1. THE CATHOLIC MASS - INTRODUCTION
 The Mass is the central act of Christian worship - it is nothing less than the celebration of the Eucharist that Jesus institutes at the last supper when He commanded his apostles, “Do this in memory of me.”
 
The celebration of the Mass clearly involves a real sacrifice - that of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who in his death on the cross offered his life as a total gift to the Father and redeemed the world. The Mass does not merely symbolize Jesus death on the cross; it sacramentally makes present Christ’s redeeming sacrifice.
 
As our Catechism teaches, “In the divine sacrifice, which is celebrated in the Mass, the same Christ who offered himself once in a bloody manner on the altar of the Cross is contained and offered in an unbloody manner.”
 
Jesus’s own words shed light on the Mass as a sacrifice. On the night before He died, Jesus instituted the Eucharist as memorial of His death and resurrection and a pledge of His love.
In the context of the Passover, he took bread and wine and spoke of them, respectively, as his body being given up and his blood being poured out for the forgiveness of sins. He concluded the last supper by telling the Apostles to celebrate this meal as a liturgical memorial: “Do this in memory of me.”
 
It is important to recognize that in Scripture, a memorial does not mealy recall a past event, but makes the event real and present. Therefore, when Jesus said “Do this in memory of me,” he was asking the Apostles to recreate the sacrificial offering of His body and blood. Indeed, it is His body and blood that was sacrificed on Calvary that is made present to us in the Mass.
 
A second aspect of the Eucharist is that it contains the real presence of Jesus. For in the Eucharist the body and blood, soul and divinity of Jesus Christ is substantially contained.
The Eucharist is not merely a sacred symbol of Jesus, or a reminder of Jesus. When the priest at Mass recites those words of Jesus at the moment of consecration, the bread and wine on the alter are changed into Christ’s body and blood. So important was the partaking of his actual body and blood in the Eucharist that he taught, “Truly, truly I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of man and drink his blood you have no life in you; he who eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day. For my flesh is food indeed, and my blood is drink indeed. He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me, and I in him.” ( Jn 6:53-56 ).
 
In the biblical Passover, a communal meal followed the sacrifice, and it was the shared meal that forged communion between the participants and God. We also expect the sacrifice in our Mass to find its culmination in a festive meal. (1 Cor 5:7-8). The catechism explains, “To receive communion is to receive Christ himself who has offered himself to us.”  Indeed, holy communion is the most profound union we can have with God this side of eternity.
 
Thus, we see the Mass as a sacrifice, real presence of Jesus, and holy communion with him. With this background we can begin to better understand and appreciate the parts of the Mass.
 
2. THE SIGN OF THE CROSS.
 We begin the mass with the sign of the cross. In making this sign, we invoke God’s presence, continuing a sacred tradition that goes back to the earliest centuries of Christianity.
 
There are two principal aspects of the sign of the cross: the actual tracing the sign of the cross over our bodies, and the words we recite while doing so. The first has roots in Scared Scripture, particularly in book of the prophet Ezekiel, where a mysterious mark on the forehead was used as a sign of divine protection, and as a mark distinguishing the righteous from the wicked (Ez 8). Drawing on imagery from Ezekiel, the book of revelation depicts the saints in heaven as having a seal upon their foreheads. (Rv 7:3).
 
While signing ourselves, we call on God’s name saying, “In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit”. In Scripture, to call on the name of the Lord is to invoke his presence and his power. That is why the ancient Israelites in calling upon the name of the Lord
through many Psalms, offer to praise him, to thank him, and to seek his help in their lives. Like the Psalmist, we invoke his divine presence and ask for his assistance with our various struggles.
 
At the start of the liturgy, we invite God into our lives as we solemnly call on his name, invoking his divine presence and power. It is as if we are consecrating the next hour of our lives to the Lord, and saying that everything we do in the Mass, we do in his name. All our thoughts, desires, prayers and actions, we do “in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.” Moreover, like the Israelites of old, we reverently call on God’s name, asking for his help as we prepare to enter into the sacred mysteries of the Mass.
 
When we call upon the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, we echo Jesus’ great commission to the apostles: “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” (Mt 28:19). These were the words spoken when we were baptized, and our souls were first filled with the divine life of the Holy Trinity. By repeating these words at every mass, we acknowledge that we are approaching Almighty God in the liturgy by virtue of the supernatural life God graciously bestowed us.
 
