We start the study of Part 2: Catholic Worship with the central practice of the Catholic Church, The Mass. In simplest terms, this is where we “come” and gather, renew, and rejoice, and then we “go” out into the world to be on mission.
Being Catholic is, in its simplest form, a relationship with a person. The Mass is a privileged encounter with Jesus. It is the highest form of prayer. The Mass is set up to be much like the many meals that Jesus had with his followers and sinners of all types. The first half of Mass is the Liturgy of the Word (the discussion before a meal) and the second part of Mass is the meal in the form of the Eucharist.
The Catholic Mass is the great anticipation of heaven. It has no utility, but it is just being in the presence of, and in constant praise of God. This is what heaven is.
Mass takes us to the very first intent that God has for us. This comes from the very beginning of Genesis when we were created. We were created to be priests to all of creation and give “right praise” to God. At Mass, we are fully aligned with our original purpose. We are back to man before the fall.
During the Mass, a dialogue goes on between the priest, as the presence of Christ, and his Mystical Body. It is not, therefore, any sort of lecture or performance.
Love, forgiveness, and non-violence are what we are called into when we participate in the Mass. We are being called out of the world of sin, and into the Mystical Body of Christ.
We are called to Mass in a way that resembles the story of Noah’s Ark. The world is full of sin, and the Ark represents a refuge. When we go to Mass, we are brought in to renew and refresh but are not meant to stay. Once renewed through the Eucharist, we are meant to go forth into the world. Have you noticed that most churches and cathedrals are shaped like large ships? Even the main area is called the nave, the same as on a large ship. This is no coincidence. And now, a breakdown of each part of the Mass:
The Introductory Rites
Upon entering Mass, we dip several fingers of our right hand into the holy water and make the sign of the cross. This is a reminder of our Baptism and initiation into the Mystical Body. (This is also done upon leaving Mass)
When we enter the Church, we find a pew and genuflect on one knee and make the sign of the cross. Do this when leaving Mass as well. If you are unable to genuflect, a simple bow is sufficient. You will want to know where the Blessed Sacrament is kept for Mass, and this should be found on your church’s website, or you can ask a priest… that is because you want to genuflect in the direction of where the Blessed Sacrament is kept. A hymn will begin, and it is very important to take part in singing (as St. Augustine also said- when you sing, you pray twice!).
The procession will now begin. This normally comes from the back of the church, and contains different people involved with the Mass, with the priest (the Celebrant) at the very end of the procession. The priest and others helping with the Mass kiss the altar when approaching it. The book of the Gospel is placed upon the altar, the priest makes his way toward his chair, and he then makes the sign of the cross as the hymn ends, and greets the congregation.
After the priest gives the sign of the cross and makes his greeting, the congregation responds with “And with your spirit”. At this point, we have given reverence to the four places we state that Jesus is truly present- The Word (in the Gospel now on the altar), the Eucharist, the Congregation, and the Minister. This is a good place to note that everything in the Mass is important and done for a reason.
The priest now talks with the congregation about anything relevant for that day or week such as feasts days, or perhaps Sacraments that might be going on for members of the congregation.
Now the priest leads the congregation in addressing their sins with the Penitential Act. This is most commonly done through The Confiteor, or the Kyrie Eleison, which starts with the familiar “Lord Have Mercy…”. The Kyrie Eleison might be done alone, but will always be at the end of the Penitential Act, it is said. We start the Mass with these acknowledgments of our sins to put ourselves in a state of gratitude for how merciful God is.
Now we move into the singing of the Gloria. The Gloria was first intoned by the angels from heaven for the birth of Christ on earth.
The final part of the Introductory Rites is the “Collect” (emphasis on the first syllable). Following a brief period of silence for prayer, the Collect offers a prayer to God that is based on the readings, the day’s feast, or the reason the Mass is being offered. Now, the moment of silence is for you to offer up your prayers to God. After that silence, the priest will join in and tend to the prayers of the congregation. So, don’t just sit in silence, take a quick moment to offer up your own prayer here.
The congregation now sits and waits for the reading of the Word.
