Learning about The Mass
Why go to Mass?
When you were baptised you became a member of God's family and we call that the Church. You might think the church is just a building but the Church is also the name we give to the people who gather in the building. Without the people, the Church would be just another building. One of the most important things we do as part of God's family is to go to Mass.
What do we do at Mass?
There is a special name for all the people gathered together for Mass. They are called the Assembly. Everyone in the Assembly helps to make the Mass a celebration of God's love for us by:
Who does what at Mass?
At every Mass you will notice that some members of the assembly have different jobs. We call these jobs ministries. Let's look at some of them:
The Priest: At Mass the priest leads us and encourages us to play our part in the celebration. How does he do this? He:
Minister of the Word: Even though we sometimes call this person the reader, the proper name is 'Minister of the Word'. The readings of the Mass come from the Bible. They are the Word of God and so we can say that we hear God speaking to us through the voice of the Minister of the Word.
The Collectors: The people who collect our gift of money during Mass.
The Minister of the Eucharist: The person who helps to give out communion at Mass. They sometimes bring communion to those who are unable to come to Mass because they
are sick.
Music: Many parishes have choirs - groups of people who sing at Mass. Their singing helps the whole assembly to pray and we are all encouraged to join with the choir. Some parishes may have people who lead the assembly in singing. These are called cantors.
How does Mass begin?
Mass usually begins with a song or a hymn and if we know the song we should join in the singing. The words of the song might be on a hymn sheet or book on your seat. When this song begins we know that it is time to stand up. We stand to greet the priest who will lead us in prayer. In this way we are also greeting Jesus who is present among us.
Preparing the Church for Mass
The sacristan is a very important person in church. He or she opens and closes the building, makes sure that it is warm and welcoming, prepares the altar, lights the candles, puts out the necessary books and things needed for the Mass and makes sure that there are enough candles, wine and altar breads for Mass.
In most parishes there are people who look after the cleaning of the church. They also make sure that there are flowers to decorate the altar. They may put up the crib at Christmas and decorate the church building for special occasions.
Arriving in the Church
Usually when we come into God's house we bow our heads or go down on one knee. This is called 'genuflection'. It shows respect and love for Jesus. We genuflect or bow in front of the tabernacle, the special place where Jesus is present at all times. The tabernacle may be behind the altar or to one side of it. There will be a red light near the tabernacle, called the Sanctuary Lamp. This light tells us that Jesus, the Blessed Sacrament, is present inside. The Blessed Sacrament is another name for Jesus.
The Opening Procession
Mass always begins with a procession. There are different kinds of processions. Sometimes there are lots of people; sometimes it is the priest on his own. The procession might come from the front door or from the sacristy. Usually the procession includes the priest and the servers. In some places the people who are going to read and help to give out communion will also be in the procession. You might see one of the readers carry the book from which the Gospel will be read. This book is called the Book of the Gospels.
What the Priest Wears
The special clothes that the priest wears for Mass are called vestments. There are three different pieces which he needs to put on. Over his ordinary clothes the priest puts on a white or cream coloured tunic called an alb. Then he puts on a long piece of coloured cloth which looks like a scarf and is called a stole. Over the alb and the stole he puts on his chasuble. The colour of the stole and the chasuble is very important. It tells us what season we are in or what special occasion we are celebrating in the Church year. There are four main colours worn during the year: green, purple, red and white.
Mass begins
The opening parts of the Mass are called the Introductory Rites. When the priest arrives at the altar he kisses it. This is a sign of respect. He then goes to the special chair which is near the altar. We call this the 'Presider's Chair'. The priest leads us in prayer from this chair. We all make the Sign of the Cross together. This is the way we begin almost all our prayers. The priest then says, 'The Lord be with you' and we answer by saying, 'And with your spirit'. This is a special way of greeting us and reminds us that God is always with us. The priest then introduces the Penitential Act.
Introductory Rites: The Penitential Act
This time in the Mass offers us an opportunity to prepare to receive Eucharist by reflecting on the things that we might have done during the past week for which we need forgiveness. We are reminded that God always loves us. One of the ways in which God shows this love is by always forgiving us for those times when we haven't been as good as we might have been. There are different kinds of prayer that the priest can use at this part of the Mass. These prayers do two things. They help us to remember the times when we haven't been as good as we might have been. More importantly they remind us of God's love for us. Sometimes the priest may replace the Penitential Act with the blessing and sprinkling of water as a reminder of our Baptism.
