the catholic mass a brief introduction part one: intro & gathering rite

The Catholic MassThe Catholic MassA Brief Introduction

Part One: Intro & Gathering Rite

What is the Mass?What is the Mass?

• The Mass is the celebration and remembrance of Christ’s passion, death, and resurrection.

• This celebration takes place in the context of a meal that is intended to recall Jesus’ Last Supper with his disciples, on the night before his death.

• For Catholics, the Mass is the center of the Church’s liturgical life.

• It is the most important of the seven Sacraments celebrated by Catholics.

• All Sacraments are celebrated within the Mass.

What is the Mass?What is the Mass?

What is a Sacrament?What is a Sacrament?

· The word "sacrament" comes from the Latin sacramentum, which means "pledge" or "oath," and referred to the oaths taken by soldiers upon enlistment in the Roman army.oSacramentum was chosen as a

translation of the Greek word mysterion, which means "mystery."


• Both words capture aspects of the meaning of the Mass.– It is the third and final sacrament

of initiation for Catholics (Baptism and Confirmation are the others).

– It is also considered to be a “sacred mystery”- meaning that the full significance of the Mass cannot be understood by us in this life.

What is a Sacrament?

What is a Sacrament?What is a Sacrament?· The sacraments have been

called "doors to the sacred," or ways in which humans can experience the sacred or divine in this world, through the ordinary or "profane."

· In the early church, anything considered to be a manifestation of God's power and love ("grace") in space and time was seen as a sacrament.



· Today, however, the term "sacrament" is used in reference to the church's seven main liturgical rites:–Through these rites, we experience

the love and power of God (grace).–This grace is believed by the church

to have flowed forth to humanity through Christ's Passion (suffering), death, and resurrection.



• each sacrament has:–matter (the material substance)

• ex. baptism: water is the matter of the sacrament

–form (verbal formula)• ex. baptism: The formula, “I baptize you in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit” is the form.


• But for a sacrament to take place, more than just the proper matter and form is required.– It is also necessary that the person

receiving the sacrament have the proper disposition, which includes• Being properly informed of the meaning

and purpose of the sacrament,• And sincerely seeking the grace that the

sacrament imparts to the recipient.


• In some cases, such as infant baptism, it is the disposition of a sponsor or loved one that is necessary for the sacrament to take place.


· Today, the Church sees Christ himself as the true first sacrament, · since it was through him that those

who knew him came also to more fully know God.

· and the Church itself is also a sacrament insofar as it acts as the body of Christ in the present time and until his return.


The SacramentsThe Sacraments• The 7 sacraments:

– Baptism, Confirmation, Eucharist, Reconciliation, Anointing of the Sick, Marriage, Holy Orders.

• 3 of the 7 are believed to impart a "sacramental character" on the recipient: – an indelible mark on the soul, meaning

that these sacraments cannot (or need not) be repeated:

– Baptism, Holy Orders, Confirmation

The Sacraments

The Mass: A Brief IntroductionThe Mass: A Brief Introduction• The Catholic Mass is known by several

names, testifying to the complex character of the sacrament.– "Mass" comes from the Latin "Ite, missa

est," which means "Go, you are sent forth," referring to the dismissal at the end of the Mass.• Why name the Mass after something said

at the end? Because it isn't the end- it is the beginning.

• It is our commissioning to go forth and take with us what we have shared in the Mass, to share it with others and to make our everyday lives as sacred as the Mass.

– "Eucharist" comes from a Greek word meaning "Thanksgiving."• The Mass is a celebration of and

thanksgiving for God's saving intervention in our lives through the sacrifice of his Son.

– "Holy Communion" is often used as a name for the Mass, although this refers specifically to the point in which we receive the body and blood.• It refers to our union as one church, and

as the one body of Christ.

The MassThe Mass

– "The Lord's Supper" refers to the moment in Christ's life after which the sacrament is modeled and which it is intended to recall, Jesus' last supper with his disciples, on the night of his betrayal and arrest.

– In the New Testament accounts of the Last Supper, Jesus himself interpreted the meaning of his own life and death within the context of this meal shared with his disciples.