When the priest greats us with the words “The Lord be with you” he conveys the reality of Jesus’ presence with the community of believers assembled in his name. For Jesus said “when two or three are gathered in my name, there am I in their midst” (Mt 18:20). With these words, the priest is also praying that the divine life we received at baptism may continue to grow within us.
 
The greeting “The Lord be with you” also recalls the words spoken to a whole roster of Biblical heroes who were called by God to a daunting mission. Think of Isaac and Jacob; Moses and Joshua; King David; the prophet Jeremiah; and the Blessed Virgin Mary. All of them heard this calling at pivotal moments in their lives. The words at the beginning of the liturgy can both inspire and encourage us, remind us of the high calling we each have, while assuring us that we have access to a higher power for support.
By responding to this greeting “And with your spirit” the people address the ‘spirit’ of the priest and acknowledge the Holy Spirit’s unique activity through him by virtue of his ordination.

3. THE CONFITEOR
 The ancient Israelites had three days to prepare to meet the Lord before He came to them in thunder and lightning to deliver the ten commandments. We too are called to prepare ourselves for a sacred encounter with the Lord every time we go to mass. Yet our meeting is more profound, for in the sacred Liturgy we encounter the very presence of Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament. And as we are not worthy to stand in His presence, the priest invites us to “prepare ourselves to celebrate the sacred mysteries” by humbly confessing our sins publicly before almighty God and the congregation.
 
The prayer known as the Confiteor stands in a long Biblical tradition of confessing one’s sins. Sometimes in a public ceremony of repentance (Neh 9:2), or in a spontaneous response of an individual (Ps 32:5; 38;18). The practice of confessing one’s sins continued in the New Testament, which begins with crowds confessing their sins in John’s baptism of repentance. (Mt 3.6). James exhorts us to “confess your sins to one another, and pray to one another, that you may be healed” (Jas 5:16). The early Christians confessed their sins before partaking in the Eucharist, as recorded in the Didache, an early second century text.
 
In the Confiteor we confess our sins not only “to Almighty God”, but also “to you my brothers and sisters’” as James teaches how our sins affect our relationship with each other.  The Confiteor challenges us in four areas in which we may have fallen into sin.
 
First, “in my thoughts.”  Jesus, in the Sermon on the Mount, gives several warnings about ways we can fall into sin in our thoughts. For example, we can sin through anger toward others; we can fall into adultery of the heart through our lustful thoughts (Mt 5:22; 5:27-28).
 
Second, “in my words.”  The letter of St. James warns us that the tongue is a fire and can cause great turmoil. “How great a forest is set ablaze by a small fire (Jas 3:5). The bible teaches how many ways our speech can cause harm. For example, gossip (2 Cor 12:20); slander (Rom 1:30); insult (Mt 5:22); lying (Col3:9); boasting (Jas 4:16). These and other sins of speech are to be confessed in the Confiteor.
 
Third, “in what I have done.”  This area encompasses sins whose actions directly hurt other people or our relationship with God. Along these lines, the Ten Commandments are often used as the basis for an examination of conscience.
 
Fourth, “in what I have failed to do.” This is the most challenging part. We are reminded that the Christian path is not merely avoiding sinful thoughts, words, desires and actions. Christianity is ultimately about the imitation of Christ. Jesus does not want us to merely avoid sin. He wants us to draw in his self-giving love.
 
Instead of simply saying I have sinned, the new translation of this prayer more closely reflects the Latin text of the Mass to underscore the seriousness of sin. So now we say “I have greatly sinned” in consort with David’s repentant words to God, “I have sinned greatly in that I have done this thing” (I Chr 21:8). And we repeat it three times while striking our breasts in a sign of repentance. Therefore, at mass, we do not simply offer an apology to God, but humbly admit that we have sinned, “through my fault, through my own fault, through my most grievous fault.”

4. KYRIE AND THE GLORIA
 The Scriptures reveal numerous accounts of individuals crying out for God’s mercy: from David’s plea in Psalm 51, to numerous examples of Jesus responding to calls of mercy in the New Testament. We understand mercy, therefore, as a petition, a prayer representing the cry of God’s people for assistance.
 