Gloria
The Gloria is a very old prayer of praise and thanksgiving. The first few lines will sound familiar because it was the song sung by the angels when Jesus was born in Bethlehem. We do not pray the Gloria during the seasons of Advent and Lent.
Opening Prayer
After the Gloria the priest will invite us to pray. The prayer begins in silence. This gives us time to talk to God in our hearts. We might want to thank God for something good that has happened or we might want to ask God to take care of something that we are worried about. The the priest takes all our prayers and offers them to God. The words of the Opening Prayer differ from Sunday to Sunday and reflect the theme of the Mass. We respond by saying 'Amen'. Amen means that we believe that whatever God does is ok with us.
The Liturgy of the Word
This part of the Mass is called the Liturgy of the Word. It might be helpful to think of this first part of the Liturgy of the Word as the time when we listen to the story of God's love for us as it is written in the Bible. We sit down to listen just like we would when we listen to any story. During the first part of the Liturgy of the Word we usually listen to three readings from the Bible:
The Word of God is so important for us that there is a special place in God's house from which it is read. We call this the ambo. The only time that the ambo is used is for the Readings, the Gospel, the Homily and the Prayer of the Faithful.
Minister of the Word
The person who reads at Mass is called the Minister of the Word. They are people who have volunteered to read at Mass. They will have had to do some training so that they are able to do the best job they can. Their job is very important. The readings at Mass come from the Bible. They are the Word of God, and so we can say that we hear God speaking to us through the voice of the Minister of the Word.
The Readings
The Minister of the Word goes to the ambo to read. The first reading is usually from the oldest part of the Bible called the Old Testament. In the Easter Season the first reading comes from the New Testament. The stories that we hear during the first reading are the same stories that Jesus would have heard when he was a child. Some of the stories from the Old Testament are thousands of years old. They remind us of how long people have been listening to God's word. They also tell us how much God loves us. Even though the stories are very old, they still have an important message for us today.
The Psalms are different from the other readings from the Bible. They were written as poems or songs. There are 150 psalms altogether. Sometimes the psalm is sung. Between each verse there is a response which we are all invited to say. The psalm allows us to reflect on the reading that we have just heard.
Second Reading: This reading always comes from the part of the Bible called the New Testament. The reading is taken from the books that are found directly after the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John.
Our Response to the Readings: At the end of each of the readings the Minister of the Word finishes by saying, 'The Word of the Lord' and we all respond with the words, 'Thanks be to God'. This is our way of saying thank you to God for these stories which help us to grow together as members of God's family.
The Gospel
After the second reading, the Minister of the Word will invite us to stand and greet or welcome the Gospel. Before the Gospel is read we sing or say the Gospel Acclamation. For most of the Church year we greet the Gospel with the word 'Alleluia', a joyful song of praise.
The Alleluia is followed by a verse of scripture from the Bible. This verse reminds us of the theme of the Mass and readings. During the season of Lent we do not use the word 'Alleluia'. The Gospel stories tell us about Jesus and we hear what he said to his friends and those who came to listen to him. So the reading of the Gospel is different to the other readings. It is the most important part of the Liturgy of the Word.
Seven ways we know the Gospel is important
1. We stand.
2. We sing or say an acclamation to welcome the Gospel.
3. The reading can only be done by the priest or deacon.
4. The priest or deacon greets us again with the same words used at the beginning of Mass.
5. The priest or deacon makes the sign of the cross four times. First one on the Book of the Gospels and then on his forehead, his lips and his breast. We do the same on our foreheads, lips and breast. We do this to remind us that God's word should always be on our minds, on our lips and in our hearts.
6. At the end of the Gospel the priest/deacon says: 'The Gospel of the Lord' and we answer: 'Praise to you Lord Jesus Christ'.
7. The priest/deacon kisses the book.
What is a Deacon?
The word 'deacon' comes from the Greek word 'diakonia' which means 'service'. The work of the deacon is an act of service to the community. Deacons can read the Gospel, preach the homily, baptise and perform other ceremonies where there is no Mass. There are two types of deacon who minister in the church. The first is someone training to be a priest and this is the last step before finally being ordained a priest. The second is called a Permanent Deacon and he is not going to be ordained a priest. We know that priests cannot get married but a married man can be ordained a Permanent Deacon. At the moment we have very few Permanent Deacons in our country but this may change in the next few years.