The MassThe Mass

• This was not just any meal, it was a Passover seder.–This meal, celebrated annually by

Jews from the time of Moses to this day, celebrates God's saving action on behalf of his people, when the Jews were freed from slavery in Egypt.

–The meal was offered in thanksgiving.

The Mass and the PassoverThe Mass and the Passover

Typology of the Exodus-Passover Typology of the Exodus-Passover

OLD TESTAMENT NEW TESTAMENT

Moses Jesus [the new Moses]

Moses – the liberator of the Israelites

Jesus – the liberator of Christians

From the bondage of the Egyptians

From the bondage of sin and devil

Unblemished Lamb Unblemished – lamb of God [Jesus]

Typology of the Exodus-PassoverTypology of the Exodus-Passover


Blood of lamb on the doorposts

Blood of Jesus on the wood of the cross

Three days of darkness before Israelites were free

Three days in tomb before Jesus resurrected

Crossing of Red Sea; circumcision

Baptism

Cloud by day; fire by night

Jesus – Holy Spirit

Typology of the Exodus-PassoverTypology of the Exodus-Passover


Manna Holy Communion

Mosaic Law Law of Love (God & Neighbour)

Old covenant New covenant

Passover meal Last Supper [Eucharist]

Promised Land - Jerusalem

Heavenly Jerusalem


– Jews do not consider the Passover to be a time in which the Exodus is merely remembered.

–Rather, they celebrate the meal "in remembrance"- counting themselves among those very Jews who were liberated from slavery at the first Passover.


• Ironically, during Jesus’ lifetime, the Jews were again under foreign oppression, this time from the Roman Empire.–The Passover, which was a

pilgrimage feast celebrated in the city of Jerusalem, was often a time of great civil unrest, as Jewish men crowded the city’s streets to prepare for the feast.


• Jews celebrating the feast in Jesus’ day saw themselves as participating in the Exodus.–But they also looked forward to a

time in the future when they hoped God would intervene on their behalf again and free them from Roman oppression.


• The Mass functions similarly.–On one hand, the Mass recalls

Jesus’ Last Supper with his disciples.

–On the other, it is also a foreshadowing of the future - of the Messianic Banquet that we hope to share with Jesus in the kingdom of God.

The MassThe Mass

· The Mass functions as a model for how the kingdom of God (and the messianic banquet) is envisioned:· Everyone is invited, · and all are reconciled to one

another.

The MassThe Mass

· It is important to note that the Mass (like the Passover) is not just a memorial, intended to recall a past event.

· As a sacrament, it brings about a present reality, placing the participant in the upper room with Jesus and his disciples, and at the foot of the cross at Calvary.

The MassThe Mass

• These events are not repeated- Jesus does not die again at Mass- rather we in the present are joined to the moment in the past when Jesus offered himself.

• We offer ourselves with Jesus in the Mass, we offer our lives, successes, deaths, and sufferings along with him.

The MassThe Mass

• One way to think of the Mass is to see it as Holy Thursday, Good Friday, and Easter Sunday all made present today through the practice of ritual.

• Again, for Catholics, the Mass is not merely a reminder of the Last Supper, or of Christ's death and resurrection- it is to participate in all of those events.

The MassThe Mass

• The Catholic Church interprets the Mass as:–a sacrament of love–a sign of unity–a bond of charity–a paschal banquet

The MassThe Mass

• The basic "shape" of the Mass is that of a meal.– When families share a meal together, they

usually spend time talking to one another, then move to the table, say grace, pass the food and eat and drink, then say farewell to one another and leave to go home.

– The Mass can be broken down similarly into four parts:• Gathering, story telling, meal sharing, and commissioning

Part One: Gathering RitesPart One: Gathering Rites

• Water: When Catholics enter a church, they usually dip their hand in Holy Water and make the sign of the cross, – just as they were dipped in water and

baptized "in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit," at Baptism.

– This is a reminder of their baptismal vows.

