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Kristopher W. Seaman
Of all the major sections or parts of the Mass (that is, the Introductory Rites, the Liturgy of the Word, and the Liturgy of the Eucharist), the Concluding Rites are the shortest. The Liturgy of the Eucharist ends with the Prayer after Communion, and the Concluding Rites begin with — though not required — announcements. Typically, these announcements are brief and impact the liturgical assembly. They may point to the activities of the parish. Some examples may include announcements for help with the parish’s soup kitchen, the date for the World Youth Day fund-raiser, or a coming adult formation session. Since these announcements are not part of the Communion Rite, they are best not announced before the Prayer after Communion. The priest celebrant then greets the people with, “The Lord be with you.” He proclaims a blessing over the people. On major feasts and solemnities, there is a solemn blessing. This solemn blessing contains three parts. After each part, the liturgical assembly responds, “Amen.” The deacon or priest then dismisses the people from liturgy. The original Latin for the dismissal is Ite missa est. The word missa is the root for Mass and thus gives the Mass its name. It has become quite common to hear people talk about the connection between missa and mission. As we know, the Mass should bear fruit in our lives. It means that the Triune God sanctifies us in liturgy. Put another way, through the liturgy the Holy Spirit comes to us to make us grow in holiness. Of course, we have to be open, receptive, and embracing of God’s coming to us through Christ and in the power of the Holy Spirit. If we are being called and sanctified by the Triune God, then we bear that mission in our families, workplaces and in our neighborhoods. Of course, we are imperfect human persons, and so each Sunday God continues to call us to grow in holiness by participating in the Sunday eucharistic liturgy. This understanding of the missionary dimension of the Mass has been articulated by Pope Benedict XVI in his recent exhortation, Sacramentum caritatis. The Pope eloquently states, “The mystery of the Eucharist inspires and impels us to work courageously within our world to bring about that renewal of relationships which has its inexhaustible source in God’s gift . . . . In a particular way, the Christian laity, formed at the school of the Eucharist, are called to assume their specific political and social responsibilities” (91). For the Pope, the Eucharist “schools” us and sends us out for our responsibilities as social and political persons. Therefore, the social dimensions of the Mass extend beyond the walls of the Church to live the mission Christ gives to the Church. What is this social mission that Christ gives to us? The Pope offers two ways we embody the social mission of Christ. The first is through “the sanctification of the world” (92). To sanctify is to grow in holiness. God sends us forth to work for holiness in the political and the social spheres of life. Pope Benedict XVI also alerts us to our mission of being good stewards of God’s creation. “The world is not something indifferent, raw material to be utilized simply as we see fit. Rather, it is part of God’s good plan . . . . (92). Therefore, as the Pope mentions, our second responsibility of the social mission of Christ is to work “responsibly for the protection of creation” (92). All of creation belongs to God alone. God entrusted to us this precious gift in order to take good care of it and all creatures. In this same exhortation, the Pope acknowledges a need for new dismissal options. In the revised edition of The Roman Missal, the priest or deacon may say, “Go forth, the Mass is ended,” “Go and announce the Gospel of the Lord,” “Go in peace, glorifying the Lord by your life,” or “Go in peace.” “Announce the Gospel” and “glorifying the Lord by your life” both convey the meaning of the Concluding Rites. Namely, we are called to take inside ourselves God’s Word, Body and Blood and allow God to change us in holiness and to live this change in everything we do. After the proclamation of the actual dismissal, the priest venerates the altar-table with a kiss and then a bow. The Mass has ended. Although not required, a concluding song or hymn is common for the departure of the liturgical ministers from the liturgy. In some parishes, the organist will play a postlude during the recessional.
Preparing Your Parish for the Revised Roman Missal: Homilies and Reproducibles for Faith Formation © 2011 Archdiocese of Chicago: Liturgy Training Publications, 3949 South Racine Avenue, Chicago IL 60609; 1-800-933-1800; www.LTP.org. Excerpts from the English translation of The Roman Missal © 1973, International Commission on English in the Liturgy Corporation (ICEL). All rights reserved. Photo © John Zich. This image may be reproduced for personal or parish use. The copyright notice must appear with the text. For additional information about the Missal visit www.RevisedRomanMissal.org.