As we prepare ourselves to enter the sacred mysteries of the liturgy, we do so in union with the Blessed Virgin Mary and all the angels and saints. In fear and awe over the divine presence drawing near, we cannot help but ask for God’s mercy while repeating after the priest the petition of the Kyrie Eleison.
“Lord have mercy, Lord have mercy, Christ have mercy, Christ have mercy, Lord have mercy, Lord have mercy”
 
While the Kyrie is primarily an expression of repentance, as with Biblical examples, it can be seen as a petition for God’s assistance. We can entrust our own sufferings to the Lord in the Kyrie. But the Gospels also tell of people coming to Jesus requesting mercy for others. So we, too, can entrust to the Lord those we love every time we pray the Kyrie at mass.
 
The tone of the liturgy now shifts from sorrowful repentance to joyful praise as we pray the Gloria, whose opening line is taken from the words sung by the angels announcing the good news of Christ’s birth. Thus, we prepare ourselves to welcome Jesus by repeating the same words of praise. The rest of the Gloria continues to be saturated with words from Sacred Scripture. It follows a Trinitarian pattern, beginning with praise of the Father who is addressed as “God Almighty Father” and “Heavenly King.”
 
In praising the Lord as “Almighty” and Heavenly King,” His omnipotence must be seen the context of his Fatherhood. God has what the Catechism calls a “fatherly omnipotence.” God’s powers in harmony with His loving will that always seeks what is good for us.
 
The next part of the Gloria tells the story of Christ. First, Jesus is addressed as “Son of the Father,” and “Only Begotten Son,” which recalls various New Testament texts that point to Jesus’ divine Sonship, and brings attention to the prologue of John’s gospel which announces that the eternal Word, who is God became flesh and dwelt among us.” (Jn 1:1-4).
 
Next, the Gloria references Jesus as the “Lamb of God.” It recalls the theme of the Lamb’s triumph over sin and the devil in Revelation (Rv 5:6-14; 12:11; 17:14). The Gloria also addresses Jesus saying, “Lamb of God…you take away the sins of the world,” repeating the words of John the Baptist when he first saw Jesus. (Jn 1:29).
 
Lastly, we praise Jesus in His unique position of authority: “You are seated at the right hand of the Father,” recalling Mark’s account of Jesus’ ascending into heaven. (Mk 16:19).
 
The Gloria concludes with mention of The Holy Spirit, thus paying with homage to the Holy Trinity. In the Kyrie, we express our need for salvation and God’s mercy. In the Gloria, we joyfully express our gratitude for having received salvation from Christ.
 
  5. THE LITURGY OF THE WORD
 The Church often used the image of “two tables” to express the continuity between the two main parts of the Mass: The Liturgy of the Word and the Liturgy of the Eucharist. God’s people are nourished first from the table of holy Scripture, which is proclaimed in the Liturgy of the Word. Then they are fed with the body of our Our Lord at the table of the Eucharist.
 
While the Eucharist is the very body and blood of Jesus and the “source and summit” of the Christian life, the Scriptures lead us to a deeper communion with Jesus in the Eucharist. We need both the inspired word of God in Scripture and the Incarnate Word of God present in the Blessed Sacrament.
 
The readings from Scripture do not merely provide us with exhortations for moral living and re-flections about the spiritual l life. In the Liturgy we encounter the words of God himself spoken personally to each of us.
 
While the Scriptures were written by human beings, to particular human communities, at a certain moment in history, they are inspired by God. Inspiration, from the Greek word, means “God Breathed” (2 Tim 3:16). Thus, Scripture is like Jesus Christ Himself - fully human and fully divine. Having marked ourselves with the Sign of the cross, confessed our unworthiness to be in God’s presence, and sung his praises, we are now prepared to listen carefully to God’s own inspired words. And this is a personal moment for as Vatican II taught, “In the sacred books the Father who is in heaven comes lovingly to meet his children and talks with them.”
 
The selections from Scripture are determined by a three-year cycle of readings from the various parts of the Bible: the Old Testament, the Psalms, the New Testament, and then the Gospel. Even the order of these readings has significance, for it reflects the order of God’s redemptive plan. They move from the Old to the New - from Israel to the Church.
 
