We continue our reflections on the Eucharist.
One of the most frequently asked questions concerns the obligation to attend Mass on Sunday. Article 2181 of The Catechism of the Catholic Church states: The Sunday Eucharist is the foundation and confirmation of all Christian practices. For this reason the faithful are obliged to participate in the Eucharist on days of obligation unless excused for a serious reason or dispensed by their own pastor. Those who deliberately fail in this obligation commit a grave sin.
In essence we are obligated under the pain of mortal sin to attend Mass on Sundays and other days of obligation. People struggle with this for various reasons. The Eucharistic Celebration (Mass) is at the center of all of our religious practices. We celebrate new life at Mass with Baptism (We have Baptism within Mass at 11:00 AM on the 2nd Sunday of the month.). We celebrate the uniting of two lives in marriage with a Nuptial Mass. We celebrate God’s gift of life and the promise of everlasting life after earthly death with a Funeral Mass. Each Sunday the people of God assemble to hear God’s Word and receive Jesus’ Body and Blood as an act of faith, repentance and thanksgiving.
As you can see, the Mass is the foundation of all of our religious practices. It is for this reason that we are obliged to come together as God’s collective people. But I like to look at Sunday obligation this way, also. We have chosen to be Catholic and we have chosen (by acceptance of Baptism) to live a way of life that is different from others. The Mass offers us the opportunity to participate in the presence of Jesus through the celebration of His Word (scripture) and in the Blessed Sacrament. Therefore, the obligation is not just to God. The obligation is to ourselves. In Baptism we pledged ourselves to live as Priest, Prophet and King forever in God’s kingdom. We owe it to ourselves to participate at Mass and fulfill the obligation we accepted. Failure to do so places us in a state of serious sin unless there is legitimate reason.
I also want to look briefly at the structure of the Mass. While one part flows into the next the Mass is really two celebrations where Jesus becomes truly present to us. They are the Liturgy of the Word and the Liturgy of the Eucharist.
The Liturgy of the Word includes the Introductory and Penitential Rites, the proclamation of the scriptures, the homily, the Creed and the intercessory prayers. Every assembly of persons for the worship and praise of God has a welcoming part. Our priest who represents Jesus as the leader of the assembly welcomes all present by offering the grace and peace of God to all. Before we go further we pause to acknowledge our sins before God and each other. As we do we ask forgiveness for the times we fail to live as we should.
The proclamation of the scriptures follows. Jesus is truly present to us in the proclamation of God’s Word. This is something we have overlooked or failed to recognize for far too long. Scripture is God’s Word reaching into the realm of humanity. Following the scripture readings is the homily. A homily is neither a speech nor a sermon. It is an exhortation by the bishop, priest or deacon for us to accept what was just proclaimed for what it is – the Word of God. The homily also urges and instructs us to put God’s Word to work in our own daily lives.
After the scripture readings and homily come our response: the Profession of Faith (Creed) and the Prayers of Intercession. Having heard God’s Word we are inspired to profess what we believe – what the Church teaches. We then offer our prayers on behalf of all humanity asking God’s mercy, blessing and protection for all. The Church gives us specific instructions as to the form and content of these prayers so that the needs of everyone are brought to God through our prayer.
The Liturgy of the Eucharist begins with the Offertory where we offer to God all that we have in thanksgiving for all that God has given us. The bread and wine that will be offered on the altar to become the Body and Blood of Jesus represents those blessings.
The Eucharistic Prayer begins immediately after we sing the Holy, Holy, Holy. Only the priest says the Eucharistic prayer. This beautiful prayer to the Father (actually there are four to choose from for typical Sunday Mass along with others specifically written for other celebrations such as funerals, weddings, and other particular Masses) leads up to the Consecration of the bread and wine that becomes the Body and Blood of Jesus. The Our Father and the reception of Holy Communion follow the Eucharistic Prayer.
Mass concludes
with a final prayer, blessing and dismissal.
Sometimes there is a prayer before the blessing that asks God to bestow
His favor upon us in a special way. The
final words of the Mass sum up all that Jesus said and did. Jesus came to offer us God’s peace. At the beginning of each Mass our priest
begins by offering that peace again. At
the end of Mass, having been nourished by God’s Word and the Body and Blood of
Jesus we are instructed to go in peace:
Our Mass has ended. Let us go
in peace to love and serve our Lord. Or,
Go in the peace of Christ.
The Mass with its many parts comprises the most beautiful prayer of the Church. Where else can we become one with God and each other in such a dynamic way? People who fail to recognize this need to look at their faith. They need to remember the promises they made at Baptism and remember that they set themselves apart by the seal of the Holy Spirit in Confirmation. May God give us all the strength to use our faith and remain faithful to Him always.
Please remember that you can send me your questions at anytime. Just drop them in the Sunday collection basket, mail them to the rectory office, or you can simply send them by e-mail to deaconmikefranks@verizon.net.
Next month we will conclude our reflections on the Eucharist with a look at the Church’s teaching about the real presence of Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament. We will also look at Benediction and its relationship to the Mass. Until then always remember: I love you all. Deacon Mike Franks