At weekend Masses during the upcoming months, clergy members will offer a brief explanation of one element of the Mass. Below you may find the explanation and more resources to dig deeper into how, why, and what we celebrate together.
At the start of each mass, a procession with accompanying music takes place. The servers, readers, deacons, and priests walk to the sanctuary before greeting you, the assembly. It is a very sacred moment in the liturgy. Here, you see a procession of ministers, but all of you who are gathered here are represented in this procession. We are all coming before the Altar of God. We all make this liturgical action even more sacred and more noble when we sing together.
During the hymn, you are invited to turn and face the ministers in procession and bow toward the processional cross as it passes.
The Sign of the Cross is the first action we do together at Mass, uniting us to God and to one another. It reminds us that we worship not in our own individual names, but in the name of God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. When we make the sign of the cross, we recall our baptism, our identity in Christ, and affirm that we belong here as God’s own sons and daughters.
The words after the Sign of the Cross are called the Greeting. Here, the priest proclaims the presence of the Lord at Mass for the first time, and the people ask for God to be with the priest. By this greeting, and the people’s response, we embody the mystery of the Church gathered together. This dialogue, and others during Mass, are not simply outward signs of communal celebration, but cultivate communion between the priest and the people, between the entire Body of Christ gathered together. When we pray with full heart and full voice, we respond to the Lord’s presence by expressing our own presence.
During the Penitential Act, we prepare ourselves to be worthy of celebrating this Mass by reflecting on our sins and proclaiming God’s mercy. We are provided a moment of silence to reflect on our sins, seek God’s forgiveness, and ask for eternal life in his presence. It can be easy to miss this moment of Mass, but it’s an opportunity for us to run to our Merciful Father, who eagerly wishes to share His life with us.
After we ask for God’s mercy, we will sing the Gloria together. This song echoes the hymn the angels sang to the shepherds on the night Jesus was born. Consider how God was present in your life this past week. Where’s one place the glory of God shone through? Focus your praise, your adoration, and your thanks on something specific. Offer that one specific thing to God today. When we sing together, sing praise for that.
Before the Collect, you’ll hear “Let us pray” followed by a period of silence and a prayer called the Collect. During this silence, we are all meant to become aware of God’s presence, right here, right now, and we’re given a pause to call to mind our own intentions. What or who is on your heart right now? All our intentions are “collect-ed” together and directed to God. This is a powerful way we all can bring the reality of our lives – the joys and sorrows, the problems and praises – into our worship every week.
In the Scripture proclaimed at Mass, God invites us to deepen our relationship with him. We’re listening to the story of salvation, which is our own story, both ancient and personal. We’re not just listening to words, but to the Word of God, a person. Listen as if God were speaking directly to you, and when we respond “Thanks be to God,” let us speak as if we are speaking directly to God – because we are! And if you feel you’ve missed the readings, as any parent has from time to time, you’re doing your best just by being here. You can always re-read them later at home.
The tradition of singing the Psalms has its roots in ancient Hebraic temple worship and prayer rituals. Jesus was familiar with the Psalms and they were subsequently incorporated into the liturgy of the early church. The Psalms are filled with a range of emotions expressed by the psalmist, which often mirror our own feelings and concerns. Some Psalms are filled with joy, thanksgiving, and praise, while others express supplication and desperate pleas for help. Some Psalms are laments and recollections of the past, while others express doubt and even anger.
The practice of responding after the psalmist is a tradition that originated in temple worship and was carried on by the early church. Many of the Psalms are from an oral tradition that dates back more than 3000 years. In the Mass, the Psalms (and sometimes gospel canticles) are used as a response to the first reading. It is customary to observe a period of silence before singing the Psalm.
The Gospel reading is considered the high point of The Liturgy of the Word. When the Gospel is proclaimed, Christ Himself is fully present and speaking directly to us. This is the Good News of Jesus Christ. We are assured of His love and sacrifice for each one of us.
As a sign of reverence, we stand while singing the Gospel acclamation and listening to the Gospel. The Book of the Gospel, which is like a sacred vessel holding the precious Good News of Jesus Christ, is elevated and held high for all to see as it is carried from the Altar (the "Table of the Eucharist") to the Ambo (the "Table of the Word"). Candles and incense often accompany the Book in this ritual procession, emphasizing that what--and whom--we are about to hear is truly Christ fully present in the proclamation.