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The Introductory Rites Kristopher W. Seaman
I recently went to a friend’s dinner party, aware that I would know few people there. When I arrived, I realized I knew only two people. My friend, the ever gracious host, introduced me to some other people, so that I wouldn’t feel too uncomfortable and unsure of my surroundings. In much the same way, the Introductory Rites of the Eucharistic liturgy introduces and acclimates us to the particular feast or liturgical season. These rites include the Entrance Chant and Procession, the Sign of the Cross, a greeting, Penitential Act, the Kyrie, Gloria, and the Collect. Obviously, the first clue to the feast or season is the art and environment of the worship space. If violet and small live plants decorate the space, mostly likely it is Lent. Fragrant lilies, a new flaming Paschal candle, whites, golds, yellows in full force tells us it is probably the Easter season. Typically, the Entrance Chant also gives us an indication of the feast or season. “Immaculate Mary” communicates that it is the solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary, “Jesus Christ Is Risen Today,” Easter Sunday, “To Jesus Christ Our Sovereign King,” the solemnity of Jesus Christ, King of the Universe, and “O Come, O Come Emmanuel” that Advent is upon us. The Sign of the Cross is marked on our bodies to identify us as disciples who were baptized into the Triune God: “In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.” Next, we acknowledge our dependence on our gracious and merciful God by asking our Lord to have mercy, or in the Greek: Kyrie, eleison. During the season of Easter, there is the option of replacing the Penitential Act with the Rite of Blessing and Sprinkling of Water on the assembly. In Baptism, Christ liberated us from sin and death in order to be reborn into his life of grace, mercy, and love. Our only response to God’s kindness, compassion, and mercy is by offering “Glory to God in the highest.” This ancient hymn is based on the song from the Gospel according to Luke that the angels sang to the shepherds that Jesus was born. This was their song of praise to God who became flesh, became human in the person of Jesus the Christ. During Advent and Lent, the Gloria is not sung. It returns on Christmas Eve and again during the Paschal Triduum’s Mass of the Lord’s Supper on Holy Thursday evening. The Collect is the conclusion of the Introductory Rites. The priest invites personal prayer when he proclaims: “Let us pray.” There is a brief period of silence for people to offer their personal prayers. Then the priest celebrant offers the prayer from The Roman Missal. The prayer unites — that is, collects —the personal prayers spoken within human hearts and minds to the prayer in the Missal. This Collect is connected to the season or the feast, and thus indicates what aspect of Christ’s mystery is being celebrated at this time and in this place. Through my friend’s hospitality at the dinner party, I was able to meet new people. A couple of them ended up becoming my friends as well. That dinner party left me changed, because I was acclimated to the situation, to the event. The Introductory Rites provide a “bridge” from whatever we were just doing before the liturgy into the liturgical event of feast or season. In other words, it allows us to transition to the liturgical event. Through environment, art, song, water, and prayers, we are gradually immersed into an aspect of Christ’s great mystery being recalled and celebrated. In trust and faith, we leave the liturgical event changed and transformed by our Triune God.
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Preface Dialogue and the Eucharistic Prayer By; Corinna Laughlin and Kristopher W. Seaman The word Eucharist means “thanksgiving.” We should think of it not as a noun, but as a verb—because Eucharist is something we do, a way of life. The Eucharistic Prayer is the center of the Mass. In the revised translation of The Roman Missal, you will notice several changes to this important prayer. The Preface Dialogue, the ancient words with which the prayer begins, has been changed to be a more literal translation of the Latin. We say “And with your spirit” instead of “And also with you,” and “It is right and just” instead of “It is right to give him thanks and praise.” The Holy, Holy, Holy begins, “Holy, holy, holy, Lord God of hosts” (instead of “God of power and might”). You will hear several changes in the Institution narrative as well, all of which were made to mirror more closely the ancient Latin of The Roman Missal. It will take time to get used to some of these changes. And it’s good to remember that while some of the words we use have changed, what we do remains the same: we Eucharist—we “give thanks.”