The Homily
We all sit down to listen to what the priest/deacon has to say about the readings we have heard and how we might be able to put into practice in our everyday lives. We call this the homily. The priest/deacon normally stands at the ambo to give the homily. At the end of the homily the priest may sit down and we can spend a few minutes in quiet prayer. This time lets us think about what the priest has said and ask God to help us to live as he would want us to.
The Creed
After the homily the priest invites us to stand and profess our faith. We do this by saying the Creed. There are two Creeds that can be said at Mass: the Apostles' Creed and the Nicene Creed. The Creed tells us simply what we believe as members of the Church. We stand to show that we are proud to be followers and friends of Jesus.
Prayer of the Faithful
During this time we pray for all our needs, particularly for the Church, the leaders of our country, those who are sick and in need of God's healing and those who have died. The Prayer of the Faithful is normally spoken by the Minister of the Word on our behalf. At the end of each prayer there is a moment of silence and then the Minister of the Word says: 'Lord hear us' or 'We pray to the Lord', and we answer: 'Lord graciously hear us' or 'Lord hear our prayer'.
The Liturgy of the Eucharist - We bring our Gifts
During this part of the Mass we move from the ambo to the altar. We have heard the Word of God and now we come to share in the Bread of Life at the altar. The first part of the Liturgy of the Eucharist is about preparing the gifts that we bring to the altar. The most important gifts that we bring are the bread and wine. The bread is placed on something which looks like a plate. We call this a paten. The wine is in a glass jug. These gifts are placed on the altar. One of the first gifts that you will notice being prepared is the gift of money. You will see people moving through the church with a basket or a bag for the collection. Everyone is asked to put some money into the basket or bag. This money helps to pay for all things that are done in the parish, including helping those who may not have enough for themselves.
Offering the Gifts - an old custom
In the early Church people brought the bread and the wine that was used during Mass. This was their gift to their Church family. They also brought other food to be blessed and sometimes this food was given to those who did not have enough to eat. When we bring the bread, wine and money to the altar we are continuing with this custom. We also continue the custom of giving when we put money in our Trócaire Box during Lent or when we give money to organisations collecting outside or the church like the St. Vincent de Paul.
The Altar
Another name for altar is table. The altar table is in the centre of the part of God's house that we call the sanctuary. Sanctuary means 'holy' and this is indeed a holy place. The servers prepare the altar. They put the following on the altar:
The corporal - a square-shaped white cloth on which the paten and chalice are placed.
The Roman Missal - the book from which the priest reads the prayers.
The purificators - small white towels which are used to clean the chalice and paten later in the Mass.
The Priest gives thanks to God for our gifts
The priest stands behind the altar and holds up the paten with the bread on it and says a prayer of blessing to God. The priest then pours the wine into the chalice.
The chalice is a special cup which is shaped like a wine glass. It may be made of gold and silver. He pours a drop of water into the wine. He then holds up the chalice and says a prayer of blessing to God again. The priest says a prayer over the gifts, which is different at every Mass. In many churches people will stand at this point. This shows us that the preparation of the gifts is over and we are now going to say the Eucharistic Prayer.
Eucharist
The word 'Eucharist' is another name for Mass. It comes from a Greek word meaning 'thanksgiving'. The whole Mass is a special praye of thanksgiving for all that God has given us. Sometimes we use the word to describe the whole Mass and sometimes it is used to describe the Bread of Life. We also talk about the sacrifice of the Mass. This reminds us of the sacrifice that Jesus made for us when he suffered and died on the cross.
The Eucharistic Prayer
The priest prays what we call the Eucharistic Prayer over our gifts of bread and wine. This is the most important prayer of the whole Mass. In Church language it is the 'centre and summit' of the celebration. The priest as leader of the assembly prays this prayer on our behalf and we participate by listening and responding when invited to do so. In the Roman Missal, from which the priest reads the prayers of the Mass, there are seven Eucharistic Prayers.
The Four Parts of the Eucharistic Prayer
The first part of the Eucharistic Prayer is called the Preface. During the Preface we give thanks for the good things that God has done for us throughout all time. The Preface ends when we pray the Sanctus, or Holy Holy.
The second part of the Eucharistic Prayer is called the Epiclesis, when the priest asks God to send the Holy Spirit to come down upon our gifts of bread and wine.
The third part of the Eucharistic Prayer is called the Institution Narrative, when we remember what Jesus did at the Last Supper.
The fourth and final part of the Eucharistic Prayer is called the Anamnesis when we pray for those in need and those who have died. At the end of the Anamnesis the priest holds up the host and the chalice and offers them to God.