The readings from Scripture also correspond to the various seasons and feasts of the Church. On one level, the Church walks us through the life and mission of Jesus through the liturgical year. In four weeks of Advent, we recall the Old Testament period of humanity’s longing for the Savior. In the Christmas season, we rejoice in the coming and birth of the Son of God. In the for-ty days of lent, we participate in Jesus’s prayer and fasting in the desert as we prepare to enter Christ’s passion in Holy Week. In the fifty days of the Easter season, we celebrate Jesus’ resurrection and ascension into heaven, culminating on the fiftieth day with his sending of the Spirit on Pentecost. The rest of the liturgical year - known as Ordinary Time - focus attention on the public ministry of Jesus
 
Scattered throughout the year, the Church draws our attention to the various Saints and mysteries of faith, Chief among them and most often commemorated is the Blessed Virgin Mary.
As we cannot fully grasp the entire mystery of Christ at once, the Church marks off special days to give attention, thanks and praise for a specific aspect of catholic faith.
 
6. SCRIPTURE READINGS
The first reading is usually from the Old Testament, except during the Easter season when it is from Acts of the Apostles. In the Old Testament, the mystery of our salvation is present in a hid-den way. “The old Testament prepares for the New, and the New fulfills the Old; the two-shed light on each other. Both are true word of God” (Cat 140).
 
At the end of the first reading the Lector says. “The Word of the Lord,” and we cry out in amazement that God should speak to us, “Thanks be to God.” Giving thanks to God is a com-mon facet of worship from the Old Testament (1 Chr 16:4) to the New. St. Paul used those specific words to thank the Lord for delivering him from sin and death (1Cor 15.57), (Rom 7:25}.
 
After hearing God’s words proclaimed in the First reading, we respond with God’s own inspired words of praise and thanksgiving from among the 150 hymns of the Book of Psalms. The ancient Israelis sang verses of the Psalms in the temple, usually by two alternating groups with a common refrain. This calling back and forth between motive and response points to a kind of liturgical dialog and is found throughout the mass. “The Lord be with you…and also with you,”
“Lift up your hearts…we lift them up to the Lord.”
 
The second reading comes from the New Testament: one of the Epistles, the Acts of the Apostles, or the book of Revelation. These writings reflect on the mystery of Jesus Christ and His saving work and the meaning it has for us.
 
The last reading is from The Gospels, and the Mass reflects its preeminence because, as taught by Vatican II, “they are our principal source for the life and teaching of the Incarnate Word, our Savior”.  First, the people stand to welcome the Lord Jesus who is about to be proclaimed in the Gospel reading. Standing was the reverent posture when Ezra read from the book of law. (Neh 8:5). Second, the people sing “Alleluia,” which is a Jewish expression of joy meaning “Praise the Lord.”. Third, during the Alleluia, the priest begins to process in the sanctuary, taking the book of Gospels from the altar to the lectern. To prepare himself to read, the priest prays: “Cleanse my heart and my lips, almighty God, that I may worthily proclaim your holy Gospel, “recalling how the Prophet Isaiah’s lips needed to be purified, before speaking the words of God. (Is 6:1-9). After another greeting dialogue, the priest announces the Gospel reading, and traces the sign of the cross on his forehead, mouth, breast, and on the book.
 
All this ceremony shouts out that we are approaching a most sacred moment of the mass. The Church teaches that when the Sacred Scriptures are read in the Church, God himself speaks to his people, and Christ, present in his own word, proclaims the Gospel. Thus, Christ speaks personally to each of us through God’s divinely inspired words. We hear Him say to us “Repent for the Kingdom of God is at hand (Mt 4:17).  And when He speaks to the adulteress, we hear Him comforting us in our sorrow over our sins, “Neither do I condemn you; go, and do not sin again” (Jn 8:11).
 
The readings conclude with a homily to explain their meaning and relate them to everyday practices in life. Since the Gospels are at the heart of the Bible, only as a successor of the Apostles, the Bishop, and those with whom he shares authority, have the responsibility to proclaim the Gospels, and give the homily. This assures the continuum of the Church’s apostolic faith, and its proper teaching.

7. THE CREED AND THE PRAYERS OF THE FAITHFUL
The Creed summarizes the story of Scripture. Moving from creation to Christ’s incarnation, death and resurrection, to the sending of the Holy Spirit, to the era of the church and finally of the Second Coming, the Creed carries us through the entire story of salvation history. In one statement, we draw out the narrative thread from Genesis to the book of Revelation.
 
The practice of reciting a creed has deep biblical roots. Ancient Israel was called to profess their faith in a creed known as the Shema: “ Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God is one Lord, and you shall love the Lord with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might” (Dt 6-4). We must also see the Creed as our Shema, for it also reminds us that our beliefs and choices do matter in contrast to the cultural view that there is no moral or religious truth.
 