The Liturgy of the Word
The Word of God that is proclaimed at Mass is “efficacious,” which means that it not only informs us about God and His desire for us but also assists us in carrying out that will in our own lives.
The structure is a reading from the Old Testament, a Psalm that is sung, a non-Gospel reading from the New Testament associated with an Apostle (normally Paul), Alleluia, then the Gospel reading.
The Liturgy of the Word’s climax is the Gospel. The Old Testament readings describe God’s promises and how He prepared His people for the arrival of His Son; the epistles and other non-Gospel literature such as The Acts of the Apostles provide a history of the early Church and the thoughts of St. Paul and other Christ-followers on the life and message of the Lord.
The three readings (sometimes this differs depending on the time of the Liturgical year but in general) are related. The Old Testament reading shows us how God was preparing us for Christ all along. So it is important to pay attention through all of the readings and note how the message is linked.
The congregation is seated for the first two readings.
After the first reading, “The Word of the Lord” is said, reminding us that Jesus is proclaimed, and the congregation responds with “Thanks Be To God”.
Now the Psalm is sung (generally just sung directly but the congregation may take part in this through responses).
The next reading is associated with an Apostle, but will not be directly from a Gospel. The “Word of the Lord” call and response is repeated.
The congregation stands and sings the Alleluia, prompted by the choir in most cases.
The book of the Gospel is held up and brought to where the reading will take place while the Alleluia is sung.
The priest makes the sign of the cross on the Gospel, then on his forehead, lips, and heart. Members of the congregation may do this as well. The prayer here to be thought is “May the Lord be in my mind, on my lips, and in my heart.” The congregants may then say “Glory to you, Oh, Lord” as they make these signs on their body.
The reading of the Gospel is where Christ is truly most present and the congregation is brought together fully in the Mystical Body. After the Gospel reading, the priest kisses the Gospel, and we ponder what we have been given, as Jesus has entered our minds and our hearts. We begin to think about how we can use the reading in our lives to come closer to Jesus. The next step helps us along that path.
The Homily, The Creed, and General Intercessions
At this point in the Mass, we have changed from just a congregation listening and taking in the Word, but now are being prepared to go out and be “doers” of the Word. This is done through the Homily, Creed, and General Intercessions.
It is important to know the difference between a “Homily” and a general “Sermon”. A Sermon starts with any concept whatsoever that the speaker decides that might use scripture to support the point. A “Homily” is based completely on the reading of that day, along with some personal observations of the priest to help relate to the reading.
The Homily is purely a continuation of the readings, and the first step to getting the congregation to go on mission into the world until the next Mass.
Now the congregation gets a short time of silence to take in both the readings and the Homily. We are essentially starting to “power up” to go out and meet the world.
One of two Creeds is spoken by all present now, either the Nicene Creed or the short, and older Apostles’ Creed. This puts the faithful in unity with everything around the world of the Catholic faith. It is not just a statement of beliefs, but a sort of mantra that helps create a foundation or a structure of our faith.
Next up, as we are now gathering up together in our faith, we join together for the Prayers of the Faithful. The priest will set this up, and someone other than him will start a series of petitionary prayers to the congregation. It is important to note here that this is where the congregation starts to look “outward”, and join together to pray for the needs of the outside world. Moving on from the outside world, this will often end with prayers for the local community.
The priest will now address the congregation, will say a quick prayer and the congregation will be seated for the Preparation of the Gifts.
The Preparation of the Gifts
The Mass now transitions from the Liturgy of the Word to the Liturgy of the Eucharist. The Liturgy of the Eucharist also has three parts that follow a similar pattern to the Liturgy of the Word- a “gathering” of the congregation’s gifts and sacrifices, the congregation then “receives” the gift of the Eucharist, and then the congregation is prepared to be “Sent”.
A quick word on the nature of Grace and sacrifices in terms of the Preparation of the Gifts. Before the Eucharist, the congregation presents a sacrifice in the form of bread and wine. Now, God does not need a sacrifice. God needs nothing from us. But there is a dynamic at work here, that in order to receive Grace from God, we need to first give and sacrifice. The gifts are given back to us exponentially, and that is how Grace works. Think of the multiplication of the loaves and the fishes. Remember, it starts with a gathering of little bits of bread. That is then “given” to Jesus who then multiplies it back to the crowd many times over. That is a good way to understand the dynamics of Grace through sacrifice.
