The Mass from A to Z

A In my column last week, I mentioned that as Catholics the highest form of worship (or Liturgy) we have is the Sacrifice of the Holy Mass, the “…Source and Summit” of our faith. The reason we call the Mass a Sacrifice is because the Catholic Church teaches that what takes place at the Liturgy every Sunday is a representation of the sacrifice Christ made on Calvary 2000 years ago. The Mass is a perpetual (continuous, never-ending) sacrifice that we are commanded to celebrate by Christ Himself (“Do this in memory of me” Luke 22:19) until He returns in the fullness of His glory at the end of time. We do not, however, crucify Jesus over and over again. We are also taught that Jesus died “…once and for all” (Hebrews 7:27) so there is no need for further sacrifices. What we are doing at the Liturgy of the Mass is uniting our sacrifices (time, talents and treasures) with the perpetual Sacrifice of the Heavenly Liturgy so that our offering will be pleasing to God. When we begin to realize what it is we are really doing every Sunday our offering becomes even more acceptable to our Father in heaven. So it is with great reverence and humility that we should enter into this mystery we call the Mass each and every week. The problem is, we often forget what it is we are doing and approach the Mass as we do so many other things in life…with complacency. But there are ways to overcome this complacency. And we will look at the first, and possibly the most important step, in next week’s column from the pastor’s desk.

B In most cases, anything we do with much frequency has a tendency to become boring and we often take it for granted;. watching TV all the time, eating at our favorite restaurant too often and yes, even going to Mass every week. So how do we overcome this complacency toward Mass? Well, it all begins before we even arrive at Church. Many people wake up and prepare themselves for Mass in the same way they would for work or a trip to the grocery store or to visit a friend. This only sets the stage for our Sunday worship to be another “something to do” for the weekend. Sunday is the Lord’s Day. It is a day that should be set aside to spend time with God, our family and our friends. Ask yourself this question, “How did I prepare myself for Mass this morning?” Did you get in an argument with your spouse or children? Did you flip on the TV and watch the news or see what the chefs on the Food Channel were preparing? Did you run to the store to get some groceries so you wouldn’t have to do it later? These are probably not the best kind of things we can do before we go to Mass to put us in the right mood to celebrate the greatest gift God has given us…the Body and Blood of His beloved Son? It might help if we do something to remind us of why we are going to Mass. It could be a family discussion at breakfast about something we’ve done in the past week to help others or maybe play some Gregorian Chant music to put us in the mood to worship or maybe just get ready for Mass in silence, thinking about where we are in our lives – spiritually – and what benefits we can receive from going to Mass to help us grow in our spiritual life. But the best way we can prepare ourselves for Mass is by reading the Scriptures for the day and meditating on them if we are alone or discussing them with our family on the way to Church instead of turning the radio on or talking about other things that we will be doing later. We know that to get the most out of anything we do we have to prepare ourselves well…the same goes for Mass. So next Sunday, as you get ready for Mass take note of what it is you are doing. Is it something that will open you up to receive the many graces that flow from the Liturgy or is it just another distraction like the ones we are bombarded with the rest of the week? The answer to these questions might determine what kind of day we will have on the Lord’sDay.

C Now that we have put ourselves in the right mood for Mass, what do we do once we arrive? The church building is set up to help us make a transition from the outside world into a sacred space…and that’s what the church is, a Sacred Space, or Holy Ground. As you enter the church there is a glassed in area that serves as a drop off area and a place to set up tables for various needs. Once you pass through that area you enter the foyer, or what we call the vestibule. The vestibule is a transition area…it is where we leave the secular (outside) world behind to enter into the Sacred. As we enter the vestibule we should be mindful that we are about to enter into this scared space where we worship our God and once inside our thoughts and actions should turn from what we have done, or what we will do later, to what we are doing now…worshiping our Lord and Savior. So let the vestibule be another reminder for us that we are placing ourselves in the presence of God and act accordingly.

D OK, so we have passed through the vestibule and are now ready to enter into the Sacred space of the Church proper. The first thing we do, or should do, is dip our fingers into the holy water font (the small receptacles near each entrance to the Church with water in them) and cross ourselves on the forehead, breast and each shoulder from left to right. This is symbolic of the ancient Jewish custom of purifying one’s self before entering the Temple for worship (remember, our Christian faith flows out of the Jewish religion and many of our traditions are similar, hence the term Judeo-Christians). However, there is much more to this symbolic gesture than remembering the old Jewish purification rite. Water is a basic necessity of life…it’s something we need to survive. That is why Jesus used water when He instituted the Sacrament of Baptism, because it symbolizes new life in the Holy Spirit. Every time we dip our finger in that holy water and cross ourselves it should serve to remind us of the Christian dignity each of us received at our own Baptism. Yet, how often do we stick our finger in the font and cross ourselves as we look to see if anyone is sitting in our usual seat or looking around to see if we know anyone? It is so easy to just go through the motions when we do these kind of things week in and week out. But everything we do at Mass is meant to draw us into a state of mind where our worship will be much more than just paying lip service to God. Maybe the next time you enter, or leave, the Church and dip your finger in the holy water font, try saying this little prayer…it will only take 5 seconds. “Lord Jesus, thank you for the new life you have given me through water and the Holy Spirit.” It might be a good way to start off and end our Sunday Liturgy.

E Now that we have passed through the vestibule and crossed ourselves with holy water, we begin to look for a place to sit. It seems that it is an unwritten tradition, and one that does not come from the Vatican, that Catholics look for a seat as far back in the Church as they can find. I am not sure why this is. At one time I too looked for those same seats. But once I became more involved in the Liturgy (using many of the ideas that are suggested in these articles), I found myself inching my way closer to the front. Before I knew it, I was nearly in the first pew. I find it much less distracting up there, especially when people come in late…and you know where many of them will be looking for seats. Once we get to the pew of our choice, we genuflect (kneel down on one knee) – or a profound bow from the waist is acceptable if we are unable to genuflect– and we make the sign of the cross again. This gesture is also taken from the ancient tradition of bowing or genuflecting before a king or someone of authority when entering into their presence. In our case we are genuflecting before the King of kings who is present in the tabernacle (the gold metal box which holds the consecrated hosts from the last Mass). We always genuflect to the tabernacle, which in our Church is located in the center of the sanctuary. But not all Catholic Churches are the same. In some, the tabernacle will be off to one side or the other but always in site. The first thing I look for when I enter a different Church (after I have signed myself with holy water and said my little prayer) is the sanctuary lamp, which is a candle burning inside a red or white glass container, that indicates where the tabernacle is located. Take time to genuflect respectfully. So many people look like they are making a clumsy slide into the pew rather than showing God we acknowledge His presence. Now we are seated and ready to get down to business.

F It is always good to get to Mass a little early so we can spend a few minutes in prayer before the Liturgy begins. I know this is not always practical, especially if you have young children. It may be better to teach them to pray in silence at home so that when you are able to get to Mass early they will know what to do. The best way to begin our Liturgy would be to go right into our entrance hymn. Unfortunately we have to make the announcement to turn off all cell phones and electronic devices before Mass even begins and then announce the entrance hymn. I do not like this practice but it seems necessary as I hear phones being turned off after the announcement and occasionally ringing during Mass. And by announcing the hymn, we are hoping to get people more involved with the singing. I know many of you say that you cannot sing. Well, as you have learned, I can’t either…but at least I try. St Augustine said, “When you sing, you pray twice.” Singing is a great way to glorify God. If you have a difficult time carrying a note, just sing at a lower volume. If you still insist on not singing, at least pick up the hymnal, read along and move your lips because the words are usually very beautiful. I have had many noncatholic friends come to watch me celebrate Mass and one thing most of them immediately notice is our singing…or should we say the lack of singing. I too have been to other Churches where there might only be 100 people, yet the singing is much better than ours with 400. I realize that most protestant Churches only have singing, reading of Scripture and a sermon in their Liturgy, so they can concentrate on those aspects maybe a little bit more than we can. But with the help of our organists and cantors (and of course our choir when they are in session), I hope to improve the musical aspect of our Liturgy because it is the music and singing that sets the stage for each part of our Liturgy.