The Communion Rite: The Lord's Prayer
The Communion Rite is when the priest invites us to stand to pray the Our Father together. This prayer is also called the Lord's Prayer because Jesus taught it to this friends whe they asked him to teach them to pray like he did. Jesus called God 'Father', and so do we because we are God's children and part of God's family. The prayer tells us about how great God is, promises us that God will always look after us as a parent looks after their children and helps us to see how God would like us to be with each other.
The Sign of Peace
When we are at Mass we are there as part of God's family. At communion time we are invited to the Lord's Table to share the Bread of Life. It is like being asked to sit down and eat together and that is hard to do if we are not friends with someone else in the family. At this point in the Mass, as members of God's family who are about to share the Bread of Life together, we are invited to share a sign of peace with those around us. This is usually done by shaking hands and saying, 'Peace be with you'. We answer, 'And with your spirit'.
Communion
The priest breaks the Bread of Life before it is shared with everybody. This reminds us of what Jesus did at the Last Supper, 'He broke the bread and gave it to his friends'. While the bread is being broken, we pray the Lamb of God together.
The priest prepares to receive the Body and Blood of Christ by saying a prayer quietly. He then takes the Bread of Life, holds it over the chalice and shows it to the assembly. We respond to this invitation: 'Lord, I am not worthy that you should enter under my roof, but only say the word and my soul shall be healed'. The priest and Minister of the Eucharist receive the Bread of Life. They also receive from the chalice. We go to the Table of the Lord in procession to receive the Bread of Life. We may also be invited to receive from the chalice.
Fasting before Communion
We are not asked to eat before receiving communion. This is called 'fasting'. This rule has changed over time. In the past people were required to fast for twelve hours before Mass. Nowadays it is just one hour. We are asked to fast from all food except water in this hour before we receive the Bread of Life. We do this to help us to be more aware of the gift that we are about to receive.
Prayer after Communion
When everyone has received communion the priest will return to his chair and pray quietly for a few minutes. The choir may sing a song at this time. The priest then stands and prays the Prayer after Communion. During this prayer we pray that we can take what we have received during the Mass with us as we return to our daily lives. We also pray that we can use this to make a difference in our world.
Community Announcements
Sometimes, just before the end of Mass, the priest will read a list of things that are happening in the community during the coming week. This reminds us of the importance of the community in which we live. It also reminds us that God's family doesn't just come together on a Sunday in God's house but that there are lots of other times when we gather together. The community might get together for fun, for sporting activities, to help those who are in need or to learn more about their faith. Whenever we gather we must remember that we are part of God's family.
We are Sent!
At the end of Mass we may all feel relieved that something is over and that we have done our bit as members of God's family for another week. But remember what the priest says at the end of every Mass: 'Go and announce...'. The emphasis is on the word 'go'. We are blessed, dismissed and sent from God's house out into the world to bring God and his message with us to everyone we meet. We can only do this because we have been nourished by the Word of God and the Bread of Life. We cannot do this on our own. We need the support of one another, the Body of Christ, who gather every week to pray.
Our Mission
So we are sent from Mass on a mission, to announce the Gospel, to live like Jesus would want us to. We are being asked to be witnesses for Jesus in the way we live our lives, at home, in school, in our community and in the world.
Sometimes that may seem a very difficulty job but there are lots of things that we can do and are already doing to show that we are members of God's family.
How can we announce the Gospel?
There are so many everyday things that we do, sometimes without even thinking about them, that help us to live the Gospel by loving and serving the Lord: making a call, going to visit or even sending a text or email to grandparents, aunts or uncles who would love to hear from us. Doing what we are told without a fuss. Making our beds and tidying our rooms without being asked. Spending time talking instead of watching television or playing computer games. Taking time to say a prayer at the beginning and end of the day, or when you sit down to eat together. Sorting our toys and clothes that you no longer need to give to St. Vincent de Paul or some other charity.
Keeping Sunday Special
We know this won't always be easy. There's always some reason for not going to Mass: a football game, training, shopping, rehearsal, a trip to the seaside. But we should try to keep part of Sunday for God and his family by going to Mass and sharing in the Bread of Life. Children will need their parents' help with this.
When you were baptised you became a member of God's family and we call that the Church. You might think the church is just a building but the Church is also the name we give to the people who gather in the building. Without the people, the Church would be just another building. One of the most important things we do as part of God's family is to go to Mass.
What do we do at Mass?
