The Order of the Mass Structure and significance

Pre-Introductory Rites  Personal Blessing and signing with baptismal water (sign of the cross with holy water)  Personal preparation and prayer  Optional musical elements

Introductory Rites  Procession and Song  Veneration of the Altar  Sign of the Cross, Greeting, Introduction  Act of Penitence OR  Sunday Renewal of Baptism  Glory to God  Collect

Introductory Rites - Procession and Song  -Earliest record of congregational song is 8 th Century  Its purpose is to open the celebration, foster unity among those who have gathered, introduce their thoughts to the mystery of the liturgical season or feast, and accompany the procession of priest and ministers. (GIRM 47)

Introductory Rites - Veneration of the Altar  Table kiss may have been a Roman domestic ritual that entered the liturgy and acquired Christian meaning  Venerated by the priest in the name of all  Stone altar came to represent Christ the Cornerstone  Incensation of altar is first recorded around end of first millennium

Introductory Rites – Sign of the Cross & Greeting  2 nd Century origin in Practice  Entered the Liturgy several centuries later  Since Christ is present in both the assembly and the priest, the greeting and response express this mystery

Introductory Rites – Act of Penitence  Acknowledges that we, although sinful, live our lives in Christ, and know and claim his mercy  The focus is not US, but on the merciful God who is loving, kind, and the source of all reconciliation and healing.

Introductory Rites – Sunday Renewal of Baptism  Sign of sanctification  Reminder of the waters of baptism  Unique to Sunday

Introductory Rites – Glory to God  Opening words are the angels proclamation at Bethlehem  Began to enter the liturgy in 6 th Century, and became “universal” by the 11 th  Trinitarian hymn – poetic praise

Introductory Rites – The Collect  Climax of the Introductory rites  “collects” the prayer of the entire assembly and expresses it in relation to the feast or mystery

Liturgy of the WORD  Purpose is not only to communicate information about God’s presence and action, but more importantly, to forge a relationship between God and the gathered assembly in this place and time.  Its goal is to touch, move, and transform hearts.  Has some structural similarity with 1 st Century synagogue service

Liturgy of the WORD - First Reading  The Law and the Prophets – no less the Word of GOD than the New Testament  Foreshadows the Gospel reading in some way  During Easter Season, ACTS shows how the early Church gave witness to the Paschal Mystery

Liturgy of the WORD – Responsorial Psalm  Serves as a prolongation of the reading  A means of entering more deeply and vocally in the mystery being celebrated

Liturgy of the WORD – Second Reading  An encounter with the early Church living out their faith  Chosen independently of the Gospel

Liturgy of the WORD – Alleuluia/Gospel Acclamation, Sequence  With the Alleluia (or Gospel Acclamation during Lent) we praise Christ who comes to proclaim the good news of salvation.  A Sequence is added on Easter and Pentecost. It is an option on two other feasts.

Liturgy of the WORD – Gospel  Standing began in 4 th Century as a sign of respect and attentiveness for the Risen Lord.  Small crosses and kissing the book appeared before the start of the second millennium  The symbolic actions associated with the Gospel remind of of the unique presence of Christ, who continues to call his people to conversion.

Liturgy of the WORD – Homily  A living application of God’s proclaimed Word  A continuation of what has been proclaimed  A call to deeper faith and fuller conversion

Liturgy of the WORD – Profession of Faith  Summary of faith from Nicea (325), Constantinople (381), and Chalcedon (451)  We respond with assent to the Word of God proclaimed and preached

Liturgy of the WORD – Prayer of the Faithful  Animated by the Word proclaimed and preached, we are confident that God will act today (through us) as he has in the past  An exercise in our “baptismal priesthood”  And offering of prayer for all

Liturgy of the Eucharist  Classic “movements” of the Eucharist – take, bless, break, and give

Liturgy of the Eucharist  Preparation of the Altar – ministerial task of placing corporal, chalice, purificator and Missal  Presentation of the Gifts has its origins in antiquity, but evolved from the liturgy by the 11 th Century.  Anticipates the movement toward communion; expresses the assembly’s participation in both the Eucharist AND in the social mission of the church.

Liturgy of the Eucharist  Mixing of the Water and Wine had its origins in ancient table custom  Western symbolism = the union of Christ and the faithful – Christ taking us to himself  Eastern symbolism = the human and divine natures of Christ  Blood and Water from the side of Christ

Liturgy of the Eucharist Incensation  Introduced gradually into the Roman liturgy from 4 th to 14 th centuries  Altar, gifts, priest, and people are all incensed. They are all one in the offering of the sacrifice of Christ to the father.