G We are now at the opening hymn. As the entrance hymn begins, all stand and join in the singing as the servers, deacon and priest process down the isle. The music we hear is meant to stimulate our senses and put us in the proper mood to worship God by singing His praises. The words so often speak of the great things God has done for His people and our response to that goodness. This beginning of the liturgy is all taken from our Judeo heritage. As the priest, deacon and servers pass the first pew they step up into what we call the sanctuary. As the Israelites prepared to worship Yahweh (God), they would sing songs as the high priest entered a tent that was specially prepared…what they called the sanctuary. Only the high priest and his servants were allowed to enter the sanctuary where they would make a sacrifice for the people. There was within the tent/sanctuary a most special place called the Holy of Holies in which only the high priest could enter. In the Holy of Holies was the Ark of the Covenant, Israel’s most sacred possession. Inside of the Ark were the staff of Aaron (Moses’ assistant and the first high priest of Israel), Manna (the bread from heaven that fed the Israelites in the desert) and the Ten Commandments…three signs of God’s presence among His chosen people. In the center of the sanctuary in our Church, and at its highest point, is our tabernacle – our Ark of the Covenant – because within it is God’s presence among His people, the real Manna from heaven. I love our tabernacle because it reminds me so much of the Old Testament tabernacle – especially when the Church is dark. Its gold exterior shines so bright under the only light that’s on, it seems as though God Himself is illuminating it. Next week we will look at the importance of the altar, the focal point of our Church…even more than the tabernacle.

H We are singing the opening hymn and the priest, deacon and servers are processing down the isle with the crucifix always leading the way. As they step up into the sanctuary, the servers go to their appointed place and the deacon, with the Book of Gospels, heads toward the altar. The priest, who is last to enter the sanctuary, reverently genuflects to the tabernacle (the servers and deacon do not genuflect or bow…the rule is, if you are holding something in your hand when you enter the sanctuary – i.e., the crucifix, candles or Book of Gospels – you do not bow or genuflect). After he genuflects, the priest goes to meet the deacon at the altar where they both reverence the altar by kissing it. There are two reasons for this. First of all, the altar is the focal point the of the sanctuary, and the sanctuary is the focal point of the Church. The tabernacle is a very important part of the sanctuary but it is the altar that is of most importance. The tabernacle is where the consecrated hosts – the actual body and blood of our Lord – are reserved, but it is at the altar where those hosts are consecrated. Again, this goes back to our Jewish heritage. Abraham built an altar for sacrifice when God asked him to offer up his only son Isaac. Moses built an altar near the tabernacle in Holly of Holies (inside the tent called the sanctuary) to offer up a sacrifice once a year for the atonement of sins for his people. And Jesus mounted the wood of the cross, the altar par excellence, where He made the supreme sacrifice of His own flesh and blood for the life of the world. And it is then on our own altar that we make that same sacrifice of Jesus present for all during the Liturgy of the Eucharist. Next week we will look at the second reason we reverence the altar.

I Last week we spoke of the importance of the altar because that is where the sacrifice of the Mass takes place. That is the primary reason we give reverence to the altar, but there is another. In, or under, every altar in every Catholic Church there is a relic(s) of a saint(s). A relic is some type of artifact from that particular saint. It may be something as simple as a piece of clothing to something as profound as a bone fragment. You may notice that every time I reverence the altar (at the beginning of Mass as well as at the end) I place my hand on the altar and say a brief prayer. At the beginning of the Mass I ask the saint whose relic is in that altar to intercede for me that I may celebrate the Mass as if its my first Mass, my last Mass and my only Mass. At the end of the Liturgy, I thank the saint for the great sacrifices they made for the Church. In many cases, we do not know whose relics are there. However, in our Church, we do…probably because it's so new (originally St Barbara in 1959, and Holy Family, as it is now, in 1980). We are blessed to have the very prestigious relics of the apostle, St James the Greater, St Benedict (founder of the Benedictine Religious Order around the year 450 AD), and St John Vianney, a very famous priest in the early 1800’s, who is also the patron saint of priests. We do not know what the relics are, but we do know that part of our history as the Catholic Church from ages past is present with us at every Liturgy. As we spend time in prayer before Mass, let us give thanks for yet another great gift God has chosen to share with us…as unworthy as we are.

J There are really four parts to the Liturgy – the Introductory Rite, the Liturgy of the Word, the Liturgy of the Eucharist, and the Closing Rite. The Introductory Rite begins with the opening song and ends with the opening prayer. The Liturgy of the Word begins with the first reading from Scripture and ends with the Prayers of the Faithful (also called the intercessions or petitions). The Liturgy of the Eucharist begins with the preparation of the gifts (bread, wine and collection) and ends with the Communion. The Concluding Rite begins with any announcements and ends with the closing song (that is why we do not leave early…the Mass is not finished until the last note of the song played). We are now at the point where the priest, deacon and servers have processed down the isle to the opening song; they have entered the sanctuary, genuflected to the tabernacle and the priest and deacon have reverenced the altar. The priest then proceeds to the chair placed in the sanctuary – this is called the presiders chair – and continues with the Liturgy. When the opening song is finished, the priest begins by leading the congregation in making the sign of the cross (is anyone keeping track of how many times we make the sign of the cross? Maybe I will do that at the end). After the sign of the cross the priest welcomes the congregation in the words St Paul often used to begin his letters, “May the grace and peace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God be with you all” (or similar words). Then, after a personal welcome of his own, the priest invites the congregation to pray with the words, “Let us pray.” This brief opening prayer is called the “Collect” because the priest collects all the prayers of the people in to one single prayer and places them before God to show our unity with one another and our desire to praise the Heavenly Host. Next week we will begin to break down the Liturgy of the Word.

K We have just finished the Introductory Rite and now move into the Liturgy of the Word. The Catholic Church has set up a cycle of readings for Sunday and daily Mass. The Sunday cycle is a three-year cycle with Year A Gospel readings (for the most part) coming from Matthew, Year B from Mark and Year C from Luke. (We are in Year C now, which will end Dec. 2. The Church calendar is set up on a fiscal year…it begins with the first Sunday of Advent – Dec. 2 of this year – and ends with the Feast of Christ the King on the Sunday before.) The Gospel of John is used at different times throughout the year, especially during Lent. The Gospel readings for daily Mass are set up on a two year cycle…Year I and Year II and all the Gospels are used at various times. The first reading at Mass is almost always from the Old Testament (OT) and the second reading, which usually runs in sequence, is from the books of the New Testament (NT) other than the Gospels (there is only one reading besides the Gospel at daily Mass) and in between there is always one of the 150 psalms. The first reading from the OT and the Gospel reading are often similar in nature. That is because – as you have probably heard me say before – the NT is hidden in the Old and the OT is brought to life in the New. By setting up the cycle of readings this way, we hear around 80% of the Bible read every three years. That is why it is not necessary to bring our Bibles to Mass with us. The priest will usually talk about one or more of the readings in his homily and that is how we are to instruct the faithful. I have a habit of preaching on the first reading and the Gospel because I think it is important for the people to see how everything that happened in the NT was prophesied about or foreshadowed in the OT. Next week we will take a closer look at how the readings are set up.

L After the Opening Prayer (the “Collect”), all are seated for the reading of Holy Scripture. Before we actually get into the readings themselves, there are a couple of issues that need to be addressed. The readings we hear each week are the words of God Himself, written on sacred pages to help us know and love Him better…they are of the utmost importance in the Liturgy and demand respect. In the four months I have been here, I see two areas in which that respect is not being shown. First of all, there is a great lack of respect being shown the Word of God, the Liturgy and to others, when people arrive late for Mass. I understand that there may be times and situations when being late cannot be helped…but I often see the same people showing up late week after week. Many of the people who are late may not read this article but for those who do, I ask you to try to overcome this bad habit. I can think of many situations where people stand in line for hours at the movies, for the opening kickoff of the football game or to be the first one in line for a “big sale” at the store…yet they will regularly be 5, 10 or 15 minutes late for Mass. What is wrong with this picture? God only asks for one hour out of our week (actually He would enjoy more) and we should strive to give Him at least a full hour. If you find yourself late for Mass – when everyone is seated and the readings have already begun – it is proper etiquette to wait in the vestibule or the back of Church until everyone stands for the Alleluia between the second reading and the Gospel before seating yourself. Crawling over or around people while the readings are being proclaimed is distracting and inconvenient to others (this is also the case when people get up and down to go outside or use the restroom during the Liturgy of the Word). If you should happen to arrive after the Gospel has been proclaimed, you should not receive Holy Communion. That is one of the issues I needed to address…we will discuss the other next week.