There is a special name for all the people gathered together for Mass. They are called the Assembly. Everyone in the Assembly helps to make the Mass a celebration of God's love for us by:
- Joining in the prayers
- Standing, kneelng and sitting at the right times
- Singing
- Listening carefully
- Offering our gifts to be shared
- Coming to the table to receive communion or a blessing.
Who does what at Mass?
At every Mass you will notice that some members of the assembly have different jobs. We call these jobs ministries. Let's look at some of them:
The Priest: At Mass the priest leads us and encourages us to play our part in the celebration. How does he do this? He:
- Leads us in prayer
- Invites us to listen to God's word
- Helps us to understand and make sense of the Word of God in our daily lives through his homily
- Takes our gifts, the bread and wine, offers them to God and prays that by the power of the Holy Spirit they will become the body and blood of Jesus Christ
Minister of the Word: Even though we sometimes call this person the reader, the proper name is 'Minister of the Word'. The readings of the Mass come from the Bible. They are the Word of God and so we can say that we hear God speaking to us through the voice of the Minister of the Word.
The Collectors: The people who collect our gift of money during Mass.
The Minister of the Eucharist: The person who helps to give out communion at Mass. They sometimes bring communion to those who are unable to come to Mass because they
are sick.
Music: Many parishes have choirs - groups of people who sing at Mass. Their singing helps the whole assembly to pray and we are all encouraged to join with the choir. Some parishes may have people who lead the assembly in singing. These are called cantors.
How does Mass begin?
Mass usually begins with a song or a hymn and if we know the song we should join in the singing. The words of the song might be on a hymn sheet or book on your seat. When this song begins we know that it is time to stand up. We stand to greet the priest who will lead us in prayer. In this way we are also greeting Jesus who is present among us.
Preparing the Church for Mass
The sacristan is a very important person in church. He or she opens and closes the building, makes sure that it is warm and welcoming, prepares the altar, lights the candles, puts out the necessary books and things needed for the Mass and makes sure that there are enough candles, wine and altar breads for Mass.
In most parishes there are people who look after the cleaning of the church. They also make sure that there are flowers to decorate the altar. They may put up the crib at Christmas and decorate the church building for special occasions.
Arriving in the Church
Usually when we come into God's house we bow our heads or go down on one knee. This is called 'genuflection'. It shows respect and love for Jesus. We genuflect or bow in front of the tabernacle, the special place where Jesus is present at all times. The tabernacle may be behind the altar or to one side of it. There will be a red light near the tabernacle, called the Sanctuary Lamp. This light tells us that Jesus, the Blessed Sacrament, is present inside. The Blessed Sacrament is another name for Jesus.
The Opening Procession
Mass always begins with a procession. There are different kinds of processions. Sometimes there are lots of people; sometimes it is the priest on his own. The procession might come from the front door or from the sacristy. Usually the procession includes the priest and the servers. In some places the people who are going to read and help to give out communion will also be in the procession. You might see one of the readers carry the book from which the Gospel will be read. This book is called the Book of the Gospels.
What the Priest Wears
The special clothes that the priest wears for Mass are called vestments. There are three different pieces which he needs to put on. Over his ordinary clothes the priest puts on a white or cream coloured tunic called an alb. Then he puts on a long piece of coloured cloth which looks like a scarf and is called a stole. Over the alb and the stole he puts on his chasuble. The colour of the stole and the chasuble is very important. It tells us what season we are in or what special occasion we are celebrating in the Church year. There are four main colours worn during the year: green, purple, red and white.
Mass begins
The opening parts of the Mass are called the Introductory Rites. When the priest arrives at the altar he kisses it. This is a sign of respect. He then goes to the special chair which is near the altar. We call this the 'Presider's Chair'. The priest leads us in prayer from this chair. We all make the Sign of the Cross together. This is the way we begin almost all our prayers. The priest then says, 'The Lord be with you' and we answer by saying, 'And with your spirit'. This is a special way of greeting us and reminds us that God is always with us. The priest then introduces the Penitential Act.
Introductory Rites: The Penitential Act
This time in the Mass offers us an opportunity to prepare to receive Eucharist by reflecting on the things that we might have done during the past week for which we need forgiveness. We are reminded that God always loves us. One of the ways in which God shows this love is by always forgiving us for those times when we haven't been as good as we might have been. There are different kinds of prayer that the priest can use at this part of the Mass. These prayers do two things. They help us to remember the times when we haven't been as good as we might have been. More importantly they remind us of God's love for us. Sometimes the priest may replace the Penitential Act with the blessing and sprinkling of water as a reminder of our Baptism.
