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Catechesis on the Liturgy: From Liturgy of the Word to Offertory (See previous chapter in this series) (See next chapter in this series... forthcoming)
Homily
42. One of the most beautiful forms in which man, male and female, imitates the holy Trinity is through the sacrament of marriage. The readings today might lead us to a consideration of this great sacrament, the covenant of grace, of life and of love in man’s very flesh. But as you all know, we have been meditating these last few weeks on a quite different wedding banquet, that of the Lamb and of the New Jerusalem, that of Christ and the Church, and this banquet is eternal life, which the Mass prepares and manifests. The banquet itself is eternal life in heaven with God, the angels and the saints. In fact, St. John the Evangelist wrote in the book of Revelation, “Then the angel said to me, ‘Write: “Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb!”’”[1] These words are said by the priest shortly before communion, to prepare our hearts to overflow with love for God. I think it would be most helpful for our whole parish family if we were to discuss at great length the sacrament of marriage. It will be a matter of deliberation whether we will offer that in a series of homilies or in a conference series in the parish hall after Mass on selected Sundays, or both. But now let us turn our attention once again to the infinite mystery of the Mass, which is in a sense the wedding feast of the Lamb. Today we will discuss a few final details regarding the Liturgy of the Word, then begin our study of the offertory, the first part of the Liturgy of the Eucharist, also called simply the “sacrifice.” Everything in the Mass is a preparation for the sacrifice and for communion.
Prayers of priest before and after Gospel
43. Last week we did not have time to discuss one a detail about the proclamation of the Gospel. The priest, who is both a sinner and also he who presides over the liturgy in persona Christi, says prayers just before and just after reading the Gospel, ordinarily in Latin. This has been part of the liturgy since around the year 1000.[2] Before the Gospel, the priest says, “Clean my heart and my lips, Lord God, so that I may announce your holy Gospel worthily.” For no one is worthy to speak aloud this word that saves us, a word which is living and filled with the Holy Spirit, unlike any other writings made by men. If only we read this saving word each day in prayer in our homes, how happy we would be. If the deacon reads, he receives a blessing from the priest, father of the whole parish family, which goes, “May the Lord be in your heart and on your lips, so that you may competently announce the Gospel.” After reading the Gospel, the priest or bishop kisses the text of the Gospels with love for the saving Word, praying, “Through the Gospel sayings, may our sins be taken away.” In fact, prolonged meditation on the word of God does wipe away venial sins and even, partially, the temporal punishment due to sin; the Church offers a plenary indulgence to the one who meditates on the Word of God for one half hour in the day, the other conditions being met. I explain these prayers because they are said in quiet and you may not know them. If you follow Mass with your own hand missal, a wise custom whose rarity increases daily, you will know all these prayers. Knowing them, they can fill your heart with faith, hope and love.
Creed
44. After the homily, we profess the Creed, by which we start in Latin, “I believe,” or “Credo.” From Credo we get the word “creed.” Credo somehow got translated to “We believe” instead of “I believe” in the English. This was a profession of faith souls made before their own baptisms. St. Cyril of Alexandria used it as an outline by which to teach the faith to the candidates for baptism. Timotheus, Patriarch of Constantinople (511-517) was the first to have it mandated to be said at every Mass, a custom which, over the next three centuries took over most of the Church, especially for its power to strengthen the faith, ward off heresy and push temptations away. It seems like around the 11th Century it was restricted to Masses of Sunday and certain feast days.[3] 45. There is a growing custom in many Churches in our day to replace the Creed with the recitation of the Baptismal promises. Or sometimes, parishes skip the Creed entirely. Often it is done out of laziness or of being in a hurry for to get Mass over with. In other instances, it is done by priests who think erroneously that Baptism is the source and summit of our faith, which is the place which only the Eucharist holds even if Baptism is extremely important. The omission of the Creed on Sunday is disobedient and abusive. There are only rare instances when such a switch can be made; to my knowledge, only on Easter Sunday morning, as adults are baptized just hours before during the Easter Vigil. The prayer of the Creed is very powerful to overcome any temptations you may be feeling at any point in time, temptations of despair, of impurity, of anger or hatred, of greed. Fill your minds attentively with the truths of faith, truths which demons cannot stand, and the strength of the temptation will weaken.
Prayer of the faithful
46. After the Creed, we pray a most powerful prayer, the prayer of the faithful. That’s when we ask, for example, “For the Pope, [etc.]” and then the congregation responds, “Lord, here our prayer,” or another approved formula, such as, “Kyrie, eleison.”[4] This prayer imitates the great and unique prayer the Church raises up on Good Friday.[5] On that day, we have a magnificent liturgical celebration of the passion and death of our Lord. The consecration does not take place, but enough hosts are consecrated on Holy Thursday to give communion again on Good Friday. Before the priest shows the wood of the cross then gives communion, we pray for the Church, the Pope, the clergy and laity, for catechumens, for Protestants, for Jewish people, for non-Christians, for atheists, for those in public office, and for a handful of other special needs. These prayers ask God for the greatest supernatural treasures for each of these groups. So when we pray, “Lord, hear our prayer,” let us not be distracted with the offertory collection, let us not let our thoughts wander in a thousand directions, but rather, let us concentrate on the great mystery of intercessory prayer, and what it means for the whole Church to gather, and, in the Mass, raise up petitions to the Trinity at the foot of the altar.
Offertory in general
47. With that we begin the offertory. It would be sad if the preparation of the gifts were merely a mechanical preparation of the exterior elements necessary for the execution of the rites. There are sacred objects involved; there are actions done; there is silence, and some prayers said, some quietly by the priest alone, others by the whole congregation. Here we are preparing for the great sacrifice. Everything in the Mass is leading up to the moment of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, the son of God, a perfect oblation to the Father, a sacrifice prefigured in ancient rite in the Old Testament, a sacrifice which is the pledge of our salvation after our deaths and at the end of time.
Procession with the gifts
48. I will now only mention one aspect of the offertory, leaving the rest of the offertory for next week, and this aspect is the fact that the gifts are brought up by the faithful. Tertullian and St. Hippolytus speak not simply of the preparing of the bread and wine, but of an “oblation of the Holy Church.,”[6] something ritual, sacred and holy. Members of the Holy Church are chosen to bring the oblation, the bread and wine and other gifts, on behalf of all. It is similar to the three Kings who bore gifts to the Child Jesus, to the Queen from the East who brought gifts to Solomon, to the widow in the temple whose two pennies meant more in the eyes of God than all the contributions of the Pharisees. “As you enter the city,” Jesus said to Peter and John, “a man carrying a jar of water will meet you. Follow him to the house that he enters, and say to the owner of the house, ‘The Teacher asks: Where is the guest room, where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?’ He will show you a large upper room, all furnished. Make preparations there.” (Lk 22:10-12) And so Peter and John prepared the first altar unaware that they not only prepared the ritual Passover meal, but the first Mass. Peter, the Rock and Prince of the Apostles, John the visionary and ardent lover of our Lord. So, the common, material things which they offered to Jesus would become the source of the immaterial sanctification which Jesus would offer them. 49. At the offertory, offer your hearts, your lives, your time, your body, your mind, and beg God that you experience a similar transformation to that of the Eucharist, that by the power of the Holy Spirit you become like unto Jesus Christ, Son of God, Son of Mary. |