The Creed proclaims that the universe was brought into existence by the one true God, “the maker of heaven and earth,” and is moving according to God’s plan. The Creed also presumes that God’s plan was fully revealed in God’s Son, the “one Lord Jesus Christ” who became man, “for us and for our salvation” and “to bring forgiveness of sins.” The Creed reminds us that at the end of our lives we will stand before the Lord Jesus Christ who “will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead.” We solemnly declare each week at the beginning of the Creed: “ I believe in one God…” to grow in our faith - to entrust more of our lives to God.
 
The Creed in the new English translation has a number of changes in vocabulary. First is adopting the singular “I believe” to make it more personal. Second, we now say that God is the maker “of all things visible and invisible,” which more accurately reflects the language of St. Paul (Col 1:16). Third, we now speak of Jesus being “Consubstantial with the Father.” This more closely reflects the theological language of the Council of Nicea (A.D. 325) which claimed that the Son was of the same substance as the Father and condemned the Arian teaching. Another important change incorporates the theological Latin word Incarnates (Incarnate), which refers to “the fact that the Son of God assumed a human nature in order to accomplish our salvation in it.” In the words of John’s Gospel “The Word became flesh (Jn 1:14). Accordingly, we now say that the Son, “by the Holy Spirit was incarnate of the Virgin Mary and became man.”
 
The Liturgy of the Word culminates in what is known as “The Prayer of the Faithful.” This is one of the most ancient parts of the Mass, already attested to by St. Justin Martyr in A.D.155. The practice actually goes back to the church in Jerusalem which offered up prayers for Peter’s imprisonment by Herod. (Acts 12:1-7).  And later, when Paul wrote to Timothy, he instructed him to intercede for all people. “I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all men, for Kings, and for all who are in high positions, that we may lead a quiet and peaceful life, godly and respectful in every way (1Tim 2:1-4).
 
These general intersessions at Mass represent a significant moment for the faithful. The General Instruction of the Roman Missal notes that in these intersessions, the faithful “exercise their priestly function, by participating in Christ’s priestly prayer for the entire human family”. The Catechism notes that intercessory prayer is “characteristic of a heart attuned to God’s mercy.” If we are truly in tune with God’s heart, we will naturally want to pray for others. The culmination of the Liturgy is a fitting time to offer these prayers.
 
8. THE LITURGY OF THE EUCHARIST
 The second half of the Mass is called the Liturgy of the Eucharist. Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross is made present by the priest, who carries out what Jesus did at the last supper and what he commanded the apostles to do in His memory. In the Liturgy of the Eucharist, bread and wine are offered as gifts by the people and then consecrated and changed into the body and blood of Christ, which we receive in holy communion.
 
It begins with the Preparation of the Gifts which is also called the “ Offertory”, a Latin word which means to present, or to offer. The offering of bread and wine has strong support in Scripture. In addition to being used in the Passover, bread and wine were offered up regularly in Israel’s sacrificial rites. There was a close connection between the sacrificial gifts of bread and wine with the individual giver; they symbolized the offering of one’s self. The same is true with the presentation of our gifts in the Mass. In the bread and wine, we offer back to God, the gifts of creation and the results of our labors. Ultimately, the rite symbolizes the giving of our lives to God, uniting them with Christ’s perfect sacrifice. The priest then brings them to the altar, where Christ’s sacrifice is made present.
 
The priest next takes the chalice of wine and mixes it with water. The meaning of this is expressed in the prayer; “ By the mystery of this water and wine may we come to share in the divinity of Christ, who humbled himself to share in our humanity”. Here the wine symbolizes Christ’s divinity, and the water our humanity. The mingling of wine and water points to the Incarnation, and in our call to become “partakers in the divine nature”. (2 Pt 1:4).
 
The priest next prays over the bread and wine: “ Blessed are you, God of all creation, for through your goodness we have received the bread we offer you: fruit of the earth and work of human hands, it will become for us the bread of life….”. The next prayer makes clear that it is not the bread and wine being offered, but the people assembled. “ With humble spirit and contrite heart may we be accepted by you, O Lord,..”. Then, in preparation for God’s presence, the priest washes his hands like the Israeli priests of old and prays as he approaches the tabernacle: “ Wash me O Lord, from my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin”. Finally, in one last act of preparation, the priest turns to the people, begging them for prayers as he is about to begin the Eucharistic prayer. “ Pray, brethren, that my sacrifice and yours may be acceptable to God, the almighty Father.
 
