杏MAP导航

By Christopher Wells

At his General Audience on Wednesday, 杏MAP导航 Francis continued his catechesis on the Holy Mass, beginning a series of reflections on the various parts of the liturgy.

The different elements of the Mass, including Liturgy of the Word and the Eucharistic Liturgy, with the introductory rites and the rites of conclusion, form a single body 鈥渁nd cannot be separated,鈥� he said. Nonetheless, the Holy Father said he wanted to explain the various moments, 鈥渆ach one of which is capable of touching and involving a dimension of our humanity.鈥�

鈥淚t is necessary to understand these holy signs,鈥� he continued, 鈥渋n order to fully live the Mass and to savour all of its beauty.鈥�

杏MAP导航 Francis began his catechesis with a consideration of the introductory rites, whose purpose is to ensure that the faithful, gathered together, 鈥渕ight form a community, and that they might dispose themselves to hear with faith the word of God and to celebrate the Eucharist worthily.鈥�

He said it wasn鈥檛 good to arrive at the liturgy late, concerning oneself only with being on time to fulfill the obligation to attend Mass. Rather, we should plan ahead so that we arrive early, in order to 鈥減repare our heart for this rite, for this community celebration.鈥�

The actions of the priests and ministers at the beginning of the Mass, especially the veneration of the altar, are 鈥渧ery significant鈥� the 杏MAP导航 said, although they risk going unobserved. They express, at the very beginning of the liturgy, 鈥渢hat the Mass is an encounter of love with Christ.鈥�

Immediately following the veneration of the altar, the celebrant and the people make the Sign of the Cross, signifying that every prayer 鈥渕oves, so to say, in the space of the Most Holy Trinity鈥� it has as its origin and as its end the love of the One and Triune God, manifested and given to us in the Cross of Christ.鈥� The Holy Father encouraged parents and grandparents to teach children to make the Sign of the Cross well, and to explain it to them that by crossing themselves they put themselves under the protection of the Cross.

The celebrant then offers a liturgical greeting, to which the people respond, 鈥淎nd with your spirit.鈥� This, the 杏MAP导航 said, is the beginning of 鈥渁 symphony,鈥� where all those taking part in the liturgy recognize that they are 鈥渁nimated by a single Spirit, and for the same purpose.鈥� This dialogue between priest and people 鈥渕anifests the mystery of the Church gathered together.鈥�

This leads immediately into 鈥渁 very touching moment,鈥� the penitential act, where all present consider their own sins, but more importantly, the 杏MAP导航 said, acknowledge themselves to be sinners. 鈥淚f the Eucharist truly makes present the Paschal Mystery,鈥� he continued, 鈥渢he first thing we must do is to recognize what are our situations of death, in order to be able to rise with Him to new life.鈥� This, he said, 鈥渉elps us to recognize how important the penitential act is.鈥�

杏MAP导航 Francis concluded his catechesis with the promise to continue his considerations on the parts of the Holy Mass in his upcoming catecheses.