Elements of the Mass ONLINE SERIES

Episode 1:  The Meaning of Liturgy

Episode 5:  Signs and Symbols

Episode 8:  The Purpose of the Mass

 

Episode 9:  Active Paricitpation

Episodes 12 & 13:  Music

Episode 22:  The Book of the Gospels

Episode 23:  The Word of the Lord

Episode 24:  The Creed

Episode 25:  The Bow in the Creed

Episode 28:  The Mystery of Faith

Episode 31:  The Dismissal

Over the next few weekends, we will focus on different parts of the Mass so that we can better understand and participate in these mysteries of our salvation.  This also helps us to feel more confident when we seek to explain our faith to others and invite them to seek the Light of Christ.  This weekend, our focus is on the Introduction to Mass:  all that happens from the opening hymn until the Collect, the prayer that we use to “collect” our intentions before we are seated to listen to the readings.  To be honest, our preparation begins even before we come to church.  Good practices include:

· Taking time to confess our sins regularly (to make room in our hearts for Jesus)

· Fasting one hour before receiving Holy Communion,

· Reviewing the readings in advance (they are published each week in the bulletin)

· Coming a few minutes early to recollect ourselves

· There are even prayers before and after Holy Communion printed in the back of the hymnals for you to use.

As we enter church we bless ourselves with the Sign of the Cross, genuflect toward the Tabernacle (where Jesus awaits us in the Holy Eucharist), and remind ourselves in those actions that Jesus is Lord of our lives.  As life is a spiritual journey toward Heaven, Mass begins and ends with a procession.  After beginning in song, making the Sign of the Cross together and exchanging a greeting, we humbly confess that we are sinners and glorify God’s mercy by singing the Gloria.  In confessing our sinfulness often we use the words, “Lord, have mercy” (Kyrie eleison).  Kyrie eleison is Greek, not Latin, which reminds us that our original liturgical language—as well as the New Testament of the Bible—is Greek.  Lastly, we “collect” our intentions in prayer and then are seated to hear God’s Word.  All of this takes less than 5 minutes, and yet how we begin profoundly influences the quality of our prayer!  More to come next week….
 

Find the COMPLETE Element of the Mass Study Guide HERE

Below are some Episodes which align with the portions discussed during Mass.