Preparing Your Parish for the Revised Roman Missal: Homilies and Reproducibles for Faith Formation © 2011 Archdiocese of Chicago: Liturgy Training Publications, 3949 South Racine Avenue, Chicago IL 60609; 1-800-933-1800; www.LTP.org. Excerpts from the English translation of The Roman Missal © 1973, 2010, International Commission on English in the Liturgy Corporation (ICEL). All rights reserved. The copyright notice must appear with the text. Published with Ecclesiastical Approval (Canon 823, 1).
The Roman Missal Changes: Give it To Me Straight
The Introductory RitesHaving laid the groundwork in previous articles for understanding the new Roman Missal changes, let’s take a look at some of the most significant changes in the text, beginning with the Introductory Rites.
Roman Missal changes start with the greeting The Mass begins with a greeting that this is no ordinary, “Hi! How ya doin?” greeting, but is rather a ritual greeting and response – “The Lord be with you / And with your spirit.” This is not so much a way to say “hello” but more of a way to enter into the liturgical rite by extending a solemn wish to someone undertaking a profound task. In fact, this ritual exchange takes place at several other critical moments in the Mass:
• as we are about the hear the Gospel proclaimed,
The priest’s greeting represents his prayer that the Lord be with us as we are about to undertake these profound tasks. Our response, “and with your spirit,” is much more than a “back at ya.” It is our prayer that the Lord be with the priest in his unique role as the ordained celebrant of the liturgy and as the head of the gathered body, i.e., the liturgical assembly. Finally, the words, “and with your spirit” more closely correspond to the Latin and are more consistent with the response as it appears in other languages.
Roman Missal changes to the Penitential Act
Next, we move into the Penitential Act. Note that referring to this as an act rather than a rite more strongly conveys the reality that admitting guilt and asking for forgiveness are efficacious actions – i.e., the very uttering of these words achieves the desired effect of true contrition. One of the options for the Penitential Act is the prayer we call the Confiteor (“I confess to almighty God…”). In the revised translation, we will admit that we have greatly sinned, echoing a scriptural allusion found in the Latin text – David’s humble admission of his own failings (1 Chronicles 21:8). The translation then includes the phrase: through my fault, through my fault, through my most grievous fault
a more direct translation of the words that appear in the Latin. This phrase follows the literary element of repetition found in other parts of the ritual texts – e.g., the Holy, Holy, Holy of the Sanctus; the three invocations of Lord have mercy, Christ have mercy, Lord have mercy. These additions will add to a more humble disposition as we prepare to celebrate the liturgy.
Roman Missal changes to the Gloria We next break into the great song of praise, the Gloria. It is the first part of the Gloria that will now sound slightly different: Glory to God in the Highest and on earth peace to people of good will. This is almost a direct quote from Luke’s Gospel (2:14), a good example of the new translation’s emphasis on biblical allusions found in the Latin text. The hymn then follows with words that resemble a litany of praise:
we bless you,
New words...deeper meaning, same Mass.
The Liturgy of the Eucharist By; Kristopher W. Seaman
Eucharist, as we know, means “thanksgiving.” To be thankful is to be grateful—to offer gratitude. “Thank you” is the response we make to someone who has either given something to us or has done something for us. God did not give us something, as much as he gave us someone: his very own Son. In the Eucharistic Prayer we pray to God the Father, through the Son, that the Holy Spirit will transform bread and wine into the Body and Blood of Christ so that we might enter deeper communion with God and one another. We also pray that we are transformed, so that we “may be filled with every grace and heavenly blessing.” This prayer, then, is our response to God’s immense gift of love given to us, especially in the Eucharist. The Eucharistic Prayer, the prayer of thanksgiving and sanctification, is the “center and high point” of the Mass (General Instruction of the Roman Missal, 78). Because this prayer is the summit, everything that happens in the liturgy is leading us to this high point. The altar is prepared, gifts of bread and wine are brought up in a procession, given to the priest celebrant (or deacon) so that these gifts might be prepared. Then, the Eucharistic Prayer begins with the priest presider proclaiming, “The Lord be with you.” The great prayer concludes with the liturgical assembly singing, “Amen.” Following the Eucharistic Prayer is the Communion Rite, which is a subsection of the Liturgy of the