Gathering RitesGathering Rites

• Bow or genuflection: Before sitting, Catholics bow or genuflect (kneel on one knee) before the altar and the presence of Christ, – which is housed in a tabernacle usually

located behind the altar – although in many modern churches the

Presence is kept in an adoration chapel located adjacent to the main church- the tradition of genuflecting/ bowing is still appropriate.


· Stand and sing: An Entrance song is sung by the congregation · as the priest, altar servers, and others

(depending on the occasion) proceed through those gathered to the altar.

· Greeting: The priest begins with the sign of the cross and the baptismal formula: · "In the name of the Father, and of the

Son, and of the Holy Spirit," again a reminder of our baptism,

· followed by "The Lord be with you," to which we respond, "And with your Spirit."

Gathering RitesGathering Rites• Penitential Rite:

–We are asked to recall our sins and ask God to forgive us that we may be spiritually purified for the celebration of the liturgy.

• Gloria: –An ancient & venerable hymn –

glorifies & entreats God the Father & the Lamb.


· Opening Prayer or Collect: · The priest invites the people to pray, · then after a few moments of silence

he offers a prayer on our behalf, to which we respond "Amen," which comes from a Hebrew word meaning "so be it."

The Catholic MassThe Catholic Mass

A Brief Introduction

Part Two: The Liturgy of the Word

The Liturgy of the Word The Liturgy of the Word

• The Liturgy of the Word might be considered the “storytelling” part of a meal.

• On Sundays, there are three readings from the Bible, and a Psalm that is sung. – On weekdays, one reading is omitted.

The Liturgy of the WordThe Liturgy of the Word

• The First Reading is from the Hebrew Scriptures, recalling God's saving action in history, and it is usually in some way related to the Gospel reading.– The First and Second readings are both

read by the Lector, who is from among the laity.

• A Psalm from the OT is then sung or recited.


• The Second Reading comes from a letter of Paul, or another Apostolic writing.

• The Third Reading, read only by a deacon or priest, is taken from one of the New Testament gospels.– Generally, the lectionary rotates annually

between Matthew, Mark, and Luke,– with John used on special occasions

throughout the year.


· Jesus himself is present in the reading of his Word, since it is he himself who is speaking to us through it - this is why we stand for the Gospel reading.

(Bishop removes mitre)

· This is also one aspect of what we mean when we say that Christ is “really present” in the Eucharist.


–The priest again greets us with "The Lord be with you."

–He introduces the Gospel reading while (usually with the congregation) making the sign of the cross with his thumb on his forehead, lips, and heart. In this way, he asks God to cleanse his mind and heart so that his lips may proclaim the gospel.


–When finished with the Gospel reading, the priest concludes with: "The Gospel of the Lord," and we respond with "Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ."

–We then sit for the homily, when the priest takes the readings for the day and applies them to our own life situation.

The Liturgy of the WordThe Liturgy of the Word• The Nicene Creed: After the homily, we

remain seated for a few moments of silence to reflect on what has been said, then we stand together to recite the creed.– The Creed is the essence of our faith,

it is more than just a list of what Catholics believe, it is the public profession of our faith and our willingness to give our lives for one another, just as Christ gave his life for us.

The Nicene CreedThe Nicene Creed

• The Creed originated at the Council of Nicaea in 325 AD, and it has remained essentially unchanged since that time.

• It is divided into three sections, one for each Person of the Trinity.

• The original purpose of the creed was to refute several heresies that had arisen in the Early Church.

• It has carried on to this day as a summary of all that Catholics believe.


• The Creed:

I believe in one God, the Father almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all things visible and invisible.


I believe in one Lord Jesus Christ, the Only Begotten Son of God, born of the Father before all ages. God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, consubstantial with the Father; Through him all things were made.


For us men and for our salvation he came down from heaven, and by the Holy Spirit was incarnate of the Virgin Mary, and became man.

The Nicene CreedThe Nicene CreedFor our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate, he suffered death and was buried, and rose again on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures. He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the

Father. He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead and his kingdom will have no end.


I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son, who with the Father and the Son is adored and glorified, who has spoken through the prophets.I believe in one, holy, catholic, and apostolic Church.