M OK, we are back to where we left off a couple of weeks ago. Let’s recap first. We’ve prepared ourselves for Mass before we even get there (and we’ve arrived on time). We enter into the vestibule as we transition from the secular world into the sacred; we enter the Church proper, bless ourselves with holy water, find a pew, genuflect and take a seat. We spend some time before Mass in prayer then stand and sing the opening prayer (using a hymnal) as the priest, deacon and servers process down the aisle. The priest and deacon reverence the altar and go to their chairs; when the song is finished, there is a greeting and then we have the opening prayer (the Collect). After the Collect, all are seated for the Liturgy of the Word. I tried to explain how the readings in general are set up and the different cycles we use. Now we will look at each of the readings individually. The first reading on Sunday is almost always from the Old Testament. You have heard me say that the New Testament (NT) is hidden in the Old Testament (OT) and the OT is fulfilled, or brought to life in the NT. For that reason the OT reading usually corresponds to the Gospel and most often, it’s fairly easy to see the connection. The OT is a story, not only about how God chose a certain people to be His own and how He led them into the Promised Land, but it’s also our story. You can see a certain motif, or pattern in the OT; it’s a pattern of sin (by God’s chosen people), punishment (by God for the misdeeds of His people), repentance (by the people after they realize they have offended God despite all He has given them) and finally forgiveness. Doesn’t that sound like our daily struggle? Just take a closer look at the OT reading for any given Sunday and many times it will be fairly easy to apply it to our own life.

N I would like to begin by thanking Deacon Jim Coe for his contribution in the “From The Deacon” articles about Advent…. I found them very informative and helpful as I prepare myself for the season of Advent. You will see articles from our deacons from time to time and hopefully find them to be useful and informative. In my last entry from the Mass from A – Z, we talked about the first reading during the Liturgy from the Old Testament and how we can see so much of ourselves in the daily struggles of the Israelites, God’s chosen people. Even though those books were written thousands of years ago, they are our story today. The same can be said about the Responsorial Psalm that follows. After the first reading, one of the Psalms is sung (on Sunday) or read on (weekdays). I think the Psalms are one of the least appreciated parts of the Liturgy and the Bible. While they are part of the OT, the Psalms are unique in that they are strictly prayers. The books of the OT are about creation, God calling a people unto Himself and giving them the Promised Land (in the first 5 books of the bible we call the Torah), historical books (about the development of Israel as a nation) and writings from the Prophets (who were instructed to admonish the Israelites when they strayed from God and prophesy about the coming of the Savior). Sandwiched in between are the Psalms. There are 150 Psalms and these are the prayers the Jews, including Jesus, prayed in the Temple (they are also the prayers priests, deacons and religious brothers and sisters are obligated to pray at least twice a day.) The word psalm comes from the Greek word pslamos, which means to “…play the harp.” We know that David was an accomplished harpist and we know that the majority of the psalms are attributed to him. So the psalms are prayers sung to God by David while he was playing the harp. The Catechism calls the psalms “…..the masterpiece of prayer in the OT” because they express and reflect every phase of the human emotion – praise, misery, sorrow, joy. etc. It simply amazes me when I think of David sitting in his palace, praying to God in song with the beautiful accompaniment of the harp – prayers from laments and sorrow to praise and glory for all God has given him. Try imagining this yourself, the next time you read or sing one of the Psalms.

O All right, we are on the letter O and just now getting to the 2nd reading…there is much more than even I realized. The 2nd reading during Mass is always from the New Testament, other than the Gospels. There are 27 books in the NT – 4 Gospels (about the life of Christ), Acts of the Apostles (how the early church developed after Pentecost), 13 letters, or epistles, are attributed to St. Paul, Hebrews (author unknown), one letter attributed to James and Jude, 2 to Peter and 4 to St. John the “beloved disciple” (1,2 & 3 John and the Book of Revelation). The 2nd reading is usually dominated by the writings of St. Paul. St. Paul – even though he was not an Apostle of the Lord in the sense that he walked with Him – was given a special insight into the theology/understanding of God. The first, or earliest written book of the NT is most probably St. Paul’s first letter to the Thessalonians around 55 AD and the last book written was St. John’s book of Revelation which was written between 95 and 100. So you can see, the development of the testament occurred over quite a long period of time. The Bible as we know it, would not officially be put together, or compiled into what we call the Canon of Scripture, until the Bishops of the early Church gathered at the Council of Hippo (in North Africa) in 393 AD. This tells us two things; one, the Bible did not just drop down out of the sky in the form we have it today and two, the Bible really is a Catholic book.

P After the 2nd reading, and before the Gospel, comes the Alleluia…or Gospel Acclimation (during Lent we do not sing the Alleluia as Lent is a time of penance and a time to reflect on the suffering, death and resurrection of our Lord). The Alleluia, much like the Responsorial Psalm, is often under appreciated. After the first and second readings are proclaimed and the Psalm is sung there is a moment of silence before the priest stands and the congregation follows. The cantor (or choir when present) begins to sing the Alleluia. Two things here signal something important is happening…we stand (as compared to sitting for the first two readings and the psalm) and we begin to sing, or chant, the Alleluia. The word alleluia comes from the ancient Hebrew word “Hallelujah,” which means, “Praise the Lord.” As we sing along with the cantor or choir, the Alleluia should serve as a reminder that we are about to hear the words of Jesus Christ Himself. It is hard for us to listen to the Gospel as if it were the first time we have heard it. But that is the purpose of Alleluia, to sing with all our hearts “praise be to God…for He has entrusted His lowly creatures with His very own words” and ask God to help us hear the Gospel as if we were hearing it for the first time. While the Alleluia is being sung, the deacon, after he receives a blessing from the priest, takes the Book of Gospels from the altar and goes in procession (following two servers with candles) to the ambo (or the pulpit as it is more traditionally known) to proclaim the Word of God to the faithful…that would be all of you . So the next time we sing the Alleluia (or Gospel Acclamation during Lent) try closing your eyes and know that what we are really trying to say is, “Praise to you Lord, for you have revealed to us the Word of life who is our Lord and Savior.”

Q We are now at the Gospel reading, the highpoint of the Liturgy of the Word (remember, the Mass – while just one Liturgy – has 2 liturgical parts…the Lit of the Word and the Lit of the Eucharist). Everything we have done up to this point has been to prepare us to receive the Gospel message. There are 4 Gospels (the word gospel actually means “Good News”), Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. Mt, Mk, and Lk are called the Synoptic Gospels because their content is similar in nature…they give us a historical perspective of the life and teachings of Jesus. As we mentioned before, the Sunday readings for the year (which begins on the first week of Advent) are set up on a three-year cycle…Year A, which we are now in (Mt), Year B (Mk) and Year C (Lk). John, on the other hand, is much more theological (a more in-depth look at who God is) and is used at various times in each of these years, especially during Lent. During the singing of the Alleluia, the Deacon receives a blessing from the priest (“May the Lord be in your heart and on your lips that you may worthily proclaim His holy Gospel), removes the Book of Gospels from the altar and proceeds to the ambo/pulpit. He first proclaims, “The Lord be with you” – which is a greeting St Paul begins all of his letters with – and then he proceeds to make the sign of the cross on the actual Gospel reading and then on his forehead, lips and over his heart…the congregation follows. This action – making the sign of the cross on our foreheads, lips and heart – was never meant to be done by the deacon or the people in the pews…it’s a tradition that has crept in. Technically, only the priest should make this sign when he proclaims the Gospel. In the Sacramentary – the red book the priest uses for prayers during the Mass – it states that the priest should make the sign of the cross on his forehead, lips and over his heart while saying, “May the Lord be in my mind, on my lips and in my heart that I may worthily proclaim His holy Gospel.” It never says for the deacon or people to do this but over time the people have come to mimic the priest in many of his actions, such as this. After the Gospel is proclaimed, the priest/deacon kisses the Gospel reading and says, “May the words of this Gospel wipe away my sins.” After the Gospel is read, the congregation is seated awaiting instruction on the readings from the priest /deacon…what is known as the homily. We will look at the homily next week