Eucharist. This rite consists of the Lord’s Prayer (Our Father), the Sign of Peace, the fraction rite, the Communion Procession, the period of silence and/or the Song of Thanksgiving and finally the Prayer after Communion. The General Instruction of the Roman Missal (the document containing the majority of rubrics for the Mass) states, “In the Lord’s Prayer a petition is made for daily bread, which for Christians means principally the Eucharistic Bread, and entreating also purification from sin, so that what is holy may in truth be given to the holy” (81). This is a beautiful statement: “. . . so that what is holy may in truth be given to the holy.” What makes us holy, the Body and Blood of Christ. After praying for our “daily bread” we are invited to offer a sign of peace. In scripture, Christ wished his disciples the greeting “Peace be with you!” on several occasions. As Christ offers us peace, we extend that peace to others. Christ’s peace calls us to holiness and prepares us for the reception of his body and blood. Then, the “Lamb of God” or Agnus Dei is sung while the priest celebrant or deacon breaks the host in preparation for the Communion procession. This is not a functional moment, but contains a beautiful theology: The one host is broken for the many so that the many may become one body (See GIRM, 83). This is a definition of Communion: Many become one in Christ Jesus. In the Communion Procession, three actions occur. The first action is the processing forward itself; the second is singing the Communion Chant; and the third is the reception of the body and blood of Christ. The Communion song’s “purpose being to express the spiritual union of the communicants by means of the unity of their voices, to show gladness of heart, and to bring out more clearly the ‘communitarian’ character of the procession to receive the Eucharist” (GIRM, 86). The act of processing, the singing the song, and the receiving of Christ’s Body and Blood all manifest the liturgical assembly’s being brought closer into communion or unity with the Triune God. Finally, the Liturgy of the Eucharist concludes with a period of silent prayer and the Prayer after Communion. This is the opportunity for the liturgical assembly to pray for Christ’s Body and Blood to bear fruit in their lives. Each part of the Liturgy of the Eucharist—as well as the Liturgy of the Word—is about the Triune God working in our midst and calling us to become holy as God is holy.
Preparing Your Parish for the Revised Roman Missal: Homilies and Reproducibles for Faith Formation © 2011 Archdiocese of Chicago: Liturgy Training Publications, 3949 South Racine Avenue, Chicago IL 60609; 1-800-933-1800; www.LTP.org. Excerpts from the English translation of The Roman Missal and The General Instruction of the Roman Missal © 1973, 2010, International Commission on English in the Liturgy Corporation (ICEL). All rights reserved. Photo © John Zich. This image may be reproduced for personal or parish use. The copyright notice must appear with the text. Published with Ecclesiastical Approval (Canon 823, 1).
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Why Was The Roman Missal Revised? By; Kristopher W. Seaman For several years, bishops in English-speaking countries have been working together to produce a unified translation of the texts of the Mass. The book used by the priest at eucharistic liturgies is officially called The Roman Missal. We have been calling that “red book” The Sacramentary; however, in the future it will be called The Roman Missal. The Roman Missal contains all of the prayers of the eucharistic liturgy. The Order of Mass, prayers for a feast day, Solemn Blessings, and Eucharistic Prayers are all found in The Roman Missal. The current prayer texts with which we are familiar are from the Missal of Pope Paul VI. At the Second Vatican Council, it was decided that liturgical texts could be prayed officially in vernacular languages. This approval came in November of 1963, when the Council issued the Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy. This document provides the vision for all subsequent liturgical reforms in the Roman Catholic Church. The bishops, then, reformed the liturgical books for the sacraments, including the Eucharist or Mass. The result was the 1969 Missal of Paul VI, a fully revised book though published in Latin. Subsequently, the Missal was translated into vernacular languages around the world. In 2000, to commemorate the new millennium, Pope John Paul II established a third edition of The Roman Missal. This edition includes more ancient prayers and saints’ days that have been established since the publication of the Missal of Pope Paul VI. As with all liturgical books, this edition of The Roman Missal was first published in Latin. Thus, national bishops’ conferences have been working to translate the Missal in the local languages of the people. One reason for this revised