Liturgy of the Eucharist Washing of the Hands may have been a practical matter, evolved quite early into a gesture which accompanied a prayer for the priest’s inner purification  Prayer over the Offerings concludes this rite. It requests divine acceptance, and the community’s desire to unite itself with the offering to come.

Liturgy of the Eucharist – The Eucharistic Prayer  Prior to 4 th Century, extemporization was the norm. For the Roman Church, the form became “fixed” after that.  Was proclaimed aloud until the 9 th Century; after that, until 1960’s, it was recited inaudibly.

Liturgy of the Eucharist – The Eucharistic Prayer  Eucharistic Prayers I-IV  Two Eucharistic Prayers for Reconciliation  Three Eucharistic Prayers for Masses with Children  Four variations on the Eucharistic Prayer for Various Needs and Occasions.

Liturgy of the Eucharist – The Eucharistic Prayer  Thanksgiving – The Preface is a statement of special reason for praising God  Often contains doctrinal statements as well  More than 80 approved prefaces  A reminder of the participation of the church beyond earth in the Eucharist  Acclamation – HOLY, HOLY, HOLY is our response to join in the cosmic chorus of praise

Liturgy of the Eucharist – The Eucharistic Prayer  Epiclesis – calling upon the Holy Spirit  Both the Gifts and the people are transformed by the power of the Holy Spirit.  The bread and wine become the sacramental presence of Christ.  Through sharing in in Holy Communion, communion with Christ and with all who have received Christ is deepened.

Liturgy of the Eucharist  Narrative of Institution – All that God has accomplished in creation and salvation history is fulfilled, signified, and made present in the person of the crucified and risen Christ. Christ’s words are a promise, and through the power of the Spirit, they accomplish what they signify: his Eucharistic Body and Blood, his Real Presence with all the riches of the kingdom.

Liturgy of the Eucharist Memorial Acclamation – an innovation in the Roman Liturgy, but common to the Byzantine and Orthodox  We manifest both our faith in the mystery of Christ our Redeemer, and our active participation in the Eucharistic Prayer Anamnesis – memorial in the sense that Jesus himself would have used: that the Eucharist is an actual “making present” of God’s saving deeds in Christ so that their fullness and power take effect here and now.

Liturgy of the Eucharist Offering – The Church offers in the Holy Spirit the spotless Victim to the Father.  The faithful also offer themselves with and through Christ to the Father. Christ joins this offering to his own.

Liturgy of the Eucharist  Intercessions express that the Eucharist is celebrated in communion with the whole Church – in heaven and on earth, and that the offering is made for her, all of the members, living and dead, who have been called to participate in the redemption and salvation purchased by Christ’s Body and Blood

Liturgy of the Eucharist  The Doxology summarizes the Eucharistic Prayer, which concludes as it began, with explicit praise.  It affords the assembly the opportunity to say “yes” to all that has come before...to make the Eucharistic prayer their prayer.

Communion Rite  The Lord’s Prayer entered the Liturgy in the 4 th Century. The Eastern Church has always used the concluding doxology which was added to the Roman Liturgy in  It is both a prayer for sustenance and for purification and reconciliation

Communion Rite  Among early Christians, the kiss of peace (holy kiss) was seen as a “seal” placed upon prayer.  It came to it’s position before communion prior to 400. It was exchanged only by those who were going to receive Communion.  As the reception of Communion declined so did the exchange of peace.  Since the Risen Christ is the source of all peace, the gesture expresses faith that Christ is present in his people. It is a call to both reconciliation, unity, and communion, and a seal which ratifies the very meaning of a Eucharistic assembly both find and pray for peace in one another.

Communion Rite The Breaking of the Bread has biblical roots. It has taken a variety of forms through the centuries. It has an associated commingling. The Lamb of God intensifies our recognition of Christ (as did John the Baptist) as well as our desire for the fruits of the Eucharist.

Communion Rite The invitation to communion is profoundly biblical, and another expression of our “recognition” of our relationship to Christ in the mystery of Eucharistic Communion. Verbal formulas for the reception of Communion were not uniform until Our present formula originated in Africa, Syria, and Rome, probably prior to 350. The communion hymn expresses the spiritual union of the communicants by means of the unity of their voices, to show joy of heart, and to highlight more clearly the communitarian nature of the procession to receive communion. (GIRM 86) This is followed by a period of communal silent thanksgiving.

Communion Rite The Prayer after Communion concludes the Communion Rite. It is a Prayer asking for the spiritual effects or fruits of the Eucharist.

Concluding Rite  Announcements  Blessing  Dismissal  (music)