R After a two-week break, we are back to the Mass from A-Z. In the last segment we talked about the Gospel…now it’s time for the homily. The Church allows much latitude for the priest when giving his homily. In can be about the readings that were just proclaimed (which is most preferable), about a current situation that is of interest to the particular parish he is addressing or something that affects the Church universal (such as this week being National Vocation Awareness week). Every priest prepares differently. I usually look at the readings for the following Sunday on Monday or Tuesday and consider any special interest that might need to be addressed then let it stew in my head for a few days. I also consult different commentaries and homily aids that focus on the historical perspective or give insights that some of the great leaders of the Church have shared on the same subject in the past. After I have a good idea of where I am going, I try to have a brief outline by Thursday. As I go through that outline in my head over and over again, I try to tighten it up on Friday and begin final preparations Saturday. The homily is the one obvious thing that changes from week to week and the one thing many churchgoers gauge their Sunday experience on. As a matter of fact, many people will decide which Church they attend by how good of a homilist the priest/pastor is. This is understandable. I realize that people want to be fed when they attend Church (some want to be entertained). But I ask you not to judge your Sunday experience – or the priest – solely on how good the homily is. In many Protestant Churches, that is all they have – a reading from Scripture, the homily/sermon and singing…but as Catholics, we have so much more. Remember, our Liturgy is made up of two distinct parts – the Liturgy of the Word (reading of Scripture and the homily) and the Liturgy of the Eucharist (Communion). While one is no more important than the other, the Eucharist is – as the fathers of the Church state – the “Source and Summit” of our faith. I work hard to provide homilies that will give you something to think about throughout the week – and I hope that I succeed in that – but I ask you to strive to enter into the real mystery of what takes place at our Sunday Liturgy, a participation in the life, death and resurrection of our Lord and Savior that has been passed on to us through the centuries…that is where you will find true fulfillment of your spiritual needs.

S Okay, the homily is over and it is time to wake up from your nap. After the homily, we stand to profess the faith we believe in and we do this by reciting the Nicene Creed. Actually, it is the Nicene/Constantinople Creed. In the early Church, the believers needed a brief formula that they could recite when explaining to someone what they believed in as Christians. The first creed – or symbol as it was known as early on – was the Apostles Creed. It was believed that the Apostles Creed was composed by the Apostles on the day of Pentecost, after the risen Christ had appeared to them, each adding a particular article (there are twelve articles in the Creed but only 11 Apostles were in the upper room on Pentecost…Judas was no longer with them. That would have left only Mary to add the twelfth one). Modern scholarship disputes the fact that the Apostles themselves wrote the first Creed, but perhaps it was those who followed after them in the early to mid 2nd century. Not too long after this first Creed was formulated, the heresy of Arianism (the belief that Jesus was not really God, although He was above the rest of creation) was invading the Church. So the early Church fathers saw the need to expound on the Apostles Creed to clearly spell out that Jesus was indeed “…one with God.” At the Council of Nicea in 325, the new Creed was formulated and approved. At the Council of Constantinople in 381, when the doctrine of the Trinity was being hammered out, it was revisited and the fathers of that council saw the need to change one word, “We believe in the Holy Spirit…who proceeds from the Father through the Son” to “…the Father and the Son.” This may seem unimportant to us but it created quite a controversy between the early leaders of the Church. This small change, known as the filioque, would eventually lead to what is known as the “Eastern Schism,” and cause the Eastern Church, now generally known as the Greek Orthodox Church, to separate from the Church of Rome. Even today, those changes remain in their respective Churches. So often we can find it difficult to stay focused during the recitation of the Creed because it is something we know by heart and recite each week. But we have to strive to focus on what is being said at this time because it is the basis of what we believe in…our manifesto, if you will. I try to close my eyes during the Creed and envision what it must have been like for those early Christians to profess their faith in this way to someone who had never heard it…it makes it a little newer for me.

T After we have professed our faith in the Creed, we offer up the “Prayers of the Faithful,” also known as the petitions or intercessory prayers. These prayers bring an end to the Liturgy of the Word and act as a transition into the Liturgy of the Eucharist. The prayers of the faithful should express “…the joys, hopes, grief and anguish of the people of our time.” The normal pattern is usually to pray for the needs of the Church (Universal), the salvation of the world, civil authorities, those oppressed by burden, and for the local community…especially those who are sick and those who have died. This is not particularly a time of prayer for personal needs since we have gathered together as a community of worship and offer our prayers as such (there are other opportunities to pray for our personal needs, most especially after we have received Holy Communion). Can you imagine the power of these prayers as all gathered are united in one mind and one spirit to pray for the needs of our Church and the world? Jesus says, “Where two or three are gathered in My name, there am I in their midst”…how much more when 300, or 400, or 500 are gathered together? As you have probably noticed, I always add a prayer for vocations at the end. I try not to phrase it the same way each week so that it doesn’t seem redundant. Please help me in making this your prayer as well because the future of our Church and the Sacraments depend on it. Also, if there are any personal needs you have and would like me to pray for, please call and let me know…one of the greatest gifts God has given me is the ability to pray for others, especially when I am celebrating daily Mass. It is also beneficial to me as it helps me to have the desire to pray even more.

U Well, we have reached the letter U and are just now arriving at the Liturgy of the Eucharist. As you may recall, while we celebrate only one Liturgy when we gather for Mass, there are two distinct parts…the Liturgy of the Word and the Liturgy of the Eucharist. In the Liturgy of the Word, God speaks to us about all the wonderful things He has one for His people in ages past – the same things He continues to do for us today. In the Liturgy of the Eucharist – which we call the source and summit of our life – we put into practice all of these wonderful things God has given us to lead His people to holiness. The Eucharist serves to lead us to holiness in two distinct ways…as a memorial and as a sacrifice. As a memorial it serves to remind us of the Passover Christ celebrated at the last supper with His disciples in the upper room when He said, “Take this all of you and eat it, this is my body which will be given up for you. Take this all of you and drink it, this is the cup of my blood, the blood of the new and everlasting covenant. It will be shed for you and for all so that sins may be forgiven. Do this in memory of me.” While the Eucharist is a memorial, it is not only calling to mind what Christ has done for us in the past, it is a living (un-bloody) sacrifice, a re-presentation of His sacrifice on the cross made present to us today and with it comes the fruits that were won for us that day on Calvary 2000 years ago. As we gather to celebrate the Liturgy, we unite our sacrifice with His (through prayer and sacrificial giving of our material wealth) and our Liturgy here on earth is joined with the perpetual, unending Liturgy in heaven making it an offering pleasing and acceptable to our Father in heaven.

V The Liturgy of the Eucharist begins with the “Preparation Rite,” during which the altar and gifts are prepared to offer proper sacrifice. The congregation is seated after the prayers of the faithful and assists the ministers of the altar by joining in song led by the organist and cantor/choir. The deacon (or priest if no deacon is available) goes to the altar and receives from the altar servers several items. First he receives the priest’s chalice with a purificator, paten, corporal, and pall placed on top. The pall (not to be confused with the white cloth placed over the casket at funerals, which is also called a pall) is a 4”-5” inch square piece of stiff cloth that is used during consecration to protect the contents of the chalice from dust and flying insects. After the pall is removed and set aside, the corporal is placed on the altar. The corporal (which comes from the Latin word corpus, which means body) is a 20” piece of cloth placed in the center of the altar to protect any particles that might fall when the host is broken or any precious blood that might be spilled. After the corporal is down, the paten is placed upon it. The paten is a small dish-like vessel used to contain the large host the priest uses during consecration (this host, which is larger than the one distributed during communion, is used so all can see when it is elevated during the Eucharistic Prayer). After the paten - with a large host in place - the chalice and purificator are placed on the corporal. The purificator, a linen cloth much like the corporal but smaller, is used to wipe away any precious blood that might drip when the priest receives from the chalice (the same is used when serving the precious blood to the congregation during communion). It is also used to purify the vessel after communion. The corporal and purificator must be laundered in a specific manner because they contain remnants of Jesus’ Body and Blood. They are washed in a bowl by hand and the water is then poured into the ground, not down the sink to go into the sewer system. For this reason we ask the ladies to blot their lipstick before receiving from the chalice at communion. Lipstick stains are very difficult to get out. Next week we will finish the “Preparation Rite.”