translation is obviously the additions to the Missal. The second is due to new norms for translating liturgical texts. The document Liturgiam authenticam (Fifth Instruction for the Right Implementation of the Constitution), from the Holy See, called for a more literal translation of the Latin. A considerable amount of time has been spent trying to accurately translate the Latin texts into English in a literal manner. After approving the revised English translation of The Roman Missal, the English-speaking bishops’ conferences sent the texts to the Congregation for Divine Worship and Discipline of the Sacraments for review. Once reviewed, the translation is submitted to the Holy See for recognitio. Basically, recognitio is the Latin term for “recognizing” the translation. After the recognitio was given, the Bishops’ Committee on Divine Worship determined the changes the Congregation has made to the translation. Then the text was sent to publishers. The publishers will have to typeset and send proofs to the Bishops’ Committee on Divine Worship for final approval before printing The Roman Missal. This process will take more than a year because of the enormous amount of texts included in The Roman Missal. The new ritual edition will be available in October of 2011. Although the Holy See approved some of the texts in 2008, they were not to be used at Mass until Rome had given recognitio to the entire translation and provided an implementation date. The wait for the approval of all of the prayers of the Mass allowed time for the composition of music for the Gloria; the Holy, Holy, Holy; and other parts of the Order of Mass. It also provided time for pastoral leadership to understand the reasons for the revisions and to begin educating their assemblies. In this time between the implementation of the revised edition of The Roman Missal and the implementation, parishes will continue to educate their communities. As your parish studies the revised translation, you will see that many of the priest’s and people’s parts have changed. For example, when the priest celebrant proclaims, “The Lord be with you,” the people will reply, “And with your spirit.” That response is the direct translation of 2 Timothy 4:22. Other revisions, too, will help assemblies relate the prayers of the Mass to scripture. The response to the Lamb of God, for example, clearly alludes to the Centurion’s request that his servant be healed (see Matthew 8:8 and Luke 7:6). You may find it helpful to review the information on The Roman Missal at www.RevisedRomanMissal.org The revised prayers of the Mass will be implemented on November 27, 2011.
Preparing Your Parish for the Revised Roman Missal: Homilies and Reproducibles for Faith Formation © 2011 Archdiocese of Chicago: Liturgy Training Publications, 3949 South Racine Avenue, Chicago IL 60609; 1-800-933-1800; www.LTP.org. Excerpts from the English translation of The Roman Missal © 2010, International Committee on English in the Liturgy Corporation (ICEL). All rights reserved. Photo © John Zich. This image may be reproduced for personal or parish use. The copyright notice must appear with the text. Published with Ecclesiastical Approval (Canon 823, 1).
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Preparing for the New Roman Missal ~ The Liturgy of the Word
By; Kristopher W. Seaman I remember waking up, as the anesthesia wore off, after having gone through craniofacial surgery. For me, surgery is scary, but craniofacial surgery was terrifying. Above me was the surgeon who said with a big smile, “Everything went well. You’ll be fine.” What relief! What comfort! What good news! It made me think of many of the characters in the New Testament to whom Jesus spoke “Good News” and conveyed words of comfort. Jesus continues to speak to us, and not just through surgeons, family, friends, and even strangers, but also through his own words during the liturgy. In the Liturgy of the Word, as the General Instruction of the Roman Missal states, “When the Sacred Scriptures are read in the Church, God himself speaks to his people, and Christ, present in his word, proclaims the Gospel” (GIRM, 29). Let us look at the structure of the Liturgy of the Word. The Liturgy of the Word begins with the First Reading at the ambo. Typically, this reading is from the Old Testament; during Easter Time, the reading is from the Acts of the Apostles. A period of silence after the reading allows for people to reflect upon the word they just heard proclaimed. In many parishes in the United States of America, the Psalm is sung. Psalms reflect a vast array of emotions as we hear lament, thanksgiving, praise, and petition. These words help us to express our own varied expressions of faith. (Note: On Sundays the reading from the Old Testament is chosen in relationship to the Gospel). The Second Reading is usually an epistle, that is, a letter from the New Testament. Again, a brief