Gloria
The Gloria is a very old prayer of praise and thanksgiving. The first few lines will sound familiar because it was the song sung by the angels when Jesus was born in Bethlehem. We do not pray the Gloria during the seasons of Advent and Lent.
Opening Prayer
After the Gloria the priest will invite us to pray. The prayer begins in silence. This gives us time to talk to God in our hearts. We might want to thank God for something good that has happened or we might want to ask God to take care of something that we are worried about. The the priest takes all our prayers and offers them to God. The words of the Opening Prayer differ from Sunday to Sunday and reflect the theme of the Mass. We respond by saying 'Amen'. Amen means that we believe that whatever God does is ok with us.
The Liturgy of the Word
This part of the Mass is called the Liturgy of the Word. It might be helpful to think of this first part of the Liturgy of the Word as the time when we listen to the story of God's love for us as it is written in the Bible. We sit down to listen just like we would when we listen to any story. During the first part of the Liturgy of the Word we usually listen to three readings from the Bible:
- The First Reading is usually taken from the Old Testament
- The Psalm is a poem or song taken from the Book of Psalms
- The Second Reading is taken from the New Testament
The Word of God is so important for us that there is a special place in God's house from which it is read. We call this the ambo. The only time that the ambo is used is for the Readings, the Gospel, the Homily and the Prayer of the Faithful.
Minister of the Word
The person who reads at Mass is called the Minister of the Word. They are people who have volunteered to read at Mass. They will have had to do some training so that they are able to do the best job they can. Their job is very important. The readings at Mass come from the Bible. They are the Word of God, and so we can say that we hear God speaking to us through the voice of the Minister of the Word.
The Readings
The Minister of the Word goes to the ambo to read. The first reading is usually from the oldest part of the Bible called the Old Testament. In the Easter Season the first reading comes from the New Testament. The stories that we hear during the first reading are the same stories that Jesus would have heard when he was a child. Some of the stories from the Old Testament are thousands of years old. They remind us of how long people have been listening to God's word. They also tell us how much God loves us. Even though the stories are very old, they still have an important message for us today.
The Psalms are different from the other readings from the Bible. They were written as poems or songs. There are 150 psalms altogether. Sometimes the psalm is sung. Between each verse there is a response which we are all invited to say. The psalm allows us to reflect on the reading that we have just heard.
Second Reading: This reading always comes from the part of the Bible called the New Testament. The reading is taken from the books that are found directly after the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John.
Our Response to the Readings: At the end of each of the readings the Minister of the Word finishes by saying, 'The Word of the Lord' and we all respond with the words, 'Thanks be to God'. This is our way of saying thank you to God for these stories which help us to grow together as members of God's family.
The Gospel
After the second reading, the Minister of the Word will invite us to stand and greet or welcome the Gospel. Before the Gospel is read we sing or say the Gospel Acclamation. For most of the Church year we greet the Gospel with the word 'Alleluia', a joyful song of praise.
The Alleluia is followed by a verse of scripture from the Bible. This verse reminds us of the theme of the Mass and readings. During the season of Lent we do not use the word 'Alleluia'. The Gospel stories tell us about Jesus and we hear what he said to his friends and those who came to listen to him. So the reading of the Gospel is different to the other readings. It is the most important part of the Liturgy of the Word.
Seven ways we know the Gospel is important
1. We stand.
2. We sing or say an acclamation to welcome the Gospel.
3. The reading can only be done by the priest or deacon.
4. The priest or deacon greets us again with the same words used at the beginning of Mass.
5. The priest or deacon makes the sign of the cross four times. First one on the Book of the Gospels and then on his forehead, his lips and his breast. We do the same on our foreheads, lips and breast. We do this to remind us that God's word should always be on our minds, on our lips and in our hearts.
6. At the end of the Gospel the priest/deacon says: 'The Gospel of the Lord' and we answer: 'Praise to you Lord Jesus Christ'.
7. The priest/deacon kisses the book.
What is a Deacon?
The word 'deacon' comes from the Greek word 'diakonia' which means 'service'. The work of the deacon is an act of service to the community. Deacons can read the Gospel, preach the homily, baptise and perform other ceremonies where there is no Mass. There are two types of deacon who minister in the church. The first is someone training to be a priest and this is the last step before finally being ordained a priest. The second is called a Permanent Deacon and he is not going to be ordained a priest. We know that priests cannot get married but a married man can be ordained a Permanent Deacon. At the moment we have very few Permanent Deacons in our country but this may change in the next few years.