I confess one baptism for the forgiveness of sins

and I look forward to the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to

come.

Amen.


• General Intercessions: This is the final part of the Liturgy of the Word, and it prepares us for the next part. – In the Liturgy of the Eucharist, we will

partake of Christ's body and blood. Before we do so, we pause to ask ourselves if we are ready.

– If the assembly, as the church, is truly the body of Christ, do we resemble the "Body of Christ" present in the readings we have just heard?


– Through the intercessions, we ask God's assistance with our shortcomings, so that we might be a better reflection of Christ in our own lives as individuals and as members of the church.

– The petitions that make up the General Intercessions usually fall into four categories:• For the Church (and its leaders).• For the nations and their leaders.• For those with special needs.• For the local needs of the parish.


–This is usually is followed by an opportunity to pray for the intentions we hold in our hearts.

–There is a common response to each intercession, usually something like "Lord, hear our prayer.“

–This concludes the Liturgy of the Word.



Part Three: The Liturgy of the Eucharist

The Liturgy of the EucharistThe Liturgy of the Eucharist

• The preparation of the gifts: In the early church, Christians would bring bread and wine from their homes to be used in the celebration of the Eucharist (or Agape feast, as it was called), and they would bring extra to be given to clergy and to the poor in the community.


–Today, this has been replaced with one or two collections of money from the assembly, the first intended for the church and its missionary endeavors such as feeding the poor, and the second (not always collected) intended for a special need.


o This offering, along with the bread and wine, is carried by members from among the congregation to the priest in the Offertory processional.

o The priest places the bread and wine on the table, then he mixes water with the wine and washes his hands to recall the Last Supper- both of these actions were traditional for Jews in Jesus' day.


• We then stand to begin the most important prayer of the Mass.

• We are invited to pray together (the priest prays over the gifts) that all that we have offered- our sacrifice- will be acceptable to God. We respond "Amen."

The Eucharistic PrayerThe Eucharistic Prayer

• The Eucharistic Prayer: This is by far the longest prayer of the Mass. It varies from week to week, but all Eucharistic prayers have the same structure:–We ask God to remember his

saving action in history.–We recall Jesus' Last Supper, his

Passion, death, and resurrection.


– We ask God to continue his saving action in the present, as promised in the covenant made between us and God and sealed with Christ's blood.

• The first part of the Eucharistic Prayer is called the Invitation.– The priest greets us with "The Lord

be with you." He then tells us, "Lift up your hearts." To which we respond, "We lift them up to the Lord."


–The priest then says, “Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.” To which we respond, “It is right and just.”• “Thanks and praise” is a proper translation of the word “Eucharist.”

• The Second Part of the Eucharistic Prayer is called the “Preface and Acclamation.”


–“Preface” meaning “before the face,” because it is at this moment that we come “before the face” of God, as we listen the priest tell us about what God has done for us in the past.

–We respond to this with the acclamation: “Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power and might, heaven and earth are full of your glory.”


• The third part of the Eucharistic Prayer is called the Institution Narrative and Consecration.–This is the most significant part of

the whole Mass, as it is the moment when the priest calls upon the power of the Holy Spirit to consecrate our gifts, or change the bread and wine into the Body and Blood of Christ.

The Eucharistic PrayerThe Eucharistic Prayer–After this, the priest will recall the

events of the Last Supper, the night Jesus himself instituted the sacrament of the Eucharist.

–We are then invited by the priest to proclaim the “Mystery of Faith.”• There are variations of this, but the most common is, “We proclaim your death, O Lord, and profess your Resurrection, until you come again.”


• In this one sentence we sum up the ultimate mystery of the Catholic faith, that Christ, through his death, redeemed from our sins.

• That through his resurrection he defeated death, so that we who believe in him will also never die but will receive eternal life.

• And that we await his return, when we will be invited to join with him in the kingdom of God and to share in the Messianic banquet.


– The priest then continues by recalling the final and greatest of God’s saving actions in our history, Christ’s passion, death, and resurrection.