period of silence takes place after the Second Reading. (This reading in Ordinary Time is semi-continuous; in Advent, Christmas, Lent, & Easter seasons it is chosen in relationship to the Gospel and Old Testament reading). During the Gospel procession, “Alleluia” is sung, or during Lent, an acclamation such as “Praise to You, Lord Jesus Christ!” In many parishes, the Book of the Gospels is accompanied with candles and, on solemn occasions, with incense. This leads to the climax of the Liturgy of the Word: the proclamation of the Gospel. (The Gospel reading is semi continuous in Ordinary Time, either from Matthew, Mark, or Luke. During the Advent, Christmas, Lent, and Easter seasons it is chosen in relationship to the theme of the Sunday or season. John is read during part of the year of Mark, and during the Easter season in all three years of the Lectionary cycle). Most Sundays, these words are the words of Jesus as recorded in the accounts of the Gospel. The homily should connect the readings to the lives of the assembly. In describing the homily, the GIRM states that it “is necessary for the nurturing of the Christian life. It should be an explanation of some aspect of the readings from Sacred Scripture or of another text from the Ordinary or from the Proper of the Mass of the day and should take into account both the mystery being celebrated and the particular needs of the listeners” (GIRM, 65). The homily juxtaposes the experiences of the people in the assembly with the texts of the liturgy. The texts may be a prayer that speaks to the needs of the assembly at that time, or it may be a part of the Eucharistic Prayer, or the psalm that speaks to people. God’s words comfort and challenge us. Perhaps, with that in mind, the prayer may challenge us to an aspect of God’s compassion or mercy that will stir us to God’s mission. After the Creed, the priest celebrant invites prayers of petition. The intercessions of the Prayer of the Faithful flow from the homily and the Word of God. They juxtapose the needs of the Church, the world, the oppressed, and the local community with God’s word proclaimed in the liturgy. These prayers are general, meaning they are not particular for any one person or for any one thing. For instance, instead of praying only for Aunt Joan who is struggling with illness, we pray for all the sick and ill, especially Joan, Jim, Agnes, and Lucy. The closing prayer of the Prayer of the Faithful concludes the Liturgy of the Word. The Liturgy of the Eucharist, then, begins. Though we cannot see words, their power, especially if they are Christ’s words proclaimed in liturgy, touch us with comfort or challenge us to live Christ’s mission given to the Church. Over the course of the three year Lectionary cycle Catholics hear 14% of the Old Testament and 71% of the New Testament. In the extraordinary rite (Pre-Vatican II or Tridentine) Catholics heard 1% of the Old Testament and 17% of the New Testament (all in one year). (At the Supper of the Lamb, Rev. Paul Turner, pg 36)
Preparing Your Parish for the Revised Roman Missal: Homilies and Reproducibles for Faith Formation © 2011 Archdiocese of Chicago: Liturgy Training Publications, 3949 South Racine Avenue, Chicago IL 60609; 1-800-933-1800; www.LTP.org. Excerpts from the English translation of The General Instruction of the Roman Missal © 2010, International Commission on English in the Liturgy Corporation (ICEL). All rights reserved. Photo © John Zich. This image may be reproduced for personal or parish use. The copyright notice must appear with the text. Published with Ecclesiastical Approval (Canon 823, 1). (Sentences in italics added by Fr. Gary Miller). **************************************************************************************
Preparing for the New Roman Missal — “Lord, I Am Not Worthy ... ”
By; D. Todd Williamson
Few Gospel accounts are as powerful as the story of the Roman Centurion who has heard of Jesus and his great deeds. The Centurion seeks out Jesus to help him, for his servant is paralyzed and suffering. Of course, Jesus agrees and offers to come to the Centurion’s home to cure the servant. In faith, the Centurion utters these powerful words: “Lord, I am not worthy to have you come under my roof; but only speak the word, and my servant will be healed” (Matthew 8:8, NRSV; see also Luke 7:6). This is, truly, a story of faith. Recall, that the Centurion is a Roman— a Gentile—one who would be considered ineligible for the promises that the Lord had made to his Chosen People, Israel. Yet he had faith that Jesus could heal his servant. He even called Jesus “Lord.” Because of this, Jesus was willing to go to his house—an act that would have been forbidden and would, according to Jewish standards, made Jesus unclean. Yet Jesus was willing to do this. In the end, this story is as much about the faith of the Centurion as it is a story of the ends to which Jesus will go to bring