This prayer points out the “my” part of the sacrifice which points to Christ’s sacrifice which will be made present through the ordained priest who acts in persona Christi (in the person of Christ). The “your” part of the sacrifice refers to the entire church offering itself in union with Christ in the Mass. The people respond with a prayer that recognizes how both sacrifices - Christ’s and their own - will be united and offered to the Father through the hands of the priest:
 
“ May the Lord accept the sacrifice at your hands for the praise and glory of his name. for our good, and the good of all his holy Church.”
 
9. THE EUCHARISTIC PRAYER: THE PREFACE, THE SANCTUS, THE EPICLESIS
The Eucharistic prayers of the Mass seem to follow elements of ancient Jewish table prayers recited at every meal. They include a blessing over bread and wine, re-telling the foundational saving event of Jesus’ death and resurrection, and the three-fold-structure of offering praise to God for creation, thanksgiving for his saving grace, and supplication.
 
The Preface opens with a three-part dialogue that has been recited at Mass since at least the third century. (Pr.) The Lord be with you; (Res.) And with your spirit. (Pr.) Lift up your hearts; (Res.) We lift them up to the Lord. (Pr.) Let us give thanks to the Lord our God; (Res.) It is right and just.  As in the Introductory Rites at the start of the Mass, this greeting is used to call an important assembly to the most sacred part of the Mass: the Eucharistic prayer.
 
Next, the priest says, “ Lift up your hearts”. This prayer brings to mind the similar exhortation in the book of Lamentations: “ Let us lift up our hearts and hands to God in heaven” (Lam 3:41). In the Bible, the heart is the hidden center of the person from which one’s thoughts, emotions and actions originate. Thus, the priest is summoning us to give our fullest attention to what is about to unfold.
 
In the last liturgical exchange, the priest says, “ let us give thanks to the Lord our God…”,
a common biblical response to God’s goodness and to his saving works. The people join in giving thanks, responding “ It is right and just”. The priest then offers the Preface prayer on behalf of the people, “ It is truly right and just, our duty and salvation, always and everywhere to give you thanks, Father most holy…”. There are several variations of this prayer depending on the feast or season.
 
The Sanctus, “Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God of Hosts. Heaven and earth are full of your glory. Hosanna in the highest. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest”, helps us to see with the eyes of the angels what is really happening in the Eucharistic liturgy. Isaiah reports that he saw six winged angelic seraphim, daring not to behold the full glory of God, and calling to one another - “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of Hosts” (Is 6:3). In the New Testament John had a similar experience. Like Isaiah, John sees the six-winged angelic creatures before the throne of God singing a similar hymn of praise: “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty”. So we too now, at mass, join our voices with the angels in their jubilant hymn of praise. In the second half of The Sanctus, we repeat the words which the crowds used to greet Jesus as He proceeded into Jerusalem: “Hosanna” and “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord”. Just as the crowds welcomed Jesus with these words, so too welcome Jesus into our Church.
 
The very early Christians included The Epiclesis prayer, (meaning “invocation upon’), in the liturgy. Here the Priest prays that the Father send the Holy Spirit to change the bread and wine into the body and blood of Our Lord. Like the ancient Jews who pleaded with God to send the Messiah, the priest petitions that the Messiah-King be made present again under the appearance of bread and wine. “Make holy, therefore, these gifts, we pray, by sending down your spirit upon them like the dewfall, so that they may become for us the Body and Blood of our Lord, Jesus Christ”. Finally, hoping we unite more deeply, the priest calls on the Holy Spirit: “ Grant that we, who are nourished by the Body and Blood of your Son, and filled with his Holy Spirit, may become one body, one spirit in Christ”.

10. THE MEMORIAL OF THE LAST SUPPER
 “ Take this, all of you, and eat of it, for this is my body which will be given up for you. Take this, all of you, and drink from it, for this is the chalice of my blood, the blood of the new and eternal covenant, which will be poured out for you and for many for the forgiveness of sins. Do this in memory of me.”
 