The Homily
We all sit down to listen to what the priest/deacon has to say about the readings we have heard and how we might be able to put into practice in our everyday lives. We call this the homily. The priest/deacon normally stands at the ambo to give the homily. At the end of the homily the priest may sit down and we can spend a few minutes in quiet prayer. This time lets us think about what the priest has said and ask God to help us to live as he would want us to.
The Creed
After the homily the priest invites us to stand and profess our faith. We do this by saying the Creed. There are two Creeds that can be said at Mass: the Apostles' Creed and the Nicene Creed. The Creed tells us simply what we believe as members of the Church. We stand to show that we are proud to be followers and friends of Jesus.
Prayer of the Faithful
During this time we pray for all our needs, particularly for the Church, the leaders of our country, those who are sick and in need of God's healing and those who have died. The Prayer of the Faithful is normally spoken by the Minister of the Word on our behalf. At the end of each prayer there is a moment of silence and then the Minister of the Word says: 'Lord hear us' or 'We pray to the Lord', and we answer: 'Lord graciously hear us' or 'Lord hear our prayer'.
The Liturgy of the Eucharist - We bring our Gifts
During this part of the Mass we move from the ambo to the altar. We have heard the Word of God and now we come to share in the Bread of Life at the altar. The first part of the Liturgy of the Eucharist is about preparing the gifts that we bring to the altar. The most important gifts that we bring are the bread and wine. The bread is placed on something which looks like a plate. We call this a paten. The wine is in a glass jug. These gifts are placed on the altar. One of the first gifts that you will notice being prepared is the gift of money. You will see people moving through the church with a basket or a bag for the collection. Everyone is asked to put some money into the basket or bag. This money helps to pay for all things that are done in the parish, including helping those who may not have enough for themselves.
Offering the Gifts - an old custom
In the early Church people brought the bread and the wine that was used during Mass. This was their gift to their Church family. They also brought other food to be blessed and sometimes this food was given to those who did not have enough to eat. When we bring the bread, wine and money to the altar we are continuing with this custom. We also continue the custom of giving when we put money in our Trócaire Box during Lent or when we give money to organisations collecting outside or the church like the St. Vincent de Paul.
The Altar
Another name for altar is table. The altar table is in the centre of the part of God's house that we call the sanctuary. Sanctuary means 'holy' and this is indeed a holy place. The servers prepare the altar. They put the following on the altar:
The corporal - a square-shaped white cloth on which the paten and chalice are placed.
The Roman Missal - the book from which the priest reads the prayers.
The purificators - small white towels which are used to clean the chalice and paten later in the Mass.
The Priest gives thanks to God for our gifts
The priest stands behind the altar and holds up the paten with the bread on it and says a prayer of blessing to God. The priest then pours the wine into the chalice.
The chalice is a special cup which is shaped like a wine glass. It may be made of gold and silver. He pours a drop of water into the wine. He then holds up the chalice and says a prayer of blessing to God again. The priest says a prayer over the gifts, which is different at every Mass. In many churches people will stand at this point. This shows us that the preparation of the gifts is over and we are now going to say the Eucharistic Prayer.
Eucharist
The word 'Eucharist' is another name for Mass. It comes from a Greek word meaning 'thanksgiving'. The whole Mass is a special praye of thanksgiving for all that God has given us. Sometimes we use the word to describe the whole Mass and sometimes it is used to describe the Bread of Life. We also talk about the sacrifice of the Mass. This reminds us of the sacrifice that Jesus made for us when he suffered and died on the cross.
The Eucharistic Prayer
The priest prays what we call the Eucharistic Prayer over our gifts of bread and wine. This is the most important prayer of the whole Mass. In Church language it is the 'centre and summit' of the celebration. The priest as leader of the assembly prays this prayer on our behalf and we participate by listening and responding when invited to do so. In the Roman Missal, from which the priest reads the prayers of the Mass, there are seven Eucharistic Prayers.
The Four Parts of the Eucharistic Prayer
The first part of the Eucharistic Prayer is called the Preface. During the Preface we give thanks for the good things that God has done for us throughout all time. The Preface ends when we pray the Sanctus, or Holy Holy.
The second part of the Eucharistic Prayer is called the Epiclesis, when the priest asks God to send the Holy Spirit to come down upon our gifts of bread and wine.
