What Liturgy Means to Us at St. Joseph Church
The heart and soul of our faith community is our participation in and celebration of Mass. For most of us this means being present and active in our weekend Eucharists. Some in our parish community choose to attend on weekdays, as well.
Regular attendance at Mass is important to us, because, let’s face it, life is hard. The demands of juggling the responsibilities of daily life (family joys and sorrows, kids’ schedules and activities, performing well at work, caring for elderly parents, volunteer work, struggling with temptations that dance in our paths, etc.) drain our physical and spiritual energy. At St. Joseph Church, we gather around the table of the Lord to give praise to the God who loves us in our neediness and to offer each other the healing support of our presence to each other. Sometimes, just making it to Mass feels a lot like work. Is it any wonder that the early Christians called their Eucharists “the work of the people of God” (liturgy).
At St. Joseph Church, we believe that a clearer understanding of the purposeful four-part structure of the Mass helps us to break open the deeper meaning and mystery at the heart of our liturgies. This insight can lift the burden off our shoulders and turn the work of being Catholic Christians into a joyful, even fun, experience.
Introductory Ritual: We Gather the People
We at St. Joseph Church value community worship over isolated faith. Our gathering actually begins at each family’s home. Getting up, getting ourselves and the family ready, walking or driving to church - alll this is part of our coming together. We gather because we need to see each other in the flesh, feel the support of our brothers and sisters, and know that we are not fighting the battle of our lives alone. We enjoy the opportunity at the beginning of Mass to greet those around us, making human contact with our fellow workers in accomplishing the tasks of our faith commitment.
Liturgy of the Word: We Tell our Stories
Our storytelling begins on our way into church, as we greet others and share stories of everyday life and faith. “Please, pray for my dad.” “How’s your son doing in the navy?” Then, we settle into our pews to listen to the great stories of our ancestors in faith, including the Hebrew prophets, the deeds and words of Jesus, and stories of the first Christian communities. After Mass, our storytelling continues, as we have a little more time to socialize over coffee and donuts or as we leave Mass.
Liturgy of the Eucharist: We Break Bread Together
The highlight of our time together is our sharing the sacred meal - bread and wine have become the body and blood of Christ. Christ’s body, broken like ours in suffering, is given to us as spiritual food to sustain us, as we face a new day, a new week.
Concluding Rite: We are Sent to Make a Difference
The formal liturgy ends with a reminder that the Giver of All Gifts has a task for us to accomplish. We are to go out to be the hands, feet, eyes, ears, and heart of Christ in the world. In a real sense then, our liturgy is a circle of life. This is evidenced at St. Joseph Church by our parish ministries through which we strive to make our world a better, safer place for all of us to live in.