In order to understand the full meaning of these words, spoken by Jesus at the last supper, it is important to hear them against the background of the Passover. The Israelites celebrated the annual Passover as a liturgical “memorial,” where “the events become in a certain way present and real.” (CCC 1363). What is revealing about Jesus’ words is that he used sacrificial language with reference to himself. He talks about his own body and blood being offered up and poured out in a sacrifice. Jesus identifies himself with the sacrificial lamb offered for Passover. As such, His actions mysteriously anticipate his sacrifice on the cross. In the Passover meal of the Last Supper, Jesus willingly offered up his own body and blood for the forgiveness of sins. His sacrifice then completed on Good Friday. Jesus commands the Apostles to “Do this in memory of me.” He is instructing them to celebrate the Last Supper as a liturgical memorial. It is in this context that the Mass is to be understood as a sacrifice.
 
As the priest now speaks the words of consecration over the bread and wine, they become the body and blood of Christ. In reverence, the priest genuflects in silent adoration before Christ’s blood in the chalice and then rises and solemnly recites an expression of St. Paul (1 Tim 3:9), that this truly is “The mystery of faith.” Jesus Christ whose body and blood were offered for our sins on Calvary, is now really present on the altar under the appearances of bread and wine. The people in response proclaim the mystery of salvation taken from St. Paul’s words to the Corinthians (1 Cor 11:26): “We proclaim your Death, O Lord, and profess your Resurrection until you come again,” or, “When we eat this Bread and drink This Cup, we proclaim your Death, O Lord, until you come again.”  A third option draws from John 4:42 “ Save us, Savior of the world, for by your Cross and resurrection you have set us free.”
 
The next prayer, the anamnesis, or memorial in Greek, begins: “Therefore, as we celebrate the memorial of his Death and Resurrection.”  the priest tells the almighty Father that the Church has been faithful in fulfilling Jesus’ command “Do this in memory of me.”  This serves as the basis for a second prayer known as the offering, which expresses how in the mass we are invited to unite ourselves with this sacrifice of Christ. “We offer you in thanksgiving this holy and living sacrifice…”  The Eucharistic prayer continues as it asks the Father to accept the Church’s offering as he was pleased to accept the sacrifices of Abel, Abraham, and Melchizedek from the Bible. As the Eucharistic prayers conclude, the priest prays that the communicants “may become one body, one spirit in Christ.” The priest also prays that our participation might make us “an eternal offering to you” (Rom 12:1). Finally, prayers are offered for the Church universal and for the peace and salvation of the world.
 
The Eucharistic Prayer concludes with an expression of praise commonly known as the great Amen.  Although the Hebrew word Amen, which affirms and validates what has been said, was often used in ancient liturgical settings, most notable is how the angels and saints cry out ‘Amen’ as they sing in chorus praising God. (Rv 5:14, 7:12, 19:4). Thus, after the priest proclaims in his closing, “ Through him, and with him, and in him, O God Almighty Father, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, all glory and honor is yours, for ever and ever,” the people respond in a celestial thunderclap,’ (St. Jerome) ‘ Amen!’
 
11. PREPARATION FOR HOLY COMMUNION
 Before receiving Holy Communion, the next part of the mass is meant to ensure the people are properly disposed to receive Christ’s body and blood. The preparation begins with the Lord’s Prayer as taught by Jesus in the gospels (Mt 6:9, Lk 11:1-4).
 
The priest begins by reminding us of the privilege it is to be able to talk to God in this way. “ At the Savior’s command and formed by divine teaching we dare to say…,” The people respond, beginning with “ Our Father…”  using an affectionate term for God to underscore the intimate relationship we now have with God, and our brethren, through our union with Christ. The Lord’s Prayer is divided into seven partitions, with the first three focused on God, and the last four focused on our needs. Hallowed be thy name: prays that God and His name be treated as holy. Thy kingdom come: prays that God’s reign will be accepted throughout the world. Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven prays that all on earth may worship God and obey His will perfectly as in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread: prays for our daily needs, and also refers to the bread of life we are about to receive in Holy Communion. Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us: before receiving Holy Communion, we ask God to forgive us, and we are challenged to forgive those who have sinned against us. Lead us not into temptation: this is a prayer that God strengthen us to overcome the temptations we face. Deliver us from evil: here we ask God to deliver us from Satan and his evil works.
 
This last petition introduces the Rite of Peace as the priest says, Deliver us, Lord, we pray from every evil, graciously grant peace in our days…”  The peace envisioned here is first and foremost profoundly personal and spiritual. It reflects a deep inner wholeness and wellbeing that is a gift from God, flowing from faithfulness to God’s covenant. Like angels in heaven the people respond by praising God “ For the kingdom, the power and the glory are yours now and forever.”
 