W While preparing the altar, the collection is being taken up. The collection is a very important part of the preparation rite, not only in helping sustain our parish, but it also allows us to give back to God some of what he has given us. When the gifts are brought forward, it is symbolic of giving back to God – a finished product if you will – of what He has given us to work with. During the prayer over the gifts, the priest says, “Blessed are you, Lord God, of all creation. Through your goodness we have this bread to offer, which earth has given and human hands have made. It will become for us the bread of life.” And likewise the wine, “…Through your goodness we have this wine to offer, fruit of the vine and work of human hands. It will become our spiritual drink.” What a great gift to give back to God. Those things of the earth, which He gave us, now sustain us physically and spiritually. So, too, with our financial gifts. God has given us the abilities we possess to provide for ourselves and for those entrusted to our care. We learn to work hard to put a roof over our head, to have a reliable means of transportation and to acquire some of those nice things that make our life more enjoyable. But before all of that, we are asked to give our first fruits back to God. At least 70 times in the Old Testament – and several other times in the New Testament – we are instructed by God to give a tithe, or 10 percent of our first fruits. As a parish family, we need financial resources to maintain the kind of facilities we have here at Holy Family and provide the type of programs that will help us to grow in holiness and spiritual maturity. A recommended formula for financial giving is to give 5% directly to our parish, 2% to ADF to support the Church of our Archdiocese, 2% to Catholic Charities to help the Church Universal assist those who are in need and the remaining 1% to any of the other programs that are offered. This, of course, is only a model. The important thing is to make a sacrifice acceptable to God…and our first concern in making that sacrifice is always our local parish. While our parish is unique in that it serves many people who do not call Lawton or Holy Family their home (those who are here because of Ft Sill, or something related to Ft Sill), we ask them to take some ownership in our parish while they are here. Sometimes the blessings that come from tithing we may never see, but they are abundant…the Lord Himself assures us of this throughout holy Scripture.

X After the altar has been prepared and the collection taken up, the priest, deacon and servers go to the front of the sanctuary to await the presentation of the gifts. The gifts of bread, wine and money are brought forward by some members of the congregation – often a family – as a powerful expression of participation of all present in the Eucharist and social mission of the Church. This practice goes back to the very early Church when the people themselves would bring bread, wine and other foodstuff forward to be blessed and given to the poor. It was also the custom to give money for those who were in need. In the early Church, the deacon was entrusted with this money and food…for the poor, the widowed, the orphaned and the alien. Tradition tells us that St Lawrence – one of the first seven chosen by the apostles to be deacons – was entrusted with the care of money and food for the poor and needy in Rome. During the persecution of Valerian (Roman emperor from 253-260), Lawrence was given three days to bring forward all the treasures of the Christian community by one of Valerian’s officials. On the third day, Lawrence gathered all the poor and those who had been helped by the Church and brought them before the official and said, “Here is the treasure of the Church.” For this, Lawrence was put to death. As the gifts are presented to the priest for offering, the bread and wine are given to the deacon who in turn gives them to the servers. The last gift to be given is the collection, which the priest hands to the deacon who places it in front of the altar for all to see. During this preparation rite, suitable music is played to express our joy that God will accept our gifts of bread and wine and transform them into the Body and Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ during the Eucharistic Prayer as well as our ability to provide financial help to those who are poor and less fortunate than we are. The importance and significance of the preparation rite should not be lost as we transition from the Liturgy of the Word to the Liturgy of the Eucharist. It is a great time to sing our praises to God for allowing us to be able to be active participants in the mission of the Church…not only on a local level, but universally as well.

Y Once the gifts have been received by the priest and given to the deacon and servers, all return to the altar. The deacon receives the bread from the server and hands it to the priest who offers a prayer of thanksgiving (see letter “W”) that we are able to use the natural elements of the earth to return to Him as our offering. This prayer is reminiscent of the old Jewish table prayer of thanksgiving. While the priest is saying the prayer over the bread, the deacon prepares the chalice. He places a small amount of wine in the presider's chalice and then mingles a few drops of water in with it while saying inaudibly, “By the mystery of this water and wine may we come to share in the divinity of Christ who humbled Himself to share in our humanity.” I have consulted all of my theology books and cannot come to a consensus on the exact significance of this liturgical action. Some say this mingling of water and wine symbolizes the two natures of Christ (human and divine). Others, that it symbolizes the union of Christ and His Church. Still others say it represents the blood and water that flowed from Christ’s side when He was lanced by the centurion’s spear as He hung on the Cross. This much we do know…in the ancient world, wine was often tempered with water (not quite sure why, possibly to make it go farther) and this tradition found it’s way into the Liturgy. After the deacon has prepared the chalice, he hands it to the priest who says the blessing (again, see letter “W”) in the same manner as he did the bread. After the bread and wine have been prepared, the priest bows and says inaudibly, “Lord God, we ask you to receive us and be pleased with the sacrifice we offer you with humble and contrite hearts.” The key in that last sentence is “…humble and contrite hearts.” That is what God desires from each of us, yet it seems so hard to do…at least for me.

Z Once the bread and wine have been prepared, the priest, if he so chooses, incenses the gifts and the altar. Using incense is an age old practice dating back to the Old Testament. In Psalm 141, the psalmist asks that his prayers be pleasing as incense rising before God. Incense is normally used at the beginning of the Mass, at the Gospel, and here at the preparation of the gifts. Some priests use incense quite often (I know Fr Fuller used it every week at the 11:00 Mass) and some use it less frequently…I fall under the latter category. The rubrics (guidelines for the Mass), do not say how often incense should be used, it only says, “When incense is used…” My theory is to incense only on feast days and solemnities to add a special sense of reverence. I know some people do not like incense – some are even allergic to it – but it serves to stimulate yet another one of our senses to make us aware that something is different at this Liturgy. After the gifts are prepared (and incensed), comes the “Ablution Rite,” or the “Washing of the Hands.” This practice, like so many others, comes from the Jewish tradition. Worshipers would wash in large jars of water before entering the Temple as a purification rite. In Mass, the priest asks God for an internal purification so he can make a worthy offering. The ablution rite did have a practical use as well in the early Church as the priest would wash his hands after handling all of the foodstuff that was brought forward, but that is not the case today…it is purely symbolic. During the Mass, the entire congregation asks God 3 times for forgiveness. During the “Penitential Rite” just after the greeting at the beginning of Mass (Lord have mercy…), during the Our Father (forgive us our trespasses) and just before receiving Holy Communion (Lord, I am not worthy to receive you, only say the word and I shall be healed). The priest asks two more times besides this – after the reading of the Gospel (May the words of this Gospel wipe away my sins) and during the ablution (Lord, wash away my iniquities and cleanse me from my sins). So, 5 times in all does the priest ask God to make him worthy to offer this sacrifice. I guess it does not matter if I were to ask a thousand times, I would never truly be worthy. Thanks be to God it is Jesus who makes this mystery happen, in spite of the weak instruments He has to work with. (Side note: only the Eucharist itself forgives venial, or less serious sin at Mass but mortal, or serious sin can only be absolved through the Sacrament of Penance, or Confession).