At this point, the altar is being prepared to receive the gifts, and the congregation presents offerings at the same time. This collection is generally for the poor and is practical in nature, but it also draws individuals into the overall sacrifice. The bread and wine for the sacrifice are brought to the altar now, with other sacrifices, such as the collections that are placed to the side. The priest says a prayer of Thanksgiving before placing the bread and wine on the altar.
After receiving the gifts of bread and wine from members of the community during the presentation of the gifts, the priest stands before the altar to prepare the offering before the Eucharistic Prayer. He begins by taking the paten with the bread on it and holds it slightly above the altar with both of his hands and prays.
The deacon or priest fills the chalice with wine and a small amount of water before presenting the wine. Together, the pouring of the wine and water symbolizes Jesus’ humanity and divinity. He silently prays as he adds the water to the wine.
After offering the bread and the wine, the priest makes a profound bow before the altar and prays quietly, “With humble spirit and contrite heart may we be accepted by you, O Lord, and may our sacrifice in your sight this day be pleasing to you, Lord God.”
The priest then turns to the side and washes his hands, an act that was done partly out of practicality (as the collection contained things like farm animals, etc.) a long time ago, but now is symbolic of making himself worthy to pray the Eucharist Prayer.
Now the priest turns to the congregation that is standing and addresses them, inviting them to pray over the sacrifice with this prayer: “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 holy Church.” –This prayer is a powerful part of Mass, as the congregation is speaking to the priest directly, giving the priest “permission” to offer sacrifice on their behalf. Now, the congregation and priest are joined, and the sacrifices are ready for receiving the gift of the Eucharist.
Eucharist Prayer and Communion
The Mass now moves into the central prayer of the Church, the receiving of the greatest of gifts, the Eucharist- the body and blood of Christ.
The Eucharistic Prayer, which begins when the priest extends his arms and says, “The Lord be with you… lift up your hearts… let us give thanks to the Lord our God…” is the heart of the Mass. This is the high point of the Mass and is a call for us to make Jesus the center of our lives. The priest continues on with the dialogue, with the congregation responding “It is right and just.”
Now, the priest will continue on with the Eucharist Prayer, which is actually a huge variety of parts and will vary depending on the time of the year and preference of the priest. It is the priest alone who recites this.
The Sanctus is now sung, one of the oldest hymns in Christianity, which describes the giving of praise by not only the congregation but also along with the angels and saints in heaven. This is what we are expecting to do in heaven for all of eternity.
After the Sanctus is the Epiclesis, which is where you see the priest raising his hands above the offerings, and praying to God that He will send down His Spirit, makes the sign of the cross above the offerings, and prays that they might become the body and blood of Jesus.
Now we move onto the Institution Narrative, where we recall the actions of Jesus where He shared His body and blood with His disciples. It is important to note that this is not the priest pretending to be Christ but is recounting the story as himself. The priest repeats this process for both the bread and the wine.
The priest concludes this part of the Mass with the Memorial Acclamation, where he says to the congregation “Let Us Proclaim The Mystery of Faith”. There are three different Acclamations.
The priest now speaks to God with Intercessory Prayer. This is where you will hear him mention the Pope, the local Bishop, those that have died, etc.
Now the priest will continue with the Doxology where he will hold the consecrated host and chalice high and proclaims, “Through Him, with Him and in Him, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, all glory and honor are yours, almighty Father, forever and ever.” At the end of this, the congregation should give an exuberant “Amen” as this is the culmination of all of the preparation for receiving of the great gift of the Eucharist.
We now pray as Jesus taught us by saying the Lord’s Prayer, which includes asking for our “Daily Bread”, which, when properly translated means “supersubstantial” bread, and also for the forgiveness of sins… two things that are about to happen with the Eucharist. The priest then concludes with the doxology added to the end of the Lord’s Prayer.