health, wholeness, and salvation. Is it any wonder, then, that the Church puts the words of the Centurion on the mouth of every member of the liturgical assembly as we too prepare to receive health, wholeness, and salvation through the gift of the Eucharist? With the implementation of the English translation of the third edition of The Roman Missal, this full statement of the Centurion will be our response to the invitation to Holy Communion: “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.” It is no accident that these words, in this exchange, should take place at this point of the Mass. Look at what is happening: we are being invited to “behold” the Lord, as he is present in the Eucharist. Not simply to “look,” not simply to “notice.” We are to “behold” him—to see him, with the eyes of faith, and to see what he is doing for us in this liturgy. He is preparing to feed us with his very body and blood! This makes the most sense if we look closer at the Gospel accounts and the story of the Centurion, particularly from the Gospel according to Matthew (it is also recounted in Luke), for it is only in the Matthean account that Jesus replies to the Centurion “many will come from the east and the west, and will eat with Abraham and Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven [emphasis added] . . . . Go; let it be done for you according to your faith” (Matthew 8:11, 13, NRSV). Now look again at the liturgical exchange at this point in the Eucharist. We are invited to “Behold the Lamb of God.” The invitation references the vision of the book of Revelation (19:9, NRSV), where the angel says to Saint John, “Write this: Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.” The wedding feast of the Lamb, and the “banquet in the kingdom of heaven,” that Jesus references in Matthew (see above) are the same great banquet! And we are being invited to that banquet, at this moment in the liturgy! Surely, there are no better words with which to 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 liturgy invites us, at this moment, to the same faith, to the same conviction, as that of the Centurion belief in what Jesus can do. Then, as the Centurion was assured presence at the great banquet of heaven, so too might we be admitted to that same banquet, here, in this Eucharist! If there was hope for him, then surely there is hope for us, too! Notice that in the revised translation of this exchange, the emphasis is not on our unworthiness. Truly, in fact, none of us is worthy of so great a gift as the Eucharist. And that’s the point! It is not our merit that admits us to this great banquet. Rather, it is our faith in Jesus Christ—the same faith as that of the Centurion! God’s grace given in the sacrament of the Eucharist is free gift. We need only respond and accept this gift. The full response of the Centurion helps us to recognize that Christ’s promise of health, wholeness, and salvation is ours if we accept the invitation. That promise is fulfilled in the Eucharist, in Holy Communion which we are about to receive! “Blessed are those called to the supper of the Lamb!”
Preparing Your Parish for the Revised Roman Missal: Homilies and Reproducibles for Faith Formation © 2011 Archdiocese of Chicago: Liturgy Training Publications, 3949 South Racine Avenue, Chicago IL 60609; 1-800-933-1800; www.LTP.org. Excerpts from the English translation of The Roman Missal © 1973, 2010, International Commission on English in the Liturgy Corporation (ICEL). All rights reserved. Photo © John Zich. This image may be reproduced for personal or parish use. The copyright notice must appear with the text. Published with Ecclesiastical Approval (Canon 823
************************************************************************************** Preparing for the New Roman Missal — Hearing the Word of God
When the
Scriptures are read in the Church, God himself is speaking to his
people and Christ, present in his own word, is proclaiming the
Gospel. (GIRM, n.29) These words from the General Instruction of the
Roman Missal set before us a profound truth that we need to ponder
and make our own.
Perhaps the best way to understand the readings at Mass and our
response to them is offered by Pope John Paul II in his Instruction
Dies Domini. He encourages those who take part in the Eucharist,
priest, ministers and faithful ... to prepare the Sunday liturgy,
reflecting beforehand upon the Word of God which will be proclaimed
and adds that if we do not, it is difficult for the liturgical
proclamation of the Word of God alone to produce the fruit we might
expect. (n. 40) In this way we till the soil, preparing our souls to
receive the seeds to be planted by the Word of God so that seed may
bear fruit.
Based upon Roman Missal Formational Materials provided by the Secretariat for the Liturgy of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, 2010.
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