After petitioning the Father for the gift of peace, the priest now addresses Jesus, recalling His words at the Last Supper: “ Peace I leave you; my peace I give you” (Jn 14:27). Peace, not as the world gives, but an internal spiritual peace that can withstand life’s many trials. Next comes the sign of peace, which reflects ancient Christian practices and the exhortations of Saints Peter and Paul: “ Greet one another with a holy kiss” (Rom 16:16; 1 Pet 5:14).
 
The priest then breaks the Eucharist in a symbolic action known as the ‘Fraction’. The gospels report four occasions when Jesus himself broke bread. The first two in which he multiplied loaves to feed thousands. Matthew’s gospel in particular underscores how this miracle prefigures the even greater miracle of the Eucharist. And again, at the Last Supper, and in the Easter account of Jesus dining with the two disciples on the road to Emmaus. After breaking the host, the priest places a small piece into the chalice while praying, “ May this mingling of the Body and Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ bring eternal life to all who receive it.”  While doing so, the people repeat three times the Agnus Dei “ Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world, have mercy on us…” It is fitting that we address Jesus as “Lamb of God,” for the New Testament reveals Jesus as the new Paschal Lamb who has been sacrificed for our sake.  And our response joins in the refrain of thousands, and thousands of thousands, of Angels in heaven who worship Jesus as the victorious Lamb “To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be blessing and honor and glory forever and ever” (Rv 5:11-12).
 
12. THE MASS IS A WEDDING FEAST
 In Revelation we find the multitude in heaven along with the angels and elders singing a new song to the Lord. Four times they shout “Hallelujah” in praise of God. This is significant because this important liturgical word “Hallelujah” (praise Yahweh!) is used only four times in the New Testament, and all four verses occur in these six verses from Revelation 19. The last of these Hallelujahs in verse 6 reflects a turning point in the Liturgy when the great multitude sing
 
“ Hallelujah! For the Lord our God the Almighty reigns. Let us rejoice and exalt and give him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come and his Bride has made herself ready.” After which John writes “Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.” (Rv 19:19). This climatic supper of the Lamb is clearly some type of Passover meal, and in light of the Liturgical framework of the book of Revelation, it would be understood as the new Passover of the Eucharist. Earlier, in Revelation 19 the Lamb is revealed to be a Bridegroom which implies this Passover supper is a wedding feast. Thus, the Bridegroom-Lamb is Jesus, and the Bride represents us, the Church, whom Jesus is coming to wed. Indeed, this is the wedding feast in which the Lamb unites Himself to his Bride, symbolizing the final consummation of the union between Christ and his Church (Rv 21-22; Eph 5:21-33).
 
Therefore, when the priest says. “Blessed are those called to the supper of the Lamb,” he echoes the angels’ invitation to the wedding supper of the Lamb. (Rv 19:19). When you walk down the aisle to receive Holly Communion, as a member of the Church, you are coming to be united to your bridegroom, Jesus. In this light, the Mass is really a wedding feast. Our hearts should be filled with ardent longing for Holy Communion with our divine Bridegroom, whose very Eucharistic body sacramentally enters into ours in the most intimate way possible.
 
In reply to the invitation to the marriage supper of the Eucharist, we say a prayer that on the one hand acknowledges our complete unworthiness to receive our Lord, and at the same time, expresses confidence that Jesus calls and can heal us: “ Lord, I am not worthy that you should enter under my roof, but only say the word and my soul shall be healed.” These words express the humility and trust of the Roman centurion who expresses great faith and humility in asking Jesus to heal his servant who is at his house, for he believed Jesus can heal from afar, simply by speaking His word.
 
After distribution of the Eucharist. the priest cleanses the vessels and says the Prayer after Communion, in which he prays for the spiritual fruits of the Eucharist to take effect in our lives.
 
The Mass ends as it began with the words “ The Lord be with you,” and the sign of the cross is made while the priest blesses the people in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. From the fourth century forward, the Latin words “ Ite Missa est”, literally meaning “ Go, you are dismissed.” Thus, the entire Liturgy receives its name, “ The Mass,” from the word ‘ Missa’, which means ‘dismissal, or sending.’ We now use a new translation, “ Go forth, the Mass is ended” because the liturgy in which the mystery of salvation is accomplished concludes with the sending forth of the faithful, so that they may fulfill God’s will in their daily lives and bring the mysteries of Christ into the world.