Important Note: Do NOT lift up your arms and hands in when saying the Our Father. This is called the Orans Posture and only the Celebrant does this. This is not a part of the Catholic Mass. Furthermore, hand holding is for families only and is totally optional, and really is just permitted, not encouraged. Stand for the Our Father. That is what is required. Please politely start to spread the word on this, we need to get this out of the Mass:
The priest then invites the congregation to offer a sign of peace. Remember, when Jesus returned after the Resurrection, he greeted his disciples with “Shalom” or “Peace”.
After the offering of the sign of peace, the priest will perform the “Fraction Rites”. In the Fraction Rites, the priest breaks the consecrated bread as the people sing the Agnus Dei or “Lamb of God.” John the Baptist proclaimed Jesus as “the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world”. The breaking of the bread by the priest symbolizes how Jesus broke the bread and distributed it at the Last Supper and how He is the one body broken and poured out for all.
Finally, the priest lifts up the host for all to see and the congregation joins in saying: “Lord, I am not worthy that you should enter under my roof, but only say the word and my soul shall be healed.” It is important to know that this prayer shows us that the Eucharist that we are about to receive does in fact forgive sins.
The priest says a silent prayer and receives the body and blood himself before distributing them to the congregation.
Receiving both types of Eucharist is not required, but the dialogue of “Body of Christ” and “Amen” certainly is. When you return to your pew, continue singing with the rest of the congregation as an act of communion. So, you should sing here instead of pray, unless there is really something pressing on your mind.
When the song ends here, you may now take time for personal reflection.
Concluding Rites
Now that we have received the greatest gift of all, the Holy Eucharist, the Concluding Rites will prepare us to go out and share with the world and go on mission. We are meant to give thanks to God in our words and deeds.
For several moments, the priest or someone else will give some general announcements about church events, etc. This should be just a few minutes at most. Announcements are best done when they help the congregation in their mission of being sent out to the world. This can be done, for example, by announcing a food drive or that they are looking for volunteers for such and such.
The priest will now give a blessing, which could contain some additional language, but will conclude with the sign of the cross blessing,
Now the congregation will be told something related to “Go Forth!…” and the congregation responds joyfully, “Thanks be to God!”
This sending out is an incredibly important part of Mass. The Mass is not just some required meeting, it is a gathering, a renewal, and then a going forth on Mission to proclaim and live the Gospel.
The priest will kiss the altar and the procession from the start of Mass will be in reverse. The congregation sings with joy, and we are sent out into the world, renewed. The Mass is focused on, as is the entire Catholic faith, ongoing outward to the world, to be disciples of Christ. It is a faith-based on mission, always.
A Word on TV/Internet Mass
A quick note on TV Mass, which became very popular during Covid restrictions and brought many people back to the faith. Do NOT depend on this type of Mass as the same as going to Mass. Yes, if you absolutely cannot attend Mass due to some health or similar issue, this is perfectly acceptable. However, you cannot substitute the Mass in person for a TV or Internet Mass.
There is nothing wrong with tuning into these Masses if you are still going to Mass in person. They are wonderful ways to expand your faith. But, you they are absolutely not interchangeable.
Next up… Catholics make the sign of the cross often and with reverence, but do you really know the significance and power of this practice?
Next Topic >> Sign of the Cross
Synopsis
The Mass is the highest form of prayer for Catholics. It basically is separated into two parts, almost like a dinner party- we are gathered and have a conversation, and then a meal is shared. Every part of the Mass has meaning and is important. The Mass is about is first being gathered (we come) and then we are sent out on mission (we go).
Suggested Reading
“A Biblical Walk Through the Mass: Understanding What We Say and Do in the Liturgy” by Edward Sri
“The Beauty Of The Mass: Exploring The Central Act Of Catholic Worship” by Charles S Johnston
Top Image
Giotto uses the group’s shocked and amazed expressions at the open tomb to represent the marvel of John the Evangelist’s ascension. The opposing party appears to be stunned and blinded. Between these two groups, the ascension occurs: The heavenly hosts encircle Christ as He appears above the structure. He radiates golden beams that cover the evangelist’s body. These appear to be a materialization of Christ’s gaze on John and lift the latter to another realm. It seems as though the energy that defies gravity is more closely associated with eye contact than with gesture congruence.