• The Eucharistic prayer concludes with a prayer for unity and intercessions.– The prayer for unity may be one of the

more controversial moments in the Mass.

Prayer for Christian UnityPrayer for Christian Unity

–An example of this prayer:• “May all of us who share in the Body and Blood of Christ be brought together in unity by the Holy Spirit” –(taken from Eucharistic Prayer II)

–Of course, there are now an almost countless variety of Churches that claim to be Christian.


• And while many of these churches share similar beliefs, there are always differences and the differences have been significant enough to cause us to remain broken.

• In some cases, the differences have even been hostile, leading to prejudice and misinformation.


• This is one of the main reasons the church has been resistant to the idea of allowing non-Catholics to receive communion at Mass.–Remember, we approach the table

to receive Communion after reflecting on our membership in the Body of Christ, and after praying that, that Body will be unified.


– When we receive communion, the priest tells us that we are receiving the Body and Blood of Christ, and in each case, we respond, “Amen.”

– That “amen” is our assent both to that which we believe and for that which we have prayed.• We believe that Christ is really present in

the Eucharist- not just symbolically present.• We pray for unity as one Body of Christ,

that we will be reconciled to one another.


• Therefore, it does not make sense for non-Catholics to receive communion at Mass, since– Non-Catholics hold a diversity of

opinions on Christ’s presence in the Eucharist that are not compatible with the Catholic belief in real presence.

– And Non-Catholics are, by definition, not in unity with the Catholic Church.


• So it is not a matter of the Church now allowing Non-Catholics to participate in the Eucharist, – Rather, Non-Catholics lack the proper

disposition for the reception of the sacrament.

– Even if a non-Catholic were to go through the communion line and receive, this would still be true.


• It has, however, become customary for Non-Catholics who attend Mass to approach the altar in the communion line to receive a blessing from the priest or Eucharistic minister.– The priest knows to recognize that

someone is seeking a blessing when that person approaches with his or her arms crossed over their chest.


• It is also important to remember that Non-Catholics are always welcome to offer thanks and praise with Catholics at Mass.

IntercessionsIntercessions

• To the prayer for unity, we add intercessory prayers for:– The bishop of Rome– Our local bishop– The living and the dead– And for ourselves


• “Intercessory” means we pray that the saints will intercede on our behalf, that we will all one day share in the messianic banquet in heaven, the banquet of which the Mass is only a foreshadowing.


• It can be confusing to those not familiar to the Mass to hear that Catholics pray for the intercession of the saints,– And this has led to the mistaken

assumption that Catholics somehow “worship” the saints (like the similarly mistaken assumption that Catholics “worship” Mary).


• Like all Christians, Catholics believe in only one God, made manifest in Jesus Christ who is still present among us by the power of the Holy Spirit.– We do not worship the saints or Mary,

but we do believe that they have the power to intercede on our behalf with Christ in heaven.


• This belief stems from the Judeo-Christian concept of “righteousness,” a term that Christians sometimes over simplistically think of as being “right.”– Righteousness describes a relationship

with God, not a state of being.– It means to be in right relationship with

God, or to be “facing” God, rather than turned away (the meaning of “sin”).


• Thus, there are varying degrees of righteousness, and Jews and early Christians believed that the more righteous a person was, the closer that person was to God.– In the gospel of Matthew, for example,

Jesus claims that those who do not follow the law and who teach others not to do so will be called “least in the kingdom of heaven.”


–While those who obey and teach the commandments will be called “greatest.”

– Matthew 5:19

– For Catholics, saints are those people who lived lives of extraordinary devotion to Christ, who have sought to “take up the cross” and follow Christ’s example.

– Many even suffered and/or died as a consequence.


• Catholics believe the saints are among the “greatest” or the most righteous in heaven, and therefore they are in closest relationship with God.

• When we pray for their intercession, we are asking them to intervene on our behalf, not worshipping them, and the same holds true for the Catholic adoration-not worship-of Mary.