AA Well, we have finished the Mass from A-Z and we are only beginning the Liturgy of the Eucharist…so we will begin using double letters. After the ablution rite (washing the hands), the priest turns to the congregation and says, “Pray, brethren, that our sacrifice may be acceptable to God, the almighty Father” to which all respond, “May the Lord accept the sacrifice at your hands for the praise and glory of His name, for our good, and the good of all His Church.” If you look at it closely, this is a very interesting exchange of words. The priest, standing at the altar “In persona Christi” (in the person of Christ), asks God on behalf of the people to accept this sacrifice we are about to offer. This is reminiscent of the way the high priest would offer sacrifice for the people in ancient Israel. The difference however, is that the people respond. We are no longer simply observers; we are active participants in this sacrifice. In this response, the people ask God to make our sacrifice acceptable so that it will give glory and praise to His name and bring about good in His Church. This is a very powerful prayer as we anticipate the bread and wine being changed into the body and blood of Christ. As with many other parts of the Mass, this response – this prayer – can often be recited without much thought. Let us strive to enter ever deeper into this great Sacrifice by focusing on each response throughout the Mass so that we can make each Mass even more meaningful

BB Well, we have just celebrated the Liturgy of all liturgies with the Easter services, especially the Easter Vigil when 18 people were welcomed into full communion with the Church (5 received Baptism). There is an old Latin axiom, “Lex Orandi, Lex Credendi.” This means, “The way we pray is the way we believe.” There is no greater expression of our faith than the Vigil Mass where we pull out all the bells and whistles. Yes, it is a long service, but it is such a beautiful Liturgy everyone should attend at least once. We are a sensible people – not that we always do what is right – but that we experience life through our five senses…seeing, smelling, tasting, hearing and touching. As Catholics, we express ourselves in worship through signs and symbols that are perceptible to these senses. A sign is something that points us in the right direction, while a symbol is a deeper expression of what the sign stands for. Take the water we use in the Rite of Baptism. Water is a sign of life and cleanliness. In the Liturgy, the deeper meaning – the symbol – is the new life we receive through water and the Holy Spirit and the sins that are washed away to make us a new creation. Some of the signs and symbols used at the Vigil are darkness, fire, light, water, oil, incense, bread, wine, words, music, etc., etc. All of these have an obvious meaning but, as symbols, they are also meant to draw us deeper into our worship. We are truly blessed to have a faith such as ours; a faith in which we express our love and appreciation for all that God has done for us by using His own wonderful gifts. While all the build up has come to a climax, we must stay in the joy of the Easter season – which will officially end 50 days after Easter on Pentecost Sunday – so that our joy may be complete. We have some “Little White Books” (to complement the “Little Black Books” of Lent) in the vestibule with daily prayers to help us accomplish this. I hope your Easter was as blessed as mine and I pray that each of us can take those blessings with us throughout the year…and I believe we can do that by remembering that each Sunday is a “Little Easter” in itself.

CC After the priest has invited the people to pray, (“Pray my friends, that our sacrifice may be acceptable to God our Almighty Father”), he recites a short prayer (Prayer over the Gifts) that brings to an end the preparation rite. This prayer has a twofold purpose that links the congregation to the priest in this offering as well as a common expression of worship to God. This prayer is very brief but serves as a transition into the Eucharistic Prayer itself. After this brief prayer, the priest begins the “Preface”. The Preface – which means proclamation”, or “speaking out” – indicates the importance of what we as a people of worship are celebrating, along with a recollection of the tradition in which this Sacrifice has been celebrated for thousands of years. The priest says, “The Lord be with you”, to which we respond, “and also with you” (linking the people to the priest). “Lift up you hearts”, “We lift them up to the Lord” (to whom our worship is directed). “Let us give thanks to the Lord our God”, “It is right to give Him thanks and praise” (reaffirming the last response to whom our prayers and sacrifice are offered). Now that the people and priest are united in prayer, the priest prays the “Preface,” which is a statement of the special reason we are praising God in our worship, namely, recalling His great works of creation and redemption. There are over 80 different Prefaces to suit the situation of the particular Liturgy we are celebrating, such as a feast day, a particular liturgical season (Lent, Easter, Advent, Christmas, etc.), funeral, or special occasion. At the end of the Preface, the priest invites the people to join their voices with the voices of all the saints and angels in heaven in singing the unending hymn of praise to God that is continually being sung at the heavenly Liturgy. This is called the “Sanctus,” which in Latin means “Holy”. The Sanctus (or Holy, Holy, Holy) is taken from the book of Revelation where St. John is describing what he sees when God takes him up to heaven (this is while he is exiled on the island of Patmos) to view this heavenly Liturgy. I suggest we take an opportunity to reread the book of Revelation to help us understand how closely related our Liturgy is to the one that has been and will be celebrated in heaven for all eternity. Now that the priest and people are united in prayer and that prayer united with the prayer of all the saints and angels in heaven, we are now ready to begin the Eucharistic Prayer itself.

DD After we have sung the Sanctus (Holy, Holy, Holy), all kneel and the Eucharistic Prayer begins. The priest invites the congregation to join in this Great Prayer with all their hearts and minds (The Lord be with you…and also with you. Lift up your hearts…we lift them up to the Lord. Let us give thanks to the Lord our God…it is right to give Him thanks and praise). The Eucharistic Prayer (EP) is what the Church calls the “center and summit of our celebration.” There are actually 10 Eucharistic Prayers in all…Eucharistic Prayers I-IV, two for Masses of Reconciliation, three for use at children’s Masses and one for Masses for Various Needs and Occasions. Most often, I use EP III on Sundays, occasionally using EP II (which is nearly the same but a little briefer), EP I on special feast days (this EP is called the Roman Canon and has always held a place of status among the others…it is the one where all the names of the Apostles and saints are read) and I have often used the EP for Reconciliation during Lent and Advent. While there are a variety of Eucharistic Prayers, they are all basically the same in structure and content. They all contain, 1-thanksgiving; 2-acclamation (praise); 3-epiclesis (calling down of the Holy Spirit); 4-institution narrative and consecration (repeating the words Jesus said over the bread and wine at the Last Supper which changes them into the Body and Blood of Christ); 5-anamnesis (from the Greek for, to remind or remember. “Do this in memory of me”); 6-offering; 7-intercession and 8-final doxology (Greek for praise. “Through Him, with Him, in Him, in the unity of the Holy Spirit…”). This structure is very similar to the Jewish blessing that was said before meals, especially the Passover meal, with some adaptations to reflect the new covenant established by Jesus at the Last Supper. In the early Church, these prayers were recited by the priest from memory. The earliest written account we have of these prayers is something very similar to EP II, dating to around 215 AD. However, it was not until around 600 AD that Pope Gregory the Great formulated EPI (along with the sacramentary, which is the book the priest uses to celebrate Mass) and these are standard for the Church even today.

EE The “Final Doxology”, (Through Him, with Him and in Him, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, all glory and honor is yours almighty Father, for ever and ever) brings an end to the Eucharistic Prayer to which the congregation responds, “Amen”. We call this the “Great Amen”. In Hebrew, amen means verily or certainly; in Greek, truth; and in Latin, so be it. When we say (or sing as we do here) the Great Amen, we are saying that we believe what has just been proclaimed in the EP. St Justin Martyr, around the year 150 AD, had this to say about the Great Amen. “When the prayer of thanksgiving (Eucharistic Prayer) is ended, all the people present give their assent with an Amen.” After the Great Amen, all stand and the priest introduces the prayer that is at the heart and soul of our faith…the prayer our Lord Himself gave us when His disciples asked Him to teach them how to pray. The “Our Father” is a prayer made up of seven distinct petitions (we do not have time to go into detail about each of these petitions here, but the Catechism does a wonderful job of explaining the Lord’s Prayer). After the Our Father, (and the embolism that follows…For the kingdom, the power and glory are yours almighty Father, forever and ever.), the priest introduces the “Sign of Peace”. This sign of fraternal unity is meant to remind us of one of those seven petitions which was just prayed in the Our Father, namely, forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. This sign of peace is more than a friendly hello, it is a sign of what the Eucharist itself represents…though many parts – as the host is made up of many parts of wheat to form one bread – we are all one body. It reminds us that we are to leave all anger and bitterness we might have toward another person behind as we come forward to receive the Lord’s Body and Blood. Next week we will look at the final two parts of the Liturgy of the Eucharist that lead us up to the reception of Communion.

