 122)
  • “The New Testament lies hidden in the Old and the Old Testament is unveiled in the New” (Catechism No. 129)

 

The Responsorial Psalm

During the Responsorial Psalm, we praise, thank or call out to God as a Lector/Cantor and the people recite lines from Scripture in alternating fashion. This practice has roots in the Bible.


Praise and Petition

 

The Second Reading and the Gospel

The second reading, which comes from the New Testament, is used for Sundays and Solemnities. The readings are usually chosen independently of the first reading and Gospel, but sometimes correspond to the themes of a particular season, such as Christmas or Lent.

 

Next, the Liturgy of the Word reaches a climactic moment in the proclamation of the Gospel.

  • People stand
  • We say or sing Alleluia ( It is not said during Advent and Lent)
  • Procession of the Book of Gospels from the altar to ambo where the Gospel is proclaimed
  • Priest says a prayer asking God to cleanse his heart and lips that we may be worthy to proclaim the Gospel.
  • In the case of a Deacon the priest prays a similar prayer for him before he goes to ambo
  • Priest or Deacon and people trace the sign of the cross over the foreheads, lips and breasts by saying, “Glory to you, O Lord.”
  • The priest or deacon also traces it on the Book of the Gospels or Lectionary

 

The Gospel reading receives extra attention in the Mass because Jesus is the center of all Scripture and the Gospels are our principle source for the life and teachings of Christ.

 

The Homily

The word homily means “explanation” in Greek. It is used to describe the priest’s explanation of and expounding upon the biblical texts proclaimed in the Liturgy of the Word. This practice has roots not only in the early Church, but also in the Scriptures themselves.

 

In Jesus’ day, the Scriptures were read in the synagogue and then explained by the rabbis or other leaders.

  • To make sure that the word of God is understood properly
  • In the Mass the gospel is explained by someone who participates in the authority Jesus gave to the apostles and their successors to teach
  • The Homily helps to recognize the life-giving message contained in the Holy Scripture.