• Of course, this type of prayer is not seen by Catholics as a substitute for praying directly to God.– Note that all of the praying in Mass up to

this point has been directed to God.• And one might be tempted to ask if

such prayer is necessary, to which a Catholic might respond, “It certainly doesn’t hurt.”

DoxologyDoxology

• The priest then raises the consecrated bread and wine and concludes the Eucharistic prayer with the Doxology, a prayer of glory to God:– “Through him, and with him, and in him, O

God, almighty Father, In the unity of the Holy Spirit, all glory and honor is yours, forever and ever.”

– To which we respond, “Amen,” acknowledging our assent to all for which we have prayed.

The Communion RiteThe Communion Rite

• The Liturgy of the Eucharist concludes with the Communion Rite.–This begins with the Our Father,

the prayer which Jesus taught to his own disciples, in which we praise God and ask Him to take care of our basic needs for food, forgiveness, the strength to resist temptation, and salvation.

The Sign of PeaceThe Sign of Peace

• We ask God to forgive us as we forgive others, and to make good on this, we next offer reconciliation to one another through the “sign of peace”- usually a bow and “Peace be with you.”

CommunionCommunion

• The priest then raises the Body of Christ and says, “Behold the Lamb of God. Behold Him who takes away the sins of the world. Blessed are those called to the supper of the lamb.”

• At this time, we approach the altar for communion in procession.– When we receive the bread, the

Eucharistic minister says to us, “The Body of Christ,” to which we respond, “Amen.”

CommunionCommunion

– When we receive the cup, the Eucharistic minister says to us, “The Blood of Christ,” to which we again respond, “Amen.”

– When we return for Communion, we pray silently, reflecting on what we have received and what it means for us.

– The priest concludes the Liturgy of the Eucharist with the Prayer after Communion, and we respond, “Amen.”



Part Four: Concluding Rite & Final Thoughts

Concluding RiteConcluding Rite

• The Mass concludes with the what is sometimes called the Concluding Rite, or alternatively, the Commissioning.– We reflect on what we have shared at

Mass, and strengthened by the Eucharist, we prepare to go back to our day-to-day lives outside of the church.


• At this point, it is appropriate for the priest or a member of the community to make any announcements informing those present of upcoming events or activities in the parish.

• When the announcements are finished, the priest again addresses the community as he did when the Mass began, “The Lord be with you.”


• The priest then invites us to bow our heads to receive a blessing, and again we make the sign of the cross as the trinity is invoked, “In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.”

• The priest or deacon then “dismisses” the congregation with the formula:

CommissioningCommissioning

• “The Mass has ended. Let us go in peace to love and serve the Lord.”

• To which we respond, “Thanks be to God.”

• But we do not “end” the Mass, rather we are commissioned by the priest to take with us what we have shared and to apply it to our daily lives.

CommissioningCommissioning

• As we leave, we should be asking ourselves,– How does our membership in the

crucified body of Christ affect the way the treat the suffering and persecuted in the world around us?

– How do we pour out our lives for those less fortunate than us, for the alienated and excluded?

– What has the Mass, and the outpouring of God’s grace we have received, really meant to us as we leave?

Final ThoughtsFinal Thoughts

• Before attending the next Mass, ask yourself these questions:– What is the purpose of the Mass in the

liturgical life of my church?– Why does the Catholic Church consider

the Mass to be the most important thing we do together as the Body of Christ?

– What should I get out of the Mass?– What do I have to offer at Mass?– Why is it essential to attend Mass

regularly?

Final ThoughtsFinal Thoughts– In what ways is Mass attendance a

burden to me? In what ways is it a blessing?

– What parts of the Mass are difficult to understand?

– What parts are difficult to accept or believe?

– In what ways is the Mass a celebration? How should we respond to the fact that we are recalling -even witnessing- Jesus’ sacrificial death for us?

Final ThoughtsFinal Thoughts

–How much did you know about the Mass before you began this presentation?

–What have you learned that you didn’t know before?

–How has this changed your attitude towards the Mass?

the catholic mass a brief introduction part one: intro & gathering rite

Documents

word sacrament

term sacrament

final sacrament of initiation

sacrament form verbal

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catholic mass

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