FF Last week we discussed the Lord’s Prayer and the Sign of Peace, which actually begins the Communion Rite. After we have prayed as our Lord taught and extended a sign of peace to those around us, the priest breaks the bread (called the Fractioning Rite) and places a small piece of the consecrated host in the chalice (Commingling) while the Lamb of God (Agnus Dei) is sung by all. The Fractioning Rite is taken directly from the actions of Jesus when He blessed the bread, broke it and fed the 5000 (John 6:1ff), at the Last Supper (Mt, Mk and Lk) when he broke the bread and gave it to His disciples saying, “Take this all of you and eat it…,” and at the house in Emmaus when He said the blessing, broke the bread and gave it to them and “With that their eyes were opened and they recognized Him.” (Lk 24:30-31) The Mass in the early church was actually called “The breaking of the Bread,” (see Acts 2:42) and is explained by St Paul himself as a participation in the One Body of Christ (1Cor 10:16). While it is no longer possible or practical to have “one loaf” of bread to break, there are many smaller hosts consecrated which are distributed to the faithful and taken to those who are homebound and sick. There is always a larger host that the priest uses in the elevation (mainly for visual effect) that is broken and a small piece placed in the chalice. It is unclear when this “commingling” found its way into the Liturgy, but it is documented that early on, a priest in Rome who was not able to celebrate Mass with the Pope, was brought a small portion of the Eucharist the Holy Father had consecrated and he placed it in his own chalice during the Mass he celebrated as a sign of unity with the Holy Father and all the faithful. The tradition was carried on until it was officially made part of the Liturgy in the 8^th Century. While the congregation sings (or says) the Lamb of God, the priest breaks the bread, takes a small portion and places it in the chalice while saying privately, “May the mingling of the Body and Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ bring eternal life to us who receive it.” After the commingling, all kneel while the priest holds the broken host over the chalice, raises them both and says, “This is the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. Happy are those that are called to His supper.” With that, the congregation proclaims those famous words of the Roman centurion (who was a pagan, remember, yet believed), “Lord, I am not worthy to receive you…” (Mt 8:8)

GG We have finally arrived at the point of receiving the “Source and Summit” of our entire faith… Holy Communion (also called the Eucharist, Body and Blood of Christ and the Blessed Sacrament). The priest is always the first to receive, followed by the deacon, then the extraordinary ministers of the Eucharist and then the congregation. The way we receive Holy Communion today is quite different than the way it was received before Vatican Council II (1962-65)…in three particular ways. Not long after Vatican II closed, the faithful were allowed to 1) receive both the Body and Precious Blood – only the Body was received before; 2) they were allowed to receive it standing up instead of kneeling at the communion rail; and 3) they also had the choice to now receive the Body of Christ in the hand instead of only on the tongue…as was the custom before Vatican II. Many traditionalists criticized the Church for making these changes but Vatican II was only seeking to return the Church to her original roots. As early as 150 AD, Justin Martyr describes the early Christians receiving both the Body and the Blood (he does not say anything about whether they were standing or kneeling) and they received the Body in the hand. There is much that needs to be said about receiving Holy Communion. In the following weeks we will look at many of the customs and obligations associated with the Sacrament of the Eucharist and we will present it in subsequent order (HH-1, HH-2, etc, etc).

HH-1 When we begin to think about receiving Holy Communion, we must first talk about the state of our soul. The Church teaches that before we receive Holy Communion, we (our soul) must be in a state of Grace. That means that we should not have committed serious, or mortal sin, since our last confession and it is only through Confession that mortal sin is removed (we are also to go to confession at least once a year even if we have not committed mortal sin). When we receive the Eucharist (Holy Communion), we are receiving Jesus, all of Jesus…Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity. Therefore, it is only right that we should be in a state of Grace since we are striving to be like our Lord who is Grace itself. St Paul says in his first letter to the Corinthians that if we eat and drink Jesus’ body and blood unworthily, we eat and drink condemnation upon ourselves (1Cor 11:27-29). That does not sound like something we should aspire to. The Eucharist itself however, does remove those smaller, less serious (venial) sins. Besides being in a state of Grace to receive our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament, we are also asked to fast for one hour prior to receiving Holy Communion. This means we are not to take food or drink of any kind except for those whose age, health or medication needs demand otherwise. Fasting before Communion is meant to heighten our awareness of what we are about to participate in…the holy Sacrifice of the Mass. It is also a good remedy for not having to get up and leave while Mass is being celebrated (this is especially true for younger children whose bladders may be smaller and weaker than adults). So we must first of all seek to be in a proper state to receive the Eucharist because the effects of Grace are diminished if we are not and it can even lead to the greater sin of presumption…that is, that we take our Lord for granted, especially when we receive Him unworthily (If you cannot make it to Confession before Mass – confessions are heard from 4:00-5:00 every Sat before Mass or by appointment – you may still attend Mass and come up at Communion time, cross your arms over your chest, and receive a blessing…there is still merit in that.) More on receiving Holy Communion next week.

HH-2 As we come forward to receive Holy Communion, there are a few things we must be reminded of from time to time. To receive the Body of Christ properly, one comes forward in the communion line and while the person before us is receiving, we make a profound bow (If you cannot bow from the waist because of health reasons, a reverent head bow is sufficient. Also, it is not necessary to genuflect…a reverent bow is just as respectful). After the person in front of you receives and moves out of the way, step forward and place your left hand under your right that is held out flat. Then the minister says, “the Body of Christ”, to which we respond, “Amen”. Sometimes I cannot even hear the response from the person receiving. Say “Amen,” which means, “I believe”, loudly and with conviction as if to assure anyone who might be listening that we do believe. I love the way the children are taught to receive their First Holy Communion. They are told to make a throne for God with their hands. They kind of roll their hands forward, one under the other, and wait to receive Jesus, and respond with a profound “Amen”. Many adults often do one of two things. They either put their hands side by side, sloping inward, which makes it difficult to pick up the host without the threat of dropping it, or they try to grab Jesus out of the hand of the Minister of Communion. Please do not do this. Just place one hand under the other, holding the top hand flat, wait for the host to be placed in your hand, respond with a confident “Amen,” then step aside, looking at the cross, take the other hand and place the host in your mouth and make the sign of the cross. If you choose to receive on the tongue (either way is appropriate), step forward, respond with a profound “Amen”, and stick your tongue out part way and receive. Some people who receive on the tongue will lean their head forward anticipating the minister placing it on their tongue, which can lead to problems. The best thing to do is to close your eyes and wait until you feel the host on your tongue and then step to the side and make the sign of the cross. If you choose to receive the Precious Blood from the chalice, the same method is used as receiving the host. (It is not necessary to receive from both, Jesus is completely present under either species. Vatican Council II brought back receiving from the chalice because it is a fuller expression of the Eucharist Jesus instituted at the Last Supper on Holy Thursday.) Even though we receive the Blessed Sacrament at Communion each week, we must strive to receive it with reverence and conviction and not take for granted the great gift God has given us in His own Body and Blood.

HH-3 After giving out Communion last weekend, a few more thoughts came to mind. First of all, during the flu season – which has hopefully passed us by for a while – it is not necessary to receive the Precious Blood from the chalice. Many parishes often choose not to serve the cup at all during the flu season because some people, especially the elderly, are more susceptible to the flu than others. As I mentioned last week, we receive the entire Jesus when we receive even the smallest portion of either species, the Body or the Blood. If you do receive from the chalice, it is only necessary to take a sip. There is a relatively small amount of Precious Blood in each chalice and if some of the people who receive first take a large gulp, there is not enough for those who receive toward the end. Also for the ladies, if you wear lipstick and partake of the cup, please blot your lips with a tissue or handkerchief first. We have several volunteers who clean our linens and they often remind me how hard it is to get the lipstick out. The linens must be cleaned in a particular manner…we do not just throw them in the washing machine. They are all washed by hand with a mild detergent – twice – and the water is poured into the ground, not down the sink. The reason for this is that there are particles of the Body and remnants of the Blood in each of the linens and we do not want to put Jesus into the sewer system. Now that we have received Holy Communion and return to the pews, it is time to spend a few minutes in thanksgiving – remember, that is what the word Eucharist means in Greek…thanksgiving – and meditate on what we have just received. I remember when I would receive Communion, go back to the pew and kneel down and then check out everyone who was in line (in my bachelor days, I would even use this time to see if there were any single girls that I might like to meet). Well, it took me a while to figure out that was not the time to be checking people out, especially pretty girls. I fought this temptation for the longest time until I was able to just close my eyes and focus on the real reason I was there…and that made a huge difference in the blessings and insights I received through spending just a few quite minutes with my Lord after receiving Him in the most Blessed Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist.