The third part of the Eucharistic Prayer is called the Institution Narrative, when we remember what Jesus did at the Last Supper.
The fourth and final part of the Eucharistic Prayer is called the Anamnesis when we pray for those in need and those who have died. At the end of the Anamnesis the priest holds up the host and the chalice and offers them to God.
The Communion Rite: The Lord's Prayer
The Communion Rite is when the priest invites us to stand to pray the Our Father together. This prayer is also called the Lord's Prayer because Jesus taught it to this friends whe they asked him to teach them to pray like he did. Jesus called God 'Father', and so do we because we are God's children and part of God's family. The prayer tells us about how great God is, promises us that God will always look after us as a parent looks after their children and helps us to see how God would like us to be with each other.
The Sign of Peace
When we are at Mass we are there as part of God's family. At communion time we are invited to the Lord's Table to share the Bread of Life. It is like being asked to sit down and eat together and that is hard to do if we are not friends with someone else in the family. At this point in the Mass, as members of God's family who are about to share the Bread of Life together, we are invited to share a sign of peace with those around us. This is usually done by shaking hands and saying, 'Peace be with you'. We answer, 'And with your spirit'.
Communion
The priest breaks the Bread of Life before it is shared with everybody. This reminds us of what Jesus did at the Last Supper, 'He broke the bread and gave it to his friends'. While the bread is being broken, we pray the Lamb of God together.
The priest prepares to receive the Body and Blood of Christ by saying a prayer quietly. He then takes the Bread of Life, holds it over the chalice and shows it to the assembly. We respond to this invitation: 'Lord, I am not worthy that you should enter under my roof, but only say the word and my soul shall be healed'. The priest and Minister of the Eucharist receive the Bread of Life. They also receive from the chalice. We go to the Table of the Lord in procession to receive the Bread of Life. We may also be invited to receive from the chalice.
Fasting before Communion
We are not asked to eat before receiving communion. This is called 'fasting'. This rule has changed over time. In the past people were required to fast for twelve hours before Mass. Nowadays it is just one hour. We are asked to fast from all food except water in this hour before we receive the Bread of Life. We do this to help us to be more aware of the gift that we are about to receive.
Prayer after Communion
When everyone has received communion the priest will return to his chair and pray quietly for a few minutes. The choir may sing a song at this time. The priest then stands and prays the Prayer after Communion. During this prayer we pray that we can take what we have received during the Mass with us as we return to our daily lives. We also pray that we can use this to make a difference in our world.
Community Announcements
Sometimes, just before the end of Mass, the priest will read a list of things that are happening in the community during the coming week. This reminds us of the importance of the community in which we live. It also reminds us that God's family doesn't just come together on a Sunday in God's house but that there are lots of other times when we gather together. The community might get together for fun, for sporting activities, to help those who are in need or to learn more about their faith. Whenever we gather we must remember that we are part of God's family.
We are Sent!
At the end of Mass we may all feel relieved that something is over and that we have done our bit as members of God's family for another week. But remember what the priest says at the end of every Mass: 'Go and announce...'. The emphasis is on the word 'go'. We are blessed, dismissed and sent from God's house out into the world to bring God and his message with us to everyone we meet. We can only do this because we have been nourished by the Word of God and the Bread of Life. We cannot do this on our own. We need the support of one another, the Body of Christ, who gather every week to pray.
Our Mission
So we are sent from Mass on a mission, to announce the Gospel, to live like Jesus would want us to. We are being asked to be witnesses for Jesus in the way we live our lives, at home, in school, in our community and in the world.
Sometimes that may seem a very difficulty job but there are lots of things that we can do and are already doing to show that we are members of God's family.
How can we announce the Gospel?
There are so many everyday things that we do, sometimes without even thinking about them, that help us to live the Gospel by loving and serving the Lord: making a call, going to visit or even sending a text or email to grandparents, aunts or uncles who would love to hear from us. Doing what we are told without a fuss. Making our beds and tidying our rooms without being asked. Spending time talking instead of watching television or playing computer games. Taking time to say a prayer at the beginning and end of the day, or when you sit down to eat together. Sorting our toys and clothes that you no longer need to give to St. Vincent de Paul or some other charity.
Keeping Sunday Special
We know this won't always be easy. There's always some reason for not going to Mass: a football game, training, shopping, rehearsal, a trip to the seaside. But we should try to keep part of Sunday for God and his family by going to Mass and sharing in the Bread of Life. Children will need their parents' help with this.