HH-4 In the last entry, we just finished Communion and all have returned to the pews. The priest and deacon return to the altar and the extraordinary ministers of the Eucharist, after consuming any excess Precious Blood, place the chalices used to distribute Holy Communion on the table behind the baptismal font. All of these vessels, except the priest’s chalice, will be purified immediately after Mass. The priest, and in some instances, the deacon, will place any remaining consecrated hosts in the ciborium (the container that holds the consecrated hosts in the tabernacle to be used later for the sick and homebound) and returns the ciborium to the tabernacle. I have noticed at this parish, and others, that the people remain kneeling until the priest finishes purifying the vessels and returns to his chair and sits down before they sit. While this is certainly a sign of respect for the priest – and appreciated – it is not proper protocol…and part of that is my fault. As we are clearing the altar, the priest places any extra consecrated hosts in the ciborium and gives it to the deacon to place in the tabernacle. Until recently, I would turn back to the altar and continue purifying the celebrant’s chalice…what I am doing is turning my back on the Lord, who is truly present in the Eucharist, as He is returned to the tabernacle. Proper protocol is for the priest to stop what he is doing, face the tabernacle until our Lord is placed inside, and then genuflect (go down to one knee) with the deacon. For it is Christ in the Eucharist that should receive all attention and respect at this point, not the priest. So we will try to make this our standard practice…after Jesus is placed in the tabernacle, all will be seated. This may take some time to get into the habit of doing but I will work to remind everyone and clear the altar so that the last thing we do is return the Body of Christ to the tabernacle.

HH-5 Once the altar has been cleared and the Blessed Sacrament reserved in the tabernacle, all are seated and share a moment of silence. As I study the Liturgy more carefully in order to prepare this column, I, too, am being reminded of things that I am not doing correctly (like in last week’s article). Something else I am reminded of, is that after communion, once all are seated and have shared in a moment of silence, the celebrant (priest) should pray the “Prayer after Communion.” I have gotten into the habit of making the announcements before this prayer, which is not correct. The “Prayer after Communion,” which serves to express the effects of the Eucharist we have just received, brings an end to the Communion Rite. It is after this prayer that the announcements should be made. Now this may seem trivial to some, “What’s the difference if he says it after or before the announcements?” It is not trivial. The Liturgy is set up so that every church in the world celebrates in the same manner (although anyone who attends Mass elsewhere realizes that this is not always the case). One of the problems that has constantly plagued the Church throughout the centuries is that priests believe they can make the Mass better by just changing a little here or a little there…before you know it, you have a bunch of little changes all over the place and you do not have anything that resembles the Liturgy that has been preserved for so long. What we have in the Liturgy is so beautiful, if it is just celebrated reverently and the way it is laid out in the Sacramentary (the book that guides the priest – all priests – through the Liturgy). I am a traditionalist who is striving to preserve and celebrate the Mass according to the teachings of the Church…so this is another change you will notice. Now that we have finished the Communion Rite, next week we will move into the “Concluding Rite.”

II The “Prayer after Communion” brings an end to the Communion Rite and leads us into the Concluding Rite. The Concluding Rite has many parts that may seem unimportant after receiving our Lord in the holy Eucharist, but each part serves a purpose. If there are any announcements, they should be announced at the beginning of the Concluding Rite. I, personally, do not like the announcements at the end of Mass because most of them are in the bulletin. However, not everyone reads the bulletin and some events are very important to our parish and need to be heard. The other reason for announcements at the end of Mass is the pastor may forget (J) to put something in the bulletin that is time sensitive or some information may be received after our bulletin has gone to press. (our bulletin is sent out the Tuesday before the weekend Masses, that is why Monday noon is the deadline). After the announcements, comes a final greeting and dismissal. The greeting, “The Lord be with you,” to which the people respond, “And also with you”. This serves to prepare the congregation for the final blessing. The final blessing reminds us that all of creation is kept in existence by God’s goodness and it is only through His blessings that we are able to bless Him in return. There are three types of final blessings. The first and standard blessing is a simple blessing, “May almighty God bless you, in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.” For special occasions, such as the seasons of Advent, Christmas, Lent, Easter and major feast days and solemnities, a solemn blessing is given. When there is a solemn blessing, the deacon invites the people, “Bow your head and pray for God’s blessing.” Then the priest prays three invocations, or prayers, over the people. The first is directed to God the Father, the second to God the Son and the third to God the Holy Spirit. After each of these invocations, the people respond, “Amen” and then the simple blessing follows. There is a third option in which the priest provides a prayer over the people. This form – which I do not use very often but plan to in the future – begins with the invitation from the deacon, “Bow your heads…” followed by the prayer over the people by the priest and then the simple blessing follows. These prayers over the people are beautiful and remind us of just how much God loves us and what a blessing we can be to Him.

JJ Last week, we discussed the final greeting and blessing. After the final blessing comes the dismissal. The dismissal (from the Latin dismittere, meaning to set apart or the sending out), of which there are three formulas all containing the words “…go in peace…” (see Mark 5:34), brings to mind the social dimension of the Mass. It is meant to recall the Christian obligation we have to others by putting into practice what we have just received in the Eucharist…LOVE! This social aspect of the Mass, what Pope John Paul II called, “The liturgy after the Liturgy,” means that the Eucharistic celebration does not stop at the doors of the church. The people are now sent forth to carry out the mission of the Church by doing good works, while praising and blessing God. The three formulas of the dismissal, which are always given by the deacon (this practice can be traced all the way back to the 4th century) are; “Go in the peace of Christ,” “The Mass has ended, go in peace,” and “Go in peace to love and serve the Lord.” After the dismissal, the people respond, “Thanks be to God.” We are not saying “Thanks be to God, Mass is finally over.” (☺) It is an acknowledgement that all thanks and praise are given to God for the abundant blessings He has bestowed on each of us. Once the dismissal has been given, the recessional hymn begins. The recessional hymn is used to help lift the spirits of all who have just celebrated love itself in the most holy Eucharist and send them forth in a spirit of joy to live out the Gospel in their lives. It is usually a song of thanksgiving that serves as yet another reminder of the happiness that can be found only in worshiping the God of all creation. Through music and singing we are able to praise our heavenly Father in one of the most ancient and traditional forms known to mankind. So lift up your voices to the highest heaven and “Sing praise to the Lord for His glorious achievements.” (Isaiah 12:5)

KK Well, this will be the last entry for the Mass from A-Z…actually it’s been the Mass from A-KK. This has been a labor of love for me and I hope our parish has benefited from it by coming to understand just what it is that we do each week when we gather together to celebrate the Liturgy. I, myself, have been able to refresh my seminary training and correct some minor abuses that have crept into the way I celebrate the Mass. Last week we talked about the dismissal where we are sent forth to live out and proclaim the Gospel we have just celebrated and the recessional hymn that brings a fitting end to the Liturgy. As the final hymn begins, the priest and deacon will sing a verse or two from their chairs before going to reverence the altar. Remember how this is the same way we came in? We process down the aisle to the opening hymn, genuflect to the tabernacle once we enter the sanctuary and then go and kiss (venerate) the altar. This is exactly the same, except in reverse order. The priest and deacon – representing the whole community of believers – kiss the altar in thanksgiving for the great sacrifice that was just re-presented there. I always place my hand on the altar and say a short prayer of thanksgiving myself, something like, “Thank you Lord for allowing me to celebrate this Mass in union with all of your saints.” That is what the relic, which is placed in or under the altar, reminds me of as I bring an end to the Liturgy that has been celebrated by so many great saints of the Church before us. After we venerate the altar, we move to the front of the sanctuary to once again genuflect to the real presence of Christ in the tabernacle, then turn and proceed down the aisle and process out to the joyful sound of music anticipating the next opportunity we will have to celebrate the great love of God as brothers and sisters of Jesus, our Lord and Savior.

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